It was Dark and damp, the time was midnight.
120 years after the Alliance;
That was the day The Monolith appeared,
Rays of unknown origin formed within the sky.
The Glory-bound alliance aided the people,
Some of the rays that formed spewed magical energy' upon things beneath mutating the environment around them, humans and monsters were affected too.
The first of many humans to gain strength abused it, well monsters hibernated.
Within a fancy house'.
Two men start arguing;
"Delf, What are you up to?,
why were you lurking near the sleeping quarters of the barracks, some of the guards died without any trace of what Killed them,
was it you? Their insides were melted, and you were the only person,
that was seen, even the ravens told us you were the only thing there around that time!"
A middle-aged man wearing a Police outfit, seemingly high-ranked Confronts his "nephew".
This has been on his mind for a few days, and he finally gains the courage to confront him, his nephew was wearing a poorly
knitted top, his pants were brownish, his hair was black, and his eyes emitted menace.
2 minutes of silence embraced the room.
Delf was sitting on a damaged chair, he was close to an office desk his head facing the floor grinning, hands on his face, he
raised his head towards the elderly man and spoke;
"hm"
"Why, why would you suspect me?, I went only to sightsee".
he grinned with a sinister smile, his hands seemed to shine an orange hew,
the old man in shock stared at his once cherished nephew and shed a tear, he knew that he was lying, no surprise to the
magic he was using. Noticing the magic he was more alert.
'The Captain was right, I wished he wasn't. What should I do?'
he thinks.
He was stressed.
Shaking his head,
He decides on what he's about to do.
He gets into a defensive stance, ready to capture the villain even though he very much loves him.
"So, you killed those men, really?, I'll have to arrest you, right now"!
He raises his voice you can sense the man doesn't want to do this, the boy is not fazed.
"I did, they were PowerLess I Killed Them WithOuT MeRceY, HAhaHAaa"! Delf laughed.
Delfs' magic hew spread to his forearm, the orange mana brightened the lightly lit room.
The man looked at the boy with a rageful stare, not realising why he admitted to the crime, he pulled his baton from the strap that was attached to his waist, and he quickly struck the boy.
He hit the chest and then to the head, knocking him out, the boy had zero chance even with his magical powers.
The man sighed while cuffing his once-loving nephew, he pressed the badge on his red collar, and he spoke.
"I've Caught the Killer, help me bring him in" He picks up his dropped baton,
noticing it is slightly melted and hot to the touch, and he makes a shocked face!
the surroundings fade.....
-------
"This was one of many stories' of the past.
So now 195 years after the Glory Bound alliance, the Great Rays are everywhere,
These rays spew animus energy granting magical mutations to random people within their radius,
even above places, you've never seen before, insane right?
Nowadays around 3/10 Kingdoms/Empires have people with magical Powers".
The teacher spoke.
"Really mayor, but what caused the rays"? A bright young woman asks.
"Oh, Jasmine it is as simple as looking towards the grand Monolith, that is the origin of all the rays the absolute". The mayor answered with a smile.
Jasmine pouted in disappointment, she was expecting more information.
------
As he ended his speech, a young man sitting at the back was gazing out of the window, his friend tapped his shoulder;
"Hey, Vel what're you thinking about, maybe girls?"
A lanky brown-haired boy joked.
"No, I am thinking about my life, it's so boring here, our village is mediocre I need more, I feel like I am destined for more."
The boy tensed his fist, not glancing towards his friend, his eyes glazed with passion as he stared into the sky painted with miniature golden rays.
his friend looked at him with a grim look, saying;
"Life isn't boring, it's fun!" he raised his voice a little.
"Ok, okay". Vel agreed so he doesn't have to engage in a pointless argument
"Good!" His friend knowing he was only playing around sat back down and told him;
"Make sure you're paying attention, actual stuff you need to learn is coming up".
He finished.
"Sure Mekal" Vel whispers under his breath.
"When will I be able to explore". Next to him is his other friend Arcus; A hunter of average skill, but is Very well versed in archery and Hōzōin-ryū(Spearmanship) compared to anyone in the village.
"Hey, Arc what are you up to"?
"Oh hey, I'm listening to the teacher, Can't wait until I go adventuring"! Arc said with pride his Dark Black eyes brimmed.
'Oh, I forgot, his father's a lieutenant-commander. He can go on adventures whenever he wants, once he's finished his family trial'.
Vel glooms even more!
"Cool"!!
After they spoke the rays in the sky gleamed colours and ethereal beings appeared.
"It is Time"!
"So, we see him the destiny Child, Arcus".
More of these ethereal beings appear.
"Yes"!
"Bel".
"What"?
"Is he ready"?
"Not too sure but I'd say, yes"! They all answer the question with yes!
