"Nothing in the world can one imagine beforehand, not the least thing, everything is made up of so many unique particulars that cannot be forseen." -Michel Nostradamus
_________________________
ROLAND|
I woke up and prepared early today with my wife, 'cause from this day onwards, I, the Hero of the Light, Roland will retire from being a Hero.
I've been thinking about this for a long time but I just made up my mind recently, I think I served the country enough, and now it's time for me to serve myself and my family.
I wore my armour and carry my sword, the Palace also prepared a carriage for us to use as transportation to the Castle.
"Are you ready to leave, Dear? The carriage is already here." I smiled at her and run my fingers through her smooth cheeks.
"Let's go, the kids are still sleeping. We should head out and come back early." I said and the two of us entered the carriage that will drive us to the Castle.
After a while, we have arrived at the Castle, King Luther is definitely waiting for us in the throne. I just hoped that my retirement will go smoothly.
Me and my wife, Azrael walks towards the throne and kneel in the presence our the King. He is with his wife, Queen Igraine and the Sorceress Merlin.
"Good Morning, Your Majesty, I thank you for accepting my humble request in giving me a bit of your time."
"Rise, you two. I will never say no to a friend and the hero of this country. Say Roland, what is it that you desire?" I don't know where should I start, and how should I explain to him that I will be retiring from being a hero.
To be honest, I'm very nervous right now and I don't know what to say.
My wife gently squished my hand and she looked at me with a smile which made me feel at ease.
I see now, what am I hesitating for? I'm doing this for myself and for my whole family. I need to be brave enough to speak what's on my mind.
"I humbly ask for your permission to let me retire as a hero and let me live my life as a normal citizen of Enthopia." I said as I stand firmly.
I can't guess what King Luther is thinking while looking at me with a straight face, I just hope that this ends well.
He stand in his throne and slowly walks towards us. I'm ready for anything that will happen. I prepared myself even if it comes to worst.
I was ready to be punished and waiting for him to draw his sword at slash me, but instead, he hold my shoulders and hugged me.
"I'm glad you've made up you mind, Roland. I'm glad that once more, I can treat of you as my friend and not a hero. I've been waiting for this moment all this time, us talking again, without concerning our statuses." Is this for real? I thought that I'll be punished.
"But the Demon Lord is still lurking in the shadows, is it really fine for me to retire from my duties?"
He looked at me with a smile and said.
"You have served this country well, my friend, you've been true to your responsibilities and commitment for our country, we couldn't ask for more."
I'm flattered by his words. I guess, it's really fine for me to put down my sword and carry my children instead. I did my best... I know I did... I can look at my countrymen's eyes with no regrets.
"Thank you, My King. It's an honor to fight for our country, and I will kept on fighting when times in need." I bowed once more and was about to leave but he stopped me.
"Your contribution in the peace of this country is immeasurable my friend, and I want to compensate you for that. I will let you choose a land anywhere in my territory and it will be all yours." I see. This isn't so bad as compensation.
***
After selecting the territory that will be mine, my wife and I decided to go home and tell father and the kids about my retirement.
"Anyway Dear, why did you chose the forest near the borders as your compensation? Isn't it wise to pick a plain field instead?" I looked at her and smile.
"I chose this for a reason, I know someday, Shin and Aria will put it to good use." That's right, I knew those two will need that in the future, that's all I can do for them as their father.
__________________________
MERLIN|
"Great Sorceress, it's been five months since Roland retired as a hero, and the threat of the demons is still high. Does the Hero's crest still hasn't able to find the rightful successor yet?" King Luther said while scratching his forehead because of stress.
"Even though Roland decides to help us from time to time, we can't keep dragging him in the battlefield. That's why I decided to lead the army myself as many times as possible."
I can feel the King's frustration in his words. I knew that with our current situation, we can't win if an army of demons led by a general attacks us. The former Hero Roland is still strong and he even helped us fight off the demons with his wife from time to time, but without the crest's blessing, the powers he possess is not enough.
Everyone is expecting that the Hero's son, Shin will replace his father as a hero but he's still to young and inexperienced. His powers will eventually surpass his father's strength but it's still not enough for the crest to choose him. Even Roland only become a Hero when he reaches fifteen, but right now, Shin is just thirteen years old.
But I'm not worried for I know that the crest already made it's decision. We just have to wait for a week.
"Worry not, my King. The crest already made it's decision."
He looked at me feeling relieved, and look at the sight of the Kingdom from the castle's tower.
"I just hoped that, the new hero will be as good and just as Roland."
"I, too hope they are, my King." He looked at me with a confused face.
"What do you mean they? There's more than one hero?"
"Indeed, my King. And they shall arrive within a week." I answered and bow to him. "If you'll excuse me, my King. I shall take my leave first."
When I received his signal, I turned my back and quickly enter the room of infinite knowledge where my sacred weapon the Sphere of Aldan resides.
I put half of my mana directly to the sphere. With this, I can see who and where are the individuals that the hero's crest chose, and it appears infront of me.
The first one it showed me was a young man with a blonde hair, currently training on his own. As expected of the crest, he indeed picked a promising fighter with pure heart. I peaked a bit in his personal information to see what he's capable of. I see. His name is Gawaine huh? The Hero of the Sun, and just like the Camelot's Hero Price, Lionheart Pendragon, the Hero of the Flames, this young man is also blessed by the Sun Goddess Amaterasu.
