Prologue
A violent storm raged across Glass Island, whipping up the surrounding sea and creating huge surges that battered the coast. Nestled atop a cliff, situated on the outskirts of Astrowatch, the islands main town, a small stone cottage stood. Inside this cottage, Edith Von Koopa cradled her son, Ludwig, in her arms. He was only a few weeks old, but she already loved him more than anything else in the world. The wind and rain had woken him from his slumber and frightened him, but as soon as his mother had lifted him up, he had calmed and now stared up at her with his inquisitive grey eyes.
Edith was of relatively short stature and had long, navy blue hair which reached her waist with her shell off. She was slim, had hazel eyes and a blue and green spiked shell. She sung as she cradled Ludwig in a wonderful soft voice to try and drown out the noise of the wind and rain which lashed the walls and widows.
She wandered over to the library at the back of the house and stared out of the window at the bleak world beyond it. Through the rain she could see the lights of Astrowatch, and beyond that, a grey patch of sky that was continually lit up by multicoloured flashes of light. She shuddered as she watched them break across the sky, each one signalling a possible victory, or defeat. Despite the seeming tranquillity of the town, a battle raged on in the distance between Silas and the Orphan King, and if the king lost, if they lost… Edith did not want to think about what would happen to them if that was the case.
The battle continued for what seemed like hours, although in reality only minutes had passed. Edith watched with bated breath, she had to know the outcome.
Although it felt like forever, she did not have to wait long, for a warm orange glow appeared on the horizon, lingered for a few minutes, and exploded, bathing everything in white for less than a second, before vanishing altogether. The sky became dormant, and the storm receded.
She paced back and forth through the library, eventually deciding to sit in front of the grand piano. Lifting the fallboard, she played a few notes to try and soothe her nerves. The battle was over and she now had to wait and see who the victor was, however, if it were Silas, she and her son would most likely have been killed by now. Still, it was never wise to jump to conclusions.
Ludwig gurgled, blissfully unaware of the seriousness that surrounded him. He hit some of the keys with his pudgy hands, squealing in delight at the sounds they made. His happiness snapped Edith out of her trance and she beamed down at him. Perhaps he would grow up to be a famous musician?
A knock at the door made her jolt upright. She quickly ran over to it. If it were Silas, he would not have been so polite as to knock, he probably would have blasted the door clean off of its hinges. She undid the latch and opened the door to quite a sight. A group of a dozen Koopas stood before her, some battered and bruised, others bleeding and all very bedraggled from the earlier rain. She didn't know the names of all of them but she recognised Verne Koopa, the mayor of the island, her husband's two friends: Quinn and Daniel, who were supporting…
"Johann!", she cried upon seeing her husband, warm relief flooding over her in a great wave. The troop moved inside their home, tracking mud everywhere, but at that moment, Edith couldn't have cared less. Carpets and rugs could be replaced, but not her husband.
Quinn and Daniel deposited him on the sofa in their lounge and Edith assessed the damage. His fluffy green-blue hair was matted with dried blood and across his cheek was a long, but thankfully not too deep gash that would only scar lightly. "Vhat happened to him", she questioned the group in her Germanic voice, as Johann appeared to be completely unconscious. They shuffled uncomfortably under her gaze, with no one looking as if they wanted to answer her. Eventually, Verne stepped forward.
"Mrs Von Koopa" he said gently, "we have won, for now. The Orphan King managed to force Silas into a retreat, despite the odds that were placed against him. But this victory has come with its drawbacks, as you can see." He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry to tell you that Johann was hit by a very strong memory loss curse".
The statement struck Edith like a rock being thrown against a pane of glass. She dropped into an armchair, clutching Ludwig tightly. The whole world seemed to be moving very quickly. "So - you're telling me he von't remember me – or our son?".
"It's not as bad as it sounds", Quinn interjected, glaring at Verne and his blunt wording. "Johann hasn't forgotten you. Kamek, the King's guardian, managed to counteract most of the spells effects, however, he warned us that Johann may still become forgetful as he ages." He fumbled around in his jacket pocket and produced a small glass bottle that contained a shimmering purple liquid. "Kamek said to make sure that Johann takes this potion when he wakes up. It's a restoration potion that will help his memory further".
Edith, although still shaken, felt greatly relieved by this knowledge and thanked the group, who departed shortly afterwards to go home to their own families, who would all be anxious to learn of the nights events. Once they had left, Edith put Ludwig, who had fallen asleep in her arms, back to bed and then returned to the lounge to watch over Johann. It was just before sunrise when he awakened.
"Edith", he whispered in a hoarse voice "Vhat happened? I remember Silas being right in front of me and then – my mind became - foggy" he raised a hand and placed it on his temple.
She recounted to him everything that she had been told. Johann frowned, "I am sorry for vorrying you" he said.
"You don't need to apologise! You're alive and you're home, that's vhat matters most". She hugged him fiercely and they watched the sunrise together, vowing that, no matter what the future held, they would protect Ludwig at all costs, so that he could have a happy, peaceful life.