Rose lived a quiet, bleak life—one of the last remnants of the fallen kingdom of Linovard, once a realm of noble knights and fearless champions. Her village, nestled in the shadow of the northern highlands, was a ghost of its former glory. Famine gnawed at its bones. Plagues swept through like whispers of death, claiming dozens each year.

  Sandstorms circled the village like vultures, tearing through the fragile huts whose roofs were nothing more than brittle, decaying straw.

  And then came winter—the cruelest season of all. It arrived early in Linovard, long before it touched the southern lands. The mountains welcomed it first, as if the cold itself remembered the kingdom's legacy.

  Winter had once been a symbol of strength and celebration. But after the Third Magical War, only shattered castles remained—empty, haunted by wind and whispers. Now, winter marked despair. Disease. Hunger. Thirst. And worse... the arrival of twisted mountain beasts, corrupted by lingering magic.

  Rose, a young woman in the spring of her youth, awoke to screams and the scent of fire.

  She bolted upright, heart pounding.

  "What's happening?" she gasped.

  She rushed to the window, breath fogging the cracked glass.

  Her eyes widened. "Wait... that's my father."

  Her father—once a revered healer—was now one of the village's most feared sorcerers. A master of poison and decay. She never understood why he had changed. Perhaps the fall of Linovard had broken something inside him. He had witnessed the death of the last knight, who fell defending their village.

  After that, her father abandoned healing. He began writing strange texts, disappearing at night, returning at dawn with food and water for the villagers.

  Years passed. His back hunched. His voice grew cold. And then he began teaching Rose the magic of toxins.

  "You're clever," he always said. "You'll learn fast."

  And she did. She mastered the basics. She killed her first beast alone.

  Her parents were proud.

  But her younger brother, Ramzi, hated her for it.

  "You've become a monster," he once spat. "Just like Father. You poison the land. You kill beasts. One day, you'll kill people too."

  She never listened. She had learned this magic to protect him. To protect them all.

  Rose glanced at her sleeping mother and brother, then stepped outside into the storm.

  Her father stood at the village gate, surrounded by a swirling green aura of venom. A monstrous creature lay dying at his feet, its flesh sizzling. Villagers cowered in their homes, peering through cracks in the wood.

  The blizzard howled, blinding and brutal. It shattered visibility. It gnawed at bone. It made teeth chatter like drums of war.

  Rose reached her father, breath ragged.

  "Father... I came to help."

  He didn't turn. "Good morning. This beast followed me from the cliffs. It attacked the village. Set fire to the huts. I stopped it... just in time."

  Rose nodded. "We can't afford another attack. Winter's here. We need to prepare."

  Her father leaned on his wooden staff, voice low and steady. "Indeed."

  He turned and walked toward their hut, the snow hissing around him.

  "Bring food and water to the villagers," he said. "I need rest. Don't be long."

  Rose bowed her head and set off beyond the village, searching for a nearby water source to share with the others—and a beast whose hide could be tanned into coats, whose flesh could be cooked to feed the starving.

  The storm raged, its icy breath clawing at her skin.

  She trudged forward, step by agonizing step.

  "This is bad," she muttered. "If this keeps up... the wells will freeze. I need to find one before it's too late."

  Qaws and Lainas walked side by side, their boots crunching against the sunbaked path. Around them, the procession stretched wide—villagers, guards, healers, and assassins all moving in quiet unity. Wagons rolled past, laden with fruit, seeds, and medicine bound for the scattered southern settlements.

  Lainas smiled, his eyes scanning the horizon.

  "Look at them... carrying life to every corner of the land."

  Qaws nodded, his gaze steady.

  "Once the southern villages are cleansed, they'll spread to the rest. It's finally happening."

  "At last," Lainas whispered.

  They reached the gates of Valia.

  The village—once a ruin of ash and silence—now pulsed with motion. Craftsmen repaired walls. Children ran between tents. Soldiers patrolled the perimeter, their armor glinting in the afternoon light.

  Lainas stopped, stunned.

  "I can't believe it... This place was hopeless. And now... it's a cradle of hope."

  Villagers gathered, smiling. Some bowed. Others emerged with their children. A few offered food, armor, and fresh garments to the soldiers.

  Qaws watched as carts rolled out from the village, stacked with fruit—grown by Mowj himself.

  "We worked hard for this," he said.

  "And we met strangers, too. Claimed they were from another world. Can you believe that?"

  Lainas turned, surprised.

  "Another world?"

  Qaws nodded as they approached the harbor.

  "They said they came from Elpha. What's left of the Kingdom of VAA."

  Lainas paused on the gangplank, halfway up the ship.

  "Elpha? VAA? My grandmother spoke of them. They were our allies during the last magical war."

