Black clouds lingered in the sky, darkening the desolate streets beneath it. The only source of light were pale blue flames down in the street’s braziers and thunder from these clouds. None of the denizens have seen a clear sky in centuries. The young ones didn’t even believe their story’s. Why would they need to live here if there was another place? One, where they didn’t need to fight to survive each day. One, where food was abundant. One, without endless darkness and a clear sky. Yet all thinking just brought them back to their struggle to survive.
Deep within this city, inside a black room, stood a child. Cowered in blood, he stood before his father’s body, his claws dripping red flowers on the floor. And as the body got colder so did his eyes. Turning away from it he walked to the window and got out on the terrace. As he looked upon the sky his black hair turned ashen and a set of horns grew out of his head.
The sky, which hasn’t seen a change for the past millennia, grew still. A cold wind went through the city, targeting each flame and sending the city into darkness. Screams sounded, cries were heard but as the young ones were filled with fear the elderly were filled with hope, since they knew the signs. Moments later everything became silent as a shining star breached through the clouds and left the land colored red. Tears run from their faces because the salvation of demonkind has been born.
A new king of despair has appeared.
Era of light, year 967 – Kingdom of Argen, royal capital Ramur
“Stand up Aiden!” Eve called out.
A boy, barely eleven years old, opened his eyes to see the dark room, lit by a sole candle on an old dirty table.
“Uhhh, sis it’s still too early, it’s even dark…”
“What do you mean early?” She opened the window and with a surge the room light up, bright enough to blind him for a moment. A streak of dirty, grey hair fell in his face, covering his light blue eyes. “Get up, eat your breakfast and get going. Schools going to start soon.”
“Do I have to go? As if anythin’ I can learn there can help me later for a job. No one needs a slum brat even if he’s educated.”
“And no one’s gonna take someone who doesn’t care about his education. Now get going, I have to get to work too.” She grabbed his blanket and with a mighty tug she pulled it and in consequence him, who was wrapped in it, of the sole bed in the room. With a hearty thud both crashed on the ground.
“Ouch!” He rubbed my sore back. “Sis, if you stay like this, you’re never gonna find a man to marry.”
“I see, you’re still not awake yet.” He looked at her. Her dark grey, hair flowed down her back, on her face an evil grin. And the next thing he saw was the ladle she used to cook dinner yesterday nearing his temple.
He walked out of the door and into the back road where their house stood. An old, smelly and uninhabitable slum area, dark enough to make one wonder how the shacks get their light, air tasting like rubbish, lying at the bottom of the bottom of the city of Ramur. No city guards patrolled through here and the only order were the slave drivers of the gangs, letting darkness dwell in the brightest city of the kingdom.
Left, right, straight ahead, then right and left again. The road in the slum turned more complicated as the years went by, because of new shacks being built and old ones breaking down. The boy followed the road out of the slums to the main street. As he reached the end of the road, he saw a haggard, old man called Sam sitting in his worn-out coat begging to the rich people. Well, they looked rich to the slum boy but compared to the wealthy they might seem as dirt poor as he himself.
“Hey Sam, everything fine for you?” The old man, as always, had a smile on his face the boy could just think about as crazy, given the situation he was in. He had worked as a mercenary, getting a few pieces of gold a month, even telling the slum-children stories of his hunts, but now he has been left with one arm and an old scabbard.
“Fine as always pal. Goin’ ta school?”
“Yes. Don’t think it’s necessary though but sis says so.”
“You’re never gonna know when ignorance bites ya. And your poor sister works hard to let ya go, so you should better pay her respect to her effort.”
As always, some sneaky remark paired with wisdom of his age, he thought. “Sure thing, buddy. I was on my way anyway by now.”
“Wait a moment, kid, take these few coins and bring me a couple of apples when ya come back, kay. You can take one too. And greet old Berta from me.”
“Okay Sam.” He took the coins and made his way to the school. The morning sun shone over the city walls and into the main street blinding him on his way. While swinging left and right, trying not to get trampled by the masses of humans going shopping, he finally arrived at the school. It was a rundown building next to a little chapel where the nuns lived which operated the school. On a sign outside stood their slogan: education for everyone.
“Hi Aiden, you’re late.”
“Good morning Sister Rita. You look great as usual.”
“Yes, yes casanova, you can come back in five years, now get inside.”
“… and that was the beginning of the age of despair.” The boy went inside and tried to walk to his desk as Sister Martha stopped him. “Good morning Aiden, slept well?” She glared at him behind her round glasses.
“Yes mam.”
“Good. Then you won’t have a problem to stand next to the wall for the first period.”
“Yeah mam…”
“What do you mean?”
“Yes mam!” I will never understand how this demon instructor became a teacher at this church, but I know better than arguing against her, else I’ll stand for the rest of the day.
“Good boy. So, where were we? The age of despair. Does anybody know how the war ended? Yes, Marie.”
“The grand wizard of hope became the Guardian of this world and gave his body to create the barrier near the mountain pass.” Answered a child called Marie. She had bright red hair, bound into a pigtail, and freckles over her cheeks.
“Yes, that’s right. While we can’t see the barrier itself the tree of life which grew out of the hero’s body stands in the field before the demon pass. There it stands since nearly a millennium and guards the territory of mankind from demonic invasions. As the years passed the battlefield was overshadowed with flowers from its vibrant lifeforce and has now become one of the main attractions of Ramur. But remember that you are not allowed to go near the tree. This is but a right which has been reserved for the royal family of our kingdom Argen.
