𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧

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The world was born from darkness, unending darkness. A big chaos, but even to that complete darkness came a fade light that changed everything. They came and brought the light with them, it switched on the world, it brought both energy and vision, ignited the rich colours with such great variation.

Someone would say that they were ten simple men with the integrity, bravery and nobility of heart. They were chivalrous by nature and the realms needed those who would fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. It needed those who would guard creation from greed and plunder.

They appeared to be a sentient mechanism of the realms, a tool of sorts born into the reality, yet linked to what was beyond this reality. They were willing to shine a light upon the darkness and make it submissive to the light, they were reborn as heroes.

When the world had become a pencil drawing, a masterpiece on the easel of the creator, everyone was waiting for it to fade to black and arise anew. Everyone was hoping for a new beginning. While others slept through the dying of the night, their task was to remain awake and witness its rebirth, to see how the pencil sketch became the greatest of high definition movies.

As the blackness left, they calmly watched themselves be erased, eyes open and seeing nothing at all, the only evidence of their existence was the steady thump of their hearts and the cool air in their lungs.

The ten mystical warriors were born, each more dangerously seductive than the last. In order to separate the two worlds, they stole the hourglass of the burning fire which was burning thousand of kilometers under the earth, giving life to the world of darkness.

Trapping all the evil within themselves, they broke the hourglass in ten pieces and each one took a piece. The realms were eventually split in two. The darkness became the realm of all the bizarre creatures as well as demons and the light became the domain of mortals. The two worlds existed together for what seemed like an eternity but fate had other plans. The mystical warriors created the ten kingdoms and they started ruling, each one far away from the other.

They all had the power of darkness inside them, they weren't monsters but they were dangerous. They devoured the souls of their rivals and won countless battles, everyone else was too weak or ignorant to hold them or even stop them. The warriors that became kings had an undying pain that was subdued only with blood, they roamed the warm and expansive golden brown desert and craved for death. Whoever stood in their way was going to meet a terrible fate.

It was possible for creatures of the dark realm to move from their realm to the mortal world but it could be done through different kind of portals that required a sacrifice. It was easier to open them from the mortal world and in order for powerful creatures to pass, it needed something more than just a sacrifice, it needed pain, blood, a dying soul.

As the mystical warriors spread death on their path, even more portals were opening in the mortal world and nothing could prevent it from happening. The mystical warriors couldn't possibly predict the consequences on the mortal world so they stepped down from their positions and disappeared, they resigned from ruling the ten kingdoms and left their legacy to families that were brave enough to step up.

One cloudy day, a small curious girl, around five years old was running in the field of her village but lost the track of time and run far away, without realizing how far she was from her home. While running her fragile hands through the tulips, she noticed near a part of burned flowers and soil.

She never felt that being inquisitive could be encouraged, either she was or was not interested. And when she was curious it was a tap that could only be turned by figuring out the puzzle. It arrived fully open and her task was to close it bit by bit until she had a full solution. Hanadi bounded over the tufted grass and over the burned soil along with flowers and stopped as if her feet were magnetized to the field.

There, in the middle of the grassy expanse was laying a small gate to the dark world, washed out of time but still existing. On either side there was no fence at all, it's blackened form dangled in mid-air as if resting on some unseen barrier. It was like some kind of game in her childish eyes. Suddenly, a noise could be heard and she rushed and took a few steps back. About now she was expecting someone to reveal themselves, but they didn't.

Hanadi lunched forward and expanded her fingers hesitantly in order to touch the "black cloud" that appeared in front of her. As soon as her finger touched the portal, her body was filled with something she never expected, an unending darkness that could easily scare a child of her age, but it didn't. Instead, Hanadi embraced the darkness as she also embraced the light that shone in her soul.

Her almost encounter with a creature from the other side had poisoned her soul and body with darkness. Hanadi had become two but in one, two halves in one body without even realizing. She had become very versatile and powerful. She slowly pulled her hand back and swung again forward as if trying to understand what was in front of her. Hanadi looked one last time at the "black cloud" and proceeded in walking the other way, back to the safety of her home and the arms of her parents. Had she turned back one last time she would have seen no portal at all, an empty field with tulips. As if this moment never truly existed.

She rushed and followed the path back to her home and she felt relief washing over her as she recognized the metal fence around the familiar garden. Their garden was filled with herbs like ground sumac, nutmeg, sage, murrah and her favorite one, chamomile. She loved babunaj for the smell, the serenity it brought whenever her mother would make it.

She stood there for a moment and then rushed inside. The front door of her house, made of dark wood planks with black hinges spreading half way across, had that rustic appeal the rich craved. Inside it looked warm, charming with every convenience. Hanadi let her fingers walk over the kitchen table as she let the smell of the shorbet adas engulf her. The sight of her mother cooking lentil soup and the aromas wove together to form a single picture in her memory.

She let her eyes absorb the moment and sat at the table. Hanadi's dad came a little later, he first kissed his beloved wife and then hugged his daughter. He was the firefighter of their troubles, the light when they couldn't see the path, the sweetness that kept their family going.

"I was offered a position today," he said calmly as he sat at the table. His wife's attention shifted directly to him and she let down the spoon.

"What kind of position my love?" her anxiety was visible as her fingertips played with the fabric of her long dress.

"I am the new king of Al Qureya, the Visier appointed me after the previous king stepped down. I will rule and we will finally take our righteous place among the others as our families wanted us to," he stayed composed but he was proud, a smile played on his lips.

He was finally satisfied and his wife could't contain her excitement, she rushed and pulled him close to her, resting his head upon her chest. "We did good and good is finally returning to us," she exclaimed.

Both their families ruled the kingdom of Al Qureya but as the years passed, a new ruler took the throne almost forcefully. Upon his death, his son was supposed to claim the throne but instead he passed the title to the rightful owners who were none other, but Hanadi's parents. Hanadi's ancestors made the kind of legacy that made the kingdom better for all time, the kind of golden sole-prints in the sands of time. Her parents would eventually earn the right for them and also for their daughter to become special in the history of Al Qureya.