Blackfire woke before dawn, shivering.
The winter of Tamaran had arrived early.
Even with the windows tightly shut and two thick blankets wrapped around her body, the cold clung to her skin, slipping through every crack of the castle walls. Her breath came out in faint, pale clouds as she slowly sat up on the edge of her bed, pulling one of the blankets tighter around her shoulders.
Her bare feet touched the stone floor.
She winced.
Cold.
Quickly, she searched beside the bed until her fingers found her slippers. Once she slid them on, she reached for the small candle resting atop her dresser and lit it. The weak flame flickered, casting long shadows across the room.
Blackfire opened her wardrobe, scanning the inside with tired eyes.
"…Great," she muttered. "I don't even own anything warmer than my blankets."
With a quiet sigh, she pulled on two extra shirts and another pair of pants over her pajamas. Awkward, uncomfortable—but warm enough.
Just as she turned away—
Clang.
A sharp metallic sound echoed from somewhere below.
Blackfire froze.
It sounded like iron striking stone. Or perhaps a metal cup falling.
Her curiosity stirred despite the cold.
"Someone else is awake…?" she whispered.
Carefully, she stepped out of her room and began descending the spiral staircase.
Though the castle appeared grand and towering from the outside, its interior was surprisingly modest. Blackfire's room sat at the highest point, tucked away like an attic—far from the luxurious chambers one would expect for a princess.
Her room was simple. Almost lonely.
A large bed with a mosquito net, a small nightstand, a four-drawer dresser beneath the windows, and a wardrobe beside the door. That was all. No gold. No jewels. No portraits.
Just shadows and silence.
She spent most of her days there. Locked away. Forgotten.
As she descended further, she passed the level where her parents' chambers were located—but she didn't stop.
The king and queen's door was always locked at night, guarded by royal sentinels. Even as their daughter, Blackfire never dared to approach. The distance between them was more than just walls.
She continued downward until she reached the kitchen—far too large for only two people.
This place was usually bustling with servants, cooks, and guards. Poisoning had once been common in Tamaran's history, so every meal was carefully tested. Yet despite all the resources, the king and queen often requested only a single dish.
Soup.
Blackfire barely lingered.
Finally, she reached the grand hall.
Tall statues lined the walls, alongside massive paintings depicting Tamaran's heroes. Her family was the twelfth in the royal lineage—but two figures stood above all others.
Ruby.
A warrior from the age of great empires, who fought in three wars and nearly won two. He died sacrificing himself to protect Tamaran from demons.
And Saphira.
The legendary Tamaranian warrior.
She fought in over a hundred battles, conquering territories and reshaping history. Her powers were said to be unimaginable—her red hair could ignite into green flames, her speed surpassing sight itself.
Saphira was the last great hero of Tamaran.
Her body was sealed within a pair of earrings after her final battle against the demon Trex, a being capable of traveling through time and space.
From Ruby to Saphira, exactly one hundred years had passed and in the most popular legend on the planet, there are still 9 years...
Saphira died 91 years ago.
9 years until the next legendary warrior.
"…At least that's what the legend says," Blackfire murmured.
Another soft clatter echoed nearby.
She turned.
"Oh… that's all?" she sighed. "A sword from one of the armors must've fallen. Probably just the wind."
She wrapped her arms around herself.
"I got out of bed for nothing… I'm freezing."
Blackfire hurried back to her room, crawled under the blankets, and fell asleep almost instantly.
Morning came quietly.
A thin beam of sunlight slipped past the curtain and landed directly on her eye.
She groaned, then sat up.
After getting dressed and eating a simple breakfast of bread and red fruits, Blackfire made her way to school.
"Komand'r!"
She turned.
Clark was waving at her from the school gate.
"Hi, Clark," she said, smiling faintly. "How are you?"
"I'm good. And you?"
"I'm okay," she replied.
They walked together toward class.
"So…" Clark said. "Did you find that girl you were looking for?"
"Yes," Blackfire nodded. "I met her yesterday, after school."
"That's great," he smiled. "Invite her to sit with us at lunch."
"I will," Blackfire said. "If she comes today."
"She will," Clark said confidently.
The first three classes passed quickly, filled with quiet laughter and whispered jokes—until the lunch bell rang.
They sat together in the cafeteria.
"My parents asked about you," Clark said. "They keep talking about you now."
"Really?" Blackfire laughed softly. "Tell them I said hello. I'll visit again someday."
Clark hesitated.
"Komand'r… would you want to sleep over at my house sometime?" he asked, embarrassed. "Like a pajama night."
"A… pajama night?" she blinked. "I don't know. I'll think about it."
"Yeah yeah!" he said quickly. "I've just always wanted to do that with someone."
As they finished eating—
"JUDHA!"
Blackfire stood up and waved, not caring who heard.
Judha froze in surprise, then smiled and hurried over.
Clark watched curiously as Blackfire introduced them.
"Judha, this is Clark. He's my friend too."
"And this is Judha," Blackfire said to Clark.
Judha nodded shyly.
"Nice to meet you," Clark said warmly.
"…Nice to meet you too."
The three of them sat together, laughing, talking, sharing stories.
A quiet trio was born that day.