Darkness had swept over the kingdom of Veloria. The air, which once vibrated with colorful sparks and harmony, was now filled with dust and dread, a terrible aftermath of the five year long war.
Veloria was desolate, torn apart by lies and hatred. Magical creatures and those who were born without magic once existed together peacefully, until lies started to rise like ashes after a fire.
Magic was threatened, those who possessed it were attacked, bullied into hiding, forcing the ancient protectors to rise.
The crown, a dangerous assembly of men and women without magic rose to challenge the ancient warriors. They forged armies from dark sources, built their own warriors and sent them to battle the formidable ancients. Thus, the war began.
Magical creatures went into hiding, but they were fished out, one by one, killed, locked up, abused and ripped off their powers.
The emberbound warriors fought to protect magic and all its kind, but all the elements worked against them, and the crown's soldiers were too powerful. For years, the war persisted, destroying everything, leaving permanent scars.
They called it the great Ashen Fall war, because a kingdom that was stood tall was reduced to nothing but ashes, with all the magic burned and buried.
The emberbound lost, they fell, they were destroyed, and considered extinct. Every single one of them was hunted down even when they tried to run, and killed mercilessly, banishing the ancient oaths forever.
A new ruler emerged, a queen forged from stone and power, who convinced the world that magic ruined it. Magic was banned, abhorred, and those who practiced it were labelled dangerous, evil, and were executed.
The crown became a strong monarchy, one that nobody dared to stand against, one that forced everyone to bow.
However, there was still magic left in the kingdom. The crown knew this, and every year, they would be extracted and publicly executed in a severe trial called the binding trials.
…..
In the outskirts of a small town in the kingdom, a heavily pregnant woman struggled through the rubble that the war had left behind, tears in her eyes as she searched for food, anything at all, even if it was a piece of bread.
There was nothing, everything had been reduced to dust. The citizens were all hiding, waiting for the effects of the war to die down, waiting for the rebuild to begin. But she couldn't wait, she was almost due, and she hadn't eaten in days.
Her husband, the one who always came home with food for her, no matter how little, had been killed in the war. An emberbound warrior, last of his kind.
"Hold on, baby." She whispered, her left hand clutching her bump as she staggered through what was left of a bakery. "There has to be something here."
The baby in her womb kicked, she winced, wiping the sweat off her face with the back of her dirty palm. Her white dress was now barely white, torn everywhere. She was weak, her bones cracked, her eyes weary, but she kept going.
"I won't let anything happen to you." She sighed, a sudden, sharp pain jabbing her abdomen.
She winced, taking in her lower lip in desperate pain. But it only became worse, forcing her to grab a metal bar for support. She held her bump, wincing, groaning, biting her lip until she tasted blood.
"No, not now."
She was in labor. How could she have her baby there? In a structure that was barely standing. She mustered up some strength and tried to leave, but the pain came harder, causing her to crumble to the floor, a loud cry escaping her throat.
The echo sounded, followed by her short, rapid, pain ridden breaths.
"No, no!" She screamed, throwing her head back as her hair clung to her sweaty face.
She couldn't give birth here, out in the open. She knew what her baby was, and she knew they would come for her. She knew she was being closely watched.
"Baby, please hold on for me, please." She cried out, shutting her eyes. But the horrible pain persisted, and she felt the urge to push.
"Ugh!"
Just then, she heard something snap, like a twig under somebody's foot. Her eyes snapped open, scanning the place with ragged breaths that threatened to cause her to pass out.
"H.. hello?"
"Hey."
A woman suddenly appeared in front of her, she gasped, her head hitting the wall in fear. She smelt like smoke and cream.
"I knew I smelt a woman in labor." The woman lowered her form in front of the laboring mother. "We have to get out of here before they arrive."
"They?"
"The crown. They know what your child is, and they will come."
"How can I trust you? How do I know you're not one of them?" The laboring woman tried to move back, even though the pain made it unbearable.
"I am just like you," the strange woman reassured, "hiding from the crown, hiding her own magic."
Her eyes shone, revealing the magic within her, and the pregnant woman softened.
The woman touched her shoulder, and just like the wind, they vanished, causing a slight shift in the air. They arrived in an enclosed space, lit up by candles, and made out of wood.
"Where are we?" The laboring woman trembled, gripping the hem of her dress as her eyes scanned the strange environment.
"You're safe." The kind woman smiled, her aura safe and warm.
"Now, I need you to save your energy, because you're going to push."
After two gruesome hours, the baby's cry was heard, loud and piercing, and the air stilled. Something else was born along with that baby, but no one knew what it was.
"It's a girl.." the older woman smiled, cradling the child in her arms, trying to comfort her.
The tired mother cracked a smile, panting and trying to recover. "Is she alright?"
"She's perfectly fine.. but.."
"But what?" She almost sprang up, her eyes widening in concern.
"She's… not ordinary."
Silence.
Both women knew the baby was not safe in a world where magic had been outlawed. If she possessed powers that were out of the ordinary, then they needed to keep her hidden, for as long as possible.
"I'll keep her safe." She said, taking her baby from the older woman. She hugged her closely, covering her face with soft kisses. "I'll keep my daughter safe."
Little did she know, the crown would come for her. But for her daughter, she would gladly give up her own life.
"Alora." She whispered, her voice blending with the wind.