Seven years ago a witch placed, what some would call, a curse on the youngest

  prince of the Norkasha family, but unlike that of a fairytale, it can not be

  broken by an act of goodwill or a true love's kiss.

  It was the first day of the third cycle, a late evening on a normally desolate seaside. Clear waters rolled over the white sands over and over like they were brushing the land's hair. Eight young boys were spread across the private beach. Meanwhile, six women and each of their personal maids sat separated from one another watching over their children. As for the boys’ father, who had arranged the outing, he was nowhere to be seen.

  The colorful spirits of fish that swam around in the sky showed their glow as the sky's colors shifted from its daytime pinks to its nightly swirls of teals and mints over the darkest of shades.

  Gliding across the water in a dance was the first wife practicing water alchemy, “Monomin, Pierce,” she said with a sigh, walking back towards the shore “It's getting late, time to head back to the castle.”

  The oldest of the children groaned “Mother, I'm busy”. He and Cassius, who was also sixteen, were using some branches as swords to fight one another. Lucia stepped down onto the sand, her blush-colored skirt flowing behind her in the soft winds, she was walking towards the two.

  “Where’s Pierce?” she asked. She could have sworn he had not been far behind them.

  Monomin shrugged her off, not sure, nor really interested in finding him if it meant they had to go home sooner. He swung the branch he was holding to hit the other boy in the face, but he donged such attack by taking a few steps back.

  The other boy started to speak “I thought he wanted to go explore with-”

  “Don't speak to that woman,” Cassius' mother pipped up, ears flat to her head as she hissed “Lucia stay the hex away from my son”. Most of the wives were like this, the situation they were put in made for a hostile hatred for one another.

  Lucia, however, tried to hide her frustrations, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily. Her tail flicked as she sensed for the littlest of their children's aura.

  About fifteen minutes ago, Pierce had followed the twins up the trails. He, however, didn't stick to them seeing something in the distance. A small home nestled between two large boulders sat with an idle glow, lavender colored.

  Despite being cubbied in the mountains, it was lush around the cabin, ivy crawled down the rocks like waterfalls. “Whoah,” he whispered, getting closer and closer to the building “I bet an evil alchemist lives here,” the young boy told himself, thinking of how impressed his family would be if he brought the evil man to them. He would be a hero.

  He didn't bother knocking on the door, in fact, he walked right past the door heading to a propped-open stained glass window. He peered inside to see a scattered array of books and trinkets?

  Pierce crouched down, climbing through the open window, left hand outstretched to try and grab onto a vial sitting on a low shelf.

  Abruptly, he was stopped by a stray panicked voice “Leave before you get hurt, you need to get away now!”

  Pierce looked around for where the noise was coming from. He scanned the cluttered kitchen, there was stuff everywhere yet nothing that could speak surely. He tentatively stood up. “Who said that?”

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  “Over here” they whispered.

  He looked down at the voice, a black cat. His own tail flicked with sudden aggression, eyes narrowing. “What are you?” he sneered.

  “I said leave before I make you!” matching his anger now.

  Pierce hissed at her. However, as she sifted forms into a Maurama, he shrank down, backing away from her. “What are you?” he asked her again, this time more of a whisper. He'd never seen anyone turn from a cat like that before.

  The woman backed him into a corner, her brown eyes darkened as she reached out to grab ahold of him. He coiled in on himself, a squeak erupting out of him as her clawed hand, not much unlike his own mother's, grabbed hold of his shoulders.

  “You Maurama never know how to mind your own business, too caught up in your own self-righteousness and mortal curiosity to consider the consequences of your actions. This day was foretold by the Gods themselves, though I’d figured you'd be a lot older by now.” she trailed off.

  Pierce shivered, her words chained him to his spot, what did she mean, what was she even saying? “I don't understand” the young boy tried to plead with her. He did what his mother always said and prayed to The Goddess of Fate that he wouldn't be hurt.

  It didn't matter, ribbons of shadows wrapped around him getting closer to his face by the second. She turned away, walking deeper into the crumbling cottage. She continued to speak, “These things are beyond what you can comprehend! The stories of your people do not begin to encompass the complexities of the fate laid out by your Gods,” she yelled.

  He covered his left eye to use the prayer. “Those of moral and honor untainted by soulless peril can not become corrupted by evil curses or hexes!” The shadows dispelled, yet seconds later new shadows wrapped around his body tightly. Stopped him.

  The words she said to him drowned out by ringing in his ears and the blood pumping through his body. The world was shaking. Potions and ornaments fell from the shelves. The kitchen cabinets ripped themselves from the wall. The wooden floors splintered and decayed rapidly, moss and rocks taking their place.

  Pierce watched in horror as he struggled against his confines. The ribbons began to tug the limbs in opposite directions, and he let out a shriek. His body pulsed with burning, searing pain. Her curse ripped his soul in two, only to sew it back together with a string of divine thread. His body slammed into the floor and then the world was gone.

  A splitting ache followed by a cold shiver traced his body, once, twice. A voice got closer beaking the nothingness apart. “Well as an alchemist shouldn't you of all people know how to fix him?” his father with a without doubt.

  “That's not how that works, and you know it” his mother's voice was horse and angry.

  His father was closer to the bed, “If he doesn't recover soon he’ll miss the ceremony.” Pierce tried to pry his eyes open, shoulder tensing, another shock of pain running through him.

  There was the noise of some crashing and a hefty “Umph” that followed it.

  “Our son could be dead and you're worried about some stupid ceremony!” Lucia's voice cracked and croaked before she mumbled an audible “My father was right.”

  “Lucia!” He tried to reason with her “He’s fine, I just thought that this ceremony would be a big deal to you since-”

  Pierce gasped for air, yanking his body to sit up in the bed, finally in control of his limbs, it stung. Both his parents looked towards him,

  His heavy hand raised to touch his throat which hurt the most of all. “Pierce,” his mother said rushing forward, almost landing on top of him in a hug. “Never again” she whined, tears dripping down into his hair. Pierce's vision was blurred and his ears ached, his head pounding as he tried to recall anything.

  After sitting there for a moment, he pulled his arms around his mom and tried to force himself to say something. The room around him spun, unable to do much he closed his eyes and prayed for recovery.

  His father left without a word.

  Lucia finally began to calm herself, “I don't know... I don't know what I would do if you didn't come back to me,” she whispered planting a kiss on the top of his head. “So many healers came by to try and wake you but nothing worked. I was so scared that we would lose you,” her cries filled the silence of his bedroom. “I prayed and prayed and finally I was given an answer, and now you're alright.”

  The door slammed open, and another person entered speaking “Is he going to get better, mama?” a surprisingly gentle hand landed on Pierce's shoulder as Monomin spoke.

  Pierce opened his mouth to answer, but nothing left him.