The royal family itself uses the tree to awaken the power of their magic which is said to come from the bloodline of the hero. Their magic, as any other magic, manifests as a mark on the body which starts to grow as their magic grows. From this point on the path of their magic is decided as this mark will slowly turn into a constellation which will reflect the stars in the sky. The constellation of the royal family is said to look like an eight-pointed star and is named Dawnbreak. While it is said that every person has the potential to use magic most people will never awaken theirs for all their life. This is also why it is said to be a turning point in your life if you manage to awaken it.”
“And what do I have to do to awaken my magic.” A boy, with short, brown hair, called Rick asked. He was young, always dreaming to be a hero, trying to be special, even creating his own group of little helpers.
“Even now there is no guaranteed way to awaken your magic. It is said that a crisis can bring out the hidden potential of a person. Or that it appears in a battle for your life. But who would be stupid enough to risk his life for a potential, right Rick?” As she said this, she showed him a fierce look, glasses glinting in the light. “And even if it awakened who says it’s going to save your life?”
“Of course, mam!” He definitely didn’t hear those last few sentences, thought Aiden.
The lessons went on and on and after a grueling session of algebra they finally had some free time. As Aiden stood up Marie came to him.
“Can you never stop coming too late to classes?”
“If you can tell me your trick you use to remember all these things I didn’t need to go to class.”
“It’s called learning, stupid, you should try it too. I’m just doing as is expected from the daughter of a merchant. If I don’t learn then how am I going to take care of the business later.”
“Marie, forget about the slum boy and come play with us!” Whenever she came to talk to him Rick would try to get her attention. It was obvious for everyone in the class that he liked her. Well everyone but Marie herself as she didn’t even look his way.
“At least the slum boy, as you call him, is smarter than you, boar.” She didn’t even recognize him as a fellow human being.
“All smartness isn’t going to help him later. It’s all about magic!” He boasted his chest, clearly proud of his idea.
Finally, she looked his way. “And how exactly are you going to awaken your magic? Want to fight a monster or some other stupid idea?” Rick was the only one who could make Marie sneer at someone.
“You clearly didn’t notice the way!” Still boasting his chest, he continued. “Let’s meet at Sunday in the fields, I’ll show you how!” After he screamed this he turned around and left.
“This idiot, I never even said I would go…” she groaned.
“But you never said you wouldn’t. And as the merchant-daughter Marie you better take care of your future potential customers, especially if they are going to be magicians”, Aiden snickered.
“And as my future employee you better show up as well. If I won’t give you work, you will never find a good-paying one later.” She showed a bright smile unfitting for her harsh words.
“I think I’m good though, can I say no?”
“If I can’t say no don’t think you are allowed to!”
And just like Rick before her she too didn’t wait for an answer and left the room.
The air on Sunday seemed cleaner than usual. Green wheat danced in the wind as Aiden made his way over to the meeting place. The warm breeze brought the scent of the wild plant life, flowers which bloomed all year long typical for the old battlefield.
“Hey, you’re finally here!”
“Why did we have to wait for him?”
Marie and Rick, along with his trio of followers were already waiting.
“Come on Rick don’t be mean! Now, let’s go, you can show us your genius way of attaining magic.” Words dripping with sarcasm came out of Marie’s mouth.
“Yes, everyone, follow me!” But as always Rick didn’t seem to notice it.
As they followed him the scenery began to change quickly. What was green wheat changed to grass on which cows grazed. Then the grass was replaced by flowers and Marie started to realize their goal.
“Rick, you can’t mean to…”
“Sure, I can. We’re going to the tree of life!”
“You have heard it in class, haven’t you!? We aren’t allowed to go near it!”
“But the royal family gets there to awaken their magic. Why can they do this if we can’t. There aren’t even any guards near the tree.” As he said this he begun to run towards a lone, majestic tree standing in a field.
“Ah, this stupid…” Marie cursed as she began to run after him.
The tree of life was even more impressive if you stood near it. Towering over fields of flowers with leaves colored like gold never falling. Swinging in the wind yet never seeming like it would bend itself to it. Even wild animals seemed like they wouldn’t go near it for it seemed like no one was here since the last member of the royal family.
“See, there isn’t anyone here. So why should we be scared?”
“It’s not that we should be scared of it, it’s that we shouldn’t be here!”
While Marie was exhausted from running the last few minutes, Rick didn’t seem to care as he only had eyes for the tree. Even Aiden was intrigued by it.
“Calm down Marie, we’re already here so we can look if somethings going. If it works then everyone of us can try.”
“Not you too…” Marie looked disappointed. “I thought at least you would know not to break the rules.”
“See, even Aiden knows what’s important in life!” With these words he run up to the tree. “Now, oh grand tree of life, grant me magic powers!”
A strong gust of wind made its way over the flower field and past the tree.
“I can feel it! Power rising up my belly and…” the next they heard was a loud grumble.
“Hahaha”, Aiden began to laugh, “It doesn’t sound like its power what’s rising up inside you.”
Rick’s face went red as a tomato. “Tree, grant me power!” Still nothing happened. “Stupid thing, hear me!”
What was amusing to look at quickly turned into a sad view. Aiden looked over to Marie to see her smiling at the sorry site of Rick.
“Let’s go Marie, if we go back now, we can still get back before the morning market closes.” While he had to do the shopping for his sister and himself, Marie liked to look at the market itself, compare the prices of the different vendors. The true-born daughter of a merchant.
“Sure.”
As we began to walk Rick quickly screamed from behind. “Hey, wait for me!” and began to run after them. And here I thought we could leave him behind…
In the wake of wind, unnoticed by anyone, a golden leaf silently fell.
