She transitioned from childhood to youth, carrying in her heart the weight of loneliness and heavy rejection.
Each year, her understanding of magic deepened,
but loneliness clung to her like a shadow that never leaves its owner.
Often, she would escape from the forest to a large rock at its edge,
sitting there for hours, gazing at the sky, listening to the echoes of the wind, seeking peace in the voice of nature.
That rock became her sanctuary, the only place where she didn't feel alone,
a space where her wounds and dreams could coexist.
Over the years, emotions accumulated within her—
between sorrow, anger, and shattered hope—
but Caitlin never surrendered. She knew her true strength wasn't in her external beauty,
but in her magic's ability to heal others and in her determination to face life's cruelty.
**Caitlin often passed by the cottage of the Grand Mistress Daria,**
**hearing faint whispers emanating from within, mysterious voices echoing in her mind.**
**Many times, she tried to approach but was too afraid to enter—until one day,**
**driven by curiosity, she stepped inside.**
**The door was tightly locked, and she tried to peer inside using her magical sight,**
**but the protective magic of the cottage was too strong, preventing her from seeing clearly within.**
**Through a small crack, she glimpsed the true beauty of the world—**
**pure, vibrant magic unlike anything she had ever witnessed.**
**After leaving the cottage, the whispers continued to echo in her head,**
**until she stepped out of the forest, where the voices suddenly ceased, as if the forest itself guarded its secrets.**
One day, as she was leaving the forest, she glanced to her left
and saw a majestic man on a black horse.
Fear gripped her, but she didn't flee.
The man calmly assured her he meant no harm, then asked about the forest.
She replied, "Yes, this is it."
When he tried to enter, a powerful magical barrier stopped him.
Startled, he exclaimed, "What is this?"
Caitlin answered, "It's magic."
Impressed, the man asked, "What are you doing in this dark place?"
She said, "I live here."
Surprised, he asked, "How old are you?"
She replied, "Twenty."
He asked, "What's your name?"
She said, "Caitlin."
He answered, "My name is Julius."
Caitlin was stunned; she never expected to meet the heir to the kingdom of Neval.
She was amazed that he didn't judge her by her appearance.
She asked, "What are you doing here?"
He replied, "I'm looking for a witch to form an alliance with."
They talked for hours and reached an agreement.
As he left, he said, "We will change the world, and people will look at you with admiration, not fear, Caitlin."
Then Julius departed, leaving a new hope burning in Caitlin's heart.
For two years, Caitlin tried to get closer to the Grand Mistress Daria—the only one who possessed the key to the mysterious door.
At the same time, she remained in contact with Julius through magical communication.
One dark and silent night, Caitlin finally succeeded in obtaining the key.
She approached the locked room, her heart pounding, and opened the door.
That moment was a turning point.
The black magic contained within consumed Caitlin's soul entirely.
She became extraordinarily beautiful on the outside—but ugly on the inside.
After she opened the door, the magical barrier protecting the forest vanished instantly.
A group of mercenaries, secretly sent by Julius, stormed in.
They captured all the young witches in the forest—including the Grand Mistress.
Despite Daria's fierce resistance, her end was tragic.
She died staring into Caitlin's eyes—eyes that once held the glow of inner beauty.
But darkness had erased it.
**Her external beauty had devoured the light within.**
**Clad in the purple robe that once belonged to her mistress, Caitlin descended from the forest that had shaped her life.**
Her steps were steady, silent, calculated. The robe flowed behind her like a shadow—no longer a symbol of wisdom, but of silent rebellion.
She arrived in the capital under the cover of night.
No one noticed her presence; no one questioned her.
She was a ghost in a sleeping city, her purpose sharp and her magic sharper.
In secret chambers beneath the palace, she met with Julius.
He examined her with his eyes, but this time, he didn't see the outcast from the forest—he saw power.
Together, they devised a plan that would echo through history.
Caitlin crafted a magical seal—a mark no one else could replicate.
She handed it to Julius, whispering,
"With this, you will become invincible."
Days later, King Oren IV was found dead in his chambers.
A carved pawn symbol marked his back.
No one understood its meaning, but Julius didn't investigate.
He didn't need to.
At the grand ceremony, Julius stood before the people as their new king.
He raised his arms to the heavens and declared,
"I will be the greatest king."
Behind him, draped in purple, stood Caitlin.
Beautiful. Silent.
But her lips moved with a whisper only the two of them could hear:
**"And I will become the greatest witch."**