"Darkness is coming to Haldor, our land will be engulfed in blood and death. Only the true heir, the chosen one, can save our land from such fate," prophesied Destiny as her blue-tinged brown eyes looked into the future. Destiny was seven years old and the youngest of the three Oracle's incarnations. She wore a long, light blue robe. Her long, golden hair flowed down to the floor unhampered. A blue fireshadow more than twice her size almost dwarfed her child form as it silently burned without wood or oil behind her. The fireshadow was also the symbol of the Oracle's power over time and life.

A year ago, Destiny was still called Kal So Won. She was just a six year old child of an ordinary merchant family from the region of Risine located in the eastern part of Haldor. When the invitation for all young girls in the land of Haldor was sent by the Oracle, she was among the hundreds of children that were brought by their families to the Oracle's temple. The oldest incarnation of the Oracle, Memory, had died, turning the former incarnation Wisdom into the new Memory and the incarnation Destiny into Wisdom. A new Destiny was needed and of all the young girls brought to the temple, Kal So Won was chosen. Her old life and name had been discarded as she became Destiny, the incarnation of the Oracle that could see the future.

King Won Bin, the current ruler of Haldor, and the five regents who presided over the five regions of the land and also acted as official advisers of the king were given summons early this morning to go to the temple through a dream sent by the Oracle. An Oracle's summon, specially one that concerned a future vision was never ignored. All six now stood in silence in the inner sanctum of the temple even after Destiny had delivered her vision of the future. Everyone was contemplating the dark future foretold.

The great blue fireshadow behind Destiny flickered and changed its color. It became a bright, burning, yellow fireshadow. Destiny disappeared and in her place stood a woman wearing a light yellow robe. She was the Wisdom incarnation of the Oracle. Her hair that reached down to the floor was the color of night. She was the Oracle's incarnation who could see the present and the truth in every person’s heart.

"You must prepare your son, King Won Bin," commanded the steady voice of Wisdom. "He must undergo the ritual of the Sword of Truth on his eighteenth birthday. If your son is chosen, he will lead us to fight and defeat the coming darkness. Haldor must be saved at all cost!"

The King bowed his head in deference. He had ruled Haldor for more than three decades. But it had always been his duty to obey the words of the Oracle. The Oracle had guided him all through these years. Like all the kings before him, he was chosen by the Sword of Truth when he reached the age of twenty. The responsibility to rule, protect and ensure peace and prosperity in the world of Haldor had since then rested on his shoulders.

The regions of Gorge, Risine, Mussur, Yore and Ferrest owed allegiance and loyalty to King Won Bin who ruled from the City of Solaris, the capital of the land of Haldor. King Won Bin commanded the vast army of Haldor but when the Oracle speaks, he followed without question and hesitation. Even the regents could not defy the words spoken by the Oracle.

Haldor owed its peace and prosperity to the guidance of the Oracle. No one questioned her words. Because the Oracle's words had always been considered as truth and above the laws of men. Most of the laws of Haldor had been based on the words of the Oracle. And to question the words of the Oracle was blasphemy and punishable by death.

The five regents, three men and two women, now bowed their heads in respect to the orders of the Oracle. Wisdom slightly bowed her head to the six people before her, acknowledging their presence and the position they held before she walked out of the inner sanctum. The yellow fireshadow floated and followed her like a meek servant.

King Won Bin turned to the five regents. He would need the advice and thoughts of the regents concerning his only child and the future of Haldor. Through the years, Won Bin had gained the regents' trust, respect and more importantly their friendships. They mutually decide the fate of Haldor based on the Oracle's words.

Lady Song Hye-kyo of Yore spoke first. She was a small woman yet she had always been the most outspoken among the five regents. Most people attributed her spirited ways to her fiery red hair she refused to cut or even decorate with flowers or pins.

"Is Jaejoong really ready for this? Most of Haldor's kings were chosen after they had reached their twentieth year."

King Won Bin smiled.

"Jaejoong had been trained to become my successor since the moment he was born. And with the coming of this prophesied darkness, we will need his courage and strength to guide us all."

"I wish Destiny had told us more about this darkness," commented Jo In-sung, the Regent of the Ferrest region. He was the shortest of the regents, yet no one could b