The blue and warm sky retired as the sun felt tired and headed to sleep. Like a wheel that spun, not long after, the forgotten yet present moon made its grand appearance. In the company of his comrades, the stars, they sparkle with a thousand flame. Unlike the sun who radiated light and heat upon this vast land, the moon, weak and feeble, could but borrow the power of the sun and enlighten the night for all to see. None praised the moon, all were bewitched by the all mighty sun, revered as a god in some beliefs. The moon, deemed unholy, was cast off as an exile. Such cruelty towards an entity as magnanimous as the moon. Not a chance against the collective thoughts of thousands and even millions, exiled, the moon seemed woeful. Under said night laid Staxius, cold and shivering from the wind that blew off the fire.
The babe, once unknown but now family, was held tightly. Close to his chest where all the heat was generated. The once tender breeze turned into needles that pierced through clothes and flesh - straight to the bones. Painful, he but grit his teeth for he didn't want the babe to feel uncomfortable. Impressed, Undrar decided to help her newfound companions. Millenniums stuck in the Hall of Rebirth had made her weak in physical form as opposed to the spiritual form where she reigned as a demi-goddess.
"Can you stop shivering, it's getting annoying," she voiced her frustration.
"Shut the hell up," the mouth shivered, "-you can't feel this cold. It's so bad I'm practically dying here," he sighed. "-Talk about impulsive, I had to go and take this babe with me," to which she gently giggled, "-seeing her sleep so peacefully in my arms does heat from within," he gave a comforting smile, "-Is this why father didn't let me leave his side despite the countless battlefields we visited."
"Fine," she added in reluctance, "-I'll help you. Just a heads-up, your mannerism has changed. It's friendlier compared to when we met." *Snap* An effortless motion later, blue flames, considered to be the purest, were conjured.
"Could you not have done that from the start?" the heat gave a sense of relief, "-I am grateful. It will get us through the night. I hope Eira sleeps peacefully as well," he gazed little Undrar with squinted eyes, "-I know not about what you're implying. My manner of speech won't simply change over two weeks. I did grow accustomed to thy company, hence my familiarity," he paused, the tone grew formal, "-thou art a mighty demi-goddess whomst I can't but feel obliged to lower mine head. A glance up at thine flawless face is as if staring at perfection," the voice seemed more sarcastic than respectful.
"Glad to see you're the same," she fired back with a subtly angered voice, "-I didn't imply that I disliked the change. Just startled that's all, a side that I'd never thought of seeing."
"Very well," he stared the stars, "-I shall be the way I was a few seconds ago," he breathed with the babe resting as still as an image, "-so, when is the physical form going to be ready?"
"In about a year or so,"
"A YEAR?"
"I'm pulling your leg," she chuckled, "-in a month or so, do you wish to see me that badly?" she smirked.
"I've seen more than enough," *foo,* he blew, it triggered memories. It was as if a piece of meat was thrown onto a ground surrounded by starved rats. Her first defeat without getting physically or magically attacked.
*Gulp,* "I..."
"No need to fret, I've promised not to do that anymore. I only asked since Eira might need someone else besides her during this crucial phase. Those pair of breasts might come in handy for once, feed my child with your divine nectar," he laughed.
Instantly, Undrar covered her chest with her arm's crossed in embarrassment. Staxius managed to render her speechless once again.
"I was only joking," the eyes felt heavy, "-I've taken this responsibility on my own. Using Dark-Arts, I'll train her mana link from the outside. If she ever wants to be acknowledged by her real parents, she'll need to be strong, very strong. I just need someone as a mother figure beside her. I don't want her to grow up as someone who's never experienced the motherly bond. You'll be traveling with me from now on, so why not be a big sister or something. Forget the mother part, thinking about it now, you're not cut out for it," he pulled out his tongue.
"Don't mock me," she pouted, "-I may only be suited for combat, however, that doesn't discard my credibility to love and care for someone."
"Ha-ha-ha, thanks for being such a good sport, *Yawn,* it's getting lat…"
'I wonder if he was being honest about me being Eira's mother. Knowing him, tis probably hollow words. Perhaps being sarcastic, though it's said to be the lowest form of wit. Where will our adventures guide us I wonder," she reflected and gradually dozed off.
*Waaaa, waaaaah,* The moment the sun reappeared from its daily sleep, Eira woke all with cries. The tone so high it pierced the unsuspecting Staxius's ears into deafness.
"Mhmmm," he rubbed his eyes as the babe laid on the ground, naked, the sand and rocks might have pricked her once or twice when he let go in the morning.
"Shit," he panicked, "-Eira are you ok," quick, he picked her up, "-I'm so sorry for being careless, please forgive me," she continued to sob, with a smile, he cleaned her pale skin. The latter turned red from the rough ground. Luckily uninjured, in an act of revenge or plain insolence, after she was picked up, the young lady urinated onto him.
Meanwhile, Undrar also woke, the sight of him getting pissed on, sent her into hysteric laughter. She nearly passed out; the babe giggled as if proud. Angry, he eyed her in an adorable yet deadly stare off. A few hours later, after the trousers were cleaned, the bloodied coat was wrapped around the babe. Cozy and warm, the babe continued to nap.
"Staxius, listen," voiced Undrar, "-we can't stand on this beach for much longer, it's suicide."
