In the distant echoes of laughter and chatter from a humble surface village.
A young boy with light violet hair walked barefoot along the dusty paths, his eyes scanning the horizon with wonder and curiosity.
The boy, raised by kind villagers who treated him as their own, was blissfully unaware of the destiny that awaited him.
One day, the tranquility of the village was shattered by the arrival of the Cloud Knights of Ketergia. They stormed the surface, their armored figures imposing and their voices filled with authority as they barked orders. The knights forced villagers into grueling labor, leaving the people exhausted and resentful. Watching the knights parade their power, the young boy's admiration for them curdled into deep disdain.
That night, under the glow of a full moon, the village gathered in secret. The air was thick with tension and whispers of rebellion. The eldest villager, his voice trembling with both hope and fear, spoke up.
"This boy is special," he said, gesturing toward the young violet-haired child. "He carries the bloodline of one of Alfred's most loyal knights. He's the one destined to wield the sword that bridges heaven and earth."
The villagers murmured among themselves, some nodding in agreement while others voiced concern.
"He's just a child," one woman protested.
"Sending him against Ketergia is too dangerous."
"What other choice do we have?" countered a burly man, slamming his fist on the table.
"He's our hope, our future."
"Goddammit. This kid is our only hope! the blood of Ahmes flows thru him!"
Finally, the village elder raised a hand to quiet the crowd. He knelt before the boy, looking him in the eyes.
"Listen, child. This will not be easy. It will take years, Decades, but you will bring peace for all of us. For everyone in Keter Sanctuary"
The boy hesitated, the weight of their words pressing down on him. He looked around at the hopeful faces of his people and, though conflicted, nodded solemnly.
"I… I will do it," he said.
The villagers spent the night outlining a long-term plan. They trained the boy in secret, preparing him for the arduous journey ahead. For years, he practiced swordplay, tactics, and the values of justice and mercy. The villagers' faith in him never wavered, even as the boy's own doubts simmered beneath the surface.
One fateful day, the Cloud Knights returned, this time recruiting children to serve in their military. The young boy was taken, along with many others, to the cold, rigid world of Keterian training camps. There, children were subjected to propaganda and brainwashing, molded into loyal soldiers of the kingdom. But this boy was different.
He carried with him the hopes and dreams of the surface. Despite the relentless propaganda, he held firm to his true purpose.
The boy excelled in every task, quickly gaining the admiration of his peers and the attention of his superiors. In just 18 days of training, he awakened to Grade 1, astonishing his instructors. His growth didn't stop there; within months, he reached Grade 2.
One day, the sun hung low over the vast plains of the surface, its golden glow casting long shadows across the land. Alden and his fellow Cloud Knights patrolled the village outskirts, their armor gleaming under the fading daylight. The mood was light, their conversation drifting from past victories to idle jokes. It was a rare moment of peace.
Then, a shout cut through the calm.
"Thief! Stop him!"
The knights turned sharply. In the distance, a man sprinted through the narrow streets, clutching a bag filled with stolen goods—potatoes tumbling from the sack, gems glinting under the sun. A villager stood frozen in shock, pointing toward the fleeing figure.
"An intruder from outside the village!" came another cry.
Alden reacted immediately. His armor hummed with sacred magic, releasing a mist-like aura around him. In a burst of speed, he dashed forward, closing the distance in seconds. With practiced precision, he tackled the thief to the ground, pinning him down.
The man grunted in pain, struggling beneath Alden's grip. Then, as his eyes met Alden's, his expression twisted into shock.
"You?!"
Alden's breath hitched. The face before him was familiar—too familiar. His fingers trembled as he loosened his hold slightly. The weight of the moment bore down on him.
"Melodias...?"
Alden's voice barely escaped his lips.
The boy he once knew—the boy he had run through fields with, shared meals with, dreamed with—was now lying beneath him, a thief. The realization struck like a blade to the heart.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the sound of hurried footsteps filled the air. Four figures emerged from the shadows, their eyes sharp, their hands gripping daggers. Without hesitation, they lunged.
Alden reacted instinctively. With a single, sweeping motion, his greatsword carved through the air, striking with the blunt edge. The force of the swing sent all four attackers crashing to the ground, unconscious.
Silence followed.
Alden turned back to Melodias, who still lay on the dirt path, panting heavily. The stolen sack had fallen beside him, its contents spilling onto the road.
"Melodias... what are you doing here?" Alden asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "Why are you stealing food? And gems?"
Melodias sat up slowly, rubbing his bruised wrist. His eyes, filled with something between resentment and resignation, locked onto Alden's.
"They're what the people of the sky love more than anything," he said bitterly. "The common folk up there hoard these gems, these luxuries. But once stolen, they're harder to track down than coins on the black market. We take back what was stolen from us. We return what belongs to the earth."
Alden's grip tightened around his sword hilt. "Is that your justice? Is this how you bring fairness between the sky and the earth? By stealing?"
Melodias scoffed. "You don't understand, do you? You never did. You got out. You became a knight. But what about the rest of us? We're still here, scraping by, abandoned."
Alden clenched his jaw. "I know hardship. My family was poor, too. We struggled."
Melodias let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "No, Alden. You don't know. You were the proud son of the neighborhood, even in that rundown house. But the rest of us… we never had a choice but to be poor."
Alden and Melodias remained locked in place. The knights behind Alden stood ready, awaiting his command. The other thieves, though defeated, stirred slightly, groaning in pain.
The air between them was heavy.
Alden had come to the surface as a knight, a protector of order. But now, faced with the struggle to know what his true mission was.
By the time he achieved Grade 3, he was hailed as a prodigy, one of the youngest to ever attain such a rank.
Though he outwardly embodied the ideal knight, the boy's heart remained tethered to his village and the promise he had made. He silently worked to earn the trust of the Ketergia's elite, knowing that his position would one day grant him the opportunity to strike back against the oppressive regime.
Years passed, and Alden grew into a man. His light violet hair became a symbol of hope for the surface people and a beacon of strength within the Ketergia's ranks. He was then given the title of "the Grand Heavenly Sword" a knight revered for his unparalleled skill and unwavering resolve.
But within him burned the memory of his village, the faces of the people who had placed their trust in him, and the promise to wield the sword that would unite heaven and earth. Alden knew his moment was drawing near. The boy who once walked barefoot along the dusty paths of the surface was now poised to change the fate of the world.