In the world of Esperitus, in the capital of the Hestalia Kingdom, a monastery bustled with 12-year-old nobles on a bright morning. Their purpose: to undergo a divine blessing ceremony to receive a Class, which would determine their future. A black-haired, blue-eyed boy lined up with the others and walked inside. Once in the grand hall, he gazed at a towering, winged goddess statue with open arms.
The boy was mesmerized, looking up at the huge statue. A high priest stood beneath it, next to a black stone tablet that functioned like a display screen. The boy sat on the floor with the other children.
"Now, we begin the blessing ceremony from our two revered deities, Goddess Athonela and God Agnisilia. Together, let us ask for their blessings," the high priest announced, raising his staff.
The prayers began. The priest led, and all the children joined in. Suddenly, a yellow ball of light, like the sun, appeared on the hall's ceiling, sending comet-like yellow rays into the heads of the children. The goddess's blessing poured forth, granting them knowledge of their Class. Afterward, the priest stepped forward, holding a list of the children.
"Evan Orstrich... please step forward and touch the stone screen," the priest called, pointing to the large stone tablet in front of the grand statue.
A handsome, blond-haired boy advanced, climbed the podium, and placed his palm on the black stone. Golden magical writing appeared on the tablet.
"Evan Orstrich, Class: Sword Saint, Rank: SS!" the high priest proclaimed loudly.
The entire hall erupted in cheers. The Sword Saint was a rare, heroic class. Next, the priest called another child, who received the Healer Class, Rank B. Only a few clapped, and whispers spread. Seeing this, the little boy worried, praying he wouldn't share the same fate as the last child called. After a long wait, it was finally his turn.
"Rainar Richteros, please step forward."
The small boy stood and walked forward, his heart pounding with every step. He desperately hoped for a Class that wouldn't make him the subject of gossip. He glanced at his father and mother, seated in the special noble section. His father looked down, offering an anxious smile. Finally, with trembling legs, he climbed the podium and stood before the stone.
"Come now, touch the stone. Don't be afraid," the high priest said kindly.
"Hoo-haah," the boy took a deep breath. He raised his hand, his palm touching the stone. Suddenly, the stone emitted a blinding, bright red light, unlike anything seen before. Rainar covered his eyes with his arm, the light too intense, even as his other hand remained on the stone.
Chaos ensued. Priests at the altar knelt and prayed, believing their goddesses were enraged. Rainar's father shot to his feet, knocking over his chair, his face a mask of intense worry for his son. His wife, beside him, covered her mouth with both hands, equally distraught.
"Rainar!" the man, Rainar's father, shouted, shielding his eyes from the glare. Thump... thump. Monastery guards rushed in, weapons ready, surrounding the altar. The light began to fade, slowly dimming until it vanished completely. The priests gasped and prostrated themselves, seeing the tall stone tablet cracked, glowing red within its fissures.
Suddenly, bright red writing appeared on the tablet screen. Rainar, still holding the tablet, looked up to read it along with the high priest, who remained beside him.
"Gi...Gigas Core....w..what does this mean, why did it appear now ?" asked the priest in a trembling voice.
The high priest slowly turned to look at Rainar, who, confused, also looked at the priest, hoping for an answer. He didn't understand the meaning of the words that had just appeared. Gasp. The high priest gasped as he stared at Rainar's face; Rainar's eyes, originally blue, had turned bright red, just like the light. The high priest took a step back in fear, but Rainar, impatient to know what the tablet meant, immediately turned back to him.
"Um... w-what does it mean? What's a Gigas Core Class? What rank is it?" Rainar asked.
"C-capture him!" the high priest shrieked to the monastery guards surrounding the altar.
"Huh?" Rainar gasped, startled.
The soldiers immediately advanced on Rainar, filling him with fear and confusion. Crash! Suddenly, his father, who had been in the noble seating area, shattered the barrier with his sword and stormed towards the altar, seeing the soldiers closing in on Rainar amidst the uproar. Some soldiers tried to block his father, but with a single, lightning-infused sword slash, "Whoaaaaah!" those soldiers were thrown backward.
Rainar turned to see his father walking towards him, followed by his mother. His heart calmed a little, and he even smiled. But then, creeep, he felt something pierce his stomach. He looked down to see the high priest plunging a beautifully carved knife into his abdomen. Excruciating pain immediately slammed into him as he saw the knife embedded in his belly. Thud. Rainar fell to his knees, clutching his stomach and writhing in agony.
