The Kingdom of Ibany has always been a country blessed by bountiful natural gifts from heaven. Green hills and icy mountains reaching above the clear blue sky surrounded it on all sides but one where the wide ocean protected and fed its already lavish wealth. Where rare metal, ore or other mines did not provide lifetime opportunities for many, the ever-fertile lands blessed by the Goddess or the deep fish-filled waters fed all those not favored by circumstances. No person willing to work has starved since the founding day.

There was more land than people could divide amongst themselves and those in charge had no need to suppress the populace. The only enemy was the monsters roaming the lands and for the same reason as humans, reproduced faster than they could be defeated. This danger was always around, yet normally never too much of it.

Sometimes, however, accidents did happen. The house of Mon, responsible for defending a large chunk of land on the border has been slowly overwhelmed during a decade. Even though the many help they received they could not hold themselves against these monsters until they slowly, one by one all fell in battle.

The king and the government sent new, more capable individuals but even they could only hold the monsters at bay with great amounts of losses. The few remaining members of the Mon family were the young and weak, they could only return to the capital. The meritocratic system of the land was the only reason they did not disappear forever.

One of them was a young boy named after his grandfather, Arnold. He showed talent from a young age both in swords and magical abilities, with these he became a student in the greatest military academy in the continent early in his life. While not a genius, he could be equal to the best of his peers and proved to be a future leader. During his time learning in the institute, he met many people he could call friends. Despite having only one single parent, he lived his life to be an example for others. As years went by he became stronger, older and wiser. He gained many skills and life experiences to reach his goal in life.

When he reached the age of 16 however, everything changed. The territory once held by his family finally fell and all the country was forced to turn their head towards solving the crisis, but they could not solve it with power alone.

Thus, the King gave a command. Any who can offer a solution to stop the enemy would be rewarded with a wish. Even for such a country, something of this scale was impossible by any means.

Soon people wishing to be heroes emerged, scholars dwelt into research and everyone wanted to save those who were in danger more than before. Adventurers delved into ancient catacombs and dungeons to find relics that even remotely could help.

Death surged and the population at first stopped growing, then started to sink. When the king realized the effects of his actions it was already too late.

Arnold Mon was also a heated youth in his prime. He wished to honor his ancestors who died for him and the people and bring glory to her family once again. He had the ability and opportunity so he spent his time trying to find information any place he could.

Then he found it. In his hands was an ancient book that promised to grant a path to any knowledge if given a reasonable sacrifice in exchange.

He wasn't the first nor the only one attempting opening the book. There was only one page in it with the promise and nothing else. It held no magical nor any mystical marks on it, yet some still attempted using it as a medium.

At first, simple things were offered such as food, gold, and jewelry. Needless to say, there was no reaction. Some were more desperate, blood and animals lives were given. Not even the king could stop the craziness in time when a woman who lost all her family sacrificed her own life to it, yet still, nothing happened. The only relief the people had was that it wasn’t a cursed item.

Arnold had another idea. He felt others did not approach it from the right angle and he felt even if he was wrong nothing bad would happen. Against the restriction to read placed on it, he opened the book, took a quill, ink and started to write in it.

At first, he didn’t know what to write, but when he began words and sentences flew out of his pen one by one. He wrote about his life, his experiences and his grievances in life. He wrote about the joys and painful moments of his life. He wrote about his loved ones and about the bright idealistic perspective he saw the world from. Four hours he wrote and wrote, his heart open like a flood pouring at the lands. Finally, he tried writing about his wishes, yet the quill stopped.

He didn’t know what his heart truly wanted.

He felt extremely empty from realizing he did not have a single wish for himself. He actually didn’t care about fame or recognition beyond he already had, nor the people he didn’t know.

He stopped to look deep within himself, trying to find any semblance of greed or darkness, yet it wasn’t there. It was almost empty, except maybe for a little bit of envy. Envy for those who didn’t have. Envy for those who knew what they wanted.

He crossed out the last line he wrote and closed the book.

Taking a deep breath, he chose to give up this charade that turned everyone, including himself crazy and return to his home and care for his one and only mother. The mother that took care of him since he was born yet he didn’t visit her for years.

The hands slightly dark from patches of ink, he put the book back into its place. The sky was already dark late at night, only one single magical lamp lit up dimly the underground library of the kingdom’s most prestigious academy. Bookshelves looked down upon him from all walls which have always impressed him. In the middle was a single large marble table with the insignia of the county engraved within, surrounded by high-quality pattern-carved wooden benches.

Before exiting the room he looked back one last time but found the book gone. While he was surprised, he already decided to not pursue the momentary harmful dreams fo his any longer. Still, he just couldn’t take his eyes off the brand new door in the opposite wall which has never been there before. Arnold gulped large, trying his best to hold himself back, fighting an inner battle against himself and his curiosity for the unknown.

The boy stepped once, then twice, then walked through the door he not long ago swore to himself he would never approach.

He never regret making those steps. Within the new world, a tall beauty of mystic appearance, thin long ears and an aura of absolute understanding greeted him with a charming and welcoming smile.

Inside, he found what he has been missing his entire life.