"Ok, Start"! the powerful ethereal beings disappeared, and the rays returned to normal.
'Vel's a nice dude, but seems kind of obsessed'. Arc a lad who has good assumptions about people, thinks to himself.
'Forget that. What should I eat today apple, orange, maybe grapes? No, I'll have juvenile drake meat.
I'll hunt it myself! He thinks in excitement. Even though he knows he is not the greatest hunter.
"OK, class, focus now, I'm teaching basic literature.
A few hours pass and the class ends,
immediately he dashes out of the door,
and the students who were speaking to each other, used to his quick movement and attitude continue communicating with each other.
Running towards the forest, his father Carp who was collecting water from a well near the forest, shifted his head towards Arc's direction with a grin.
"So, it's nearly time hopefully, he can pass" the dad sighed.
As Arc ran inside the forest many animals ran in fear, to the point that even some lesser predators joined.
The lush green forest. in a state of minor chaos awakens some of the Bigger Evils.
He finally makes it to his aimed direction a shack, he enters the shack, looks for
his bow and before he picks up his bow he gets changed.
After he finishes,
he walks towards the left side of the door and grabs one of the arrow-filled quilts in the basket,
it was lying in an empty basket, but he ignored it.
He walked out of the shack and jogged further towards the centre forest.
'Where are they, guess I'll hunt without them". Arc stops in his tracks.
the animals around him still fear-ridden run even faster, seemingly avoiding a direction.
He looks side to side, breathes in then closes his eyes, He breaths out.
The blackness of his shut eyes disappears as different coloured Dots appear around him,
some are orange and green some further out that seem red.
"Over there"! He finds what he thinks to be drakes,
but before he can lock the location, he trips over a fallen branch.
"fuck, usless branch". bashing his head on the ground, almost hitting a squirrel.
Standing up then Wiping his grazed hands together. he heads in the direction he thinks the Drakes are in.
As he inches further he hears the sound of shattering ice, the air starts to feel colder, up ahead he sees an Ice Troll,
'They originate from the north, why is one here'?
In a state of confusion, Arcus decides to get closer, he sees a small vanguard of soldiers, fighting the Monster.
"Men, it's about to shoot, raise shield"!
"Ay commander"! all the men shouted.
the monster Raised its hand and ice pikes started to manifest near the creature's palm, thrusting it towards the archers on the
hill to the left as the troll did that a light from the vice-commander's sword brights the surroundings, he dashed at the giant's leg and slashes his sword, stunning it, the ice disappears, the remaining light of the sword left light particles that were slowly piercing the trolls shin.
The commander noticing the diversion, shouts;
"Right, FIRE!"
"ROAR"!! The Troll roars.
The right archer's fire, a massive volley of arrows, showers on the troll most arrows fail to hit but the ones that hit did damage.
"Well done, vice-Commander set attack formation"!
the giant now heavily injured kneels. It breaths in, though the troll becomes injured, it roars the trees in the forest shake, and the soldiers feel a shiver, Arcus was hidden.
"Set formation, now"! As their formation is set, insignias engraved on the land, beneath them, a light shines on the pikemen and swordsmen feel a boost of endurance.
Arcus was amazed, not in his years of life as he had ever seen such magic!
"Ok, now Tank this hit"!
The Troll rises with a small stumble, slams its feet on the ground and releases its ice breath.
"RAOR" The 16ft troll ice breath was dangerous.
Frost Imbued itself to the land, Ice started to rain. Half the vanguard was hit some archers on the right froze to death, and some managed to dodge.
As the commander noticed this he was not stunned, as if he had been in a similar situation.
The light grew greater protecting the soldiers within the formation, near a hill the archers hid, they were getting ready to set their formation, not wanting more of them to die.
Arcus seeing the archers hidden in fear behind the hills, grabs his bow, In his mind, he has to save them.
'What should I do'? he questions himself.
running towards the grown tree near the left hill.
moving closer to the left, since they were closer. he grew near not letting the troll find his location,
and he dodged dead bodies, he was disgusted by this situation but has dealt with animals' bodies, so he has some resistance.
Knowing that! he marches forward.
The battle is raging around.
"FOM"
A small glacier formed near the tree he was once behind!
Glaciers appeared everywhere.
The archers just noticed the boy shout.
"Boy, come here you'll get killed, quick now". one of the soldiers shouted, Arc was now closer to the archers noticing they didn't have an ounce of fear.
Arcus shook his head while jogging towards the back of the hill.
"I've come to help". Arcus tells them.
The archers look at him, with a stupified face.
"Are you stupid"? one of the archer's questions.
"Yeh, this isn't a place to joke". another adds
Right before Arc could answer a giant piece of ice clashes with the hill protecting them.
