Titen Terragon POV
In the kingdom of Metallum, after its fall to the Terragon clan nine years ago, everything changed for the entire realm. The 23rd Shogun was killed by Reitess Terragon, my father and grandfather, Kreetess Terragon. The capital fell to my grandfather's army and the castle, though being protected by the royal guards and our country's best military personnel, the five Lieutenant Generals. My father was too much for all of them. Understandably, he is considered a protégé born once every millennium. The rebellion did not last long because of him. All those who opposed grandfather fell quickly. Once the capital was under the Terragon Clan's control, the Terragon House revealed five powerful swords that were thought to be lost for two thousand years.
The 'Perdita blades' was the name given to them, perdita meaning lost. Since the original master of them didn't name them, he, too, was given the name 'Master of the Perdita'. He was a powerful warrior who fought in the 'Downfall of the Demi-gods', a battle where all the demigods who watch over all the realms were killed in a civil war. The Perdita master and the Legions put an end to that war, and then he disappeared forever. Those powerful swords that fought in a battle of gods were now in the possession of my family.
My grandfather gave his four children one of the five powerful swords and kept the last one for himself. With those swords, they conquer the entire island country in just two days, from the cities in the mountains and the many smaller islands on our shores. The country was theirs, or should I say ours. The outside world tried to intervene but were repelled by the Perdita blades and their owners. Countries would send their armies, fleets, and mercenaries to help free Metallum and stop my family.
No one stood a chance, even the Elementals Creed, the realm peacekeepers. Soon after that, my father married my mother, the crown princess of Metallum, after it fell, and then I was born. Prince Titen Kyota Terragon first of his name, and the crown prince destined to be the 24th shogun of Metallum. My grandfather was pleased and began my training from the moment I could walk. I learned about chi and how to control it and use it to fight and defend myself with it.
As a toddler, I was only able to use pure chi like any other child. Some found their affinity at adolescence, others at five, and some at adulthood. My grandfather was impatient with me since all of his children had their elemental affinity as early as fifteen months, and my father was even born with his. A phenomenon rarely seen, so he called in a seer one day to tell him my affinity in front of the noble houses. The announcement of the next shogun's affinity was an important day for the country.
"Alloy manipulation!" When those words came from her mouth, the throne room was shaken. I was young, but I still remember that day clearly and the horror on my mother's face.
The seer's prediction didn't stop there, "A warning for you, Regent Krietess." As my grandfather sat on the throne of the shogun. "I see a darkness in that child's future far greater than yours. The Terragons will fall to him. One by survival, another by peace, the next by grief, the fourth by alliance, the fifth by love, but the last will fall by madness."
The room was silent as the old hag filled it with mad laughter, so frightening it haunted me for nights. Her head was removed afterward for lying. It was a public execution. As young as I was three at the time, I counted six downfalls, and there were only five Terragons. No, I was the sixth one, the last one. I would fall to madness, it seemed.
The years passed, and my training continued. I was able to awaken my affinity at the age of six. The seer was right and had awakened alloy manipulation. Which allowed me the ability to control a combination of metals but not their pure state. I was considered special because my affinity was considered an evolved affinity. Only a few in countries have one.
I trained hard and was trained by the elite, such as my father and my uncles. I was determined to be the next great Terragon and the strongest, while elsewhere, my future was being discussed as well. The Nations Alliance were planning my abduction in order to have me kill my family since that was their grand plan. The old seer's prediction reached the ears of all the Metalloids and the other nations. It was being called a prophecy.
According to the Terragons prophecy, the warriors made immortal by the all-powerful Perdita blades would die at the hands of their last living relative. I am that last living relative, and I won't stop till I have my revenge and I have freedom.
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"Titen have you ever heard about the Elementals Creed's Elemento warriors." The gentle voice of my mother asked me while I was lying my head on her lap.
I responded. "Yes, are they not grandfather's and father's enemies."
It was a silly question for my mother to ask me since I have been educated on all the important matters that have happened and are happening in the world.
"Indeed, but it is better to say your father and grandfather are the Elemento warriors' enemies."
