Before The Immortals 3.

The air crisp and cold with a hint of mystique. The young queen stood, hands clenched before the hunched-back Immortal in the very heart of the ancient forest.

Unknown to her, many days passed by while continuously sparring with the two-faced Immortal, took a toll on her.

Her fists gently lowered by the hunched-back Immortal large palm. The Immortal's eyes gleamed with sympathy beholding the young queen's exhaustion, his gaze filled with deep understanding of the weight she bore.

"Protector," The hunched-back Immortal spoke in low, rumbling voice, Wren stared with her face swelling and discolored. "Have you had a bubble bath before?"

"Uh…" The young queen snickered in pains at the Immortal's joke then she steeled herself, her determination evident in her unwavering gaze. "I was born for this," she declared, her voice firm and resolute showing no fear or resentment towards all that happened to her so far.

With a subtle nod, the hunched-back Immortal spoke. "Now that the air around us become shimmering because of your presence here. Surround yourself with bubbles to heal yourself…" Before he could finished his word.

The young queen created a lot of bubbles around her with a gaze saying, "Is this what you mean?"

Every one of the bubbles surrounding her was soothed, glittering in blue. Then, many encasing her like a protective barrier, it touched her skin and healed the wounds on her body.

Her face healed and relaxed, her eyes closed in relief, then opened glancing at the hunched-back Immortal with a sense of calmness.

"The petals of the flower may have been restored, but the roots remain withered, Protector." Said The hunched-back Immortal.

The young queen's eyes slightly lit up with curiosity, and her eyebrows rise in inquiry.

"You mean, my insides are still damaged, even with the healing?..." She inquired, "how can I repair?"

"Chatter the remaining healing bubbles on yourself, protector, " the hunched-back Immortal addressed. "Channeling every healing energy into your very being is the gateway to ultimate restoration, like a bubble bath- it cleanses, rejuvenates and makes your soul sparkle! For it is in embracing the harmony within that you shall find the balance that heals the depths of your soul, Protector."

The young queen snickered at the joke then with a deep breath, she summoned a burst of energy, the only few of the crystallizing bubbles around her chattered, releasing a strong regenerative surge that coursed through her veins like liquid moonlight.

Her glowing eyes widened in awe. The shimmering blue aura surrounding her signified her growing connection to her inner self and her intuition.

The hunched-back Immortal's gaze gleamed with pride. "You have taken the first step, Protector," he proclaimed while the young queen folded and unfolded her hands in awe feeling more alive. "Now, your recovery is now complete… What about others?"

Suddenly, the young queen's eyes fluttered open, her gaze unfocused as the memories of the scene where she mistakenly froze her kingdom whole came flooding back.

The once beautiful moonlit oasis dissolved around her, replaced by blood-soaked streets of her past.

The innocent still echoed in her mind.

The faces the young queen refused to look at were vividly showed to her when her potency had raged out of control.

Their horror faces contorted in agony, their bodies frozen in perpetual terror.

Her cold breath caught in her throat reliving the horror.

The hunched-back Immortal's voice cut through her visions, steady and unyielding. "Focus, Protector. Channel your potency into healing… Is to overcome your guilt and shame of your past mistakes."

The young queen's hands trembled as she reached for the horror, her fingers closing it like a lifeline. She felt the familiar surge of rage and power tainted by the darkness of her memories.

Among the horrors the Immortal eyes gleamed with keen awareness however his expression remained resolute.

"You must recognize, confront and validates your traumas, Protector. Only then you can truly heal…" The Immortal advised.

Her fears remind me of my own… the weight of centuries, the accumulation of scars… He looked around her visions. even I, standing here could feel her ravaging cold…

The young queen's visions intensified, conjuring maelstrom of icy tendrils in deformed figures, wrapping around the young queen's wrists and every part of the her body forcefully dragging her into the cold abyss, screaming.

"—Why?!"

"--Why, did you kill us all?!"

"--We have done nothing wrong!"

"—You're not our protector neither our savior!—"

"—You murderer!--"

" –A walking Catastrophe!"—"

"Acknowledge it, Protector!" The Immortal urged, his voice like a steady anchor in the glacial storm. "Accept, the darkness by letting go of your guilt and shame showing it your true power!"

Then her Father's voice came through after.

"Be strong, trust only yourself and your natural instincts, Songbird..."

The young queen's teary eyes snapped back into focus, her gaze locking onto the Immortal's eyes. Her jaw clenched, her determination ignited by the Immortal's words. With a fierce cry of genuine apology, she broke out of it while channeling her potency of healing into the scene, asserting control as her visions slowly receded turning everything back to normal.

The young queen exhaled hard kneeling understanding her actions, although flawed, she was much more motivated by the desire to protect everyone, treating herself with kindness, understanding and patience just as she would a close friend.

She barely stood. "Thank you… it was… fun…"

"--She survive that?!–"

"--Indomitable!—"

"--I thought it will take her days for her to overcome her guilt—"

"--Just like the latter--"

The young queen looked around at who was chuckling in their talks, the hunched-back Immortal was no longer here with her.

She saw only the Immortal twins staring at her with their piercing eyes.

"--Since the Enlightened one and the Lupine are out on a field work, we are next—"

"--After going through all that are you ready for our teachings?--But it won't be easy–" They both spoke simultaneously, both standing at either side of the young queen as the moonlit oasis materialized into a mystic arena, surrounded by halos of ethereal light.

The air was alive with the hum of ancient energies.

The ground beneath their feet was covered in fine, glittering dust that shimmered like a stardust.

The walls of the arena were lined with towering, crystalline spires that pulsed with a soft, blue light, casting an otherworldly glow across the space.

The young queen slightly glanced up, just above the Immortal twins, their weapons of every shape and size hovering in mid-air--swords, daggers, bows, arrows, staffs, spears—and many more weapons known and unknown to her quivering with anticipation awaiting for their owners command, surprisingly each one with egos.

The atmosphere charged with longing on Wren, as if she was expecting the Immortal twins who were determined to push her to her limits at every given opportunity.

"Oh… my… bubbles…" She grinned for a moment before determination etched on her face glaring at the Immortal twins.

"Let's do this!" She exclaimed as the chuckles of the Immortal twins echoed around the arena.