Intro
In a far off land, a large castle looms in the distance, framed by vast forests. The white stone and the crystal window gleamed in the bright afternoon sun, while the light blue flags bearing the winged symbol of the royal family waved in the gentle breeze from the many turrets adorning the massive structure. In the shadow of the castle was an expertly sculpted garden stretching for miles up to the bare edges of a tree line that served as a fence. The main path leading to the arched castle doors split the mile wide tree line in half with a massive archway, complete with an ornate iron gate, perfectly lined up with the beginning of the tree line. Beyond the tree line the thriving towns spread out between the crisscrossing networks of main roads.
On the outer edges of the kingdom, surrounded by shadow even on the brightest days, the prison sat with its front gates facing the castle. It was once as magnificent as building it faced. The towers which once held magicians and damsels now crumbling, housed vultures and crows; the rooms once lavishly decorated and excessively comfortable transformed into cramped, dingy prison cells blocked with rusty iron bars. Ivy and thorn branches grew, wrapping themselves around the grand iron archway while tree roots break through the stone wall, tearing through it inch by inch. Shouts of pain routinely erupted from the depths of the otherwise silent building.
As night descended upon the kingdom, a thief crouching on a roof in the shadow of a chimney, carefully selected his targets for the night as the last few townsfolk made their way back to their homes. Within the prison a lone prisoner, looked out through his barred windows over the forest which used to be his home. His eyes tracing over the outlines of the trees, a deep frown set craving out harsh lines along his face.
Deep within that same forest, a shadow emerged, his eyes glittering in the rising moon light as he made his way silently towards the small village at the edge of the woods.
