In the distant past, when the night sky shimmered with countless stars, a spark of conflict ignited across the mortal realm. Driven by their passions—love, greed, and ambition—humans raised their swords against one another. Yet, paradoxically, their hearts remained barren, devoid of the very love they claimed to fight for. The clash of steel echoed through valleys, and blood-soaked earth bore witness to their folly.
One day, a dark force beyond their realm awakened by the ceaseless despair of humanity. Twelve demons arose from slumber, soon to be known as the Twelve Lords of Chaos. Together, they waged war upon humanity. Humans fought desperately to fend off their advances, but their attempts at rebellion met only with pathetic ends.
When all seemed lost, the greatest mage of humanity forged a sword. Crafted from the essence of a star, its power was beyond mortal comprehension. The sword was entrusted to Arthur Pendragon, the finest warrior of humanity. Leading from the front lines, Arthur cast the demons from the land. Hailed as king, he established the first five Knights of the Round Table, each swearing unwavering loyalty to him. With the great mage's assistance, they were bestowed extraordinary powers, forming an unparalleled King's Guard.
As days turned into nights and months into years, the king's health waned, and soon he passed on. The kingdom of England had lost its sovereign, leaving the throne vacant.
Before any further calamity could befall the land, Merlin, the greatest mage, took King Arthur's blade and sealed it within the stone, bestowing upon the kingdom a prophecy:
"Only by the blood of Arthur's lineage shall the spell be undone. When that time comes, only by the might of the true king shall the kingdom be saved."
Soon after, Merlin vanished without a trace. And thus, the five families of the Round Table began their quest to find the child of the king's lineage.
//70 years after King Arthur's Death//
"Ouch, that hurts!" Kayden winced in pain as Amelia, his friend, tugged at his ear to wake him up.
"Serve you right! How long do you plan to sleep? Have you forgotten what day it is?" Amelia asked, blaming Kayden for still being asleep.
Ah, today is the day, Kayden suddenly remembered. As he rose from the bed, Kayden looked out the window and thought, "Today is the selection day."
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the founding king's death. Seventy years ago, following the king's demise, his royal guards established a law mandating that every nine-year-old child must undergo a test. You may wonder, what test? It is a test to find the king's descendant. The king's personal life was shrouded in secrecy; not even his loyal guards from the five houses knew he had a family. Thus, in accordance with Merlin's prophecy, the search for the king's heir continues to this day.
Frankly, Kayden couldn't care less; the life he leads now is perfect for him. He has Amelia as a friend and everything he could wish for, considering his only desire is to live a quiet life with just enough food, water, and, of course, money. Having been alone for most of his life, Kayden doesn't have the time to indulge in fantasies about being a king's descendant.
He doesn't feel alone, as Amelia, with her eccentric ways, is always there with him, and he is content with just that.
"How's your mom, Lia?" Kayden asked. He referred to Amelia as Lia, perhaps because they were that close. Lia's mom worked with the baron of this place, who was exactly what you would imagine a corrupt noble to look like. Even the locals referred to him as the 'Ugly Frog'.
"It's the usual situation; the foolish-looking baron is never content with anything. There are even rumors that he has been seen with multiple women in his bed-chamber, and they don't appear to be there willingly." Says Lia.
"You're 9; you shouldn't be talking about things like that," Kayden thought to himself, wondering what was wrong with his friend.
"You're nine too, Kayden," Lia says, clearly pouting.
Kayden smirked, "Well, it's time. Let's go."
They were transported by carriage to the capital. Camelot, the heart of England, was miles from their village, yet the journey took less than two minutes, courtesy of a magical warp gate connected to the capital. The Kingdom of England was a hub of innovation, home to brilliant mages in the Mage Tower who consistently achieved one breakthrough after another.
Although it is efficient, a typical villager would not use it because each journey costs one talon of silver, which is enough to feed a family for four weeks. This is why they are experiencing it for the first time.
The warp gate is truly astonishing; a bluish whirlpool of magic that connects spaces, a marvel of magical engineering.
The carriage seemed to float for a moment, and upon opening their eyes, the travelers found themselves before the capital of Camelot.
"Lia, are you okay?" Kayden asked Lia, who was throwing up. Honestly, I felt like throwing up too, seeing her puke, but I can hold it back, at least for now.
As anticipated, the sickness from passing through the warp gate for the first time was real, so I had prepared a handkerchief just in case. I quickly handed it to Lia, but I regretted it immediately. Seriously this can never be used again Kayden thought to himself.
Shortly after the carriage I was riding in came to a halt, we were before the sanctuary. Within its walls rests the sword of the first king, which serves as the focal point of today's test. The challenge is straightforward: attempt to pull the sword from the stone. However, not everyone is enthusiastic about participating. Indeed, some train their children intensively for this test, while others prefer to simply leave it be. This reluctance often stems from the prophecy stating, "Those who wield it shall walk a path of struggle and death." Understandably, few would desire such a fate. And that few is not me.
Understandably, the sword didn't budge even an inch when Lia attempted to pull it. However, I might be hallucinating because the sword seemed to shimmer slightly at Lia's touch, and strangely, I was the only one who noticed it.
Then it was my turn. I pulled at the sword half-heartedly, and as expected, it didn't move...
Wait... What... In... Merlin.. Bald... Head.. hold on. I might be hallucinating, but now, I've just pulled it out. Every inch of my body is trembling. In haste, I glance at the spectators; they look just as shocked. Oh no, this is not a dream.
Before I could process anything further, my mind went blank. I felt my body shutting down, as if all energy was being drained from me, and then everything turned black.