  Qaws frowned.

  "Then this may be a bad omen."

  "What do you mean?"

  "They said the Black Order reached them. Destroyed every nation on Elpha. In the end... they shattered the planet itself."

  Lainas gripped the railing.

  "That's... horrifying. They were on another level. Our books speak of their victories—how they crushed the Black Order on multiple fronts. And now..."

  Qaws nodded.

  "Mowj formed a pact with them. They seem honorable."

  "Then I hope they stand with us. We'll need every ally we can find."

  A voice called from the deck.

  "Commander! We've finished sorting and loading the supplies."

  Qaws turned, his eyes drifting to the crates of fruit.

  "Do we need the fruit?"

  Lainas stepped beside him.

  "Mowj said to bring a few. They might need help. The spoiled fruit—the one that infected the villagers—was given to them too. It could be leverage. If they resist... or refuse."

  Qaws nodded slowly.

  "Smart thinking."

  He raised his voice.

  "All hands—prepare to sail!"

  "Aye!" the crew roared.

  The ship groaned as it pulled away from the dock, sails catching the wind.

  Villagers waved from the shore. Children shouted, their voices bright.

  "Uncle Lainas! Come back soon!"

  Lainas smiled, lifting his hand slowly.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  "I will! Stay safe, all of you. I'll see you again!"

  The ship drifted into the horizon.

  Behind them, Valia stood—reborn.

  Ahead, the unknown waited.

  The Sea Beyond Valia - When the Stars Returned

  Lainas smiled as he watched the villagers waving from the shore. He raised his hand slowly, voice steady and warm.

  "Mark my words! I'll see you again. Stay safe!"

  The ship creaked as it pulled away from the dock, sails catching the wind. Qaws stood at the helm, eyes fixed on the map spread before him.

  Lainas stepped inside, making his way to the navigation chamber.

  "Do you actually have a map?" he asked, surprised.

  "I was just about to ask how we're supposed to reach our destination."

  Qaws grinned beneath his hood.

  "How do you think we're crossing this vast desert sea?

  I stole this map from a group of traders who passed through Valia on their way to Aurik."

  He winked and unfolded the parchment.

  Lainas chuckled.

  "You? Of course you did."

  Outside, the waves crashed against the hull, rhythmic and relentless.

  The ship itself was a masterpiece—crafted by the villagers of Valia under Ledra's command. Tailors had stitched the emblem of the Green Comet into the sail, its glow catching the wind like a blessing.

  Qaws traced the route with his finger.

  "If we stay on this course, we'll reach the edge in two days."

  Lainas sat by the window, watching the endless stretch of sea.

  "So... we're heading toward the pirates, aren't we?"

  Qaws turned, already walking away.

  "You'll handle the men and preparations. You're good at that.

  I'll take the helm."

  He climbed to the wheel, the cold wind rising around him as Valia faded into the distance.

  Lainas remained in the navigation chamber, staring at the map.

  "How ironic... This map was crafted in ancient Leonithra."

  Night fell.

  Darkness swept across the deck like a tide.

  Lainas emerged, stepping onto the upper deck. He looked up.

  "This is... haunting.

  Silva's natural sky... before the Luminous Tree was destroyed...

  It used to light the ocean and the night.

  Now... there's only shadow."

  Qaws raised his hand, pointing toward the heavens.

  "Look there..."

  The Green Comet blazed across the sky, and beside it, the Blue Dark Star pulsed faintly.

  Lainas smiled, his voice soft.

  "Ah... I'd forgotten.

  They're beautiful."

  Then—movement.

  A ship approached from the east, its silhouette barely visible in the gloom.

  Qaws narrowed his eyes.

  "Lainas... we've got company.

  Whether they're pirates or tied to Luthor... odds of engagement are high."

  Lainas turned sharply, voice rising.

  "Men! Prepare yourselves! Lower the sails—we have visitors!"

  "Aye!" the crew roared.

  The wind howled.

  The stars watched.

  And the sea held its breath.

  "I must reach the well," Rose murmured, her voice barely audible beneath the roar of the storm. "It's always full... always."

  She leaned over the rim, peering into the depths.

  A pause.

  Her breath caught.

  "It's empty... frozen solid."

  She turned away, snow swirling around her.

  "I'll try another."

  But after searching every well in the village—some dried to dust, others sealed in ice—she found nothing. No water. No hope.

  "I have to tell Father," she whispered.

  She pressed onward, toward the river beyond the village—twenty minutes away through the storm. The blizzard lashed her face with icy claws. The wind howled like wolves.

  She reached the river.

  It too had frozen.

  "No..." she gasped. "Even the river..."

  Then—a sound.

  Leaves rustled behind her.