Before Arcus ran near the top he passed some medical paste that was inside a leather satchel. he goes further up the hill to get a closer look, he has an arrow at hand.
The commander and his soldiers slash the troll at different times, the commander parries and blocks the attacks while the soldiers attack its injured legs,
as the soldiers kept slashing, the troll swung its abnormally long arm slamming the ground near its feet.
Some soldiers were sent to the ground and knocked out, the rest of the soldiers were dazed.
At the beginning of the fight, there were 25 soldiers, now only 12 remain, and only 15 of the 35 archers are left alive.
The archers from the right sent a signal to the left, that they were ready to shoot, so the left soldiers realised this climbed the hill that Arc was on.
Right start firing first, then left.
Arcus joined in and spoke.
"See, I can help"!
---------------
"Up now Arcus, time to see what all that training has given you." a grown man with brown hair speaks.
His muscles were massive, Arcus woke to find his father in his room and immediately stood up.
Arcus knows to show respect;
"Ok, Sir." Knowing he should respect his father. he salutes as he speaks.
"No, need to do that now, but remember who the boss is!" his father teases.
Arcus repeats what he did before.
"I said no need to salute me".
His father raised his voice while picking up the boy.
"Bath time, then we're going for a hunt".
the big man says while exiting the room.
"Ok". Arcus agrees and follows his father out of the room,
they get gowns and towels then go towards the river near their house.
The bulky man jumps in the river, his hands shined, and the shine transforms into a green hew.
"Ok, jump in" The bulky man joked.
Arc seeing it as a challenge does exactly as he was told.
*Boom*
The boy in the dad's surprise jumped in.
"Wow, you actually did it, Well done"! He was proud of his son.
"Haha," Arcus laughed with pride.
Arcus' dad pulled him towards him and put his mana-imbued hand on his head,
he spread mana nodes that were a lighter green around the boy, then moulded the darker green hew between the nodes that appeared around his hands.
Arcus now glowing like his father's hands, felt full of strength, he was awake.
"How do you feel"? His father questions.
Jumping in excitement Arcus says;
"I feel Strong"!
Arcus Flexed his muscles, He had a grin.
*FUMTH*
His father punched him, and the boy knowing what was happening managed to control the lent magic to defend himself;
"Think you can sneak attack me, you have to be quicker"! Arcus teased, the respect he had earlier clearly vanished, seems he was awake now.
The man looking at his haughty son grins, his hands grab the water and he lifts himself.
"What, how no don't you dare Father". the boy sees his father raise himself above the surface since he's been in this exact situation before he knows what is about to happen.
He was standing on it, he was standing on water.
"Tough luck, know your limits before you start thinking you're strong"! They were the final words he heard.
*BOOOM*
He instantly dashed towards his son and punched him with full strength, the water did not budge, and Arucs was not sent flying, as by command the water did not move.
The man raised his hand a tiny bit the water holding his son raised, his son was atop the small fountain.
"It seems in that moment of pseudo near death you have learnt something"; The man was grinning.
he slowly lowered the tower of water, and once it was to a satisfying height he walked closer to Arcus.
"Arcus I am proud of you". He looked towards his son with pride.
"You are strong, but remember, always stay grounded, don't get nervous, don't get cocky and stay steady-minded!
You are my child after all"!
---
He releases the arrow;
The arrows that they shot hit the troll, and left-side arrows hit towards the target, right on its back. While the right has a few misses, some even hitting allies.
Arcuses' arrow hits the neck, sadly the arrow only inserts itself into the first few layers of the thick skin, luckily with his mastery of mana it did some major damage.
with this distraction, the commander and his party band up and bully the damaged monster.
The troll stands for the last time as it is tired and heavily injured, the Troll stumbles and struggles to walk, and finally, after 15 seconds it faints in defeat.
After it faints the commander breaks formation, once the formation broke his sword shines an even shinier orange than last time, and he slashes the troll's neck cutting it clean off.
Not a single cheer from the soldiers.
"Yes, We did it"! Arcus is the only one full of energy, the soldiers every one of them look at him.
"Not the time, we were annihilated". one of the soldiers that spoke to him before tells.
"Yeh, not the time" another one spoke, he was sitting down. All the others nodded their heads.
"Ok..". Arcus mutters in confusion.
the soldier stands up in guilt.
"What's your name kid"? the soldier questions while putting his hand on his shoulder.
"Arcus, don't worry I'm not that upset, I know this was a hard-fought battle". Arcus answers.
The Soldier smiles and says.
"Yes, thank you for the help".
"I didn't help that much, and what's your name" Arcus spoke truthfully.
"Garad". he says with a smile.
"Come on guys, let's go to the commanders". Garad ordered.
"ay," they all agreed!
