In the depth of the dark and hungry forest, lies a baby and his dead parents. Maybe a bear attack, maybe a disease. Or maybe... murder.

Night was upon them, the moon shining brightly in an outing between the trees. Strangely, everything was quiet, the crickets dared not play, nor the squirrels dared breathe too loudly.

The baby was silent as he stared at the giant wolf in front of him. It's white hair shimmered in the moonlight, bright yellow eyes met silver ones. The color of red stained in the wolf's fur.

The heavy footsteps of the hunters that were after the wolf came into view. "Shoot it!" A deep and hurried voice commanded to a few archers behind him. The voice belonged to an older man, wearing all black. Sharp like a knife, fire burning in the dark of night, the arrows rained down upon the two. The dried dead bark hanging on the trees and forest floor caught on fire, slowly spreading!

The wolf ran out of fear, leaving a trail of blood and heavy foot prints in its wake. "My lord! My lord! There's bodies over there!" A young boy yelled out in more of a cry then anything.The oldest man there glanced at the horrid scene.

"Are they all dead?" He calmly said. Guilt was obvious in his voice, he thought the wolf they failed to kill earlier, killed the boys whole family.

"No my lord! A baby lays untouched from the cruelty of the wolf!" The young swordsman yelled out. The old man looked up at the pile of bodies, shocked. The villagers told how that vicious wolf let none survive, how does this young-ling breathe, even more so be unscathed?

The old man commanded the two archers to put out the spreading fire as he rushed towards the baby. The baby laid atop of his dead parents bodies, the mans lantern lit up the baby boys face.

The old man gasped at the sight. Just like in the legends, a yin and yang symbol was clear on the boys forehead. His skin, whiter and more enchanting then the Northerners. His eyes a bright gold, one that could draw in the attention of others, clear with innocence.

The old man fell to his feet, staring at the baby. The other men came over, concerned for their lord. Shock fell onto their face, they immediately bowed on the ground, tears coming out of their eyes.

"The war can end! The war will end!" The men chanted happily. The old man snapped out of his shock and picked the baby that was wrapped in a thick cloth with shaky hands.

"My men, my brothers... this is not something we can make quick decisions on. This boy is too young, too innocent. Let him grow up and live... till then, he never existed." The old man said seriously.

"But my lord! Our family and friends are dying everyday! Wife's become widows, sons and daughters become orphans! We can end the war with this boy, why take that away from us?!" One of the older men, maybe in his thirties, walked forward and yelled.

"You snobbish jerk!" The old man yelled in anger, veins popping out on his neck, cheeks flushed red in madness. "So this little boy is supposed to sacrifice his life and be tortured by those royal pain in the @ss without a say in this?! Don't say you would do it! You sacrifice not, only being drafter to the front lines on the west side, picking the easy way out!" The old man finished off, pulling the baby closer towards his chest.

Ten years later after the lord met the fated baby. The war between the Fire and Ice kingdom raged on. At the far west side of the Fire Kingdoms' front line lies a small army, raising the boy that will later decide their Kingdoms fate. And here is where the boys story begins...

"Carmen! Get off that tree!" An old man at the bottom of a clearing shouted, covering his eyes from the scorching sun burning above him, looking up into a patch of leaves that held a small figure of a boys body at the top of the tallest trees.

"Father, I can see past the wall from here!" The young boy yelled back down, waving to his old man. The breeze gently caressed the boys face as he held a dreamy look in his eyes, gazing past the walls that kept him confined for all his life.

"How many times have I told you, there's danger behind those walls! Get down before you give me a heart attack!" Fear and anger fell upon the old mans face as the boy climbed down the trees as told.

When he was finally in reach, the old man grabbed the boy and rushed to the village. "Why are you in such a rush father?" Carmen calmly asked as he was wedged between the old mans side and arm. "The Crown Prince is visiting our camp grounds tomorrow." The old mans pace quickened and the color in his face drained.

"The Crown Prince? The bad men you always talked about, father?" Excitement danced in the young boys voice. "Does he have dragons and fire power like in your stories you told father?"

