Prologue II

The first time he compared himself to his brother was when he turned ten and held his first tea party. That was what a noble lady should do, yet he didn't enjoy it. After a few minutes, nearly everyone had burst into tears, wailing for their parents, who quickly arrived to retrieve them. Adel was fine with it, he found it boring anyway. As he sat there dully - the number of children present decreasing each time - his twin brother was occupied with an archery competition. After a while, it was only him left at his tea party; relieved yet dulled. He had been told that he was a girl, who had to wear dresses and speak languidly and politely. And he did as he was told - every day - though he would always wonder, "What is the difference between a boy and a girl?"

Why did he have to attend the tea party instead of his brother?

Why did he have to smile and wave politely at both the good and corrupt?

Why was he the "princess", and his brother the "prince"?

This wasn't fair.

The second time he felt dissimilar from himself was on the day he turned 12. As many years have passed since he last held a gathering, the nobles quickly forgot his existence, sending their sons and daughters to his twin instead. Contrary to his thoughts though, a royal tutor, a woman, started lecturing him; who was still as bored and feminine like any other day.

"Lady Adelaide, as the princess of the Faes, there will be many who will try to approach you, both for politics or your beauty, and ask for your hand in marriage."

"Many?"

"Men, who will be captivated with your beauty and title. Such as the official you met at the founding celebration. It would be best to avoid others like them," she advised.

Adel curiously raised his hand. "What's the difference between them? How do I identify a man from a woman?"

The tutor let out a scoff. "Usually, one can easily tell the differences based on the appearance. Though crossdressers are rare, in that case…we shall look at the lump at their throat, or if needed, their private area."

"I see," he replied blatantly. Anyhow, that was all Adel could say. He touched his throat, rubbing the soft pale skin until he could feel a faint lump. The lump moved as he swallowed, and he pressed on it again, wanting to feel it one more time. He reached out to touch his tutor's, who chuckled at his gesture. She had none.

The third time was when he just turned 14. It was his birthday, which was supposed to be a merry occasion, except it wasn't. After an argument with the King and Queen, Adel had decided to do what he saw in plays and ran away from…his residence. The main characters in the plays and stories always had a better life after they escaped. His naive self was full of hope.

And just like his birthday, it was all fun and games until it also wasn't. Half an hour after he left the palace, he saw a tree flying across him. Adel could only stare in confusion.

A few moments after, another tree flew - except this time - towards him, as if it was aiming for his face. He quickly stretched out his arms and blasted it with mana knocking the trunk off course.

As he gazed at the scene before him, Adel wished he never ventured deep into the woods.

The realm of the Beasts was bordered between the Divine and Mortal realms or Barriers. Elemental beings; such as spirits, faes, nymphs, or "descendants" were classified as Beasts - divine, yet still mortal, something in between. Similar to humans, Beasts of different races live in separate territories. Faes and spirits inhabit the woods within the Beast realm, while nymphs and sirens dwelled near or in water bodies.

The outskirts of the woods were inhabited by the Faes, who did not require a dense amount of elemental energy to survive, unlike lesser elemental spirits. This was why most lesser spirit tribes were located deep in the woods, where there was an abundance of elemental energy and mana.

As poetic as he could be, the scene before Adel could only be described as chaotic. The sky was clouded with dust, musky and suffocating, while the forest was dyed crimson with blood. Bodies hung from branches, limp and unrecognizable.

It was no doubt a massacre, but by who…or what?

The victims were a tribe of lesser wind spirits, while the perpetrator was a newly ascended drunk god. A young spirit - about a couple of years older than him - was fending off the deity with a small girl in his arms, his younger sister perhaps. The spirit struck the god's right eye, receiving a blood-curdling scream in response. Another tree was destroyed, and Adel couldn't help but feel pity and regret. Seeing as he couldn't defeat the young spirit, the deity then marched towards the fae.

The young spirit's eyes widened, and he also did the same - except without the intention to slaughter.

In the end, Adel - whose right leg was sprained when he jumped from the window - had to be carried over the shoulder by the young spirit as they left the scene, far away from the drunk deity.

Was leaving a bad idea? No, it never was, and he never regretted it.

"You're a man." The young spirit, named Dimor, had said to him once they reached a hollow cave. Adel stared at his reflection in a puddle, gazing at what he thought was himself. He tucked a long golden strand behind his ear and stared deeper into his green eyes, flickering along with with the water. Once again, he asked himself: What was the difference between men and women?