Chapter 0: PROLOGUE

「Dreams-imaginary events, stories our mind creates while we sleep.

They could be entertaining, romantic, frightening and sometimes bizarre, but the purpose of a dream remains subtle.

Vaguely understood by humanity, dreams have been topics of scientific, religious and philosophical theories for an eon.

Evidence points toward them being a result of emotions, memories or just stimuli.

Are they only fleeting moments in the infinite expansion of time, or maybe something more」

Before I emerged into the darkness, I saw a glimpse of a once-lost dream, a reflection of fleeting fragments of my alternate self. Though I dreamt it, I understood that it was real.

It was nostalgic to the point I felt every bit of emotions pouring down.

A dream that stood out to tell the tales of a thousand years of blood-filled war, sending sad, tearful emotions filled with the sorrows of millions laid dead beneath the ground.

The brutal war that spanned across the never-ending winter filled with vast snowy lands, hills, valleys and mountains districts stood wonders, mysteries, and strange encounters with the unknown resides.

With battlefields yielding clod lulls Iron off to sleep,

Blood clots the patches on where they oozed rust crumble,

And a mix of red and blue paints filled with fleshes slimed upon the ever glistering crystalline snow,

Sucking lists around its arousing scent of decay.

Murder on murder blinks in childish eyes.

Sending off waves of its victory upon the darkened weary trees in the woods buried in cold, nestled in sugary crystalline snow, peeking its needle-like branches through the glistening ice uncovered by wind-gust sweeping in the night.

Holding beauty in circumstance brutally fierce. Showing its weakened strength found in its snow-covered roots, where wind cannot pierce. Enduring lifelong, standing serene, branching out strong, as it thrives.

And through the snow hills, dressed in mystical coated veils. Like a child's ice-cream enclosed with white snowy toppings and vague green fillings like a glowing emerald crystal visible from within.

With cobalt colored shadows, shading the nature under the sun above.

While the sun gradually rose beyond the horizon, bringing on a warm yet sharp feeling that dissipated the oppressive feeling of the warfront.

All this was a dream, I knew that, but my feeling it got was not that of an ordinary dream. It felt like reality.

Though it was filled with a mixed experience, encounters with the different values and ideologies of the residents brought on a warm feeling of comfort, commitment.

But. Why did it come to this?

Why couldn't I save the one person—my precious one, who brought on a spark of light illuminating the darkness within me?

—Warm.

I thought idly, as I felt a lingering warmth between my fingers.

Dazing there underneath the slow, but graceful movement of the little white winter snow falling far down below, covering the ground with a velvet flow and soaked in a pool of her red crimson blood.

Her body had a very feminine temperament, which I felt on holding onto her soft body covered with the white furry coat she wore.

Pondering with a worrisome expression as my chest tightened from the feeling of her dying body right within my grasp.

I remembered the clear sound of her last words, her last breath, like a broken records playing over and over in my mind.

*Huff*

I could hear her breathing slightly, with a few huffs of white warm air dissipating.

Glancing at her lips that bleed with crimson red.

Though, on second glance, it wasn't her lips bleeding, but the remains of blood she coughed out.

My heart felt restless as I gazed eagerly at her exquisite and delicate clear white face and silky long smooth white hair of hers.

The long white eyelashes she had constantly trembled, with the slightly opening of her eyes.

Her looks were pale as under her eyes wore bags, filled with sadness, but the smile she gave had a different charm as she looked at me with affectionate eyes.

But the feeling of warmth that emitted from the touch of her body drew my idle thoughts toward her, even though she was slowly dying from blood loss.

The touch of her delicate soft hands grazing over my cheeks was wonderful. While she opened her mouth to say.

...

Huh?!

Quickly, I stretch forth my right hand, leaving my left right under her as I tried to heal her with my remaining mana.

*Fwoosh*

Light blue particles glittered in the air around her injured bowel, then slowly it gathered, sealing the wound she had.

Thereafter, in a slowly dissipated voice, she said.

M-Mmm... I-It's good to see... You're still alive.

Instantly I said.

