Prologue 2: Shattered happiness

Five years… It's been five years since Hanami's birth and the Yokai world had begun experiencing such long-term peace. Everyone was wishing that the peace would last…

But sadly, nothing lasts forever…

It was a normal Saturday night and Hanami was with her mother and father in the princesses bedroom, who was already in bed "Mommy, can you and Daddy tell me a story?" Hanami asks.

Enma and Hailey turned to each other and smiled before turning to Hanami "Of course, honey. What kind of story do you want to hear?" Hailey asks her daughter.

"I want to know about that hero princess." Enma and Hailey turn to each other nervously.

They knew that the story they had told her was nothing more than a legend but Hanami was very interested in it

"Okay. Well… she was more than just a hero princess, she was a kind girl who cared about her people." Enma started and as he continued, Hanami began to fall asleep, which was the royal parents' cue to leave the room.

In the royal's room, Hailey was already in bed reading a book while her husband was sitting on their balcony, staring off at the night sky "Enma? Is something the matter?" Hailey asks.

"I just have a feeling that something bad is going to happen." Enma said as he climbed into bed.

"Well…" Hailey puts her hand on Enma's "Whatever it is, we'll face it together." Hailey said as she kissed him on the cheek and the two had fallen asleep.

Through the night, Enma and Hailey were sleeping peacefully until he felt someone else's presence in his home "Hailey. Hailey!" Enma called out.

"Enma, what is it…? It's three in the morning." Hailey pointed out.

"I know, but we have something more to worry about. Someone's in the castle." This news fully wakes Hailey up and gets her out of bed completely.

"Are you sure?" Hailey asks.

"I sensed it." The two parents quickly rushed over to their daughter's room and saw her sleeping with her stuffed toy when she heard her parents entering her room.

"Mommy? Daddy?" The little princess was confused when her mother quickly scoops her up.

Over in the throne room, Zazel had quickly let the royal family in and quickly barricade the door "Mommy, Daddy… I'm scared!" Hanami said, hugging her mother.

"We know you are." Enma said as he opened a scroll that created a portal to the human world and gave her a blue and gold flute with the Enma clan symbol.

"What is this?" Hanami asks.

"It's called the Enma breath. It's a mystical flute that's been passed down from our family for generations." Despite being young, Hanami knew what this meant.

"Your uncle will be in the human world. I've already called him. He'll be waiting for you." Hailey said but Hanami felt the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I don't want to leave you or daddy!" Hanami cried as she hugged her father's robe while her parents shared a hug with their daughter.

"We don't want to leave you either…" Hailey said as she placed her daughter down, tears also flowing down her and Enma's cheeks when the door to the throne room began to bang.

"Your majesty!" Zazel called out.

"Go through the portal, Hanami! And don't look back!" Hanami only stared at her father, who was preparing to fight "I said leave!" Hanami took one last glance at her parents as she went through the portal.

When Hanami opened her eyes, she saw that she was in front of her Uncle's apartment and saw the portal close behind her "Hanami?" Lucas's voice called out as Hanami looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"I know…" Lucas only took his niece in his home and saw her walking to the couch and the young princess began to cry "You will see them again. Your father is the strongest king in our whole family." Lucas said as he pats his niece's head.

"R-right…" Hanami said as she looked at the Enma Breath and smiles, still having a stray tear fall down her cheek.