The tree leaves were rustling under the morning breeze and the water below flowed gradually in the stream dodging the stones in its path. The morning was gentle.
August was standing on the same rocky mountain where he was getting special training from his father nowadays. He held the two newly forged swords in his hands thinking that he might be able to get a little bit of progress today.
"Here" his father stretched out a hand gesturing him to hand over the sword, "I'll show you first how it's done."
August took some steps back and watched from a distance as his father stood in an attacking stance holding the sword that was made without purpose. August watched carefully, fearing he might miss anything if he were to even blink.
The sword rose high and came crushing down on the sturdy rock. The movement happened so quickly that August struggled to catch up to it. Then as though nothing happened his father put the blade back into the sheathe. The rock didn't have a scratch on it.
But August could've sworn he heard the sword meet the rock in a forceful blow. Then a second later it became clear as the both equally severed part of the rock separated from each other like an after effect of the powerful strike.
August was flabbergasted by this performance of utmost precision.
'Amazing'
"Now, you try" his father said, making him snap out of his thoughts, "with the other one."
August was ready, or so was what he liked to think. He pulled the blade out of his sheathe. Its silver metal shone in the brilliant rays of the sun. August felt confident at the sight of this newly forged weapon.
One of the main reasons for his confidence was the purpose that he had engrained into the very fiber of that weapon like an oath by which the weapon itself knew for what task it was meant to be forged.
He was immediately reminded of its purpose as August held the sword in his hands in order to perform a slash.
He raised the blade imitating the slash performed by his father earlier and the sword came down with the enormous force. The silver blade of the weapon however, immediately shattered as it was met with the rock. His attack came abruptly to a halt as he was met with another failure.
August did exactly how his father had instructed him, he practiced the slashes again and again, he even created a weapon with the sole intention of cutting through this rock but for some reason he didn't succeed.
'Not again'
No matter what he did was met with failure, no matter how hard he tried never bore results and now when he thought was so close to success — he was faced with another failure. He wondered what might have gone wrong this time.
Rather than feeling disappointed, August let out a long sigh. If it was someone other than him, they might have surely given up by now. August, on the other hand, knew far better than others to face his difficulties head on.
He knew what it meant to endure the endless pain. It hasn't been even a week since the last time he had faced the effect of echoes after all.
"You know what happened right?" his father said, expecting him to understand the reason.
"I trusted the purpose I had put into the sword way too much," his father nodded, approving his understanding, "...that's why I failed to convey my own purpose with it."
"That's right," his father said in agreement, "even when both you and the weapon had the same task to accomplish" he handed August the other sword, "with Fallen star, it would be even more difficult because that weapon has a different purpose of its own. You have to be powerful enough to bend it to your own will."
August came to another understanding today that he not only has to train his physical strength but mental strength as well. In order to resist the effects of the Fallen star, he has to raise his mental defences to a higher level so that he could wield the weapon for a purpose he wanted.
"If you desire power, you have to become worthy of it first" his father said, looking at the horizon, "that's why Goddess Eden gave her sword to a hardworking warrior and not to any of his noble brothers."
It was a legend that August himself knew of. Apparently Cornelius was a soldier in the royal army, being the third son of a noble house he was never given proper care and affection like his brothers. One reason for this poor behaviour by his family was that Cornelius was not very bright like his older brothers.
He was a child raised without love and care. Therefore he promised himself to not let anybody get close to himself in his life.
He decided to become a warrior and not a noble like his father. He trained until his bones cracked and honed his skills up to perfection. He joined the royal army when he was about twenty three years old and served his time there sincerely. People began to know him and acknowledge his bravery and honour.
Shortly after he created a name for himself, Cornelius was called back by his father for some reason. It was the time when King Rhaenos departed to fight a war in order to protect his kingdom. From which he never returned.
Cornelius was disheartened to know that he missed his chance to fight for a greater good. As much as he loathed his father, he never wanted to oppose his own family. He served the army because there was no one in this world he respected more than King Rhaenos, not even his own father.
Why wouldn't he? King Rhaenos had never abandoned his kingdom. He had never given up on his people. If anything, the immortal sovereign thought of the whole kingdom as his family. He even went to fight a war which he had no hope of winning for his people, his children. A war from which he never came back.
