Alice's Heart : Prologue

Long before King Silas Asema’s name was spoken with respect, the land of Jelita was ruled by his ancestors; beings of immense, unmatched power. But instead of protectors, they were terrors. They saw their strength not as a gift, but as a right to dominate. The cries of the weak and suffering were like wind to them, unheard and unimportant. They reveled in their might, blind to the consequences of their cruelty.

Their reign of terror was a slow decay, festering until Jelita was tainted by injustice. Endless evil echoed throughout the land. Then, one day, an old woman appeared at the castle gates, wanting only a little kindness. Instead, she was ridiculed and thrown away like trash.

But this was no ordinary old woman. She was the only vessel of magic left, and her patience had run out. Driven by the accumulated pain of Jelita, she unleashed a desperate curse, a promise of destruction aimed at the wicked family. But magic is a fickle thing. Instead of targeting the cruel rulers, the curse latched onto Silas Asema, a distant descendant yet to be born.

Silas, unlike his forebears, was a valiant man, a true king who held the well-being of his people above all else. He used his incredible strength to defend Jelita, protecting the weak and bringing justice wherever he could. He was everything the land needed. Yet the shadow of his family's past lingered.

Every hundred years, when his true soulmate was born, Silas faced a terrible choice. To remain the man he was, strong and whole, he had to pierce his soulmate’s heart with a dagger. Or, he could refuse, and become a monstrous beast, losing all traces of himself.

For years, he chose the former, driven by his duty as king. He sacrificed his own happiness, thinking it was the only way to protect his people. But one day, his secret was exposed. Betrayed by one of his most trusted guards; the knowledge of what he had done spread through Jelita. Finally, unable to bear the weight of his choices any longer, Silas elected to transform, becoming the beast so that his soulmate, Princess Alice, might live.

The two lovebirds, bound by a tragic destiny, were the only hope of Jelita; a hope that a curse born from hatred could be broken by love.