2 – The Rebirth of Light
A grand bell tolled across the holy city of Solara, its chimes ringing through the towering spires of the Grand Cathedral. The sky above was golden, bathed in the radiant glow of the Eternal Sun, a celestial phenomenon said to be a gift from the gods. The streets below were filled with priests, warriors, and nobles, all gathered for one purpose.
A child was about to be born.
Not just any child—the prophesied warrior of light.
Inside the cathedral's inner sanctum, Lady Selene Astorius lay upon a pristine bed of white silk, her breathing heavy, her fingers clutching the sheets beneath her. She was a noblewoman of divine lineage, chosen by the High Priests to bear the child blessed by the gods.
The air within the chamber was thick with divine energy, a presence so powerful that even the most faithful priests dared not speak. At her side stood Grand Inquisitor Malagar, his gaze unwavering, his presence casting an overwhelming shadow.
"It is almost time," Malagar murmured.
Selene did not respond, her thoughts a storm of emotions. She had accepted her role, had devoted herself to the gods, but deep in her heart, fear lingered. Was this child truly a gift? Or had the Dominion twisted faith into something beyond her control?
Then, the moment came.
A pulse of radiant energy flooded the chamber, washing over all who stood within. The torches lining the walls flickered into golden flames, and the High Priests fell to their knees.
A newborn's cry echoed through the cathedral.
But it was not like any cry before it.
The very walls of the Grand Cathedral trembled, and outside, beasts lurking in the shadows howled in agony, as if repelled by an unseen force. The people of Solara gasped, some falling into prayer, others whispering in awe.
"The Chosen One has arrived," one of the priests uttered, voice shaking.
Malagar stepped forward, his piercing gaze fixed upon the child. His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable—pride, calculation, perhaps even fear.
Wrapped in white cloth, bathed in divine light, the newborn Lucian Astorius opened his eyes for the first time. They were not ordinary eyes.
They were brilliant silver-blue, reflecting the very light of the Eternal Sun.
The priests declared him the Light of the Dominion, the one who would lead mankind against the darkness. But among the voices of reverence, one whisper went unheard.
"What if the gods are wrong?"
Years passed within the Holy Dominion, and under the watchful eyes of the Order of the Dawn, Lucian was raised as the perfect warrior.
He was trained from the moment he could walk, taught the ways of the sword, the laws of the gods, and the history of the world. By the age of seven, he could recite divine scripture from memory. By ten, he could wield a blade with the precision of a seasoned knight.
He was a prodigy, stronger than any other trainee, his connection to Divine Etherion far surpassing expectations.
But strength was not enough.
"Faith is your greatest weapon," the High Priests would remind him. "Strength without devotion is an empty blade."
He followed their teachings. He trained harder than anyone else. Yet, even as his body grew stronger, his mind began to question.
There were whispers among the knights—doubts about the gods, about the Dominion's rule. Some spoke of a world beyond divine law, a world where not all who defied the gods were evil.
Lucian buried these thoughts beneath duty. He had to. He was the Chosen One. He could not afford doubt.
Then came the day that would shape his future.
A summons from the Grand Inquisitor himself.
Malagar stood at the center of the Sanctum of Dawn, a vast chamber filled with golden banners and towering statues of past heroes. Behind him, the seven Dawnbringers—the strongest warriors of the Order—stood in solemn silence.
"Lucian Astorius," Malagar's voice rang through the hall, heavy with authority. "Your time has come."
Lucian knelt before him, fists clenched at his sides. He had trained for this moment, yet his heart pounded.
"Your training has been exemplary. Your faith, unwavering. Now, you will face your first trial as a knight of the Dominion."
Malagar unfurled a parchment, his golden eyes gleaming.
"A village has fallen to darkness. The heretics who once lived under our rule have turned against the gods, defying their will. The Order of the Dawn has been sent to deliver judgment."
Lucian kept his face neutral, but something inside him tightened.
"You will march with our knights. You will witness the fate of those who stray from the light. And when the time comes..."
Malagar's gaze met his.
"You will strike them down."
The chamber was silent.
Lucian felt the weight of expectation pressing down on him. He had trained to fight. He had trained to kill. But was this what the gods truly willed?
He did not question. He did not hesitate.
He simply bowed his head.
"As you command."
Outside the cathedral, the bells of Solara tolled once more.
Lucian's journey had begun.