Chapter 3 : Chaos in the kingdom.

However, the peace in Heviruna did not last long.

The sky darkened in an instant.

Dark clouds surged across the heavens—thick, and suffocating—swallowing the light as if it had never existed.

The air turned heavy.

Still.

Then—

it shattered.

A violent storm erupted without warning, wind screaming through the kingdom with a force that bent trees and tore through the streets like a living thing.

And within it—

something moved.

Not seen.

But felt.

Watching.

Waiting.

A sharp crack echoed.

A man froze mid-step.

His breath hitched—then stopped.

A faint shimmer crawled across his skin, spreading unnaturally fast… hardening… sealing him in place.

Glass.

Another followed.

Then another.

Panic erupted, but it was already too late.

The transformation spread like a curse—silent, merciless—turning life into lifeless reflections in mere moments.

The kingdom was falling.

"Elise, protect the people! Barrier—now!" Erin’s voice cut through the chaos.

Elise didn’t hesitate.

With her staff raised, her movements were swift and precise—her reflexes taking over before doubt could settle in.

Magic surged.

A shimmering barrier spread outward, forming around the streets in a protective arc, shielding what remained of the panicked crowd.

It wasn’t perfect.

It wasn’t enough to save everyone.

But it held—

protecting the few who were still left.

Erin turned without another word.

The castle.

Her expression hardened as she rushed forward—there was no time to waste.

"Your Majesties—run!" Erin shouted.

But she was too late.

The king and queen stood frozen in place, their forms already beginning to harden—lifeless, unmoving.

Glass.

Erin’s eyes widened—

The prince.

He was next.

Without thinking, she lunged forward, closing the distance in an instant.

"Your Highness—!"

She collided with him, driving him to the ground just as the shimmering curse swept past where he had stood.

The curse finally settled.

The distorted shimmer in the air faded, leaving the kingdom in an eerie stillness—streets frozen in glass, caught in moments of panic and silence.

But the prince—

had escaped it.

Just in time.

Erin’s breath was still uneven as she realized where she was.

She had pushed him down.

And now—

she was still over him.

For a brief moment, neither of them moved.

The world felt strangely quiet.

Erin’s eyes met his.

Too close.

Too aware.

“Your Highness…” she began, but the words didn’t come out as firmly as she intended.

Footsteps.

“Elise… Sir Killian…” Erin’s voice broke the moment she sensed them approaching.

Elise appeared first.

She froze.

Behind her, Sir Killian stopped mid-step.

The scene in front of them was unmistakable.

Erin on top of the prince.

A moment suspended in silence.

None of them spoke.

"Are we… interrupting something?" Elise asked, a hint of teasing in her voice.

A beat of silence followed.

Erin immediately straightened, stepping back from the prince as if she had been burned by the moment itself.

"I was ensuring he was unharmed," she said quickly, her tone firm—perhaps a little too firm.

Cloud slowly sat up, brushing himself off as if nothing unusual had happened.

"Yes," he added casually, "I almost became part of the scenery. Quite an artistic experience, really."

Sir Killian exhaled softly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Your Highness… I would suggest choosing more appropriate timing for your… artistic experiences."

Elise let out a small laugh under her breath, clearly enjoying the situation a little too much.

Erin shot her a look.

"Focus," she said sharply, though her ears were faintly red.

"Killian, I’m afraid you will not be receiving a raise this month," the prince said with a straight face.

Elise let out a small laugh before quickly covering it with a cough.

"I think he deserved at least a small raise," she said lightly, clearly amused.

Sir Killian glanced at her.

"Do not encourage him."

Elise tilted her head. "I’m just observing fair judgment."

Killian sighed, still composed. "That is exactly how problems begin in this kingdom."

Cloud exhaled softly, brushing dust from his sleeve.

"I survive one magical disaster and immediately my financial status is discussed," he said calmly. "Truly, I am valued here."

Erin, still trying to regain her composure from the earlier chaos, crossed her arms.

"Can all of you stop talking about raises in the middle of a curse situation?" she asked, though her tone lacked real anger.

Cloud glanced at her.

"To be fair," he said lightly, "it is a very stressful curse."

Sir Killian gave a long, tired look at all of them. "I should have applied for a quieter kingdom."

Elise brightened. "See? Even Sir Killian agrees!"

Killian immediately added, "I did not agree. I simply stated a preference."

"This is a curse… ancient… and incredibly powerful," Erin said quietly, her gaze distant for a brief moment.

They didn’t need to answer… it was already there—certain and undeniable.

A presence.

Heavy.

Unseen.

Cloud’s gaze shifted slowly to Erin.

"Ancient… and incredibly powerful?" he repeated, his tone calm but edged with curiosity. "You say that rather confidently."

A brief pause.

"That’s not the kind of conclusion one makes at a glance."

Erin didn’t respond immediately.

Her eyes remained fixed ahead, scanning the stillness around them.

"I’ve seen enough to know what this is," she said quietly.

Cloud studied her for a moment longer, as if weighing her words.

Before he could press further—

the air shifted.

Subtly.

A faint ripple passed through the room, distorting the space for just a second—

like something had moved where nothing should exist.

Elise stiffened. "Did you feel that?"

Sir Killian’s hand moved instinctively to his sword.

"Yes."

Cloud’s expression hardened.

"So it hasn’t left."

"It was always here… waiting," Erin said softly. "Now it has awakened—and it won’t stop until someone stops it."

A heavy silence followed.

Cloud looked at the ruined hall, then at the frozen kingdom beyond the windows.

For once, his expression wasn’t teasing.

It was focused.

"Then we don’t waste time standing around," he said quietly.

Sir Killian straightened immediately, his hand resting near his blade. "Orders, Your Highness?"

Cloud glanced at him.

"Not orders," he replied. "A decision."

His gaze shifted to Erin.

"You seem to understand this better than any of us."

Erin didn’t respond right away.

Then she gave a small, steady nod.

Elise stepped closer, gripping her staff tighter. "So what now?"

Cloud turned slightly, looking at all of them.

"We deal with it," he said simply.

A pause.

Then—

one by one, they moved closer together.

Not as individuals anymore.

But as something forming.

A group bound by the same threat.

Outside, the cursed kingdom remained silent.

Inside, something new had just begun.

And so, in the shadow of a broken kingdom…

a team was formed...

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