  She stepped back, raising her hands toward the noise, fingers glowing faintly green.

  A massive black bear burst from the thicket, charging with unnatural speed. Its paw struck her shoulder like a hammer.

  She flew backward, blood spraying from her mouth and shoulder.

  "Damn it..." she groaned, clutching her wound.

  The bear loomed over her—its limbs grotesquely swollen, its fur matted with frost and rot. Three eyes gleamed with hunger. Saliva dripped from its snarling jaws.

  "We're all starving," she thought. "All fighting to survive. The strong endure. The weak... perish. That's the law of our world."

  The bear roared and lunged again.

  She shut her eyes.

  Her father's voice echoed in her mind: "To awaken the poison, you must feel it rise from your heart. Let it flow."

  Suddenly, a green aura surged around her body, pulsing from her chest to her limbs. Her eyes snapped open.

  The bear was mid-leap.

  She thrust her right hand forward.

  A sphere of virulent green energy exploded from her palm, striking the beast midair.

  It collapsed instantly—dead before it hit the ground.

  Rose stood, panting, bloodied but proud.

  "I'll leave it for the villagers," she said. "They'll need the meat. The hide."

  She limped back toward the village, the storm intensifying.

  But something was wrong.

  Figures stood at the gate—cloaked in black, faces hidden beneath hoods. Their presence was unnatural. Silent. Watching.

  Her father stood among them, speaking to an elder cloaked in shadow.

  "Are they threatening him?" Rose wondered. "Or... offering something darker?"

  She approached, but hunger gnawed at her resolve. She turned away, entering the village.

  She drew a deep breath and shouted, "I've slain a beast! Send the men! It lies near the river!"

  Villagers rushed out, eager for food and warmth.

  She glanced back.

  The cloaked figures were gone.

  Her father had returned, his face changed—hardened.

  "Father?" she asked. "What's wrong? You look... angry."

  "It's nothing," he replied coldly. "They offered cooperation. I accepted. For food. For water. But..."

  "Thank you," Rose said softly.

  He studied her. "So... you found a great beast. That's good. And the water?"

  Rose shook her head. "No luck. Every well is frozen or dry."

  Her father nodded grimly. "Then we'll go together. I may know a way to melt the ice."

  Rose's eyes lit up. "Really?"

  "Perhaps."

  They stepped into the storm once more.

  The wind screamed. The snow thickened. And the cold deepened into something ancient—something watching.

  Midnight Waters - The Ghost Ship and the Sea Warden

  The crew stood ready blades drawn, bows strung, spears glinting in the lantern light. Daggers hung from belts, and the air was thick with anticipation.

  Qaws narrowed his eyes as the ship approached fast, cutting through the waves like a predator.

  "Lainas! At this speed, it'll ram us!"

  Lainas shouted from the deck.

  "Men! Open the sails—slow us down!"

  Qaws cupped his hands and called out toward the oncoming vessel.

  "Identify yourself! Show yourself!"

  A voice rang out from the crow's nest.

  "Qaws! It's empty! There's no one aboard!"

  Qaws turned, scanning the vessel.

  "It looks like a pirate ship... but..."

  The vessel drifted past, silent and ominous.

  "I'll board it," Qaws said.

  "Wait for my signal—if anything goes wrong."

  "Hold on!" Lainas called, but Qaws was already moving.

  He leapt across the gap, landing on the deck of the ghost ship.

  It was... lavish. Ornate. Clearly built for pirates. But something was wrong.

  Qaws stepped forward, cautious.

  "Wait... I smell decay. Rotting flesh. Something's not right."

  He pushed open a cabin door.

  Inside—bodies. Piled. Motionless.

  Pirates. Dead.

  Qaws staggered back, eyes wide.

  "Lainas!"

  "Qaws! What's happening?"

  Qaws leapt back to their ship, landing hard.

  "It's abandoned. But not for long. The bodies... they're fresh. They were killed recently."

  Lainas frowned.

  "Men—keep moving!"

  "Aye!" the crew roared.

  Lainas turned to Qaws, voice low.

  "Whatever killed them... could come for us next."

  Qaws nodded grimly.

  "It wasn't blades. No wounds. No blood.

  I think it was magic. A curse. Something unseen."

  Lainas placed a hand on his face, thinking aloud.

  "Sea beasts... or the Black Order. Either way, we're not safe."

  Qaws returned to the helm.

  "We stay alert. One more day until we reach our destination."

  Lainas nodded, staring out at the vast ocean as the ghost ship faded behind them.

  —

  Midnight fell.

  Darkness cloaked the sea.

  Their ship glowed faintly—lanterns swaying, casting long shadows. The crew patrolled the deck beneath the pale shimmer of the Green Comet and the flickering Blue Dark Star.

