Part 1

The small border town of Laurent located at the outskirts of Granford kingdom is currently abuzz with activity.

It is now nearing the start of the winter solstice. A local festival that heralded its coming is celebrated at this very town every year. And now is precisely the period when that festival is supposedly held.

But that's not the cause of the current commotion. In fact, everyone had seemed to have forgotten about it altogether.

***

Evening.

A group of men and women chatted with a lively atmosphere inside a local tavern.

"Hey, are the rumors true? Did they really find the location of a 'great treasure' somewhere within Lincroft forest?" asked a young woman   whose flaxen hair was tied up in a neat bun.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure about that particular rumor dear... But it is true that they've found the largest deposit of manacite ever to be discovered since the Altalandia mines." a portly middle aged male replied.

"Wow! Our quaint, little frontier town has finally hit it big." the young woman harped excitedly.

"While it is true that opening a manacite mine near Laurent would bring about lots of jobs and new opportunities, some of the old folks are worried that it'll take away too much of the towns character." a handsome youth cautioned.

"What character? Our only sources of income are hunting and logging. But the scale in which we go about them is far too small.

I'm not even sure if we're properly recorded in official kingdom maps. That's how obscure we are." a bespectacled youth retorted.

"Lots of our friends have already left for other towns. Some have even gone as far as the capital in search of their fortunes. Only a handful youths remain in this this town; you, myself and Emma included. And some are still thinking of leaving.

The times are changing. We can't always cling to the past." the bespectacled youth continued.

"Well, if the mayors son is so adamant about it, then it can't be all that bad." the portly man chimed in as he patted the shoulder of the bespectacled youth.

"That's right. Flynn and Mayor Wesley have always done their utmost for Laurent. You should know that best Cale. You should trust their judgement more." the young woman added.

"I know Emma. I was just saying we still need to consider our steps carefully. This event could potentially make or break our town after all." the handsome youth replied.

"Don't worry Cale. We'll be careful not to go overboard or decide things rashly. We'll still properly consult the council about the matter. Father and I will also do everything we can to ensure we're not sidelined in the negotiations for management rights." the bespectacled youth assured.

Suddenly, a boy burst inside the tavern while panting wildly.

"What's wrong Tim? Minors aren't allowed in this establishment during this hour." the portly man admonished.

"M-Mr. Prescott! Everyone! Big news! Humongous news! Ultra Super Duper Mega Gigantic news!" the boy hollered.

"Calm down kid. What's gotten into you?" the handsome youth asked.

"Calm down? Calm down?! How the heck do you expect me to calm down you dolt of a big brother! It's the second princess! The second princess I tell ya!" the boy yelled hysterically.

"Woah. Slow down Tim. What's this about the second princess?" the bespectacled youth inquired.

"Like I said! It's the second princess! The second princess Shayla M'Elthuss Granford is going to pay our town a visit! In the flesh!" screamed the boy.

"Eh... Eh? Eeeeeeeeh?!!!"

The tavern instantly erupted into a frenzy.

Part 2

"Your Highness, your expression is beginning to cramp up." warned an auburn haired young maid.

"I-Is that so?" replied a silver haired maiden who wore an elegant (and quite cumbersome) azure dress that glittered dazzlingly in the warm sunlight.

"Meena, do I really have to do this?" the maiden asked. Apprehension was evident in her tone.

"Of course. It's common courtesy even for royalty." the maid replied matter-of-factly.

"I understand the need to have an audience with the town mayor. But why the heck do I even have to parade myself all over town in this gaudy outfit?!" the maiden complained indignantly.

"It's for publicity Your Highness. Minister Faulkland already went through the details with you I believe. In case you need a reminder, it's a measure for captivating the hearts of the populace so they'd be more agreeable to the terms proposed by the crown regarding the newly discovered potential mining site." the maid answered.

The silver haired maiden, second princess Shayla M'Elthuss Granford, rolled her eyes in frustration as she prepared to wave at the steadily increasing crowd.

