And So It Begins

Once upon a time, in a land so far from here, there lived a kingdom, ruled by Trolls. Trolls are usually thought of as fat, stupid and ugly. They usually aren’t portrayed as smart, either. But that’s where you’d be wrong.

Trolls are very smart. They are also very devious. Trolls delight in the misery of others, especially humans. The king of the trolls, King Dumungus, took such delight in the humans’ misery, that he had his servants seek out his best artisan, and asked him to create a mirror, so that he may look upon the world through it.

Once it was made, it was presented to the king, who held it before him, and spoke, “Mirror of glass, Mirror of Ice, Show me a world that’s not so nice.” The mirror pooled and rippled, showing him the nearest human village. He touched the image of one particular human, and there, he saw the evil that lie within him.

“Ha!” King Dumungus laughed. “Look at this pitiful human! See how he worries, the anger boiling inside of him. Look, my people, at the misery of the humans and their woes!”

The Troll coven laughed at them, and they delighted in the misery of the humans.

The Troll king also taught the younger Trolls, and each day, brought with him, the mirror, so that they too may delight in human suffering.

After a time, the humans became mundane, and King Dumungus wished to make a fool of God and his angels. So, high upon his tallest tower, he held the mirror up as high as he could reach, mocking God.

“You see, you are not as mighty as you believe! Even your Angels look weak and cowardly through my mirror!” Angered, God sent down a thunderbolt, shattering the mirror.

It shattered into pieces, some no bigger than a grain of sand. They scattered throughout the kingdom, and into the human dwelling.

His daughter, Princess Fiona was not pleased with her father’s actions. He made a mockery of their people by feeding off the misery of the world, and teaching his hatred to their people. And once she saw the mirror shatter, she sent for her grandfather, Ivan, the wisest of all the Trolls.

“Grandfather, Father taunted the heavens, and now, the mirror is gone, and it has shattered throughout the land. What will we do?” she asked.

“Your father is foolish, and with his power has used it unwisely. We are now at the bottom of the tier, so to speak,” he said, stroking his long, white beard. “I cannot say that it is safe here, knowing that your father has put not only the kingdom, but the surrounding lands in danger.”

“What will happen now, grandfather? Do you know?” Fiona asked, sitting at his feet.

“The mirror looked through each living thing, and saw its darkest thoughts. Now that it is spread, I fear that if the pieces were to catch on to living things, that they’re inner demons may surface, and turn the world into a darker place.” He explained.

“What do we do?” asked Fiona.

“The only one I know of who can help us at the moment, is the Ice Queen. She helped make the mirror; she may be able to rid the world of it.”

“Then we must leave at once,” the princess stood up, and made her way to leave.

“Stop!” her grandfather rose. Though his back was crooked, he was still a very imposing figure. “We must gather allies. Bring those who wish to return our kingdom to its former glory. But speak nothing of upheaval. For now, we wait.”

“Waiting seems like a waste of time.”

“If we go now, it’s a waste of life.” Her grandfather reasons. Princess Fiona nods. She bows, and is off. Ivan turns, and hobbles over to the window of his apartment. “What shall become of our world, now that it is filled with hatred and despair?” he asked, watching the wind blow through the trees.

*****

In another kingdom far away, a piece of the mirror struck the princess. She became ill, and bedridden. And one day, she vanished.

*****

On that same day that the princess vanished, a small boy went outside with his dear friend to play, when it suddenly began to snow.

END OF CHAPTER 1