The old man stopped in his track, terror and anger swirled in him, the boys words shocked him. "Carmen, please! They'll take you and enslave you! They beat you into submission! They'll send you to war for the countries own benefit! You will lose your freedom, and when they're done, they'll kill you! But you question whether he has powers and dragons?!"

Carmen looked into the old mans' scared eyes. "Father that is my fate, is it not? I will bring peace to the country that deserves it, and if I deem this country and the Ice country unworthy, then both Kingdoms may perish at their own will."

The old man sighed, he quickly started walking once more, lost in his thoughts as the forest scenery soon turned into that of a town.

The town was different somehow. The children's voices didn't dance in the streets nor did the busy merchants. The once busy street completely devoid of any sign of life. The towns people who usually greeted the boy with warm smiles and little treats all but disappeared into thin air. "Where is everyone, father?" Carmen asked with disappointment in his voice.

"In hiding, my son. The royal family does not have a good reputation." The old man speaks hushed, like there was someone around listening.

"Stay here with Aunt Lucy, keep your hood covering your head. Don't open the door or talk to anyone strange, okay?"

"Yes father." Carmen answered simply, as if in routine.

Aunt Lucy was about forty, her only son was drafted to the front lines like many others, and was killed in action. Her husband soon left her seeing as she wasn't healthy enough anymore to have children. Depression fell upon her and isolated herself from the world but soon the towns people uplifted her spirit and she became the towns librarian even though most of the villagers couldn't read.

Her house was small and simple, two bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room and a living room. The walls were painted in a rough textured baby blue and flowers in pots sat upon every window of the house. She loved gardening but in fear of the flowers running out of water too quickly, she placed them all inside after digging them up and replanting them in pots.

"Ah... Carmen" She was sitting on her brown leather couch, knitting as she saw us come in through her front door. Her voice was weak and scratchy. The years of smoking caught up to her. "Mrs. Matiel, I would like to ask if Carmen may stay here for a while." Carmen's father asked.

"Sure, sure...", she paused to think for a brief moment, " I made some... walnut bread... why don't you... both eat some?" She offered with a warm smile which looked more like she was smiling to herself, proud she finally made something that wasn't rice.

"I am in a hurry, but I will gladly try some when I return for Carmen. Thank you Mrs. Matiel, have a lovely day." the lord bowed and then left the small cottage.

"Aunt Lucy, I'll try your walnut bread, the smell is to die for!" Carmen said with a silly smile as he rushed into her kitchen. Her warm chuckle followed him into the kitchen. On top of the small counter. lied a big loaf of walnut bread neatly sliced.

Carmen gently picked up a slice in the middle and devoured it like there was no tomorrow. But for him, that could be true...

"Aunt Lucy, do you want me to bring you a slice?" Carmen's soft voice resounded the quiet cottage. "Yes... darling... thank you..." Her croaky voice was mixed in with her happy tone.

As the two sat on her sofa, enjoying walnut bread together, a siren went off, alarming the town of the Crown Princes early arrival. "Aunt Lucy..." Carmen said as she gripped Carmen's arm as tightly as she could. Mrs. Lucy wasn't dumb, she knew what was happening without anyone informing her. She always did, when the kids in town were bad or lying, aunt Lucy always knew.

"Aunt Lucy, don't worry. I'll protect you." Carmen smiled warmly as he squeezed her hand gently, reassuring her. "Go... hide in... the pantry..." She said, looking more calm then before. "Okay... call me if your in trouble, okay Aunt Lucy?" Carmen only left once he saw her nod her head gently, and continued her knitting.

Carmen sat in the pantry, behind a large bag of rice, waiting for it all to be over. No light made its way through to the pantry to preserve the food for as long as possible.

Carmen waited, and waited, and waited. But nothing. No sound. Not even a squeak from a mouse. A thousand of thoughts raced his mind. Is father okay? Is Aunt Lucy okay? Are the towns people okay? Why isn't there any noises?