***

Shayla M'Elthuss Granford was an academic down to her very core.

If it weren't for the fact that she was Granford kingdoms second princess, she already would have holed herself up on a quaint little study somewhere to passionately pore over her research notes and findings.

Normally, given her position, Shayla would have had next to no opportunity to freely do the things she loved.

And yet, she still managed to pursue her passions through enlisting the help of her tutors (who cherished her dearly) and several of the castle staff (who were all deeply enamored with her).

Her crystalline beauty, elegant demeanor (faked), and goddess-like smile (practiced to near perfection in front of her trusty hand mirror) managed to earn her quite a significant following. These people all assisted her through various means and became her eyes and ears.

She held a specially vested interest in history and archeology. The thought of discovering the great mysteries that lay buried in the ancient past captivated her. She had even attempted to break a taboo because of her thirst for knowledge.

She dared to research about "The Great Blank" - an extensive period in ancient history which the current world knew almost nothing about. Records were so rare, they seemed practically nonexistent.

People under the rule of the Holy Union were expressly forbidden from even mentioning it. Studying it is one of the greatest taboos declared by the Church.

But Shayla wasn't a particularly devout believer. She cared little for the teachings and continued her research on the subject until the day her father, King Selim Auguste Harkland Granford, found out about it and ordered her work to be confiscated.

Who would have thought that, in an ironic twist of fate, she would be called upon precisely because the king felt the actual need for the findings gleaned from that very research.

Part 3

"Ugh... That was certainly tiring." Shayla complained as she plopped herself headfirst onto the bed.

The meeting with the mayor had just concluded and, after a customary dinner, the royal entourage were escorted to the fanciest inn in town and were offered their best rooms.

Normally, the mayor would have offered for the princess to stay at his home. But Mayor Wesley Adkins was quite a frugal man. And that nature was also reflected on the state of the man's home. It was definitely not fit for a royal princess to stay the night, to say the least.

And so came the current arrangement. As there were not enough rooms, Meena Langley, Shayla's personal attendant, shared a room with her. The royal guards as well as the research team Shayla had brought with her from the capital stayed at the adjacent rooms.

"Forgive me for being frank your highness... But aren't you really used to all of this already? You've always put your astounding social skills to good use back at the castle. You've also attended numerous banquets. And I must say, the way you handle yourself during those events is nothing short of uncanny." Meena pointed out.

"Just because I'm good at it doesn't mean I actually like it." Shayla retorted and moaned dejectedly.

She had learned to put up a facade and to subtly and effectively manipulate people's opinions and feelings out of necessity. To her, it was an invaluable tool in order to pursue her passions. But it was also quite tiring and unpleasant.

How she craved to openly and freely do what she wanted in life. But being born a princess, especially in a kingdom like Granford,  carried with it responsibilities she can't just cast away altogether.

Even now, she was currently in the midst of undertaking a mission for the crown.

She peered at the night sky through the bedside window and let out a weary sigh.

***

Forest Haven was the tavern most frequented by the local populace of Laurent during the day. Though it couldn't be called posh or classy by any means, it had a warm, cozy atmosphere that made one ease up and relax. The food and drink were great as well.

However, it had a few peculiarities. It did not allow for patrons late in the evening. Nor did it put up people to stay for the night. Honestly, calling it a proper tavern seemed a bit farfetched.

But most peculiar of all were the noises that sometimes emanated from beneath it. Dull clanking and grinding noises as well as ominous howls.

The locals already seemed accustomed to them and did not seem the least bit agitated. But anyone new would have found it rather creepy.

***

It was already deep into the night. The doors of Forest Haven were firmly shut. But light still spilled out from the glass windows. Young, cheerful voices rang out from within.

Despite Forest Havens reputation, only these few youths were allowed to loiter within the premises after hours.

"Wasn't the second princess just drop dead gorgeous? I'd love to be her prince on a white steed." a brown haired boy, Tim Hughes, exclaimed dreamily.

