Since ancient times , peace has always been but a mere illusion, amidst an era of deception and lies. Yet, even in those ancient days, there existed a legend of a friendship believed to be eternal. Fairies and dragons were known for their unbreakable bond, always in each other company
Dragons, divine beings whom the mana itself, abided to their will. Fairies, cherished by Mother Nature, delighted all creatures with their playful and lazy demeanor, their hearts pure and their presence bringing peace of heart. Even dragons, who saw all others as beneath them, held a special love for the fairies, making them the symbol of true friendship
But this idyllic era was shattered when war erupted between them, heralding the dawn of a new epoch known as the Age of Dawn, or the Age of Gods.
In this time of chaos, when races once coexisted harmoniously, a war unlike any other brought ruin to the lands. The seven gods chose their apostles to lead their armies, unlike the humans who worshipped no deities. The king of the Eternal Kingdom stood as their representative, where weakness was deemed a sin, and only those who pursued power were deemed worthy.
Dragons, fairies, humans, vampires, elves, dwarves, beastmen, and demons—all who had once walked the path of peace—now abandoned their former selves to seek strength.
The conflict raged for seven days and nights, a week of brutal bloodshed between Titania, the fairy queen and apostle of the Fairy Goddess, and the dragons. In just a week, the dragons were driven to extinction, and the fairies nearly faced the same fate
In the aftermath, Titania died, alongside her army of the ancients, leaving behind only the fairies who had no knowledge how to face such conflict.
The dragons were not alone in their tragic fate; countless souls perished, leaving only wraiths to haunt the living as the sole remnants of their existence.
Other races, nearly perished, shared a similar fate with the remaining fairies, now deemed as sinners. Their prayers went unanswered until a figure emerged to end the war.
He was the embodiment of the world's resolve, a harbinger of peace. This saint of the forgotten, though weak, bravely challenged the king and the apostles, denouncing them as sinners. He dared them to a duel, to bring an end to this war
Enraged by his audacity, they accepted his challenge. The saint, a beacon of hope to the forgotten, was swiftly decapitated. Yet, in what seemed to be the end, a miracle occurred as he rose from the dead.
For a full lunar cycle, the saint was relentlessly slain, day and night, but he never groaned in pain as he cried silently gazing at the stars .
When dawn broke after the full moon, the human king, moved by the saint's determination, asked him, " those tears aren't for yourself then Why were you crying ?"
The saint replied softly, gazing at the rising sun, "There is no justice for the dead in this world. We are nothing but guests. isn't better to leave a good impression on the living?, for the world will continue to move forward, even if we all die. You mortals, who play the role of gods below heavens, may wonder why I didn't die? The sun appears eternal, but it too will eventually fade. I am like the sun, destined to perish sooner or later, but as long as someone walks in my footsteps, I shall rise again. I weep because pain is a blessing denied to the dead. I am weak, I am frail, I am pathetic but I'm still standing. So, tell me, what will it be first, you surrendering or me dying first?"
On that fateful day, the king laughed so much that some claimed that he had shed tears. But when his laughter finally subsided, he approached the saint extending his hand in a gesture of truce, the saint accepted the handshake without a moment's hesitation.
With a broad smile, the king announced his surrender. The other apostles, though reluctant, followed suit, each driven by their own motives and desires
The saint bowed deeply to them, his voice gentle as ever
"Human King, who has tread the path of envy,
Vampire Progenitor, whose journey follows the path of lust, Elven Queen, who walks the path of pride, Dwarven Grandsmith, ensnared by the path of greed, Beastmen Ruler, driven by the path of wrath, Demon Lord, who indulges in the path of gluttony,
And you all , who have walked on path to hell with good intentions—I, an insignificant being, offer my eternal gratitude for your grace."
With these words, each apostle turned and departed, returning to the place that was their home
The saint then spoke to those who had been with him from the very start of his path . His voice, gentle and resolute.
"I have walked the path of promise, a vow to remain true to my heart. This path of divinity resides within every heart—a path for the living, a path that anyone can choose to follow."
This was the tale of the path of virtue that the Holy Empire was built on, a path of single step