"You come too". they all headed towards the commander and the rest were gathering the dead bodies and some of the fainted soldiers.
"Commander Delf"! The soldier that guided Arcus shouted in respect.
"Yes, VIce-commander"?
The vice-commander who saluted the Commander spoke.
"I have brought a boy."
'The commander laughed, and he looked towards me, if I were a normal person I instinctively knew I should feel fear, but his presence was nowhere near as frightening as my father's.'
Delf seemed to realise my lack of fear, I bow to show my respect.
"I know, thank you. So boy who taught you how to use mana, only the children of nobles and imperial knights are allowed to learn magic, so how is it that you know?"
'I now felt fear, I knew that I had made a fatal error, magic hasn't been taught to commoners ever since The Delf incident, even if you mutated, you'd likely be within the capital, definitely at my age.
I should lie.'
"You must be that monster's son, we're travelling here from the north but we didn't realise that beast was tailing us, enough of that.
Since I don't know anything yet I shall assume you're his son to avoid trouble," he mentions in remorse.
"You know my father" I shockingly spout.
Delf moves his hands around weirdly then crosses them.
"Yep, why do you know mana?, as far as I understand that freak said he'd never teach his son mana manipulation lest he instinctively uses it". he says while staring at me.
"Well as you've said I awakened, but I'm pretty sure it was his fault". I uncomfortably answer
He gestures for me to follow him, I do so, we walk towards and enter a tent.
he offers me a seat.
the tent didn't have much stuff, only some basic furniture you'd see at any campsite.
"I guess I'm staying here till morning, are the injured getting any better, I know the way to my village,
I can guide some of your soldiers there to inform my father you're coming". I say with confidence
"No need, we should have a messenger reaching him right now, hopefully, he can tell him the current situation, DAMN ministers"!
He says the last part bitterly as if he has some grudge against the ministers he's just mentioned.
I decided to leave it as is.
a few hours have passed, and I'm walking towards the makeshift training grounds.
"Ay boy, let us have a bout I wanna test your strength" one of the soldiers shouts,
I nod in agreement and get into the arena.
"Don't go easy on me" Arc mocks, the soldier one-two punches Arc and teases.
"That's all I need" The soldier smiles
.
Arc anticipating the one-two combo, dodges and counters with a left hook.
the left hook connects but the soldier tanked and tackled Arcus to the ground.
Using his veteran-style movement the soldier easily dominates Arcus,
in pity the soldier decides he'll go easy on Arc and pounces on his feat once he moves Arcus' face to the dirt.
"Come boy, this isn't what I was expecting, definitely from someone like you, are you truly his son?"
Arcus knowing the skilful soldier is just trying to annoy him smiles and spews;
"meh, I was seeing what you could do".
Arcus high kicks forward shocking the soldier, the kick knocks him to the ground.
Raising from the ground he smiles and tells Arcus.
"Yep, you have strength and agility. But not endurance".
"BOOM"
A punch smashed into Arcus' stomach then to his face back to his groin.
Arcus lays on the ground crippled.
"You did well, I'll wake you up when supper's done. My name is Barry. Help him get to the quarters,
and so he was carried, he awoke after an hour's rest, ate his dinner a few hours later and slept again.
it was now morning.
"Hey help us out, boy".
"All, alright Barry". Barry shakes him
"Time to pack up". Barry smiles while walking off.
Arcus helped with the tents and horse carriages.
Once all the packing was finished the messenger that was sent had returned and now the soldiers had permission to enter the border,
So the Arcus guided them towards his village and the soldiers each got to know him on the journey.
----
'Fwoosh" An arrow with a note passes a young boy's face.
"The time is near? time, oh yeh just a few more hours".
The boy was pale-skinned, naked and had pure white eyes that were golden-dyed he wore a flower crown of dead roots.
A 15m demon came flying from the ground, dodging the surprise attack he countered by summoning a wooden spike with a width of 2m and height of 6m instantly killing it.
He floated to the nearest cliff and groaned.
"Getting worse, fire RATS!" The young boy moans lazily.
The boy stands up and looks to the south
"Hopefully I can see what's to come" he wiggles in exciment
————
A soldier walks down a great hall looking to his left and right are his brothers in arms the personal guard of his mistress.
He walks towards the throne at the end of the room with two golden lions, they look as if they are alive, he reaches is destination and knells, and he begins to speak.
"I have shot the arrow miss" the strong soldier speaks
"Good, hopefully, Silvanus takes it seriously"! A warlord-like mistress tells herself.
Noding the soldiers joins the line of soldiers to the left.
———
Three carriages and 20 horses, they marched towards the village, at the entrance of the village you can see a tide of people with flowers and baskets filled with petals anticipating their arrival.
In one of the carriages;
"That's my home Garad".