Sometimes before the inauguration ceremony...
The castle hallways were filled with a frantic energy. Maids and servants moved in a flurry of activity, some running, others darting from door to door, calling out as they searched.
"Where is he?" one murmured, peering into a room.
"I think I saw him at the balcony," another responded, turning on her heel to check another corridor.
"We need to find him," a third said with urgency, hurrying down the stairs.
Meanwhile, in the secluded castle garden, away from the chaos inside, Akimitsu sat hunched on a stone bench. The breathtaking view of the medieval-like cityscape stretched out before him, but his eyes, filled with worry and confusion, saw none of its beauty. Who could blame him? Torn from his world and thrust into one so alien, the weight of his circumstances pressed down on him like an unbearable burden.
"Ugh..." He sighed heavily, his thoughts spiralling. "What am I going to do? Can I go back to my world?" His voice was quiet, almost lost in the gentle rustling of the leaves around him.
Suddenly, a voice from behind made him jump. "What are you doing?"
Akimitsu turned quickly, startled, and found himself face-to-face with Princess Alicia. Her tone was playful, almost teasing, and her presence seemed to light up the hidden corner of the garden.
Scrambling to his feet, Akimitsu stepped back and bowed deeply. "P... Princess, Your Highness, I... I'm sorry... I just needed some time to think," he stammered, his voice betraying his nervousness like a child caught in mischief.
Princess Alicia's face softened with a gentle smile. "Don't worry, you've done nothing wrong. I was just visiting the garden and happened to see you here. Though, it seems the maids and servants are looking for you."
Akimitsu's cheeks flushed with a shy smile. "Yeah, I know."
With a graceful motion, Princess Alicia sat down on the stone bench, her left hand tapping the space beside her. "What's wrong? If there's anything you'd like to talk about, I'm all ears," she said, her voice warm and soothing, her smile full of kindness.
Akimitsu hesitated for a moment, then, feeling a sense of calm wash over him, he slowly and politely sat down beside her.
As Akimitsu sat beside Princess Alicia, he couldn't help but notice that she appeared to be a few years older than him, likely still in her early twenties. At seventeen years old, he felt a mixture of awe and nervousness in her presence, her graceful demeanor and gentle authority making the age difference seem more significant.
Even in the dim light, Princess Alicia's ever-reddish-golden hair seemed to radiate with a gentle glow, and her gleaming emerald eyes were focused intently on him. His heart skipped a beat as he quickly averted his gaze, his cheeks flushing as he tried to process the sudden realization of her beauty. She noticed his reaction and smiled, amused by his shyness.
"What's bothering you so?" she asked softly, leaning slightly closer.
Akimitsu hesitated, his eyes distant as he stared ahead, his voice quiet and uncertain. "Am I really the savior?" he asked, his tone filled with doubt and a longing for answers. The weight of the question hung heavily in the air.
Princess Alicia studied his expression, her smile fading slightly as she saw the distress in his eyes. She hummed thoughtfully, her finger resting on her chin as she appeared to ponder his question.
"Hmm..." She paused, then a gentle smile returned to her lips. "Let me tell you a story."
Akimitsu looked puzzled, but something in her tone piqued his interest. "A story?" he repeated, his voice filled with curiosity.
"It's more than just a story, actually," she continued, her eyes sparkling with a mysterious light. "It's an urban legend... and a prophecy."
"A prophecy?" Akimitsu echoed, his confusion deepening, but his curiosity now fully engaged as he turned his gaze back to her.
...
"Long before time itself began, there was only the Void—an endless, empty nothingness," Princess Alicia began, her voice a soothing whisper that seemed to echo through the quiet garden. "Then, in an instant, a burst of pure magic energy erupted into being, filling the Void with its brilliance. From this primal energy emerged the first living entity, a being known as Alŭhiem."
She paused, allowing the words to linger in the air. Akimitsu watched her, his eyes wide with rapt attention, as if he were being drawn into the very fabric of the tale.
"Alŭhiem had no form, no substance. It was a being of boundless magic energy, an eternal presence drifting through the void," she continued, her hands gently weaving through the air as if tracing the invisible paths of creation. "Yet, Alŭhiem felt the emptiness around it, the vast, unending darkness. And from the depths of its consciousness, Alŭhiem willed the universe into existence, creating stars and worlds, spinning them into the void like a grand tapestry."
Alicia's gaze seemed to glow with the light of a thousand distant stars as she spoke. "Among these creations was our world, but Alŭhiem did not stop there. To watch over this new realm, it birthed two divine beings: the Goddess Athia, who dwells in the radiant light of the sun, and the Goddess Nishay, whose realm lies in the tranquil depths of night."
Her voice softened, taking on a melodic, almost reverent tone. "Athia, with her golden light, shaped the creatures of the day—beings of hope and warmth who thrive under the sun's gentle gaze. She blessed the land with life and growth, painting the skies with her vibrant hues."
"And then there was Nishay," Alicia continued, her voice a subtle murmur, like a breeze in the moonlit night. "From the silver shadows, she moulded beings of the night—creatures that move with grace through the darkness, guided by the soft glow of the stars and the cool, quiet embrace of the moon. Under her watchful eyes, the mysteries of the world took shape, hidden in the veils of twilight and shadow."
"The goddesses crafted the balance of day and night, light and dark, each nurturing the life that flourished within their domains. They were the guardians of this world, each one embodying a different side of the same coin, both essential to the harmony of existence."
"After shaping the world and all its wonders, Alŭhiem crafted one final being—humankind. They were Alŭhiem's final creation, the culmination of all the elements that came before. With that, Alŭhiem, weary from the act of creation, fell into a deep, timeless slumber, drifting into the endless void."
