On the Mountain Peak
The wind was biting, and the towering pine trees on the cliffs twisted and turned like a gateway to the heavens. Reinhardt, feeling the bond in his bloodline, looked at his father, Jano—the graceful figure with purple eyes and white wings—and felt a sense of security he had never known before.
Before Jano could speak, Reinhardt began to recall his past, the bond between them making him want to share his story without hesitation.
He had been raised in a human tribe, among brothers and sisters, cared for by elders who had come from the shelters. The tribe had taught them how to raise griffins, and Reinhardt had grown up alongside these majestic creatures. In addition to the griffins, there were also many Goblin officials and soldiers, acting as eyes for Goblin Emperor Amigul, monitoring the progress of the tribe's griffin breeding efforts. They were also tasked with protecting the tribe.
Because of certain agreements, the elders in the tribe couldn't teach them the more valuable higher-level knowledge. Reinhardt often overheard the elders sighing in the night, feeling the pain of a lost civilization. To ensure the survival of their people, sometimes compromises had to be made.
Until he was six years old, Reinhardt didn't even know that he had parents. One day, the Goblin Emperor's human consort arrived at the tribe, and it was then that Reinhardt learned the truth: His mother was the consort of Goblin Emperor Amigul, but his father wasn't Amigul. His father was Jano, the Duke of the Eastern Sky and the leader of the Winged Tribe—an important figure on the eastern coast of the continent, far from the Goblin Empire.
Reinhardt, who had matured early, kept this secret in his heart, as his mother had requested. As he grew older, he couldn't become an extraordinary "Knight" as the tribe had hoped, but he tirelessly practiced his swordsmanship, hoping that one day he would be strong enough to take his mother and leave the palace.
Nine years passed, and Reinhardt, now a handsome young man with golden hair, came to Mount Celestia, as his mother had instructed, to find his father. But before he could, he was summoned by Goblin Prince Asa Amigul, the 19th son of Emperor Amigul, and was tasked with training Asa and his knights to ride griffins.
After completing the training, the 19th prince patted Reinhardt on the shoulder and said something that left him puzzled: "Go do your own thing." The prince's strange remark only made sense later, when Reinhardt learned that it was part of a secret agreement between his mother and the prince.
At Mount Celestia
After finishing his story, Reinhardt stood silently before Jano, as the sunset painted the sky in brilliant hues, with the ocean breeze flowing gently through the scene. Jano's purple eyes softened as he smiled at his son.
"You've worked hard, my child," Jano said warmly. "The blood of my lineage flows in you, and you can inherit my legendary path!"
"By the way," Jano continued, "I remember that humans had a group of extraordinary beings called 'Sequences' Why did your elders not let you become a Sequences?"
Reinhardt explained, "My mother said the age of the Sequences has long passed. The path of the 'professionals' is the way of the future. There's no foundation for Sequences anymore, and the resources needed for their advancement no longer exist."
Jano nodded in understanding. The era of the Sequences had ended, as it required extinct magical creatures' organs to advance. The path for such extraordinary beings was now obsolete.
"Come here, Reinhardt," Jano called. "Let me see your potential."
Reinhardt approached. Jano placed a hand on his head, his extraordinary power stirring as it gathered the elements around him. A gentle breeze tousled Reinhardt's golden hair as white and purple light suddenly flared from his body.
Jano's face lit up with joy. "As expected of my son! You possess the same extraordinary talents I have!"
Jano withdrew his hand and continued, "My path as a professional can be passed down to you. However, you don't have wings, so we'll need to make some adjustments to your path. But don't worry, it won't be a problem."
Reinhardt, eyes full of anticipation, stood still as Jano raised his hand. A faint aura surrounded them, and Jano gently touched Reinhardt's forehead.
"Focus, Reinhardt. Channel all your attention."
Suddenly, images flooded Reinhardt's mind: The first was of a young Winged boy holding a bronze sword. The sword glowed with lightning, and the boy's purple eyes flashed like lightning itself. Then came images of the boy's journey along the legendary path, creating his own profession and discovering ways to ascend, eventually defeating a legendary opponent to become a true legend.
Finally, the images settled on the path of this legend, displaying the various stages of progression.
"Thunder Master—Wings of Thunder—Holy Winged Walker—Radiant Thunder's Blaze!"