The Soldier and the Princess

In an age long past, there was once a war. This war was fought not over lands or money, but over something far greater: the souls of mankind.

As with most such conflicts, there were two sides. To call one Light and one Dark is perhaps a mistake, for the lines were sometimes indistinct. But that one desired the possession of all hearts and minds, and one desired the freedom of such, is clear enough.

Of course, the side known as Dark waxed stronger with every village and city they laid claim to, for they snared the minds of their subjects and siphoned their souls to power dread arcane machines. In direct contrast, the side known as Light waned with every inch of ground they lost, and lost they did, for with freedom comes the ability to choose subjugation over conflict, and many chose not to risk life and limb over something as intangible as a mere soul.

And thus the soulless vessels of their former compatriots found many a city with it's gates open wide, ready for conquest and willing to surrender.

In the midst of this war, there arose a young soldier. She gained renown and reputation, becoming a champion of the Light, fighting in the toughest and most brutal fights the war delivered. So great became her reputation that the Royal Family of the Light took notice, and wished to reward her bravery and courage.

Thus it was that the young soldier was brought to the Capital, where a city-wide festival was thrown in her honor. Further, a private audience was granted with the Royal Family, the King, his Queen, and their Daughter.

The soldier's soul was captured the instant her eyes met those of the Princess. When asked what favor the King could give, the soldier asked only to be allowed to protect the Princess as her bodyguard. Perplexed, the King granted the request, and thus the soldier became the Princess' personal bodyguard.

However, the Princess was soon promised as bride to the son of an allied House, to secure the bond between them. And so the soldier was left to watch as her love was courted by the son. It wasn't an inept courtship, nor was the son a devil in disguise. There was merely no love between the Princess and he.

On the eve of the wedding, the Princess and her soldier had a fight. Words were spoken out of pain and despair that were never meant, and so it came to pass that her bodyguard, ever so vigilant against all threats to her love, was not there when the kidnappers took the Princess. The soldier nearly went mad with grief, but tracked the captors as they made their way closer to the borders of the Dark.

She tracked them all the way to Shen'alai, the Dark Capital of the land of the soulless, where it soon became plain that the Princess was to be a public sacrifice, for she was the soul necessary to target a dread spell on the Royal Family, subverting the Kingdom of Light from its very core.

Using all her skill, and a not-small amount of sheer luck, the soldier penetrated the defenses of the tower within which the Princess was held, and the pair made their escape.

As they made their way back to the border, they were hounded by tracking teams of the greatest skill, but none could match the skill of the Champion of Light, she who had cleared enemy trenches like a ghost of death incarnate. Along the way, the Princess and her soldier slowly mended the painful rift their despairing words had spoken into existence.

Alas, as the end was in sight, the soldier's luck and skill at last failed her, and they were discovered by one of their pursuers. The fight was quick and brutal, for such things are not settled over the course of hours, but of seconds.

And so it was that the soldier took a poisoned blade meant for the Princess.

Breathing raggedly, the soldier looked up at her Princess and whispered words of encouragement and love. 'Never would I trade places, if the whole world was my prize.'

Her breathing slowed, and the Princess could feel the relaxation, could see the life slowly drifting away in those gorgeous eyes, those eyes that had captivated her since the first night she had seen them, kneeling to accept the thanks of her Father the King.

Then, between one breath and the next, the light was gone. The soldier's chest stopped, and there was silence.

Time moved on, the Princess returned to the Kingdom of Light, and the war was eventually won in their favor.

Time moved on, and then, at the end of all things, at the beginning of eternity, there was a meeting.

Their journey had not ended, it was merely postponed. The soldier and her Princess would continue ever onward together, exploring the endless Dream of Eternity.