What are you saying? Now's not the time for that—

But she continued on, with a weird smile saying.

"D-Do you remember? Y-Your promise. Y-You promised to tell me the full story about—"

"The princess knight."

I knew saving her was impossible, magic can heal her wounds, but not recover her lost blood. Even still, I wanted to save her, no I believe I could save her.

But on hearing her last request, I froze with tears slowly running down, while I replied with a teary voice.

"Of course, I remember."

"Thank goodness, I would love to hear it."

"OK, I would."

***

Once upon a time in a world filled with fantasy and mythical creatures.

There was a knight whose armor shone like a blindly with beautiful, he was known to be the princess knight.

He was neither the strongest nor the weakest in all the kingdoms, but he still stood to his great words and honor in protecting the princess, and known to be the most noblest of all knights.

Filled with admiration and love for the princess, in his eyes the princess' pale skin and emerald glow eyes was the most beautiful, truly her beauty was the embodiment of a princess.

The two were secret lovers that had vowed upon their everything to each other, but their love were forbidden in the kingdom as a princess can never marry a knight.

Nevertheless, they kept on admiring the other from afar, with love in their eyes, hoping that one day they would be joined together by a holy vow.

One day, the princess was bedridden with an illness that left colorful black markings on her body.

Healers from afar came forth trying to heal her, but they said she was cursed with an illness.

Nevertheless, the knight wished he could do something for the bedridden princess.

One night, he heard a whisper in his dreams telling him of the tales of a witch in a dark forest who was able to cure all illnesses.

It was said there were no illnesses she could cure.

The next day, the knight roded on his beautifully dressed horse heading to the dark forest.

After days of riding through the forest, the knight finally arrived at a glittering haunted house, which was the witch's home.

The witch glanced over and noticed a man in armor heading towards her.

Seeing his body covered in dirt and rusted armor. she then grinned a menacing as she asked gladly.

"For honor is such a humble and noble knight doing in this forest."

The knight was astonished, seeing she was nothing like a menacing witch in tales told.

After explaining his situation, the witch said.

"If you want to save her, you must go on a quest for the philosopher's stone from the depth of the dragon's lair. If you are successful, give the princess the stone, and she would be cured of all illness".

Swiftly he ran, without an ounce of hesitation, to dragon's lair.

Arriving at a strikingly scary cave, he met a glittering blue dragon, that sat on beautiful shiny golds and jewelry.

Awakening from its slumber the Dragan said.

"What does a human have to do in my cave?"

The Knight was scared. Scared to the point his legs trembled over the sight of the Dragon, but remembering the princess made him to speak back with bravery.

"I am knight and I would wish to have the philosopher's stone".

The Dragon rose up, spreading it long beautiful wings that almost covered all the cave, and said.

"The philosopher's stone, very good, show me that you are truly worthy of the philosopher's stone".

After days of battle, the knight came victorious as he defeated the dragon in his quest.

Admitting its defeat, the dragon said.

"It's my lost, very well for defeat I the great dragon. I shall give you the philosopher's stone, but remember using it comes with a price".?

Receiving the philosopher's stone, the knight rushed with all his might while heading to the castle.

Reaching the castle, the knight gave the stone to the princess, hoping to cure her.

Afterwards, he noticed all her markings had gone, but she was still asleep.

The knight asked himself, "why won't she wake wake up?"

Afterwards, the knight then received a message from princess.

"I'm sorry I had to say my final farewells to you like this, but I have to go on. I bestow upon you the tears of a phoenix, it shall grant you . I'd be waiting for you at the end of the world."

That was when it dawned to the knight, the princess was dead.

"What is the meaning of immortality without the one you love by your side?"

Ignorantly, the knight threw way the tears of the phoenix blinded by the hopes that she was well alive.

The Knight then went back to the dragon's lair, asking him, "why the philosopher's stone didn't heal her."

The Dragon replied.

"That is the price for using the philosopher's stone."

Confused by the dragon's words, he asked.

"Why?"

The Dragon then replied.