Surprisingly, not even a corpse came back from that war. Still, Cornelius regretted not being a part of that glorious battalion. Only if his father hadn't misused his authority and kept him away from the war.
However, there was also a hint of joy in his expressions. While it was true his father had never intervened with any of his attempts in life which made Cornelius think his father never cared about him. But when he kept Cornelius away from the war knowingly, he thought maybe his father does care about him even if it was a little bit.
The thought alone made him happy. He thought maybe he could finally get the familial love and care for which he longed desperately, his whole life.
The reality on the other hand, happens to be more cruel. Turned out, his father along with some other corrupt nobles had planned to take control of the kingdom in Rhaenos' absence. They were like vultures, ready to tear off the flesh of a dying animal. The only thing keeping them from doing so, was the animal wasn't quite dead yet.
Cornelius believed in reaching the sky and taking out a star for himself one day. And that star, he knew the moment he ever laid his eyes on her. She was more beautiful than the rumours described.
By some strange turn of events he was about to marry her. Princess Aurora, the only daughter of the immortal sovereign.
Prior to their wedding, Aurora organised a last search party in order to find her long lost father and his army. She herself volunteered to be in charge of the campaign.
Cornelius waited months to experience the only good thing happening in his life. It was unfortunate when goddess of light "Eden" herself manifested before him in her true form and informed him that Zareoth, the demon king had abducted his soon to be wife.
She requested him to slay the demon and to purify the lands by getting rid of the evil existence. Legend says that the only weapon that could kill the demon king was the blade given by Goddess Eden to Cornelius. A weapon forged purely by light only for righteousness. A weapon created solely to exterminate evil and to bring peace to the world.
The holy sword "Lumina"
A blade capable of killing a god.
Cornelius therefore started his journey in order to kill the demon king and to establish peace. Also to bring the one he loved, home.
He successfully killed the demon king Zareoth but unfortunately Princess Aurora had already died by then.
Cornelius came back with the head of the demon king Zareoth as his trophy and people crowned him with the title of the hero. They called him the exterminator of evil, bringer of dawn, sword of the people and various other names.
He protected the people, cut down the corrupt politicians and brought peace to the slowly falling empire of the immortal sovereign. He established the rule to the realm again. Became law to the lawless kingdom but refused the throne.
According to Cornelius, he was a soldier and not a ruler.
After several years, a successor who was left behind by the immortal sovereign appeared and by the will of the king he was crowned as the new king by the hero Cornelius.
After that Cornelius handed over all of his duties to the new king and lived his life in seclusion. Alone …very far away than anyone could've reached him.
With that Cornelius himself became a legend, a hero who saved the human race.
True beacon of hope.
A hero for humanity.
— — —
'If you desire power, you have to first become worthy of it'
His father's words were as true as ever. August tried to find meaning, slowly but surely he began to understand.
"...dad, can I ask you something?" he asked, his tone hesitant, "Why do you wield a weapon? What is that you intend to do? What is your purpose?"
August was young and unsure about many things in life. His father knew that better than anyone. He understood the extent of his son's potential. Therefore, knew how important it would be to guide him towards a right path at his young age.
"Look" his father pointed down at the street, "look at those people, they all are someone I know, you know. Our friends, our neighbours …our family. These are the people who trust me. Who had decided to put their faith in me. And I have a responsibility towards them. Whenever I kill something with my blade, I think about what would happen to these people if I fail" he sighed and gave August a wry smile,
"Maybe my purpose is fear. I may act like I know everything but I think I myself did not know what my purpose is. Therefore I won't ask you to understand everything, just do what you think is right, make a decision which saves a life."
August thought it for a bit and then replied in an offended tone,
"Don't lie to me dad. You know your purpose well. You wield your blade to save lives therefore your purpose is to protect."
The corners of his father's mouth curled upwards in a smile. It seemed like he was satisfied with his son's answer. He knew slowly but surely August would also understand his true purpose in life. What he wants to do himself or maybe not. The thought made Valerius disheartened a bit.
He knew his son would definitely surpass himself in a future which wasn't very far from now. But his heart ached for what he was about to do to his own son. Valerius hated himself for that.
He hated all the selfish decisions he had taken until now. For telling his son to live for others and himself acting selfishly, he was the biggest hypocrite for that.
— — — — —