Prologue: Where it All Began...

Winter’s Cruel Summer The cold, blue color of the sky, lingered on the frozen ground. Stars twinkled on the dark velvet, but they were cold and harsh. Snow and sleet battered the houses on the outskirts of the Winter Realm. The storm ripped through their white roofs, breaking the glass windows. In Havengail’s most northern country, the word cold was an understatement. Havengail, a country hidden by the wonders of the sea. Four countries reside within, including Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Each country is different. Different customs, different attitudes… Different powers… The Summer Real controlled fire. The Winter Realm, ice. The two countries had been at war for over a hundred years. The sweet land of Havengail was broken into two sides. Spring and Summerbloods, versus Autumn and Winterbloods. Earth and Fire, versus Wind and Ice. Many wished that the war would stop, but it had only just begun. Both sides were at each other’s throats, fighting until death. And when unexpected fatalities started appearing in the Summer Realm, the Summerbloods intended to fight back. * * * “Come on! We only have so much time!” Adrian hissed, just loud enough to be heard over the howling wind. His dark hair whisked around his face, his sapphire eyes glowing. It was the only thing visible behind his blue scarf, detailed with the signs of a Winterblood. A disguise. “Okay, okay!” Tempest muttered. She had taken her gloves off her hands, sparks lighting up her fingers, than fizzling out. She shivered. It was against Summerblood nature to be in such cold climate. Her powers couldn’t handle the intense cold. “T-There’s no time!” Adrian whispered, his teeth chattering. “W-we had to try, d-didn’t we?” Hayden managed to reply. He shook, the cold tearing at his skin. The failure of fire hadn’t been thought of, when his sister had drug him on this mission. Tempest and Hayden were siblings of Royalty. They both came from the Vidar la Reine family, of the Summer Realm. Both had the well known, fire red hair of the Vidar family. Tempest had bright amber eyes, while Hayden’s were a cold violet. Hayden’s skin had scars covering every inch of his skin. This was due to an incident that had happened when Hayden was a child. At seven, he was captured by the Winter Realm, tortured for information. It cost the family a great deal to get him back. Now at seventeen, ten years later, the scars were still as bright on his skin as they had been after the torment. Hayden and Tempest had many brothers and sister, parents too. All loved each other very much. All the children had had peaceful lives, besides the capturing of their brother. They lived in harmony, inside the great Summer Palace, with one fear. The Winterbloods. And the family had a right to fear them. For all of them, besides Hayden and Tempest, were murdered by them. That was why they were in the Winter Realm. Tempest wanted revenge over her lost family. Hayden wanted peace. But they knew, deep down, that both couldn’t receive what they desired. “My Lady!” Adrian urged. “We must tread on if we intend our attack to begin and end tonight, with no interference!” Adrian De Mort was General of the Summerblood Army. Even as the trio conversed, his army fought against the Winter Army throughout Havengail. He knew Tempest and Adrian very well, though they did not know him so. He was violent and cruel to every creature, other than the Summerbloods. His home had been torn to pieces, his family nothing but bones, due to the Winterbloods. He asks for one thing and one thing only. For the Winterbloods to be ruined, as he was. Tempest nodded. “This needs to be done.” she muttered through gritted teeth. “B-but-” Hayden chattered, but he was cut off, by Adrian’s blue, mischievous eyes. “There is not other way.” Adrian hissed. “He’s right.” added Tempest. “Do want our family to have died in vain, Hayden?” and she stormed out of the tent. Hayden hurried after her, followed by Adrian. It was even colder outside, the wind and snow ripping through their hair. The trio no longer felt like Summerbloods. They felt empty. The camp was set on the outskirts of the Winter Realm, for safety purposes. They wanted to be as far away from the Winter Palace when their scheme began. The trio snuck through the city, the cold intense weather increasing with every step. Their breath came in puff’s of steam. Hayden’s arms were wrapped around his body. He wore only a blue tunic and leggings. The cold weather did not affect the Winterbloods, and the Summerbloods needed to fit the part. Adrian wore a Winterblood official’s clothes, Tempest, a thin servants dress. Slipping into the castle was easy. Getting out would be the problem. Hayden and Tempest gathered into a group of servants bringing new supplies into the palace. Adrian followed, creeping along after the royals to make sure they weren’t being followed. The Winter Palace is made of pure crystal ice. It is harder than marble, and colder than, in Tempest’s opinion, the Winterblood King’s heart. The inside of the Palace was no different. Hard and cold. Tempest wondered if that was all these people felt. Hayden and Tempest turned around one corner, while Adrian turned another. Hayden grabbed Tempest’s arm, a worried expression on his face. “Your…your sure about this?” “Of course!” Hayden bit his lip. “You don’t have to do