"Humans were given a special purpose," she continued, her tone laced with a touch of reverence. "They were entrusted with the stewardship of the world, to watch over and nurture every living being that walked the land, swam in the seas, and soared through the skies. Both goddesses, Athia and Nishay, bestowed upon them their unique blessings."
Her gaze turned skyward, as though she could see the blessings themselves shimmering in the distant heavens. "From Athia, humans received the gifts of love and hope—the warmth of compassion and the strength to dream beyond the stars. It was her light that kindled their spirits, inspiring them to create, to heal, and to grow."
"And from Nishay," Alicia's voice softened, like the first whisper of twilight, "they were given courage and bravery—the resolve to face the unknown, to walk paths shrouded in darkness, and to stand strong against the shadows that would seek to engulf them. Her gift was the fortitude to confront fear, to embrace the mysteries of the night, and to find their way even when the light had faded."
"But humans," Alicia went on, her tone tinged with a subtle hint of awe, "were given something else, something no other being possessed—a freedom that transcended the boundaries of day and night, of light and shadow. They were not bound to the sunlit fields of Athia, nor were they confined to the shadowy realms of Nishay. They were free to choose their own paths, to walk in both light and darkness, to forge their own destinies."
Her voice now edged with a steely tone, like the distant rumble of thunder before a storm. "For thousands of years, humans lived in peace and harmony, content under the blessings of the goddesses. But as their freedom flourished, so too did their desires. Greed began to take root in their hearts, a seed that sprouted into a ravenous hunger for more—more land, more power, more wealth."
"They began to see each other as rivals, no longer as brothers and sisters united by a common bond. Soon, their hands turned against one another, wielding swords and spells, spilling blood upon the sacred earth. Hatred grew and festered, like a dark, poisonous vine wrapping around their hearts. They sought not only to conquer the land, but each other, driven by the insatiable desire to dominate and control."
Alicia's gaze grew distant, as if she could see the past playing out before her eyes. "This darkness in their hearts began to taint the world itself, the very essence of the land, the seas, and the skies. And the goddesses, who had poured their love and hope, their courage and bravery into humanity, felt the pain of this corruption deeply. For through their blessings, they had given a part of themselves to humankind."
"However". She continued, her voice steady but filled with a sense of foreboding. "The goddess who affected the most was Nishay. She watched from the shadows as humans committed vile deeds under the cover of night, their evil acts tainting the darkness she governed. Slowly, she began to harbor the same desire that had corrupted humanity—greed. It consumed her, twisted her heart, and she grew envious of her sister Athia and the light of day."
"From the depths of her jealousy and bitterness, Nishay gave birth to creatures born of pure malevolence—demonic entities, led by the most fearsome of all, the Demon Lords. She unleashed her dark army upon the world, bent on conquering the light and casting everything into eternal night.
Alicia's eyes gleamed with the intensity of the tale, her words weaving a vivid image of a world torn asunder.
"But in the end, light prevailed. The forces of Athia, with the help of humans who had not succumbed to greed and hatred, fought back. It is said that some of the Demon Lords, born from Nishay's darkness, turned against her, choosing to aid Athia instead."
"Nishay was defeated and, in her final moments, banished to a realm beyond this world, a place where even light cannot reach. But before she was cast away, she laid a terrible curse upon the world—a promise that one day, she would return, stronger than ever, and claim her revenge. The darkness would rise again."
"Athia, too, was exhausted by the battle. With the last of her strength, she made a prophecy—a savior would come, born from the land of light, to stop Nishay's return and restore peace and harmony, not just to the world, but to the hearts of men. And then she fell into a deep slumber, her light fading, leaving humanity to await the fulfilment of her prophecy."
...
Akimitsu's expression was one of sheer astonishment. His eyes were wide, his lips slightly parted as if he couldn't quite believe the story he had just heard. There was wonder there, mixed with a hint of fear and something else—something like hope, however faint. He had come from a world where myths and legends were just that, and now he was thrust into one where they were very real, with him standing at the center of it all.
Akimitsu looked down at his open palm, his gaze lost in the lines of his own hand as if they held the answers he so desperately sought. "Am I really the savior?" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, laden with doubt and confusion.
Princess Alicia watched him with gentle eyes, the compassion in her expression as warm and comforting as a sunbeam breaking through clouds. "Fate works in mysterious ways," she said softly, her tone carrying a depth of understanding beyond her years. "It often weaves patterns we cannot see or comprehend. But I truly believe your presence here is not a coincidence. You are bound by destiny to be here, Akimitsu, whether you realize it or not."
Akimitsu raised his head, meeting her gaze, a flicker of hope struggling to take root amidst the turmoil in his heart. Her words were like a soothing balm to his troubled soul.
"No matter what happens," she continued, her voice steady and reassuring, "I will be here to support you. The Royal Knights, the mages—they are all ready to stand by your side, to help you face whatever challenges lie ahead."
There was a sincerity in her eyes, a quiet strength that seemed to bolster his own resolve. Akimitsu took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm slowly settling over him. He clenched his fist, his expression shifting from uncertainty to tentative determination. A single word escaped his lips, so faint it was almost a thought given voice: "Perhaps..."
Just then, a voice interrupted the serene moment. "Your Highness, ah... there you are!" One of the maids hurried over, relief evident in her eyes as she spotted Akimitsu with the Princess. "We've been looking everywhere for you. The ceremony is about to begin."
Princess Alicia gave Akimitsu a gentle nod, her smile encouraging.
"Now go," she said, her tone playful yet tender. "You have an inauguration to attend to."
Akimitsu returned her smile, feeling a newfound sense of purpose settling within him. Rising from the bench, he took a deep breath and gave a small, respectful bow to the princess.
"Thank you," he murmured, his voice steady.
Then he turned and followed the maid, his steps growing more confident with each stride.