Episode 1: The Sleeping Legend

The storm howled outside the castle walls, wind and rain crashing against ancient stone like the sky itself was at war. Lightning streaked across the heavens, casting brief, jagged shadows through the stained-glass windows. Thunder rolled, deep and unrelenting.

Inside the royal bedchamber, it was too quiet.

King Elric lay weak and pale in his grand bed, the color drained from his lips. His breaths came in shallow rasps. At his side, his daughter knelt, clutching his hand tightly.

“Father,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Please… stay with me.”

The king slowly opened his eyes, offering a faint smile. His once-powerful voice was now only a shadow of itself. “Aria… my brave girl. You must listen to me.”

A distant boom echoed through the castle the sound of a gate falling, or perhaps a wall crumbling. The enemy was near.

Tears welled in Aria’s eyes. “They’re here. The knights… they’ve broken through.”

“I know,” the king whispered. “They come from the heart of the kingdom… and I can no longer protect it.”

He reached beneath his pillow and pulled out a black velvet pouch. With trembling fingers, he handed it to her.

Inside was a necklace silver chain, and at its center, a dark, swirling gem. It pulsed faintly, as if something inside was breathing.

Aria’s eyes widened. “Is this… the Black Magician’s gem?”

The king nodded slowly. “It’s more than just a story, Aria. She was real. She saved this kingdom… and paid the price.”

“You mean… she died?”

“Not exactly,” the king replied. “Thirty years ago, she sacrificed all her mana to seal the dragon and protect our land. Her body faded… but her soul and her power was sealed inside that gem by my father.”

A loud crash shook the doors. Guards outside shouted. Steel clashed against steel.

“She lives, Aria. Sleeping, waiting… only to be awakened when the kingdom needs her again.”

Aria clutched the gem, heart pounding. “But… how? How do I wake her?”

The king weakly pointed to the large bookshelf against the wall. “The book… second shelf. Brown leather. There’s a page marked by a circle… summon her with it.”

Without hesitation, Aria rushed to the shelf and grabbed the heavy book. Dust flew as she opened the worn cover. Her eyes scanned until she found the page an intricate magic circle drawn in gold ink.

“Draw it on the floor,” her father whispered. “Use chalk. Hurry…”

Aria grabbed the chalk from the writing desk and knelt on the cold stone floor. Her hands trembled as she copied the lines and runes. The doors shook again. She could hear the soldiers yelling they wouldn’t last long.

She drew the last rune, then placed the gem in the center of the circle.

“I don’t know if this will work,” she said under her breath. “But please… if you’re really in there help us.”

The gem pulsed.

A soft hum filled the room, like distant singing. The circle began to glow, first faintly, then brighter with each passing second. The stone under her knees vibrated. The air grew heavy and thick, as if the room itself was holding its breath.

Then a voice. Low, ancient, and unmistakably female.

“Who dares to awaken me…?”

Aria backed away. The gem lifted from the circle, hovering midair. Black mist poured from its surface, swirling upward into the shape of a woman.

A cloak formed. A dress dark as night. Her hood hung low over her face, but her presence was overwhelming. Power, sorrow, and strength radiated from her like heat from a flame.

“I am Aria,” the girl said, struggling to keep her voice steady. “Princess of this kingdom. We… we are under attack. My father said you could save us.”

The woman in black slowly turned her head, her hood shifting just enough for Aria to glimpse her eyes silver, glowing faintly.

“The kingdom still lives?” the voice asked. “After all these years?”

“Yes,” Aria nodded. “But not for much longer. Please…”

The Black Magician lowered her gaze to the dying king.

“Elric,” she whispered. “Son of Aldren. You have grown old…”

The king managed a smile. “And you… haven’t aged a day.”

A long silence passed between them. Then, the magician turned back to Aria.

“You drew the circle correctly,” she said. “You are brave. That is rare.”

“Will you help us?”

Another crash. The doors splintered one more strike and the enemy would burst through.

The Black Magician raised her hand. The air snapped with energy.

“I gave everything once,” she said. “I slept to recover… not to return to war.”

Aria stepped forward. “Please. They will destroy everything. My father… my people… they’ll die.”

The woman in black looked at her closely not with pity, but understanding.

“Very well,” she said at last. “One final time.”

She floated above the circle, her form growing brighter. The runes on the floor burned with light, swirling around her like a vortex. The windows shattered outward as magic exploded through the chamber.

The doors burst open enemy soldiers charged in.

But they stopped.

Standing in the center of the room was not a girl, nor a dying king but a legend reborn.

The Black Magician had returned.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***