  Qaws stood at the helm, eyes sharp, scanning the horizon.

  Then—movement.

  A figure rose at the bow.

  Still. Silent. Water dripping from their cloak.

  Qaws drew his twin daggers and stepped forward slowly.

  Then vanished.

  In a blink, he reappeared behind the figure, blade pressed to their neck.

  "Who are you?"

  The stranger spoke calmly.

  "Who are you? What are you doing here?

  This is not your territory."

  Qaws blinked.

  "A woman?"

  She turned her head slightly.

  "I am Nawal.

  Guardian of the Seas.

  A daughter of the House of..."

  The Poison Beneath the Snow

  Rose walked beside her father through the blizzard, the wind howling like ancient spirits.

  "Father... are you alright?" she asked, her voice strained with worry. The encounter with the cloaked strangers still haunted her thoughts.

  He nodded slowly. "I'm fine. The village will improve... with a few sacrifices."

  Rose frowned. "Sacrifices? What kind?"

  He didn't answer.

  They continued in silence until they reached the well.

  "It's frozen," Rose said, peering into the icy depths.

  Her father closed his eyes. A green aura began to shimmer around his hand. He raised a single finger toward the well, his gaze locked on the ice.

  Suddenly, a roar of water surged from below.

  Rose gasped, leaping with joy despite the biting cold.

  "You did it, Father!"

  But he didn't respond. His expression remained unchanged.

  "I'll teach you the spell," he said quietly. "Once we're back at the hut."

  They turned toward the village.

  Then, her father pointed toward the horizon.

  "There," he said, voice weary and cold. "If you follow that path, you'll reach the Valley of Wonders... the site of the Third Arcane War. A graveyard for sorcerers, invaders, heroes... the beginning of this cursed world's end."

  Rose said nothing.

  "That road," he continued, "was once walked by knights. They marched to defend the Oryst Library when the invaders came. It was a green forest then... rivers flowed in every direction. If you're lucky, you might find the cowardly tree-dwellers who live beyond the valley. After the war, we begged them for aid. They were closest. They sent no one."

  They reached the village. The villagers were skinning the bear Rose had slain.

  Inside the hut, her brother stoked the fire without looking at her. Her mother stood nearby, frail and pale, eyes fixed on Rose's wounds.

  "Come here, my child," her mother said softly. "You're bleeding. That's dangerous. The cold numbs the pain... but the infection will not wait."

  Her mother was the only one who truly cared. She shielded Rose from Ramzi's harsh words, always defending her.

  Rose wrapped her shoulder with cloth. Her mother called for her father, who placed his hand gently on the wound. The bleeding stopped.

  "Go rest," her mother said. "I'll prepare food."

  Rose lay down, staring at the ceiling, sleep refusing to come.

  Her father stepped outside to speak with the villagers about the well. They continued skinning the bear.

  Rose rose and opened a cabinet. Inside were tattered books—her father's collection, gathered in secret, read only in the dead of night.

  She picked one at random, lay back, and opened it.

  The language was foreign. Unreadable. She flipped through the pages, confused, until she closed it again.

  Then—shouting.

  She rushed outside.

  A man shoved her father backward. The villagers glared with fury.

  "You poisoned the bear!" one shouted. "You expect us to eat that filth? You want us dead?"

  Rose stepped back, heart pounding, and returned to the hut. Their eyes followed her.

  Her mother smiled gently. "It's alright. I gathered berries and herbs. I'll make a stew."

  Rose collapsed onto the bed, tears welling in her eyes as the villagers' voices echoed outside.

  She felt Ramzi's gaze on her.

  Sleep took her without warning.

  She awoke to her mother's hand on her cheek.

  "Rose? The food is ready. Come eat."

  She joined them at the table. Her father and brother were already seated. Her mother sat beside her.

  They began to eat.

  Her father moved slowly, quietly.

  Her mother smiled. "Eat, dear. Before it gets cold."

  Ramzi slammed his spoon down.

  "You're insane," he said. "You hunt with cursed magic! You poison the beasts! You bring their rotting flesh here and expect us to eat it!"

  Her mother snapped, "That's enough!"

  But Ramzi continued, eyes burning. "You're a monster. And you made another one." He looked at Rose.

  Tears spilled from her eyes.

  Ramzi's voice rose.

  Then—her father's hand slammed the table.

  "Silence," he said, voice like ice. "You're just like them. You don't understand what I do for you. What your sister does. Every day."

  Ramzi stared at him, then stood and stormed out.

  Their mother called after him, but he didn't look back.

  She returned, sorrow in her eyes.

  "Rose," she said gently. "Eat your food."

  Rose obeyed, tears falling silently.

  She glanced at her father's hand.

  It trembled.

  Quietly.