Prologue

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The silence was almost palpable, broken only by the soft dance of candle flames on the walls. Shadows stretched and twisted, like dark tentacles, across the stone floor. In the chamber's center, a figure shrouded in darkness commanded attention. Her face remained hidden, obscured by the deep cowl of a silvered hood.

Before her, the ancient chronicle lay open, its pages whispering secrets that echoed through the ages. Her slender fingers traced the faint glow of runes etched into the parchment. With a soft murmur, she began to read aloud.

"In the time of dragons, when fire and blood ruled the skies, there was peace under the Twelve Elemental Crown... but peace never lasts."

As her words hung in the air, reality itself began to warp and bend. The flickering candles merged with a distant glow, like fires burning on a forgotten horizon. The stone floor crumbled, and the chamber's walls melted away.

Suddenly, the past emerged, vivid and alive.
"A betrayal would come. A power once bound would be unleashed, and the lineage of dragons would fall, leaving only ashes in its wake..."

On 999 B.C

As the tempest raged outside, Hayley stood tall within the castle walls, her ceremonial robes, her hair and her face fill with blood, her head is bleeding, her silver white shiny hair has turned to red blood hair. The air was electric with magic and fear, the weight of her family's betrayal hanging heavy.

"Father, this is madness!" Hayley shouted. "I am the firstborn of the true dragon blood, and I’ve spent 37 years of my life  for this day . The throne and crown belongs to me!" Hayley’s tears flowed like a river, her father’s expression remained frozen, obvious to her anguish.

Her voice echoed through the great hall, but her father’s eyes were cold. Behind him stood Helena, her hands folded, eyes shimmering with victory. Atherion stepped forward his dragon scales gleaming in the torchlight.
 
"It belongs to Helena , she can rule on Mecatopia better than you, Hayley," Atherion replied, voice as sharp as steel. "And you are not strong enough, you are vulnerable like your worst mother."
 
At that moment, Helena stepped forward, her voice smooth and poisonous. "You were never born to rule, sister. Our family chosen me, the Mecatopia have chosen me."
Suddenly, the grand doors crashed open. Four dark figures entered, casting a shadow over the celebration. The Cabal leader, with piercing red eyes and black hair, wore a dark cloak adorned with runes and symbols of dark magic.

"The ceremony  started without us?" he sneered. "How rude, Your Majesty." Elazar Blodsvärd said.

“Remember our deal, Helena," he said, his voice dripping with threat. "I gave you the Black Codex, grant  you with magic beyond your wildest dreams. Now it’s your turn to fulfil your part of the bargain. Give us the child and the crown. We want what you promised.”

Helena smirked, her fingers curling around the hilt of a blackened, ancient sword.
"My niece?" she scoffed, turning to face them fully. “I don’t require your assistance anymore. Your abilities may have been useful in the past, but I’ve surpassed your influence. I’m beyond your manipulation, and your utility has expired.”
 
Jenna stood there and  gulped, now fully aware of the dark alliance that had been forged in secret. Hayley, watching from a distance, stepped forward, her eyes locked on Helena.
“You made a deal with them? With the Cabals?” Hayley's voice trembled with rage. “You’ve betrayed us all.”
Helena turned to her sister, her expression cold and unfeeling.
“Betrayal? You’re one to talk about betrayal, sister. You were never strong enough to take the crown, neither my other siblings. You were never willing to do what needed to be done.”
Helena’s grip on the  Heartpiecer sword tightened as she took a step toward Hayley. The Cabals watched silently, their eyes shining with interest, but they began to sense the shift in Helena's demeanour. She no longer saw them as allies, and their power over her was weakening.
Elazar  Blodsvärd hissed, his voice sharp and commanding.

"You made a deal, Helena. Break it, and you’ll suffer your whole life . The child and the crown, now.”

Helena's eyes darkened, the black veins are surrounded around her eyes, and her lips twisted into a cruel smile.

“The crown has mine. The child’s powers are  mine. I don’t need you or your magic anymore, Bloodsvärd”

In a swift motion, Helena raised the Heartpiecer  sword and, with a fierce shout, plunged it into Hayley’s chest, stabbing her directly through the heart. Blood splattered onto the stone floor, and Hayley gasped, collapsing as Helena twisted the blade.
"You may take my life, but my legacy will haunt you forever. My daughter will ascend, and she will reclaim the throne and crown  you usurped. The world will tremble beneath her feet, and your name will be reduced to ashes."

Hayley’s last words were barely a whisper as she struggled to speak, her eyes wide with shock and pain.

“She will set-fire-to-the-rain".

Helena pulled the sword out of Hayley’s chest and stood tall, her heart cold and emotionless. She turned back to the Cabals, who now stared at her with fury.

“You fool, Helena. You will regret crossing us,” the leader snarled. But Helena, unfazed, simply raised the sword toward them.
“Leave this place, or I’ll destroy you where you stand. I don’t need your help anymore. I’m powerful enough on my own.”

The Cabals hesitated, their dark eyes flickering with rage. They had underestimated her ambition and lust for power. Realizing that Helena had grown beyond their control, they slowly retreated into the shadows, but not without a final warning.

"We will meet again, Helena. Your betrayal will not go unpunished. You’ll pay for what you’ve done."

With that, the Cabals disappeared into the darkness, leaving a trail of ominous energy in their wake.

 As the dust of battle settles, the mysterious woman stands beside the ruins, watching the dead leaves swirl in the air. She speaks softly, her  voice heavy with the weight of history: "It's autumn now... the time when leaves fall, only to rise again. People say that the fall brings life once more, but remember, so does the fall of Hayley. Just as the leaves return with the changing season, so too will the power of the dragon bloodline. The end is not final. The fall is a beginning of a new Golden Era."

The woman closed the tome gently, her face still obscured. She sat among the candles, waiting... knowing that the events of the ancient past were soon to collide with the present.

 knowing that the events of the ancient past were soon to collide with the present

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