A girl with long black hair walked quickly, clutching a massive book. As she reached a cottage, she glanced left and right to make sure no one saw her. She hurriedly entered the cottage, placing the enormous book on the table and flipping through its pages. She stopped at a page and began reading rapidly, "This is it. I found it."
From the floor, she pulled a small rug, revealing a drawn magical circle underneath. She retrieved a talisman with a black bird engraved on it from her pocket, placing it precisely in the center of the circle. She started reciting some incantations.
"In the name of the ancient covenant, between the King and the Sacred, I am the descendant of nobles and the heir of ancestors. I beseech you, O venerable guard, bearer of the sacred staff and breaker of chains, Valdor, to heed my call."
The magical circle glowed intensely, and from nowhere, a substance of black mercury emerged in the middle of the room. It rapidly shifted and changed its form, surrounded by lightning. After a few moments, it contracted and finally exploded with a loud boom, shaking the entire cottage. The girl involuntarily screamed in shock as amidst the magical circle, a shadowy figure appeared.
For a moment, the girl stared at the shadow, disbelieving that she had succeeded. The shadow started coughing loudly.
"Open the windows, I'm suffocating!"
The girl rushed to the window, opening it. After a short while, the smoke dissipated, revealing the features of the shadow. It was a moderately tall young man with white hair and crimson eyes.
As soon as the girl saw the young man standing before her, surprise overcame her. She had expected a mature man. Nonetheless, she lowered her head respectfully, initiating a greeting. "Sir Venerable Guard, pleased that you answered my summons. I have called you from the realm of immortals, seeking assistance in saving humanity from the impending war by eliminating the human enemy, the King of Anka, so that peace may reign in our world."
The young man raised his hair upwards, revealing his blue eyes from which a cold beam emerged, fixating on the girl. "Kill the King of Anka, and how will that stop the war? All they need to do is appoint a new king, and the matter is resolved."
His logical words surprised and puzzled her simultaneously. She struggled to speak, "But, perhaps... appointing a new king isn't that simple. It could lead to chaos in their kingdom and among the ranks of the Anka's armies."
The young man retorted, "Not necessarily. The title of king isn't hereditary among them. The Council of Elders chooses the kings, and the army is led by generals, not the king."
Just the thought of all the effort she had put into creating the magical circle being in vain filled the girl with frustration. Nevertheless, she remained determined to find a solution. Not yet ready to give up, she asserted, "Impossible. We will not exterminate an entire race, sir... kill them all, the king, the council, the leaders. This way, we ensure peace by eliminating the source of their triumphs."
The young man raised an eyebrow, surprised. "And what do you think humans will do to the Anka once the stage is cleared for them? Won't they slaughter every individual, women, elders, and even children? Is this your concept of peace?"
"You're right. You won't entirely annihilate them. You'll leave some to suffer a fate worse than death, enslaving the rest as the best way to show off your triumphs."
The young man's way of speaking carried a hidden grudge, that of a person who has experienced the matter and knows its intricacies. Fear gripped the girl again, prompting her to ask, "Why do I feel that you hate humans and continue to defend the Anka? We peaceful creatures don't find happiness because of them."
"Hahaha," the young man burst into laughter. "Humans peaceful? That's truly the funniest joke I've heard in my life. If that's the case, why do they reject King Anka's proposal for a ceasefire?"
The girl's eyes widened as she listened to his words in disbelief. When the young man noticed, he realized her ignorance.
"Don't you know? King Anka is humanity's first enemy, one they're striving to kill. He's willing to give up all the territories they've occupied in exchange for the Ancestors' Island. As a sign of goodwill, he's ready to release dozens of prisoners."
"Oh venerable guard, your words can't be true. The Anka are violent and irrational; they won't initiate peace."
"Irrational? The Anka lead various different species under them, yet they coexist harmoniously. Can you say the same about humans, my dear? If your true wish is to spread peace in this world, you must consider eliminating the human kings, for they are the problem."
The girl raised her finger towards him, pointing at him. "Aren't you the Venerable Guard, the protector and breaker of chains, Valdor?"
He replied with a laugh, "Isn't that the name of that legendary character? Isn't it supposed that he is a fictional character? Please don't tell me you used the magical circle to summon a character from the realm of imagination."
Confusion appeared on the girl's face, and she was overcome with annoyance at his mockery.
The young man paid her no attention and began muttering to himself, "Am I the hybrid traitor to his comrades and master, or am I the plague? Perhaps the most nefarious and contemptible person you might have met or even heard of. I've killed thousands of innocents; even my mother likely committed suicide because of me. She probably couldn't face the world after I killed my younger sister with my own hands. My memories are somewhat jumbled. Ah, I recalled—Hartley. My name is the alex Hartley."