"Why is it that?" I raised my head from her lap and looked her straight in the eyes as if I were prepared to attack my own mother. She was taken aback by my reaction but tried hard not to let it show the fear and disgust in her eyes, or so that is what I told myself. Everyone in Metallum despises me and my family, I wouldn't be surprised if my own mother held captive did so as well.
She gently brushed off my hair from my cheeks with both of her hands, and then she took her hands away from my cheeks. The lotion she used gave her hands a sweet but delightful smell. What was in reality an event that happened for seconds was longer to me because of that sweet scent still lingering in my mind. I was in a daze by her aroma and wanted to smell it again, but grandfather warned me never to let my guard down around anyone, especially my own mother.
The situation in the family placed mom in a tight spot, and this was tough on her, physically and mentally. She smiled at me, knowing very well that I had raised my guard against her words like grandfather had instructed me. Although we were mother and son, our relationship did not feel like that of mother and son. To her, I was probably her one and only beloved son, or that is what I want to believe. What does she really think of me? The child that was forced upon her. To me, she was someone I saw after training when I wanted to rest my aching body.
Training would be an entire day or weeks, sometimes months. The number of encounters I would have with my mother was little to none in a month. She could claim to be a mother by name or these moments we had to ourselves. Other than that, she didn't have the opportunities to be my mother.
She tapped one hand on her thigh, indicating to me to lie down on it. I had to go and report her words to grandfather as per protocol, but I also wanted to embrace myself in her scent and this deep feeling inside of me….
I laid my head on her lap again but with my mental guard up.
She spoke."The Elementals Creed upholds peace throughout the world and the Elemento warriors are the key figures or representatives of the Creed by acting as peacekeepers and…"
"Grandfather disturbs the world's peace by waging war against it, thus making him the enemy of the peacekeepers." I interjected.
This is something I already knew but I sometimes play along with my mother because in her eyes I am just her eight-year-old son but I am the bred weapon that will rule the world after my grandfather and his four children conquer the world with the five swords they possess together.
"Titen you are not a weapon. Please remember that about yourself till the day you die."
My mother said that as if she read my mind just now.
"I will gladly become a weapon if it means after every battle, I get to return home to you, mother." I said this with a smile on my face while still laying my head on her lap.
She smiled back at me hopefully realising that she was not only a slave to the Terragon house but also a slave to motherhood, she is powerless against the five figures of house Terragon and to the responsibility of being the anchor to my humanity. She knows that without her at my side my humanity would be lost to the teachings of my grandfather, but a distant memory and I would be the weapon such as my father and that is what my grandfather wanted. So much so that they conquered the nation of Metallum, killed its ruler and imprisoned its prince, and forced its princess to give birth to me.
"Mother, what is love?" I asked.
"What an unexpected question from you."
"I heard a few of the servants talking amongst themselves about being in love."
"What do you think is love, Titen?"
"Love is weakness, grandfather told me this."
"Your grandfather is right."
Her response shook me, and it showed on my face. I quickly returned to normal and asked. "Do you agree with grandfather?"
"Yes, but your grandfather's description of love is narrow and incomplete. Titen love is so much more than a weakness. Love is how two souls that understand or misunderstand each other find out more about their partner and learn how to accept or cherish certain characteristics or actions. Love is the key to figuring out who we are as a person."
"I don't want to know who I am, though!" I exploded
"Then you will never know love if you can't love yourself."
"Is it not why you are here, to love me when no one else will?"
"I'll always love you."
"Not more than your people though, you don't think I know you have been fraternising with the enemy— putting yourself in harm's way. I can not help you if you do not behave yourself, mother! Do you think he doesn't know what you have been up to!?"
"Baby, lower your voice, will you." My mother begged in her frantic tone.
"I'm done with this, being used by all you adults for your games." I stood and left my mother's side holding back my tears, trying very hard not to think of my situation. I was nothing more than a tool to everyone to get what they wanted, I had to accept that.
I also have to accept one day that I also don't know what I want for myself.