The sun rose over the Kingdom of Nasca, casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets. While the common folk began their daily routines, the atmosphere inside the royal castle was far from peaceful.
Origin and Veldanava stood in the center of the palace courtyard, invisible to the eyes of the mortal guards. With a simple gesture from Origin, the space around them warped slightly, allowing them to walk past the heavily armored sentries as if they were mere ghosts. They moved through the grand halls, passing ornate tapestries and golden statues, until they reached the heavy oak doors of the throne room. Inside, the air was thick with tension.
Father, we cannot do this! Increasing taxes again will cause the people to collapse!. The voice belonged to Rudra. He stood before the throne, his face flushed with indignation. King Nasca sat heavily upon his seat, his eyes weary and sunken.
And what would you have me do, Rudra? the King snapped. The surrounding nations are circling us like vultures. If we do not pay the 'protection' taxes, they will annex us by the end of the month. Our trade routes are blocked by wars in the neighboring territories. The treasury is empty. If we don't tax the people more and earn the gold back, we lose the kingdom.
"Then we fight!" Rudra shouted, his hand gripping the hilt of his iron sword. "We cannot live as slaves to their greed!" We should fight for our freedom.
"Don't be stupid!" the King roared. "We are a minor small power. We don't have a powerful army, nor do we have the magicule-born heroes they possess. Fighting them is a death sentence for every man, woman, and child in the Kingdom of Nasca!"
From the shadows, Origin and Veldanava watched. "He's a hothead," Origin whispered, "but his heart is in the right place."
Veldanava nodded. "He possesses the two qualities of the three, I envisioned for a Hero: Justice and Courage. He's still young, but the foundation is there."
Standing near the King was a young girl with calm, intelligent eyes. Lucia, who had been listening in silence, finally stepped forward. "Father, Elder Brother... please, calm down. Arguing like this won't fill the treasury. We need a third option."
"Why don't we give you an idea?"
The voice rang out clearly, and the two figures stepped out of the shimmering air. King Nasca demanded to know how they entered, calling for his guards. More than twenty elite guards rushed in, surrounding them. When the King threatened imprisonment, Origin let out a sharp, controlled breath, releasing a minuscule fraction of his magicules.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The guards collapsed instantly. Rudra drew his sword, pointing it at Origin's throat. "Did you kill them? Answer me!"
"Relax, Prince. They are just unconscious," Origin said. In a flash, he was behind Rudra, whispering in his ear: "Are you sure you want to point that sword at me?" Rudra jumped back, shocked by the impossible speed.
Veldanava stepped forward. "We came because we heard Prince Rudra speaking about the hope and protection of his people. We want to help."
King Nasca looked at them with a tired, angry expression. "Help? How? Do you have armies? Treasures? Do you even know how much I have tried? I was even planning to marry my daughter, Lucia, into another country just to secure an alliance!"
Rudra looked horrified and was about to shout back. Origin's eyes widened, thinking, Wow, Lucia almost became someone else's wife instead of Sir Veldanava. I really want to see how this plays out.
"We genuinely want to help," Veldanava said calmly. "But we have a condition."
"No matter the condition, if you can save this country, we will do it!" Rudra declared.
Origin smiled. "Rudra, you are the candidate we selected. You see... we are not humans."
The royal family wasn't shocked; they had already sensed the visitors' inhuman power. Origin continued, "You know the Demon Lord Guy, right?" The room went cold. The King stuttered the name in fear, almost collapsing due to fear . "Guy has made the human race feel nothing but despair. To counter that, we want to train a Hero who will be the hope of humanity. We have chosen you, Rudra."
Rudra's eyes lit up. "A Hero? Does that mean I can be like the 'Silver King' who protected the nations in the past?"
Origin looked embarrassed as Veldanava smirked. "Oh look, Origin, you have a fan."
Rudra froze. He looked at Origin, then back at the legends he'd read. He rushed forward and grabbed Origin's hand, shaking it vigorously. "Are you truly the Silver King? I'm your biggest fan! I've always wanted to be like you!"
"That is a past title," Origin coughed, trying to regain his composure. "You can just call me Origin. And yes, Rudra, your job will be to stand against Guy."
"No problem!" Rudra shouted, full of youthful bravado. "I'll defeat that evil demon lord and take his castle!"
Origin's eyebrow twitched at the boy's overconfidence. Veldanava chuckled. "Well, since we have an agreement, here is a down payment for your country's safety."
With a flick of his wrist, Veldanava manifested piles of gold, diamonds, and pure magisteel out of thin air. The treasury was suddenly more than full; it was the wealthiest in the world. King Nasca stood from his throne and bowed deeply. "As a King, I thank you sincerely."
"No problem," Veldanava said, his form beginning to fade. "Rudra, get ready. We will return to pick you up in three days. Be prepared."
With a flash of light, Origin and Veldanava teleported back toward the heavens, leaving a stunned royal family and a very excited future Hero behind.
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Author's Note- Hey Guys finally I have come back and uploaded this chapter my exams were hectic and then the assignments also came back to back. I had no time to write the chapter but by hook or crook I did it. I hope you like this chapter even if you find it rather small and fast.