"Rainar! You scoundrel! Why did you stab my son?!" his father roared in a furious rage.
"Hyaaaaaaa!"
His mother, who had been silent, raised her hand. Hundreds of fiery tongues immediately engulfed and burned the surrounding soldiers. Then she ran past his father towards the altar. The high priest, seeing the mother climb onto the podium, turned to flee, but her father leaped and intercepted him. Of course, the priest immediately stood stiffly before Rainar's father.
"Lord Richteros, your son is a demon's envoy! I am only fulfilling my duty as a servant of Goddess Athonela and God Agnisilia. If you defy the goddesses, then you defy the kingdom and the power of the goddesses!" the high priest declared.
"Silence!"
Slash! His father swung his sword, taking the high priest's head. The priests who had previously been kneeling and worshiping the statues of the two goddesses immediately stood and ran in every direction. Meanwhile, the monastery guards surrounded his father, who was panting and staring at the high priest's headless body sprawled on the floor. Then he turned to face the guards.
"I, Alfonso Richteros, a magic knight with the title of Marquess, from this day forward, I am an enemy of the Hestalia Kingdom!" Alfonso roared, raising his sword.
Without further delay, he immediately charged at the growing number of soldiers surrounding him. Meanwhile, at the altar, his mother knelt, supporting Rainar's head, which lay on the floor. Her palm, emitting a green glow, hovered over Rainar's stabbed stomach. After a few moments, Rainar opened his eyes, vaguely seeing his crying mother's face right in front of him.
"M-mom," he whispered slowly.
"Shhh... calm down, my child. I'm here. You rest first," his mother said with a smiling face, even as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Suddenly, Rainar's eyes widened. He saw a soldier raising a spear right behind his mother.
"Mom... look out!" Rainar screamed.
Crack! Rainar's cry was too late. The spear had already plunged into his mother's body. "Cough!" His mother coughed up fresh blood, but she immediately turned, one palm forming a fireball.
"You scoundrel! Don't disturb me !" his mother shrieked.
Blaaaaar! "Aaaaaaaah!"
The soldier who had stabbed her was instantly incinerated by the fireball she swiftly threw. Then she turned back to Rainar and continued using her healing magic to mend Rainar's wound.
"Mom... Mom... heal your wound first!" Rainar pleaded.
His mother smiled, shaking her head. Without stopping, she continued to heal the wound in Rainar's stomach, even with the spear still piercing her body. Rainar turned to see his father single-handedly holding back dozens of continuously arriving soldiers. Finally, thud, his mother collapsed, embracing Rainar. Rainar's wound hadn't healed at all and continued to bleed.
"Mom... Mom!" Rainar screamed.
He no longer felt the pain in his stomach. He continued to hug his mother, who was no longer moving. His mother turned to look at Rainar, a faint smile gracing her weakening face.
"Live... my child," his mother whispered.
His mother's head immediately slumped. Rainar sobbed uncontrollably, "Gyaaaaah!" Then he heard a shout from a distance. He turned to see Alfonso, his father, struck by an enemy spear and overwhelmed. Alfonso retreated, then looked at Rainar, blood flowing from his mouth, but he smiled when he saw Rainar. When he glanced at his wife, who lay limp on top of Rainar, his face turned sad for a moment, then he screamed,
"Run, Rainar! Don't let Aurora's sacrifice be in vain! Run quickly... ngggh."
Before Alfonso finished shouting, a sword pierced his stomach. He immediately swung his sword again, and the soldiers in front of him were scorched by electricity. Clang. Alfonso fell to his knees, his sword supporting his body. He tried to get up and continued to swing his sword. Seeing his father's struggle, holding back the soldiers alone so they wouldn't reach him, Rainar, who could do nothing, looked at his mother's face, then turned back to see his father's struggling face.
"Why... why did it turn out like this? Today is my birthday and the day I received my blessing... why... I don't want this," he thought to himself.
Thump... thump. Suddenly, Rainar's heart pounded furiously. The pain in his stomach became three times more intense than before. His consciousness faded, and finally, thud, Rainar's head fell to the floor as he fainted. However, his eyes still twitched even though they were closed, a sign that something was happening within him.