What does one need to achieve greatness? Talent? Skill? Perseverance? Faith?
None of them.
Sacrifice is the mother of greatness. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the achievement. But the real question remains - How far are you willing to go to get what you want?
—-
(Liberia - inside the basement of the Grand Palace)
"Mom, where are we being taken to?", said a little girl.
"Don't worry, child. It will all be okay. Trust me, darling."
A crowd of civilians were being led into a dark enclosure with blindfolds on by the "Knights of the Capital".
"Put these blindfolds on and get a move on.", said a Knight in a harsh and authoritative voice.
"Please tell us something! Please tell us what is about to happen!"
One glare from the Knight was enough to silence her. She knew what would happen if she rebelled. She had no option to follow their orders, at least for the sake of her child.
As they were shoved into the enclosure, they were finding it difficult to breathe due to the sheer amount of people present within such a small place. The only bit of light available in the basement was from the huge Mana Crystal situated in the centre of the enclosure, thanks to which an elevated stage was faintly visible at the far end of the basement onto which the civilians weren't allowed, not like they could see it anyways. People from all age groups could be found, right from the tender age of 10 all the way up until 90.
At last after the yelling of the knights had stopped, the people could hear the entry to the basement being shut. Not a single person dared to speak. However, silence breeds fear and after a certain point fear breeds impatience.
"Please tell us why we have been brought here! Please, we have done nothing wrong! Please let us go!", shouted the mother.
As if an unknown weight was lifted off of their shoulders, no one could stay quiet any longer.
"Please let us go!"
"Please have mercy!"
"Oh lord, please show mercy!"
Madness ensued. All of a sudden, as if it were rehearsed all of the people stopped shouting as soon as they heard HIS footsteps, as if their very lives depended on it.
The little kid instinctively grabbed onto her mothers dress as tightly as she could and hid her face in it. How did they all know it was HIM? They could simply feel it in their bones.
The sound of the heavy footsteps ceased at the centre of the stage and with a sombre voice HE spoke, "It is with great pleasure that I am having to announce that all of you have been tasked with the greatest duty in all of mankind. All of your sacrifices will be remembered for generations to come, for it is because of you that Liberia will be saved from certain doom. Thank you for everything. My dear subjects, I hereby ask that you perish. "
Deathly silence followed. One by one, everyone started crying tears of blood and fell to the ground like flies. What was once an enclosure filled to the brim with civilians, now only contained dead bodies.
The essence of their being, their souls, slowly started detaching itself from their body and started encircling the huge room with a fearsome velocity. They all came together in a glowing vortex and winds akin to a storm had now been created.
The mana crystal started glowing more violently as if reacting to the vortex of the souls and a tipping point was finally reached. The entire world was beginning to change. A beam of light struck the Free Land of Liberia.
The hero had been summoned successfully.
—-
(Somewhere on Earth)
A sickly figure could be seen atop the edge of the roof of a tall building.
"Finally. I can end this misery. Thank you for not hating me, mom. Sorry I couldn't be the son you wanted me to be."
He jumps off the building and had left everything behind him now.The only thing left for him now was death.
.
.
.
Until he got transported to another world. A bright flash of life blinded him as he was about to land onto the ground and before he knew it, he was in the Land of Freedom - Liberia, still alive and kicking.
"Wh- What?!?"
He frantically looks around him. He feels the grass under him. It's all real. He wasn't dreaming. Or maybe this is exactly the kind of stuff you find in dreams? So he closed his eyes and tried to sleep it off.
Suddenly, the sirens from the Castle of Liberia blew so loud that perhaps the entire continent could hear them. All of the knights in the castle rush onto the streets of Liberia in order to find our hero. Their roars can be heard from far away as if a horde of monsters was approaching us.
Snapping back to reality. NO.
"TH- THIS DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A DREAM?!! Where am I!?? I was supposed to die?!"
"AH- I have finally gone crazy. Hmm… a fitting end to such a despicable being. I never even took any drugs. Being a good lad has it's own demerits after all. I should have gone out more and talked to girls instead of -"
Amidst all the noise and him being lost in self-loathing, he could not sense that someone had actually crept up to him from behind.
"Are you alright?" said the masked man, gently putting his hands on the shoulders of this self-deprecating junk. Scared to death by the sudden nature of everything, he leapt into the air and landed on his face.
"HEY WHAT GIVES?! Couldn't you at least call out to me? And why are you wearing a mask and-"
He catches a glimpse of the woman behind this masked man. She was also wearing a mask but something about her was different compared to him. She gave off an overwhelmingly murderous aura compared to the Masked Man despite not visibly showing any such intent and this made him very scared.
"AHH SHE WILL KILL ME! Please save me MM. PLEASE!"
"Who is MM?"
"Masked Man. You."
"..."
"Since when are you out here, sir?"
As if he wanted to be asked this particular question since forever, with newfound joy he responded, "THATS IT! I jumped off of a building and all of a sudden i'm here? Am I hallucinating? Am I crazy? Are you even real?"
As if he understood everything, MM immediately puts both of his hands firmly on the guys' shoulders and with a serious voice he asks,"What is your name?"
"Huh…Its Arwin Glazar."
"Listen carefully, Arwin. I am only going to say it once. So listen carefully"
"What the hell are you saying? Maybe you should first help me understand what the hell is happening? Why are those sirens wailing since I arrived here? What are those thuds?"
MM delivers a firm slap to Arwin's left cheek and says, "When I ask you to listen, all you need to do is listen. One more word and I will break your hands. If you understand, NOD."
Taken aback, he nods.
"You have to remember all of the 5 points which I am about to tell you. NOT ONE of them can be forgotten. Forget everything else for now and ONLY remember these 5 points. Nod if you understand"
Again Arwin nods.
"
1. YOU ARE NOT CRAZY. You have been transported to a different world. You are a hero that THEY summoned.
2. You will meet a lot of people from here on who will try their best to make you believe that they are on your side. BE SCEPTICAL OF EVERYTHING AND DON'T TRUST ANYONE (besides me ofc) and NEVER SHOW YOUR FULL POWERS.
3. As soon as you wake up, ask them to leave you alone so that you have some time to think and gather your thoughts.
4. As soon as you are able to move freely, make your way to 'Magus'. I will contact you there and clear all of your remaining doubts.
5. Final and the most important point: DON'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT ME OR ELSE YOU WILL BE KILLED INSTANTLY.
"
"...."
"Nod if you understand."
Arwin frantically nodded but it seemed like his brain was overheating. The thuds grow closer and it now feels like the Knights are just around the corner. Realizing this, MM says, "I have to leave now. Make sure you survive."
"What? How can I remember so many things? Who are-?"
"Never lose faith in yourself. All the best."
"Hey wait -"
MM delivers a swift strike to the neck and Arwin loses consciousness. MM and the mysterious woman who was along with him disappear as quickly and mysteriously as they appeared. What they did just now, could have for the better or for the worse, altered the fate of humanity. All they could do now was hope.
—-
(Royal Palace of Liberia: Holy Chambers)
Arwin grunts as if he is in tremendous pain and as he slowly opens his eyes-
"Ah! The hero has awakened!" said a husky voice from beside him.
"Wha- Ow…my head.."
Before he could make sense of anything, the sweetest voice entered Arwin's ears-
"I'm so glad you are awake! How are you feeling now, MY hero?" said the beautiful blonde lady who was holding Arwin's hand.
In a starstruck voice, Arwin whispered "Pretty...".