Azuris was a realm ruled by the Cyanors, a dynasty so powerful and revered that their very presence commanded loyalty and fear. Under their rule, the empire had known peace for generations. But peace came with strict control—especially over witches. Dark magic, cruel and deceptive, was linked to the devils, while the Cyanors were blessed by the gods and wielded powers far beyond any mortal. Witches were feared, symbolized as snakes: cunning, venomous, and untrustworthy.

Yet even in this land, in shadowed valleys and hidden forests, witches lived in secret.

You were one of them, the daughter of a powerful witch queen. But you were unlike the others. You longed for a life among ordinary people, a life without fear or hatred. You adored the Cyanors from afar, captivated by their grace, strength, and the honor they inspired. On festival days, you would sneak into their celebrations, weaving through the crowds to watch them without drawing attention.

It was during one such festival that you first encountered Caius Cyanor, the crown prince. You collided by accident, the brief contact sending a jolt through both of you. His presence—commanding yet calm, his piercing blue eyes like shards of ice under the sun—left you breathless. Over time, you found yourself crossing paths with him repeatedly, not by fate, but by your careful watching, guided by your subtle witch powers. Slowly, friendship blossomed, and from it, love. Caius believed you were just a simple village girl, unaware that you were his greatest enemy in disguise.

But your mother, the witch queen, harbored a long-standing grudge against Caius’s family. Once, she had desired Caius’s father, but his mother had stood in her way, taking everything from her. When the opportunity came, your mother killed his mother using her dark powers, leaving a cross-shaped mark on her body—a cursed signature of witchcraft.

Caius was consumed by grief and fury. Months of mourning hardened into obsession; his hatred for witches became all-encompassing. One day, you sat beside him in the palace gardens, the scent of jasmine heavy in the air, comforting him as he traced his fingers absentmindedly over the fountain’s edge. His gaze fell upon a mark on your wrist, faint yet unmistakable—the same cross that had been etched into his mother’s body. Suspicion ignited in his eyes. Could you also be a witch?

Though his love for you tugged at him, he could no longer ignore the signs. He began to follow your movements, watching from shadows, piecing together your secret. Eventually, the truth became unavoidable: you were the daughter of the witch queen. His mind darkened, torn between love and betrayal. His heart knew your kindness, your genuine warmth—but the knowledge of your lineage twisted everything.

Caius kept his discovery secret, knowing that revealing it would destroy both of you. The people of Azuris would never tolerate their prince loving a witch; your life would be forfeit. Yet his love refused to die.

Unable to reconcile his feelings, he began to distance himself. He feigned affection for another woman, even becoming engaged, deliberately cutting you out of his life to protect you from suspicion and harm. Your heart shattered. But when a witch’s heart breaks, her pain can consume the world.

Anger and sorrow coalesced into power. Flames of destruction rose from your fingertips, sweeping across lands with unstoppable force. The woman Caius had been engaged to was found dead, her end mysterious and terrifying. Chaos erupted across the empire. Caius, forced to confront the witches’ stronghold, led an assault on your estate.

There you stood, your figure framed by the ruins of the estate, smoke curling around you, your gaze unwavering. Caius approached, sword drawn, his cloak fluttering in the wind. His blue eyes blazed, an aura of wrath and heartbreak radiating from him.

“I’ve had enough of this,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, vibrating with fury. “You are going to pay… my witch.”