1 Prologue: "Finally Free"

The rain was pouring tonight. My clothes were soaked from making my way around the mostly empty streets. I was exhausted, but still, I kept going. I couldn't afford to stop. I couldn't get caught.

I pulled the hood back in its place, so my face, especially my eyes, were kept hidden in its shadows. I couldn't take the risk of being recognized. Okay, they wouldn't be exactly looking for me since everyone believes I'm dead, but still. I can't risk getting caught and being brought back to that Hellish place.

After years, I am finally free. I am on the run but free. Just one more street to cross, and I would be out of here. Out of Xeley, the Capitol of Brumeé. The place where it was swarming with Agents. People I didn't want to cross paths with, or I would be taken back to that dark place, back to Him.

Knowing him, my punishment for pretending to be dead, just so I could get out of that place… It would be bad. And not a couple of hits to my pretty face, kind of bad.

No, really bad.

But then again, it wouldn't be as bad that I end up dead. He needs me. Just like he knows that I see death as an escape out of this wicked world. I'm not afraid to die. I've never been, never will be.

As was expected from the weather and the time, the street was empty except for a lovely gay couple walking hand in hand under an umbrella. A small smile crept on my face looking at them. The taller one was laughing about something the smaller one said. They seemed so happy and carefree.

Looking at them made me almost feel lonely. Keyword almost.

I watched as the couple made their way into a terraced house.

Now I was truly the only one outside in the pouring rain. I liked it that way. Now the chance to be recognized decreased to almost zero. Of course, I still had to be careful, but I didn't have to worry as much anymore.

A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I continued my path. I didn't have a plan on where to go, maybe Flamebell, Pelsley, or even Eryas. I didn't know. I didn't care either, to be honest. The only thing I did care about was getting away from here.

Away from the Capitol that once was rainbows and sunshine, but is now cold and empty from the memories I made here when He took me in.

Anywhere is better than here.

As I reached the edge of the forest that would take me away from the Capitol, I turned around one last time.

Xeley was built around the enormous but beautiful Palace that once belonged to the Royal family. A building so extraordinary that people from around the whole continent, and even people from the southern continent came here to behold it.

Even I had to admit that even though the building was enormous, the Palace had its charm. The Palace was built on top of the lake Lucent – it even has chambers inside the lake. As the sun or the moon shine's its bright light on the water, it gets reflected on the pearl white Palace walls, making it seem like it's dancing with the waves.

The Palace's ballroom and throne room have minimum decorations for that same reason. The walls are decorated with beautiful stained-glass. When the sun or the moon shine's its light on the glass, different shades of green, yellow, and blue dance around the walls and floors.

It's truly breathtaking. It's magical.

But nobody has seen these phenomena in twelve years because Brumeé suffered a significant loss. Twelve years ago something happened to the beloved Royal family consisting of King Brannon, his wife Queen Lilith, and their two children, Crown Prince Jorah and the little, bubbly Princess called Ashula. Twelve years ago, someone somehow found their way into the heavily guarded Palace and killed them. Since then, the continent is in ruins. No one took over the throne, and not a single soul even entered the court after that day.

The towers of the Palace, once pearl white, were now overgrown with passionflowers. Even though it's still breathtaking, it lost a bit of its charm.

Just like the continent lost its magic. It died out in hours after the horrendous murders on the beloved Royal Family. Of course, that wasn't that hard, since the Royal family were the only ones in the continent possessing it. They were seen as the saviors of Brumeé, and because of that, they got blessed with magic. But now they're gone, and so is their magic.

I sighed deeply. After looking at the city for a few minutes longer, I turned around and made my way into the dark forest.