He came from a nearby country, named Ferum, and his weapon is the greatsword Caliburne, he is the symbol of Courage, as expected of a person who's blessed by the Goddess Amaterasu herself. I have high expectations for this man.
The next is a young lady with a long blonde curly hair from the Eastern continent. This is my first time seeing someone that was blessed by the God of the Moon, Tsukiyomi. Her name is Mamoru, quite a unique name for a female knight.
It was her who symbolizes Wisdom, I can see it in her eyes. With her weapon, the single bladed sword Kusanagi, is forged by the greatest blacksmith in the East and was blessed by the Moon God, Tsukiyomi himself. God Tsukiyomi, as the husband of Goddess Amaterasu herself, the two of them indeed chose a great heroes.
For the third one, he is currently at the Forest of Avalon, the mythical forest in the Northern continent where the Elven tribe resides. He has an elf blood flowing inside him. Purple hair, and a well muscular body perfect for combat.
His sword is the legendary sword Excalibur, it was given to him by the Kainas, the Goddess of the forest. With the blessing of Goddess Kainas, and the elf blood inside him, he has a great potential to become a Magic Swordsman. He who symbolizes Love, I have high hopes for him.
And the last of them, a young man with a long red hair from the mountains of Arnalio, he is the War Kinght, Tristan. The human champion chosen by the God of War, Mars. He has a strong physical strength and magic, the strongest amongst the four of them to be precise.
His weapon choice is a bit unusual for his immense strength. His weapon, the war bow Curtana which said that can pierce even a mountain. Tristan is the symbol of Righteousness, given the blessing that the God of War, Mars, bestowed upon him, we can expect much from him.
None of them inherits the symbol of Justice that resides inside Roland. Maybe, that symbol is only for him, and him alone.
The four of them will arrive here in a week, we just have to wait. We can't expect Roland to protect the Kingdom, 'cause first of all, without the power of the crest, his powers is not like the once he had when he was still a hero, and second, he has a family now, the Kingdom have to understand that.
I looked at the unusual sword that has been stored up in this room for a long time. This is our trump card against the Demons, it's design is unique and stylish compared to the swords in not just our Kingdom, but in the other's as well.
My theory is that, this is a drifted weapon from another world, and if it was true, it might belong to a strong warrior from a different world than ours.
The world of Earumnia has many wonders unexplainable by magic and powers, there's so much more to this world than what meets the eye.
I just have to wait for the perfect time to use it to our advantage, and make sure that the demons will be defeated in the near future.
I sorted out all the things here in this room, and before I decided to go out, the heart started to pound really hard. My breathing becomes heavier and heavier every second. I'm getting anxious, this is bad... Something bad is going to happen...
I quickly went outside and look a balcony just to see a condensed miasma slowly coming towards the Kingdom...
I must tell the King quickly!
__________________________
AZRAEL|
"Let's go, Aria! Have a mock battle with your big bro!"
"I don't want to, it's tiring..."
"Come on little sis, you have to train your muscle from time to time!"
"I still don't want to, go train by yourself..."
I'm having fun just by watching my kids, it's refreshing in the eyes, I indeed made the right decision and stayed here in the mortal realm.
"Shin is as persistent as ever."
I felt a warm arms wrapped around me from behind. He rest his head on my shoulder and kissed me on the cheeks which made me smile.
"He is your son afterall." I said and quickly face him and give him a quick peck on the lips.
"Well, the other one is indeed your daughter, looks and attitude alike." He said while chuckling. Aria indeed look like me afterall, that long black hair and that laid back attitude of hers definitely came from me.
"She came from my womb afterall. And I'll slap you if Aria still looks like you after Shin took all of your traits making him a younger version of you." He just laughed because of what I said, though I'm not kidding. I'll definitely slap him if that happens.
Shin is like a younger version version of him, from how he looks, how persistent he is, how energetic and loud, and to how much he loves his family. Exactly just like his father.
The two of us sat on the bench while watching Shin and Father spar, and Aria is quietly reading books near them.
I'm also amaze how Aria can focus on the book she's reading while father and Shin is sparing near her and swinging their swords like they wanted to kill each other, not to mention, the two of them are so loud.
"This two has a bright future ahead of them." Roland said out of the blue with a smile on his face.
"That's true, and it's our job as parents to help them achieve that future." I said as I watch both of my kids enjoy their peaceful life away from the dangers of the world.
I rest my head in his shoulder and hold his hand. I'm just so glad that even if I close my eyes, their faces are the ones that I'll see once I open it up again.
But those happy thoughts ended when I felt a strong surge of hostile powers not too far from the Kingdom.
This is bad news. I immediately stand and looked at Roland. His face is serious as he looked at me straight in the eyes.
"Something bad is going to happen..."
I knew it... This ominous magical power... This must be the work of the Demons...
I also saw father rushing towards us with a serious look.
"This is serious, what should we do?" Father asked.
"First, let's take the kids to safety, I'm not sure if the Kingdom's barrier will be enough to protect them, but we have to take a risk and repel the demons." Roland answered.
"And let's go to the Royal Castle and inform the King."
I took a deep breathe and look at the sky.
This blue sky will get dark soon enough...
__________________________
End of Chapter 7...