Chapter 1: Paxsalam’s Despair!

 

Claude was disturbed by the news.

He always stood at the tower, looking over the Kingdom of Paxsalam every night, waiting for his parents return. He tapped his magic staff on the ground nervously, thinking about his parents’ advice before they left.

Claude is the prince of the king and queen of Paxsalam. He also had a six-year-old brother, Edward. He remembered that his mother and father had told him that they are going to an island located south to discover some new herbs that could help their kingdom against plagues.

“Brother?” Claude had heard his brother’s voice from his bedroom. He took his staff and headed towards the room. “I’m here.” Claude said in a gentle and calm (which was definitely not calm now) voice. “Is there anything you need?” “When will mummy and daddy come home big bro?” Edward asked.

Claude had heard that question every night after his parents went on their journey. And he wished he knew the answer. Despite being a prince, he was a brilliant magician. He had chosen the ice element for his powers. Claude was able to do many things with his ice magic. But still, he could not foresee the future with it.

“I don’t think that today will be that day Edward.” Claude said. “These herbs that mummy and daddy are finding are extremely rare. They could take a few more days to find them.” “I hope they find it soon.” Edward said. “I just… miss them…” His voice sounded like he was about to break down with tears. “Hey dude.” Claude raised his staff, and spun it in a circle.

Shards started to form in the air. Edward gasped. “They’re beautiful!” Edward reached out his hand to grab one of them, the shards sparkled purple in the room, lightening it up. “That’s so cool! They just formed right out from the air!” Claude smiled, as he had lighten up Edward’s mood, and presumably his as well. “Hey, since you like magic so badly, would you like to learn how to use magic?” Edward gasped with joy, his face turning red. “Yes! Yes!” He jumped each time he had said it. “Please! Teach me!” Edward rolled off his bed, and started to bow at his brother.

Claude chuckled. “Alright then! I’ll teach you.” He pated his brother’s head. “When you’re ready, I’ll teach you magic. And now, it is actually past your bedtime, I’ll advise you to have good dreams now, alright?” Edward nodded, and he crawled back into his bed and pulled the covers over his body. “Goodnight, Edward.” Claude pated him one last time, and left the bedroom.

Well, that had made him less worried every single time he did it. When Claude had used magic, he somehow felt that every despair and horror in this world had vanished for a moment. He had thought that magic was a weapon for evildoers who use them for destruction and murder, but after what his mistress had taught him, he looked at magic with a different point of view. He learned that magic is not evil, and it will only be if their owners are power-hungry and homicidal and humourless.

He took a stroll across the palace. He stumbled upon a water-dispenser, which was leaking out the wrong way. Claude sighed, “This is the third time today.” He tapped his staff, and the leakage had been sealed. He continued walking, trying not to think about negative thoughts, but what if something had really happened to his mother and father…

Claude shrugged those thoughts off. Positive thinking, he told himself. “No way! That’s what happened?!” He heard some people talking on the distance. “Yeah! That’s sick, right?” Three servants were walking out in front of him, giggling as they chatted. It didn’t took long until they noticed Claude. They bowed immediately, and their giggling and chuckling had stopped. “Your highness.” They said at the same time. “Sorry Your Highness, we were too busy talking that…” “It’s alright, It’s alright.” Claude replied. “Just continue your conversations.” The three servants nodded as they stood up and continued walking, laughing out again.

Claude strolled off into the Hall Of the Monarchs, the place where Claude will usually be when he had nothing to do. It was filled with portraits of the former kings and queens of Paxsalam. He stared at the latest portrait, which included his father and mother, himself and Edward. People find it odd that to why Claude even hangs out here in the first place, even he himself doesn’t know why… It could be because maybe he admired the people who held the throne long before his parents.

He spun his staff, and pointed it. “Element of Ice, First position, Snowball.” He casted, a snowball appeared from the ceiling and fell right into his arms. Claude proceeded to throw it into the air, and caught it. He continued to do this for… Until he managed to stop worrying about his parents. They’ll be fine. He thought. Our mother and father will not go down without putting up a good fight…

“Your Highness!” Claude heard a voice echo in the halls. A tall man who is covered in gold armor rushed towards him. “General Kano.” The snowball fell, but Claude didn’t catch it this time, it hit the ground and splattered. “Is there anything wrong general?” He asked. “It’s… It’s… about, the King and Queen.” Claude’s eyes widened, the news had finally arrived, his parents could finally return to their kingdom…

But he was dead wrong.

Claude collapsed to the ground as he had heard the news. He couldn’t believe what Kano had just said. “No… This can’t…” He sobbed. “I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Kano said, his face flooding with tears. “The King, and the Queen… of our beloved kingdom. Are dead.” Everyone in the room was tearing their eyes out. The king and queen of Paxsalam, who ruled for over fifteen years, are suddenly dead… “What happened?” Claude asked. “How did this happen?” “Their ships was raided…” Kato answered. “By… The witch, Melantha…”

Melantha… Claude was disturbed when Kato mentioned that name. His and Edward’s parents, were murdered by Melantha the Dark. “Melantha had boarded the king and queen’s ship, and sunk it, with forty crew and our rulers as well…” Kano said. “But, for some reason… She was caught in the sinking ship too. And barely escaped… But I think she will succumb to her injuries soon…” Claude wiped the tears form his eyes. “Melantha the Dark is a powerful and intelligent witch. She will definitely find a solution to heal herself.” He said. “Are there… Any other survivors?” Kano shook his head.

“Brother?” They turned to where the sound was coming from. Edward, stood on his spot, tears falling from his eyes. “Is it… True? That mummy… and daddy...” Claude doesn’t want his brother to know the truth, but… The situation is already high. “Y-Yes.” Claude managed. “It’s true.” Edward started to let out a scream, and collapsed.

“They promised!” He shrieked. “They promised that they’ll come home!” Claude rushed to his brother, and embraced him in his arms. “I’m sorry Edward…” Claude managed. “But mummy and daddy… Can’t be with us anymore.” Edward threw his arms around Claude, and said. “I’ll learn magic big bro. And I’ll find the person who did this to mummy and daddy. And I’ll avenge them!” His voice was filled with rage, his tone sounds serious and, surprisingly, a bit of confidence, like he has stated that this will happen in the future. Edward was desperate to learn magic. “When you’re ready Edward.” Claude replied. “When you’re ready.”