Velia and the North

Prologue

Velia Leofrun's POV
July 15, 2027

All through out our way home, nakatingin lang ako sa bintana ng sasakyan. And just like all the time I go home for vacation, I know my grandfather is waiting for me. He will always welcome me with a warm hug and a gentle smile.

I am Velia Leofrun, 22. Despite being orphaned at the age of 8 I never felt lacking. May it be love, attention, care,  or even material things. I always have everything at my disposal.

Just like any other children of the founding families—I grew up just fine and noble. Although my childhood started in a bad way but yet with my grandfather it started to get better.

To be honest, I don't know much about Disney princesses and damsels in distresses or handsome prince charming marrying a princess, still, I am very much satisfied with my bedtime stories.

My bedtime stories are the real-life adventures of our ancestors. It was a story far wide known among the 12 founding clans.

Growing up, I always heard tales and legends that I consider much more interesting than any ordinary children's stories. Thus time before going to bed at night was the best part of the day for me. As a child that is.

My grandfather always tells me, The world is vast and packed with extreme adventures. As such, the world is full of infinite possibilities and the world is veiled in unseen truths. Just like how the 12 founding families came together to protect the secret of the world.

At times my lolo Fred would remind me to be wary of my surroundings. That the world is no longer new and there were unforeseen entities that coexist, or linger in the realm of man for who knows how long already. They may be one of our friends or foe, we never know.

Actually, we may never get the chance even after we die or perhaps we get lucky and until death comes knocking at our door were unsure.

As the legend entails, there once a time when everything was chaos and war. Drought was everywhere and famine forces people to be immoral. Humans become outrageous, wage war, and find fault in everything. The human was painted in sin and had been inhumane until the great Pandora appears and bestowed mankind the gift of harvest and protection.

Legend says that the barren land soon was blessed and flourished. Then the earth shook for seven days straight, and the world was divided into seven continents. To avoid war to erupt again each continent soon reigned and was ruled over by the world's 12 founding families.

As time goes by, there was even a myth that says there are even a few lucky individuals or families who got blessed and was gifted with extraordinary abilities.

Leofrun.  One of the founding families. A historic and noble name. As grand as it is,  I am part of this family. I belong to the house of Leofrun and with the world tree as our family crest. The family crest symbolizes eternal prosperity.

Our noble house is one of the renowned antiquarians in the Republic of the North. With enough unwavering wealth to last a lifetime generation and with top-tier scholars my family is known far and wide all over the 7 continents. The first king of the North was crowned by my family and with that being said, our family history dated so long it was even considered in the modern era as the one that marks the history of the Republic of the North.

I was taken aback by my reverie when my phone vibrated. I fished my phone out of my pocket to check the message I received. Once more I look through the window, medyo tanaw ko na ang snowy mountain of Changbai.

This signals that we are entering the province of Changbai. One moment the scenery has changed and the warm rays of the sun pass through the closely packed trees of the road leading to the heart of Changbai province.