"You wish lil' bro. She's way, waaay out of your league. But, it's not bad to dream. Just don't count on the impossible." a handsome young man with red hair, Cale Hughes, teased.

"Shut up idiot! I saw you make eyes at her when her carriage passed through earlier. Even my friends saw it. You looked sooo stupid bro, being all smitten like that." Tim retorted.

"Wha-? I-I did not make eyes at the princess. Stop spewing nonsense!" Cale responded awkwardly. The  motion of slightly turning his gaze away from his smug looking younger brother made his denial seem somewhat suspect.

*Crack

A subtle sound of something breaking rang from the counter.

"Uh... Emma dear, it's not that I don't understand but... could you please refrain from crushing our glassware with your bare hands everytime something like this comes up. They're not exactly cheap y'know." a portly, good humored man, Micah Prescott, pleaded. He was the owner of the tavern as well as the girl's adoptive father.

"Sorry papa. I'll be more careful next time." a pretty young woman with flaxen hair, Emma Prescott, answered with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Uh-huh... I'll leave you to your work then." Mr. Prescott replied and made a hasty retreat.

It was pretty clear why the young woman was irritated. Just about the entire town knows of Emma's feelings for Cale. Except for the young man in question that is.

"Honestly, just how dense is he? He's nothing like his father." Mr. Prescott mused.

Cale's father, Trent Hughes, was quite the playboy. He was also relatively handsome and charming. The son inherited his looks, but not his wiles it seemed.

"Looks like I won't be having grandchildren anytime soon." Mr. Prescott sighed.

***

While the Hughes siblings bickered, a young bespectacled male sat quietly on a corner of the tavern. He was Flynn Adkins, Mayor Adkins' only son.

He stared outside from a nearby window absentmindedly and made audible sighs from time to time.

The others had already noticed his odd behavior earlier but were hesitant in approaching him. It was quite rare for Flynn to be in such a sombre mood. He wasn't exactly full of cheer most of the time, but neither did he brood all that much. In that sense, he was a perfectly normal young man.

Finally, not being able to resist his curiosity, the young Tim went over and posed some questions.

"What's wrong Flynn? Your face looks real horrible y'know. Like it's the end of the world or something. Did something go wrong during the audience with the princess? Or is a late bloomer like you finally having women troubles too?" Tim remarked mischievously.

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At first, there was hardly any reaction. But not long after, Flynn slowly turned towards Tim with an expression that was difficult to place. He then led his gaze wander around the tavern and noticed the worried looks of his friends and his mentor. He made a thin smile and shrugged his shoulders lightly, as if shedding off a burden. His mouth uttered a faint reply.

"It might actually be the latter."

The others, including Tim, were momentarily dumbstruck. Flynn wasn't exactly all that keen about relationships with the opposite sex. Only a few things held his interests. Women were not one of them.

It's not that he doesn't appreciate them. They just weren't placed high on his priority list. He'd rather train (despite appearances, he's actually quite athletic) and study than spend time with girls.

Thus, for him to openly admit to having 'women troubles' caused everyone present to drop their jaws in surprise.

"Wait. Don't tell me you also fell for the princess?!" Tim exclaimed loudly.

Flynn simply continued to smile enigmatically and moved his gaze to the scenery beyond the window once more. The others became even more agitated.

***

"Really now... I never thought I'd get to see you again after all this time..." Flynn thought sombrely.

He couldn't forget how surprised he was to encounter 'her' once more. As the second princess' personal attendant no less.

Her influence on Flynn's life was not a trivial one. Their first meeting was not the most idyllic. The time they spent together during childhood was so short, it seemed so very much like an ephemeral illusion. But she had imparted him something he would carry for the rest of his life. She had given him a glimpse of a dream.

"I'd like to talk to you but why does it seem like you're avoiding me?" he thought dejectedly.

He sighed once more and muttered her name under his breath.

"Meena..."

***

She gazed upon the night sky with an air of melancholy.