"Didn't you say being in my mind makes your head explode?" he asked as her voice came from within.
"I'm resting, so it's fine."
"How much rest does one need," ready to move, he stared inland, "-we are leaving soon, I've figured out where we are. Poseidon Strand, we are all the way to the northeast of Dorchester. From where we stand, facing south, if we walked towards the east, we'll reach the border of Kreston. Sadly, that place is filled with people from the church and other not so virtuous cults. From what I got told by father, it's somewhere you never want to venture alone. Deadlier than the darkest streets of the capital. As it stands now, we need to head for Krigi, to my old home. That is if the nobles have decided to leave it alone, it's a long walk," he thought, "-a carriage would be… oh shit, I completely forgot about the nobles we killed yesterday, HOW CAN I BE SO CARELESS."
Sprinted through the sand which flew with every step taken, the bloodied battlefield came in sight - closer than expected. The young boy's corpse, still present, none had looted the body. As reward, a blade that once shone laid dull with the blood of its former master. A glance later, all valuables were spotted. Clothes which looked nice. In the carriage, an expensive, rigid looking backpack. More stuff, they had food, bread, some pie, and apple juice. 'Is this a picnic or did they come to kill people,' Staxius wondered as the search for valuables continued. More sellable weapons, arrows, and finally a crest. Gold and genuine, the thing that represented a family in this day and age.
Without a noble crest, a family was naught but a lie. Tis what separated noble blood from commoners. There was also a special rule about these golden commodities, anyone who held any crest from any family whether killed or stolen is immediately the head of said family. The more of these trinkets a person had, the more powerful he was considered. Even the Royal family possessed one. Before being officially recognized by the kingdom, one must form a blood contract with the ornament, thus entering the person's name into an archive which was rarely checked by anyone.
"The hunt was good I'm guessing?" Undrar spoke, still in his mind.
"Yes…" realization hit, "-what are you doing here? I told you to watch over EIRA, you stupid DRAGON," he ran as if his life depended on it. He ran, faster than ever, he ran, out of breath, the babe came in sight, peacefully sleeping. A heart, once-troubled, now calmed, he ran for Eira was someone he swore to watch over.
"Phew," he sighed, "-Undrar I told you… wait never mind, I didn't say anything did I?"
"…" She just shook her head in disappointment.
"No matter," the topic changed, "-I've found something interesting. A noble family's crest. How could a boy have possession of something so important, a coup d'état, the necromancer's doing, I'm sure of it."
"So, what family is it?"
"No clue and I don't care. All noble factions in Dorchester live near the border to Oxshield in, you guessed it, noble district… Hold up, what happens if one acquires the royal crest? Don't I effectively become the king… I say that as if it's easy. Waging war against Hidros with another kingdom is probably easier than stealin… That's not such a bad idea now, what do you think Undrar?"
"I don't know, either by force or using your wit, I'm here for better or for worse. Nonetheless, I need to remind you that you have Eira to worry about. Maybe slowly infiltrate noble homes and steal their crests, build power that way and ascend until you can lead a revolution. From what I've seen, the populous here in Dorchester isn't happy."
"Undrar you're amazing," he cradled the babe, "-Hidros is divided into six provinces each ruled by a Duke in a council of nobles. There are eight to ten nobles in each region, what if I overthrew one of said district, for example, Dorchester. The population will fight under the cause of a peaceful life, we've had enough of our home being treated as a battlefield. After the revolution, we can be self-sustained by our lands, declare independence, and take Hidros out from the inside. Such a task will be as if breaking a mountain with only a pebble, but it's plausible. Though it's a shot in a dark, that might be something worth considering."
"You spout nonsense so nonchalantly it's unbelievable," Undrar voiced with bafflement, "-the dream you speak of isn't that far as you think, it can be pulled off, if not, just kill everyone, I mean, it will be your job in the near future," she chuckled.
"Funny, very funny, look I'm laughing out loud," the face expressionless.
"Stop it with the sarcasm," she had enough, "-form the blood pact already."
"Fine," a small cut, the golden crest in form of a sunflower changed into the face of a dragon, the family name Haggard was burnt into the pages of the archive. The current title was Baron, beside his family name, Haggard, his strength as a mage was also inscribed. A-ranked mage, common but powerful. Breaking into the S-rank was a task people took years to accomplish. All the information transferred over to the backside of the crest, a record book for strengths, accomplishments, and status. The reason why he trusted the crest system was that it originated from the stars. Ancient Magic none could decipher much less alter its basic structure, the starting point where mages of now learned.
"Staxius…" she materialized into spirit form, "-why's the crest my face of a thousand of years ago?" she shouted.
"Don't speak so loudly, you'll wake Eira," after the warning, "-alright," he turned from the sea, "-the time is about ten o'clock. We are heading out; I've got provisions to last us a few days."
Not looking back, the walk inside the profound, shadowy, and the ominous forest began. Eira close to his chest, still cradled, she was held tightly. A massive backpack, a makeshift necklace with the dragon crest hanging, a sword on his belt, and Undrar on his shoulder continually pestering.
No money and nothing to his name, not even clothes for his daughter who now wore her father's bloodied coat. Neither did he feel pain nor felt as if it was a burden, with a smile on his face, the adventure commenced.