The Heartless One

Part One

Today was an auspicious day. The God of Darkness's long-awaited daughter was born. She was Deidamia, the future Goddess of Magic and Darkness and all its realms.

The God and Goddess were over the moon as Deidamia was their only child and the only child they could ever have. Thus, they threw an elaborate 100-day celebration that lasted twenty-one days and nights.

It seems that everyone was invited. Gods and goddesses from all corners of the earth descended upon the Dark Castle. However, on the last day, Nieves, the Goddess of Ice and Snow, stormed into the castle, sending chills everywhere she went.

Nieves had always loved Amon, the God of Darkness, but sadly, Amon never noticed her despite her best efforts. He instead married that scum Keres, Goddess of Magic, leaving her humiliated and heartbroken.

So, filled with jealousy and anger, Nieves snuck into the nursery and did the only crude thing she could think of.

She froze little Deidamia's heart.

With a frozen heart, Deidamia could never know what love was. Blissfully, happiness would be forever beyond her grasp.

With a smug look on her face, the Nieves prepared for her escape. But moments before she fled the castle, Amon appeared in a puff of black smoke and rage.

You see, the God of Darkness was not the God of Darkness; he was but Zenith, the Emperor of the Heavens, the creator and ruler of everything. Therefore, he was doomed to live a life of loneliness and celibacy.

Zenith had fallen in love with Keres and transformed himself into a minor immortal to be with her. Unfortunately, Keres was immortal, several ranks below him; thus, he had to resort to lies and elaborate schemes to make her his.

Nieves trembled with fear and remorse when she realized whose baby she had cursed.

In Zenith's anger, he had changed back to his pure form. The sun was his head, the stars were his eyes, and his robe was life itself. The Goddess of Ice and Snow shivered in fear when he looked at Nieves with disdain and contempt.

Zenith summoned all the lightning in the sky, and thunder and rain storms surrounded the Dark Castle. But before any bolt could strike Nieves, it was blocked by an invisible force.

If one looked closer, one would have seen a little hand stretched out of the crib.

That was the moment Nieves made her escape.

Zenith turns to look at his daughter, pondering for a bit. He finally smiled as he brushed her face.

A while later, as Keres was rocking Deidamia to sleep, she wondered how, in the stars, she ended up with such a merciful child.

Some years passed, and Deidamia grew into a beautiful girl. She was the apple of her parent's eye. Whatever she wanted, she had. It seemed she lacked nothing.

However, no matter how much her parents tried to make up for it, Deidamia had a frozen heart, which showed.

While other girls her age were making friends, having fun, and crushing on boys, Deidamia's frozen heart hindered her from having any emotions. So, she never knew joy, sadness, anger, or love.

Deidamia was wooden and cold as Ice. But, despite her parent's best efforts, her nickname, the Ice Princess, stuck.

Nevertheless, despite her frozen heart, Deidamia seemed okay.

By three months, she could crawl; by six months, she could walk; within a year, she could already cast spells.

Deidamia was a prodigy, the wonder child of Amon, Emperor of the Universe and Keres, the Goddess of Magic.

She spent most of her time buried in spell books, making potions with her mother and learning swordplay with her father.

Deidamia sat by the fire in her room on a cold winter day. Suddenly, a fierce wind blew through her room and extinguished the fire. Deidamia tried to light it again with her magic but to no avail.

That's strange, Deidamia thought. Her magic always worked. Maybe I need a more potent spell, she pondered.

She teleported to the Grand Library in the topmost tower of the Dark Castle.

Aleemah, the Castle Librarian and Goddess of Knowledge, looked up from the book she was reading to see Deidamia impatiently ringing the bell.

Aleemah chuckled and asked, "What can I do for my darling niece?"

"Hello, Auntie Aleemah. I need the strongest spell for casting fire."

"Don't you already know how to do that?"

"Yes, of course, but I tried to earlier, but it didn't work. It seemed the magic I used wasn't enough."

"Hmm, how strange. Well, you'll need the advanced spellbook on fire, then. It's in the restricted section. You know where it is?"

"Yes, Auntie. Thank you"
"You're welcome, dear. Happy reading."

Deidamia went to the library basement, which houses the restricted section. She was the only child allowed special access to the restricted area by her mother, Keres, and her sister, Aleemah.

Deidamia was wise beyond her age and very responsible; thus, her parents and aunt felt assured in teaching her advanced magic.

Deidamia quickly found the fire spellbook. She used her magic to flip through the book until she found the page she sought.

'Relego ad frigus (to banish cold) is a potent spell used to make fire. When mastered, it can burn through any cold surface. The most famous example was when Keres, Goddess of Magic, used it to defeat Nieves, Goddess of Ice and Snow, during their epic four-day duel.'

"Nieves," Deidamia repeated softly. Why was that name so familiar?

Just as Deidamia was about to close the book, a drop of blood fell onto the spot where Nieves's name was written.

Deidamia got a paper cut earlier when she flipped the page to continue reading. She never noticed because she could not feel pain.

The spellbook absorbed her blood, and words appeared on the page.

'The Goddess of Ice and Snow is now in self-imposed exile after freezing the heart of Keres's daughter, Deidamia.'

For the first time in her 18 years of existence, Deidamia was shocked.

She suddenly felt a headache. Memories of that night a long time ago emerge.

Deidamia remembered a beautiful, icy face watching her in her crib. The figure moved her hand and started to sing a chant till a snowflake touched her chest.

Deidamia shut the book open and teleported out of the library.

A few moments later, Deidamia stood atop the mountain, facing a giant Snow Palace. Her brown hair blew in the wind. Gradually, she descended with each step filled with determination and vigour.

What was about to happen would send shock and awe around the world.