this!” Tempest’s expression softened a fraction of a degree. “I’m sorry, Hayden. But I’m afraid I do.” The duo turned another corner, and came upon the throne room. Crystal pillars stood on both sides of a silver carpet leading up to an ice chair. In it sat Marcus Glacer le Roi. His grey head was in his hands, and his silvery eyes watched as a cloak exited the room. “That’s Alice.” Tempest hissed. “She’ll take the throne when I murder the old man.” Hayden’s head turned so fast, his neck cracked. “WHAT!?” Tempest said nothing. “Tempest Vidar la Reine, I-I won’t let you! I thought capture! Interrogation! Not…not…” “Not ruthless, outright, torturous murders? Too bad.” and she stepped into the throne room. Glacer looked up. He could see right past the disguise. “Tempest…” the old man whispered. “How I hoped you would visit my wonderful little realm.” his skin was pale white, his navy blue robes hanging loose from his shoulders. Marcus’s grin faded. “Come to kill me?” Tempest said nothing, her dark red hair flipping around her face with a slight breeze. “Come to kill me?” Marcus asked once more. Tempest nodded. Marcus laughed. “But can you?” with a motion of his hand, Adrian was brought forward, bound and gagged. He had been captured. Tempest looked away from Adrian. She pulled a dagger from her clothes. Marcus laughed harder. “Do you think you can beat me, little girl? Do you think you can face the mighty Winterbloods? Tempest blinked, a look of terror on her pale face. The dagger trembled in her hand, as she realized what she was about to do. The dagger fell to the ground with a clatter. Guards made to grab her. Then, Hayden decided to answer the King’s question. He stepped out from behind the pillar. “Yes.” he said, and threw his own dagger at the King. It took ages for Marcus Glacer le Roi to crumple, but he did, eventually, a look of surprise on his aged face. He was dead. A cold silence filled the room. Hayden had killed the mighty ice King. Through the silence, a dull throbbing could be heard. Then, a humming. A humming of power, anger, and grief. “Kill them!” one guard shouted, blue light escaping from his hands as he pointed at the Royals. “Time to go!” Tempest shouted. Then Hayden and Tempest were running, screams echoing from the throne room and throughout the castle as people awoke. Tempest drug the stunned Hayden deeper in the Palace. “Do you realize what you’ve DONE?!” she asked. “You murdered the King, in front of his guards, with our disguises rendered useless. They know who you are Hayden!” Hayden said nothing. “They will come! They will fight back!” Tempest hissed. Hayden looked down. He grabbed his sister’s hand, and ran down the familiar path they had used to enter the castle. Soon, they were in the cool night air. “Adrian’s in there.” Tempest whispered hopelessly. Hayden nodded. It had been too easy, killing Marcus Glacer le Roi. The mastermind of his realm had not suspected such a simple attack. And now, anger and grief would rise in the Winter Realm. They would torture Adrian, as Hayden had been tortured. And the two Realms would attack more fiercely than ever. Hayden sighed. “I have made a mess, Tempest. I intend to clean it up.” He grabbed Tempest’s shoulder, and walked into the dawning light. It was time the Royal siblings returned to Summer, where they would wait for Alice. Where they would wait for the Winterbloods to strike back… The way back to the Summer Realm was pure torture. With their identity’s revealed, they couldn’t walk into any Winterblood city, without being targeted. They had money for steeds, but no place to buy them. Hayden’s face remained impassive as they finally made it to the Otherlands, the center of Havengail, where no one lived. It was endless green plains. Day’s had passed since they attack in the Winter Realm. Hayden’s hands were shaking, and Tempest noticed. “You could’ve let me do it.” Hayden’s eyes narrowed, and his hands clenched into fists. “One more minute,” he hissed. “And you would’ve been dead.” “I had everything under control!” “NO! No, you didn’t!” Hayden shouted, twisting around to face his sister. “I killed him for you! I saved your life!” Hayden’s face was contorted, his features crushed by pain and horror. “I wanted peace! I didn’t want war! You drug me on this accursed mission, and you had me go against all my better judgment!” he choked, his voice cracking. “I-I killed him.” Hayden collapsed on his knees. The picture felt odd. The scenery was like heaven, but the feelings like hell. Tempest frowned. She kneeled down next to him, finding his violet eyes, having them meet her amber ones. “Hayden…” she whispered. “Your not a bad person. If this is anyone’s fault, it’s mine. I just started the worst war of the century. The Winter bloods tried to antagonize me, and they succeeded. I-I only saw revenge. In my mind, it was the only option. And…when I got there…well, you remember.” Hayden blinked. He remembered. She had dropped her weapon. She had backed off. “So it IS my fault.” Hayden whispered. “No Hayden, don’t you understand? We’re in this together! We WILL rescue Adrian. We WILL defeat the Winterbloods! “And we will make Havengail right again.”

Author's Note

Okay, this was a project I had to do for a class. Flash Fiction yeah, my turned into a Prologue. I'm not really sure about it. If you think it's worth continuing, tell me. If not, tell me.