The WAR Series

Cold Shadow: Act One

ACT ONE:

50 Years Earlier...

~The Ice Kingdom~

The kingdom was under threat by an invasive force of Ice Knights. Many of the kingdom's soldiers were overwhelmed by the sheer number of the enemy forces swarming through the castle. In particular, King Ord, current head of the Ice Kingdom, was being chased by a few of these invaders closing in on him down his castle halls. Once he turned a corner, the king was met by a frightful sight.

Ice Kingdom Soldier 1: Get down your highness!

King Ord ducked down fast as several arrows flew overhead and chipped down the pursuing Ice Knights. Ord's soldiers then quickly helped him to his feet.

Ice Kingdom Soldier 1: Are you alright your highness?

King Ord: *panting* I am... unharmed.

Ice Kingdom Soldier 1: We cannot hold them. The kingdom is lost.

King Ord: Evacuate as many of our citizens as you can. And prepare my escape capsule.

Ice Kingdom Soldier 2: What are we to do after, my king?

King Ord: Regroup with me further down the borderlines of the Frozen Lands. I will seek counsel with the other seven kingdoms for assistance.

Ice Kingdom Soldier 2: But your highness, respectfully, we've never sought out aid from the other foreign kingdoms for years.

King Ord: *sighs* I know... but now is the time we accept aid from those beyond our borders.

***

Elsewhere, the two doorways into the now empty throne room were completely frozen before being shattered into many pieces. Ice Knights came swarming inside while a four-armed demoness emerged from the icy mists in the wake of the door's destruction. She looked ice cold blue, was draped in cobalt blue robes, had an interesting ring around her finger on her lower right arm, and wore a sparkling tiara atop her head. As she approached the now vacant throne, the demoness placed one of her hands to her mouth and blew a frosty blizzard breath that froze the throne to her liking as she seated herself upon it.

Ice Witch: At long last... vengeance is mine.

All the Ice Knights present in the room knelt before their ruler. As she smiled with satisfaction, a white hooded figure wielding a lengthy white staff with a light blue crystal tip emerged from the shadows beside her.

Ice Witch: Alodi, my dear friend.

Alodi: *Kneels* Today is a triumphant day for you my dear.

Ice Witch: The work is not yet done. I shall be quenched once the king is brought before me.

Alodi: It shouldn't take long. Last I heard, our forces chased him down toward the eastern pillar of the castle.

***

King Ord and the soldiers who accompanied him made it to the eastern pillar. There, outside right on top of the ledge, was some sort of canon launcher. 

Ice Kingdom Soldier 1: Make haste your majesty! The enemy is not far behind.

King Ord quickly stepped before the canon as a doorway opened up outward, unveiling a crawlspace a single person could step into. 

King Ord: *glances back at the soldiers* We will liberate our home. I promise you.

The soldiers nod as their king entered inside the crawlspace and was sealed inside. Meanwhile, two chains connected to the canon were seen being drawn back like fishing pole lines to raise the canon's nose higher. On a separate mechanism, rotated by a lever that moved like a wheel, the canon was positioned to face the more left side of the pillar.