"It seems he's doing well." she mused. A hint of a smile floated upon her lovely lips, but was quickly replaced with a worried frown.

She recalled the time the two of them met. She came to deeply enjoy his company in the short time they were together.

Since her family frequently moved from place to place, never staying more than a few months at a time, she felt quite detached with kids her age and other people in general. She never would have thought it would only take a chance meeting with a short, snot nosed boy with laughably large glasses to break down her walls.

She felt so comfortable in his presence that she let down her guard and shared with him a few secrets her family warned never to be disclosed to others unless told otherwise.

That was a mistake she would come to regret once she gained greater understanding of just how grave the knowledge she held was. It held the potential to create an upheaval all throughout the world and destroy its very foundations.

That upheaval was what her clan strove for throughout the ages. They were deemed dangerous enough that certain organizations and even entire nations were once out to cull their entire existence.

They have since lain low - mostly living on the very fringes of society except for a few exceptions. But they have never forgotten the goal of their clan. Nor have they given up on eventually attaining it.

She moved her gaze to her mistress who now slept comfortably. The princess' long, silver hair shone in the moonlight filtering through the glass window. Her delicate figure curled up on the large bed was truly a beautiful sight to behold.

Meena Langley smiled bitterly. She thought it was truly ironic. She desired never to involve that clumsy fool, Flynn Adkins, more than she already had regarding her matters. But her actions and that of her clans would undoubtedly even affect this quaint border town whether or not she desired it.

And she'd already involved this unfortunate princess in her clans machinations. This cunning yet, at the same time, naive young woman who truly thought of her as a friend.

She thought herself despicable. But she believed in her clans goal more than any other. Thus, she could not stop. She could never stop.

She could only hope her childhood friend and this secretly introverted princess would come out of it all safely - all the while not fully realizing that all of them have already gone beyond the point of no return.

Part 4

Light footsteps rang within the walls of the newly discovered manacite mine. The frequency of the sounds indicated haste.

Finally, the owners of those footsteps reached their intended destination. Locks of long, radiant silvery hair were revealed as one figure took off her robe.

A buff, square chinned man dressed in light armor gave the newly arrived people a perfunctory salute and turned his attention to the silver haired young woman, Second Princess Shayla M'Elthuss Granford.

"Greetings Your Highness. I am Loxley Sinclair, vice commander of the Laurentia garrison."

Princess Shayla smiled and told him to be at ease. She then proceeded to inquire about the main point of interest after handing Meena her robe.

"Is this it?" she asked and slightly jerked her chin forward.

"Yes Your Highness." Loxley answered.

"It was found after a portion of the cave crumbled while the miners were in the middle of gathering manacite samples for grading. They reported it to us immediately, but we honestly can't make heads or tails of this either, so we sent word to the capital."

A massive metal door loomed before them. Lining its borders were diagonal yellow and black stripes that formed a continuous pattern. And on its center was an unknown symbol - bright, golden flames that seemed to engulf the image of the world beneath it. Words were also embossed below the ominous symbol, the meanings of which were lost to most of those present.

But there were those who understood its significance.

Shayla held back an excited gasp and approached the massive structure. She ran her fingers on its smooth, cold surface, stopping at the center. She traced the embossed letters lightly; her eyes betraying her excitement.

"Prometheus Project..." she whispered in awe.

"I finally found one. A definite clue."

"What in the world is it Your Highness? Just what have we unearthed?"

Loxley's rough voice interrupted her reverie.

Shayla turned around, displaying a serene smile.

"Knowledge, Sir Loxley. A treasure beyond our wildest dreams."

Meena's expression wavered slightly at Shayla's statement. But it was so subtle, one wouldn't really notice anything even if they looked.

A commotion soon broke out from the miners and soldiers present.

"Hey, isn't this bad? The Church won't approve investigating something like this." one miner quipped.

"Are you an idiot? We've already ceded from the Holy Union ages ago. That shouldn't really matter anymore." another one retorted.

