NOTE: I just wanted to get some loose ends out of the way. Remember when I said I decided against posting the other parts of the innocence sub series in the second writer's note of "Innocence - Part 3 - The Consequences of Curiosity and Desire (Version 2)"? Well... I changed my mind. I wrote parts 4 and 5 around the same time I wrote part 3 (Version 2). The thing was that parts 4 and 5 were rushed and not to my satisfaction. I planned on rewriting them and posting them as the basement arc went along. But since it's probably going to be awhile till I get around to writing the revised versions, I thought I show the original versions for the sake of showing the original ideas and intentions. Keep in mind, elements and intentions in the original versions could easily be changed for the revised versions. I'd imagine that other writers would want to add their own ideas on what happened. These old versions are mostly a reference for ideas.
Either way, please enjoy the chapters.
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Angela stepped into the abandoned research cavern. So far so good. To think it has been 11 years since the incident.
When the king found out about Angela's condition after the incident, he took it upon himself to take care of the little girl as one of his guests. He blamed himself for what happened in Grevialus's research facility. Years has passed and no other survivor other then Angela has appeared. The king planed on taking care of Angela until he can find some relatives to take care of her.
Even to this day, Angela doesn't remember anything from before the royal knights has rescued her. She only knows the name given to her by the king and the horrible nightmares she keeps having over the years. The king sent out his knights to investigate the purified cavern, but Angela hasn't heard mention of her past ever since.
For the following years, everyone didn't have the heart to bring up the incident. So she just enjoyed her stay at the royal castle. It was hard at first. It was like she was learning thing all over again. She knew how to walk but she didn't even know her own real name.
It took some adjustment, but Angela started opening up. She started off not speaking very often, but when she got to know the royal family, she started speaking a little. It helps that the prince and princess happens to be the same age as her. In the years that passed, she became very close to the royal twins. Some people even considers her to be a unofficial princess.
It took some time to recover but her life in the castle quick became fun and enjoyable.
But despite how happy she is living in the castle, she still constantly haves nightmares. What she sees in her nightmares are a little unpredictable, but some of the more frequent nightmares she had were of a strange snake-like creature, whispering in her ear, telling her that she will always be alone and it's the only thing that can take care of her. Another night mare she has is of two men standing besides a purple circle on the floor, a hold opening up in thin air and black slime coming out of the hole and launching itself awards her face. She always wakes up before the black sludge reaches her face.
But that was not the only thing that came from her past. Placed on her finger is a plain silver ring. But despite her or anyone else's best attempts, the ring refuses to get off her finger. It has been there for as long as she could remember. No one knows why she has it. But Angela can somehow tell that it's somehow important.
Just last year, Prince Hale has proposed to her... and she accepted.
A year has passed since then and she is now 20 years old and the mother of a two month old princess.
But just one month ago, the king was one the verge of passing away. A few days before his passing, he called her and her husband for a private meeting at his death bed.
That was when he revealed everything at one. He detailed when the royal knights first found her. He explained what his knights has found while investigating Grevialus's cavern. And he explained to her that Angela is not her real name.
Since she doesn't remember her name, the King decided to name her after Angela, the deity of purity. He named her that because she was found under the Temple of Purity. A temple the king from Calmach's time has built to dedicate to the resident deity, Angela. In addition, the royal knights found her walking out of the corrupt cavern covered in a red energy. Were ever she walked, the corruption just denigrated within a foot from her body. Red is the color of purity. All the more reason for the King to call her Angela until they can uncover her real name. But the king didn't tell her any of that until she was mentally stable enough to handle the truth.
He also explained to her what the knights has discovered in the notes left behind in the cavern. He explained her that her original name is Hope and her father is Crawnav, a researcher working for Grevialus. He also told her that her silver ring is cursed, though he's not sure what the curse is. He informed her about the ritual her father and Calmach has participated in that released the corruption onto the world.
He also explained to her that the knights has herd her mentioning Calmach's name when she was rescued. That sparked a rumor that Calmach's ghost has started the corruption. People stopped remembering him as the father of magic, and started remembering him as the bringer of corruption.
He also explained that ever since that first portal was opened, the boundary between worlds has been weakened and now portals has been randomly opening all over the world and realizing otherworldly creatures. There has also been reports of humans falling into the portals and very little has ever came back.
The king also explained to the soon-to-be queen that she originally lived in snow point mountain.
The king detailed everything he knew about her past life from the notes left behind in Grevialus's cavern. During her ten years in the castle, the king has been sending men to gather information about her and the corruption.
But what was more shocking was that this wasn't the first time the royal family had to deal with otherworldly maters.
Many generations before the time of Calmach, the king's ancestor was approached by a strange man. He was covered in a hood, so no one has seen his face, but anyone who has seen him, would claim that his hands weren't human.
His name was Malbur The Grief Star and that he is a profit from another world. He was holding a crystal ball that bears a lot of similarities to the oracle ore of present day.
He gave the king a prophecy foretelling a age of corruption and magic:
A seed of dreams shall be planted, and the roots of desire shall be reflected in the hearts of many.
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The roots of curiosity shall take hold, and a tree of despair will spout.
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A new chapter shall be written as the fire of hope hides itself behind the currents of time.
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A spark of passion shall ignite the twisted curtain of ignorance, a between fantasy and reality shall rage.
The dying king told princess Angela and Prince Hale that that profocy has been passed down for generations. That profosy is the reason why the king from Calmach's generation made the decision to seal away the oracle ore cave by building a temple dedicated to Angela over it. He feared that the miracle ore is the "A seed of dreams" foretold in Malbur's first profosy. He also used the oracle ore to create oracles of his own. But none of the royal oracles had the same insight as Malbur.
"First profosy?" Angela asked.
The dying king nodded. "Yes. Ten years after his first profosy, he returned to the same king he met the first time and gave him a second profosy:
A cancer of desire refracts itself on many worlds.
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Kings and Queens will be blinded by the dark tides of arrogance, a spark of passion shall ignite the twisted curtain of ignorance.
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Heros and gods, kindoms and worlds, must unite under one banner... for the fires of truth and ideals shall collide, and only one will burn away.
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Be it the world or the mind, only one shall be written.
"Malbur only said that the second profess foretells the fate of many world. He disappeared and was never seen again." The old king said.
Prince Hale was holding Angela's hand as she processed the information.
"Father-in-law. I request permission to investigate Grevialus's cavern myself. I must see first hand, what my father has left behind." Angela was shaking as she said that.
"I'll come with her. It's my duty as her husband to protect her from whatever monsters she may encounter. Please grant me permission to go with her!" Prince Hail passionately demanded.
The king looked sternly at the newly wed couple. "You have a duty to take care of the kingdom in my stead. Don't throw your lives away."
The couple looked ashamed for even thinking of leaving the castle.
The senior king's face brightened. "...But I also understand the importance of finding out information for your self. Bur be prepared. Females are especially valderble to the otherworldly creatures that prows this land. I recommend you train with the royal knights before you even think of venturing your old home."
Angela passionately hugged her father in spirit. "Thank you father! We will make this kingdom proud!"
"I know you will." The king said. He had a peaceful expression on his face.
The king passed away shortly afterwards.
Angela and Hale spent the next twelve months training in prperation for their trip to Grevialus's research facility.
During that time, Angela gave birth to a princess. Angela doesn't know why herself, but she named her Hope. Her old name.
And so it has come down to this. Angela and Hale, both equipped and trained in armor and swords. And they just arrived at Grevialus's old research facility.
Angela doesn't know what she expects to to find, but she feels the need to see her old home at least one more time.