HEARTS
Chapter one
In the ancient tradition of the Heartian mythos, a majestic rose blooms at the birth of an individual with pure royal blood. As the keeper of this floral symbol grows, the rose develops in tandem, forming an unbreakable bond with its guardian upon reaching adulthood. This mystical flower is revered for its supposed connection to the fundamental life force, a testament to the awe-inspiring mysteries of creation.
Queen Rose, a paragon of virtue and authority, led a life marked by unwavering respect and unimpeachable power. Her rose, the most potent of its kind, possessed the extraordinary ability to heal and nurture, ensuring the ever garden's perpetual flourishing and safeguarding it against external threats. The idea that the queen's decision to bring forth another being of comparable power would exact a devastating toll on her physical form would have been deemed unthinkable by those who knew her.
As the embodiment of hope for the Heartian clan, Queen Rose had secured countless victories in battle, her name etched forever in Heartian history as the greatest ruler of all time. Yet, the advent of the prophecy threatened to upend this legacy.
When the blood moon reaches its zenith, a monumental pillar shall fall, and within the fiery, scarlet radiance that follows, a tower of unadulterated power shall emerge. Beware, for the balance between good and evil hangs precariously, and the slightest disturbance of the celestial scales shall unleash a fury beyond imagination, leaving a bitter taste in its wake.
Queen Rose understood the prophecy's significance, but chose to conceal its meaning, believing secrecy would ensure a lasting, intriguing legacy.
On the night of the solstice, beneath the crimson glow of the red moon, a newborn's cry pierced the dawn's stillness, shattering the tranquility of the Heart Tower. The queen's face, illuminated by a faint, enigmatic smile, reflected her deep affection for the wondrous being she had brought into the world.
The infant's hair blazed with fiery intensity, its eyes aglow with the promise of untold tales and a beauty transcending mortal existence. As the queen's life force waned, her crown, surrounded by loyal retainers, seemed to symbolize the transfer of her sovereignty to the nascent being. With her final breath, the queen's life force dissipated, synchronously with the withering of her bonded rose. Her form transformed into delicate rose petals, borne aloft by the whispers of the wind, their ultimate fate a mystery that has endured to this day.
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Twenty years have passed since that night.
And in the heart of the Evergarden, where time folds in petals and whispers, a young woman stands.
Her hair, a cascade of flame, dances with the wind.
Her eyes-stardust and sorrow-search the sky like they've done a thousand times before.
She is clothed in silence, in memory, in the ache of something lost but never forgotten.
She kneels before the roses-blood-red, unyielding.
Her voice trembles, but her spirit does not.
"Mother... it's me again.
It's Ravenna."
A pause. The garden holds its breath.
"I've done terrible things. I've become the very storm they feared... and worse. But do you know what frightens me more than that?"
She places a hand on the soil. "I don't regret it."
Above her, the moon hides behind a cloud.
Below, the roses bloom brighter-almost listening.
"I will burn this kingdom down before I ever bow.
And when they speak of queens... they will speak my name in fire."
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