Keeper Of Two Worlds

The Sorcerer Drakon

Ten years had passed in the Shadow World.

​Princess Elara was now seventeen years old. She had grown tall and slender, with soft features that were beginning to shape her into a graceful young woman. Her beautiful face, which everyone had praised since she was a child, was now even more captivating. Her skin was as white as porcelain, her jet-black hair flowed down to her waist, and her eyes—those warm, radiant eyes—had become an undeniable source of charm. Yet behind her beauty, Elara remained the same as ever: gentle, obedient, and quiet.

​The biggest difference was that now she had someone who was always by her side.

​Aldric.

​Her cousin had grown into a handsome young man with a chiseled jawline and broad shoulders. His once-distinctive curly hair was now more neatly styled, yet his piercing eyes remained the same–full of resolve and devotion. He was no longer the little boy who used to run through the palace gardens. He was the youngest Captain of the Shadow Army in history, a warrior respected by the entire royal force.

​And he was Elara’s lover.

​Their relationship had developed slowly, just as the roots of a sturdy shadow tree take hold. From childhood playmates, they became close confidants, and by the time they turned fifteen, their bond had blossomed into something deeper. It was Aldric who had first confessed his feelings on a quiet night in the Crystal Garden.

​“I can’t imagine my life without you, Elara,” Aldric had said then, clasping both her hands. “You are everything to me.”

​Elara had wept, then laughed, and wrapped her arms tightly around him. From that moment on, they were rarely apart.

​Now, every afternoon, Aldric came to the palace to accompany Elara. They walked together through the gardens, talking about everything–sometimes serious, sometimes playful. Elara often laughed at Aldric’s stories about military drills, while Aldric listened intently whenever Elara shared her strange dreams of a blue ocean and warm light.

​In everyone’s eyes, they were the perfect couple: the delicate, beautiful princess and the formidable Captain of the Shadow Army.

​But not everyone was happy to witness their joy.

​On the other side of the palace, inside a luxurious chamber adorned with jewels and velvet, Davina sat before her silver mirror. Her face was undeniably striking—perhaps even more striking than Elara’s, depending on the angle. Her dark blonde hair cascaded beautifully, her eyes were a deep shade of blue, and her lips carried a natural crimson blush. Yet behind her beauty, a bitter crease marred her brow.

​Envy.

​She was still the same as she had been ten years ago—perhaps even worse. Davina could never accept the fact that Aldric had chosen Elara. How could she? Elara was weak, powerless, and useless. Aldric should have chosen her–Davina–who was beautiful, strong, and born of a distinguished noble clan.

​“It’s not fair,” Davina muttered, running her finger across the surface of the mirror. Her reflection wavered, morphing into Elara’s face. Davina clenched her fist, and the reflection shattered into dark shards. “It’s simply not fair.”

​“Lady Davina,” called a servant from behind the door. “Your father and mother are requesting your presence in the family room.”

​Davina stood up reluctantly. She walked into the family room, where her parents, Lord Corvin and Lady Mirei, sat on black wooden chairs carved with delicate snake motifs.

​“Father, Mother,” Davina greeted them in a flat tone.

​“Davina, dear,” Lady Mirei called to her softly. “You’ve been looking so gloomy lately. What’s wrong?”

​Davina sat down across from them, her eyes staring blankly at the floor. “Aldric,” she replied curtly. “He’s still with Elara.”

​Lord Corvin sighed. “The crown princess may be weak, but she is still the crown princess. There’s nothing we can do, Davina. The King and Queen will protect her to their last breath.”

​“But Elara is weak!” Davina slammed her fist onto the table. “She doesn’t deserve him! I am so much stronger, more beautiful, more deserving! I am the one who should be by Aldric’s side!”

​Lady Mirei looked at her daughter with pity. “We understand how you feel, Davina. But we cannot stand against the royal family.”

​Davina bit her lip. Silently, a dark scheme began to take shape in her mind.

​“Tell me, Mother. You once told me about a sorcerer—one who lives in the Poisonous Forest.”

​Lady Mirei’s expression shifted. “Davina, don’t you ever think of seeking him out. That sorcerer lives in a forbidden realm!”

​“I just want to know,” Davina cut in quickly. “Who is he? What happened to him?”

​Lord Corvin and Lady Mirei exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, Lady Mirei let out a long sigh and began her tale.

​The sorcerer’s name was Drakon. Once, he was King Kaelen’s best friend—before Kaelen became king. The two of them had grown up together, trained in magic side by side, and loved the same girl.

​“Queen Seraphina?” Davina asked.

​Lady Mirei nodded. “King Kaelen–still a prince at the time–chose Seraphina. Drakon was heartbroken. He couldn’t accept defeat, least of all to his own best friend. He saw it as a betrayal. He cursed Seraphina in secret, then vanished into the deep wilderness. That forest has now become a place where no ordinary person dares to enter. The ground is poisoned, and the air is lethal. Only Drakon can live there.”

​Davina narrowed her eyes. “So Drakon is a man nursing a broken heart because his best friend took the girl he loved. Just like me.”

​“Davina, listen–” Lady Mirei started, but Davina was already on her feet.

​“I have to see him.”

​“No!” Lady Mirei stood up as well. “You can’t just go and find him on a whim. Drakon is dangerous, Davina. He has spent decades in that forest, festering in grudge and hatred. He won’t welcome you with open arms.”

​Davina offered a smile–a cold, distant one. “He will welcome me, Mother. Because I come with the same story. And he will help me. I know it.”

​Far away in the deep wilderness, Drakon awoke from his slumber. His eyes, darkened by vengeance, snapped open. He felt something—someone seeking out a way to him.

​“Come,” he whispered to the darkness. “I have been waiting for far too long.”