Illusionary (An Original Applyfic)

Prologue - Fallen Fortress

A long time ago, Leviora Academy was not a school. It was once a fortress. A grand fortress.

But even the greatest fortresses would collapse.

My name is Maya, and I am a princess. I am 11 years old.

A long time ago, my parents and I lived happily in our castle. It was quite a large castle, and it was fun to run through all the halls with my friends, making fun of the paintings on the wall, and just living life.

My parents kept talking about me taking over the kingdom in the future. It was a nice thought. I had all these people who believed in me and my strengths, and trusted me to lead our kingdom. I would've loved to do it.

That was a long time ago. I don't even know how those people are doing now.

One terrible night, there was a fire. There was screaming outside the castle, soldiers rushing through the halls and yelling orders at each other. Everything was chaos.

Mother and Father told me to stay in my room. I obeyed their command, covering my ears with my hands to drown out the screaming and shouting.

I thought about my friends and family. Whatever was going on out there, surely they would be fine, right? My parents, proud rulers of our kingdom, they would surely protect us. My friends were smart, they would know danger if they saw it.

I didn't even know what was going on until I peered out the window.

Shouting, fighting, overall chaos. Soldiers fighting soldiers, civilians cowering in fear, catapults outside the castle grounds—at least I think they were catapults.

My home had turned into a war ground, and I couldn't do anything to stop it.

A flickering light. That was what I saw crawling up the vines which rested on the castle walls. I barely had time to think before the fire made its way into the room.

I had left the window open. It was too late to close it. The fire had me cornered, as I slowly backed away and pressed my back against the door.

Tugging on the doorknob would not allow me to open the door. It was as if it was deliberately shut, trapping me in the room I once enjoyed spending time in.

There was nothing I could do. Shouting for my parents would not help at all.

The last thing I remembered before blacking out was the painful touch of fire upon my skin, and the terrible smoke which forced its way into my lungs.

I clutched onto my golden necklace—my most prized possession, a gift from my parents—as I waited for the pain to go away.

When I woke up again, I felt light. The fire had stopped, and the sky was a lovely shade of blue. I walked—no, floated?—towards the window which the fire had come from.

The birds were chirping once more, and the sounds of fighting had disappeared. The faint chattering of citizens could be heard in the distance.

I sighed I relief. Everything was finally peaceful again.

Or at least it was how it seemed.

My parents and I grew distant. My friends never came over to see me again. It was as if they forgot I existed.

One by one, they all disappeared. I tried going outside to look for them, but it seemed that I simply couldn't. I physically couldn't go outside. It was as if some magical force kept me trapped inside the castle.