"B-But... wouldn't this incur divine retribution?" another miner nervously added.

"Well, aren't you such a devout believer." a soldier jeered.

"I was just saying..." the miner retorted indignantly.

"Quiet down you lot. You're in the presence of Her Royal Highness!" Loxley admonished.

The commotion instantly died down under Loxley's sharp gaze. But hints of agitation and worry still lingered in their expressions.

In truth, Loxley was no better. But he endeavored to keep his thoughts and emotions in check. He was, first and foremost, an Adept serving the crown. It was not his place to judge the kings decisions.

"Have you tried opening it?" Shayla asked suddenly.

"No Your Highness. We thought it best to leave this one in the hands of experts." Loxley answered.

The enormous door did not have any visible hinges or unlocking mechanisms. Even Shayla was in a bit of a loss about what to do.

"Should we bring a Gigas in sir?" a soldier suggested.

"We could try prying it open with it. We have a heavy duty model with us anyway."

The soldier referred to the massive humanoid constructs used for both military and civilian purposes all over the known world. Their size and power made them truly effective weapons. They were also highly valued for things like large construction projects among other such similar tasks that required strength beyond what was normally possible.

"No!" Shayla refused hastily before Loxley could even reply.

"The contents within might possibly be delicate. We can't just carelessly force it open."

Just as they became stuck in an impasse, something unexpected caught everyone's attention.

Noise akin to machines whirring to life reverberated. A portion of the wall directly on top of the massive door opened.

From within, a strange contraption burst forth. It was akin to a huge glass eye that peered down on everyone present. Red light eerily flickered from within it. Closer inspection revealed it to be a bit similar to the mono eye sensor used on some Gigas models.

"W-What the heck is that thing?!" a miner screamed in terror.

Panic spread out from within the group. Some miners have already begun running away. One was screaming "Divine wrath! We're gonna suffer divine wrath!" hysterically.

As Loxley struggled to reign in the situation, the eerie red light suddenly burst forth and covered everyone present. It then narrowed into a thin line and proceeded to move across their bodies.

"What the...?!"

Even Loxley was not able to maintain his composure.

"Your Highness! It might be dangerous here. Let's fall back for the time being. Your Highness!"

Loxley's warnings didn't reach Shayla's ears. She was too preoccupied with what was happening in front of her.

"So this is a fragment of the ancients' wisdom..." she thought in awe and reverence.

A strange image was displayed right before her eyes. No one seemed to notice it apart from her. A frustrated Loxley grabbed her shoulders and started leading her away. But she struggled free. She ran in front of the enormous door once more, gazing at the impassive glass 'eye' and the image it burned in front of her.

"What lies beyond is a key to unravel the past, overturn the present and change the future.

Do you wish to start the rebirth of the world in the flames of wisdom?"

Shayla's heart was pained with indecision. She had finally found something that might help her in realizing her long cherished wish - the reason she grew to be obsessed with archeology and "The Great Blank" to begin with. But the ominous question kept her from going any further.

Rebirth in flames? What did that mean? Should she really be seeking that sort of wisdom? Would this not bring about something that she would come to regret later on?

But the allure of forbidden knowledge was hard to resist. A great temptation crept upon her. Like whispers of the devil. Her heart swayed.

The glass 'eye' moved, seemingly narrowing its 'gaze' upon her. It seemed to peer within her very soul. And, as abruptly as it appeared, it retreated back to its chamber on top of the massive door.

The mine shaft was once again enveloped in all encompassing silence.

Loxley immediately ran over to recover the princess who fell to her knees. But no sooner had he taken his first few steps that noise filled the surroundings once more.

The massive door opened with a great rumble. Within it was another metallic door. But that soon opened as well. A series of metallic doors opened further in sequence, finally revealing a dark passageway.

It seemed like the entrance to a dark abyss. But that feeling only lasted for a brief moment. Lights flicked to life, illuminating the passageway which seemed to lead further in.

All of those remaining stared in awe.