THE SPIRITS OF GREKASALKADUR

~PROLOGUE~

Everywhere I look I see only stones and dust. Everything is a ruin. And no one can imagine that those ruins were once a part of the largest and most beautiful castle in the entire region. Nobody will know that those ruins were once the heart of Grekasalkadur where the greatest leaders of this country reigned. Everything is so quiet and dark. The beautiful garden of roses who stood at the entrance of the castle has faded and all that's left are thorns. Even the animals don't have the courage to approach this place. They know exactly what happened...

I was so stupid... I was so stupid to think that things are not that bad. I thought I had time. But it is too late. The darkness has conquered everything. And in this place where once reigned friendship, love and peace; now dwells tyranny and slavery. People are left to die of hunger and cold.

I thought I was ready. All these years of training. All these years that I trained every day and night were in vain ... He is stronger than me, much stronger. How could I be so stupid to think I had chance him. Even the Magic Tree, the protector of all souls, the essence of magic itself and the symbol of this world can not resist against the cruelty. I don't know how; but with every step I make, I can feel its pain. With every gust of wind, I can hear it crying for help. And I know that wherever it is, its end is near. And if it dies, then there will be nothing to prevent the darkness to conquer the whole kingdom. Or even worse ... The whole world ...

Oh mom, dad ... How much I wish you were here. To help me understand ... What should I do? And above all, why me ?

- Say something. You both have promised me that you will always be with me. You promised ! And then I laid on the cold and wet ground. Exactly where, six years ago, my parents were killed...

**********

I have no idea how long I laid there. Maybe it was just a few minutes, hours or -who knows- maybe even days. But what I knew with certainly was that I cried so much that my eyes refused to make more tears. My chest was burning so hard, and the pain I felt inside me made me want to snatch my heart out of my chest and make the pain go away. I wanted to die. I wanted to be with them. My dearest parents. I wanted to hear their voices again. I wanted them to tell me that everything is fine and that they are not disappointed because of my failure. To tell me that they can forgive me...

I had lost my hope. Who am I kidding ? I was alone and helpless. An easy target. My body grew colder and colder because of the strong wind and frozen rain that began to fall heavy on me. It was like nature knew what I felt inside me. And now it was trying to express my pain in its own way. It saw the storm unleashed in me and now it is playing the same storm before my eyes. It was like nature and I were connected. And right now it was trying to comfort my broken heart and wash my pain away.

This stupid thought brought back my hope and made me smile. For the first time since I came back in Grekasalkadur I wasn't feeling alone and helpless. It felt like home. And like someone or something was there, close but still far away, that I couldn't see it, protecting me from the shadows. And surprisingly the storm turned into a slowl and cold summer rain, giving me a feeling of peace and quiet. I was feeling so powerless. I closed my eyes trying to sleep, knowing already what I would dream about. The same dream that haunts me every night. Or rather the same nightmare. But at that moment I didn't care. All I wanted was to see my parents, even if it meant I would have to relive those terrible moments again.....