"The princess had a short time to live, but you tried to heal her, so her soul was shattered, as a result of meddling with the dead."

The knight was shocked by the dragon's words, but he refused to falter as he asked again.

"How do I fix her soul?"

The Dragon said.

"To find her soul, you must go to the underworld and search for her soul, then can you finally cure her, but beware both your body and soul shall be devoured as a price".

The knight then went on to a long journey in the underworld, searching for the princess' lost soul.

***

As I said the final words, I noticed her face was glowing with a straight smile.

*Drop*

When did I start crying?

I don't know, all I knew was, at that moment my eyes were swollen from tears that came running down as I heard her voice speaking, word after word slowly giving in to the pain she felt.

The only word I could say was 'Sorry'.

"S-sorry... My story isn't that good."

She nodded slightly as she said.

"M-mmh... It ok. I knew from the start what kind of ending it was."

Surprised by her sudden words my eyes gave in to the urge as tears came running down.

*Sob*

"W-Why"

Grazing her hands over to clean off my teary eyes, her stary smile left a painful feeling in my heart.

...

Trying to remember her name, all I could think of was a blank screen displaying over my memories.

Who is she?

What was her name?

Thought filled my head with questions asking of her existence, but all were filled with memories of a clear white scenery.

*Huff*

Slowly, she closed her eyes as she breathed on her final breath filled with her dying words.

T-Th...an...ks...

My chest felt a great pain as I replied tearfully to her words.

Y-yes.

*Sob*

At that moment, there were a lot of things I had wished to tell her,

Things words simply can't describe

For my feelings are so many,

But words, they are so few.

The encouragement she gave me

And my feelings for her that are true.

I'm glad that while reaching out, I found someone like you. You give your love so sweetly. I am lost if you are away. You have me so completely.

With the promises we made, the nights and days we spent.

You make me laugh, when I want to cry. You make me happy, when you don't even try.

Her laugh, her smile.

I love everything about you.

She was someone I could never replace.

Someone that keeps me up all night,

Someone that makes life a better place.

The one that is getting me through the day,

And so it seems to me there,

If there was only one thing left to say.

I don't know how to say it

To make it sound so true,

So I'll say it how I feel it.

—I'm in love with you.

You are someone I can't forget.

You will always be in my heart.

I know I'll be with you yet, I can't accept an ending like this.

I can't forget the things you taught me

The feeling you gave me,

Everything from your words, your touch, your kiss.

You gave me hope, you gave me love,

And I know you were sent from heaven above.

The way you showed me the person I could be,

It's something you, and only you, would see.

You were always different and unique,

But I never guessed it was me you would seek.

How someone like me would end up with someone like you,

I honestly don't believe it; it cannot be true.

But it is, and I know every day

That I have YOU, and it's needless to say

You've made my life beautiful and taught me how to live.

To show you how much I'm grateful, I'd give you everything.

So thank you for coming into my life.

In doing so, you've taken away the sorrow and strife.

And I know you'll always be there by my side.

This time it's my turn to repay you.

As long as the feeling of unrest remains in my chest.

No matter what, I promise I would save you

My dear... Shhh...

Huh?! What was her name again?

I can't remember, but all I could remember was a strange sensation.

—Cold.

I could feel her soft body between my palms turning frozen cold. Every second, it felt like she could break into pieces and fall like snow from the skies above. Lay in absolute silence, even at the very end.

My heart throbs the more.

While I remember the times we wished to spend. Living a quiet life in a small cottage, hidden far from the real world.

Knowing you, it would be easy for you to adapt in a life like that, I could easily find a nice job as a farmer, in the greenhouse district.

And earn some money, give birth to at least two babies, if its twins, we could dress them both in matching clothes.

Spending our lives, without a care of the world outside.

But, without you, I see life as meaningless.

I wish this sad tale could all go away.

I wish it could all turn into dust, gushed between the ever blowing wind of the white hue of the winter.

I wish all was hidden under the never-ending abyss world away from my memories.

I wish I could forget about it all, and return without the strange feeling.

I wish I could awaken from this nightmare.