Althair stopped. Every slash he made was an outlet for his emotions. Emotions for his family, for the loss of his best friend, and for the days of pressure he had endured.
Clara rose, wrapping her arms around Althair's waist from behind.
"It's okay," Clara said gently. "We did it. We're safe, and the enemy is gone."
"Yeah, finally," Althair replied with relief.
"Let's go to the Warden's place, Althair," Clara suggested.
"Right."
"Let's go home," Althair replied weakly.
Althair's Point of View
We headed north, to where the Warden guards the gate to the spirit world and the heart of the world. I told her that the way to get the Warden to let us pass was to give him an item called a krisom.
I was lying.
I had never entered Heartwood myself. I had only trained with the mystical beasts and monsters of this continent. It was indeed dangerous for a young man like me, but I had a mentor who was a child prodigy.
...
3 years ago - at the Ostrivien Grand Academy
Still Althair's point of view.
Class 9A - Year 997
"Alright, that concludes our meeting for today," said Professor Thaddeus. "Use your month-long vacation well." Professor Thaddeus then exited the room.
The reason for the vacation was not without cause; the academy had just been attacked by a mysterious organization. This forced the academy to send all students home until the situation was deemed safe.
I stood up immediately and followed the others out. My destination was the dormitory; I wanted to pack my things. Of course, I wanted a vacation. I wasn't going to waste this golden opportunity.
But before that, I wanted to go to the cafeteria—to meet up with my best friends. We were in different classes, of course. I was sure they were already waiting.
I was wearing a white shirt, a dark blue blazer with an eagle wing emblem on the left chest, black trousers, and black shoes.
As I was walking down the hall, a young man approached me. He wasn't much older, only two years my senior. I was 14 at the time, and he was 16.
His silver hair fluttered, and his sapphire-blue eyes shone. Standing at 175 cm at the age of 16, he had a magnificent presence.
He was the third prince, the last prince, and the crown prince of the Stellaris Empire.
"Hey, Altha!" he called out.
"Don't go home to the north just yet. Come with me—to a special place," the prince said.
"Huh? A special place? You've got the wrong person, Senior Arthur. I'm not your fiancée," I replied.
"Aish... Let's just talk in my room," Arthur invited me.
"Whatever," I replied lazily.
We started walking, Arthur in front and me behind him. As we walked, I stared at his sturdy back.
So much has happened this year, I thought. Before I became his disciple, he was still a nerd, branded as the trash prince, a disgrace to the imperial family—all because he was in Class C.
But then he suddenly left the academy. Rumor was he took a leave of absence for over a month.
When I heard about it, I didn't much care. After all, I wasn't very close to him.
Until a few months later, or maybe a little over two months—a newspaper article shocked everyone.
The paper reported that the first, second, and fourth princes were dead, poisoned. This made the third prince, Arthur von Stellaris, the sole remaining prince and the new crown prince.
But I believe that newspaper report was fabricated. There must have been a civil war, a struggle for the throne.
I looked down at Senior Arthur's long legs as he walked. His steps made no sound—well, they did, but I had to use magic to hear them. His footsteps were incredibly faint.
What puzzles me is, how did Senior Arthur win the struggle for the throne? The first, second, and fourth princes all had factions supporting them, strengthening their respective positions.
That was the problem. He had no faction behind him. What method did he use? It's still a mystery.
After he became crown prince, there was sudden news that Elena Rose—the crazy girl of the academy—had become Arthur's fiancée.
So Arthur's efforts finally paid off, but Senior Elena had always rejected him before. Was there an element of coercion in her becoming his fiancée?
Lost in thought as I walked, I realized we had already arrived at the Onyx dormitory. It was the lowest-ranked dorm of them all, but even so, it wasn't particularly bad or good. It was standard, nothing special. We walked further, heading towards Arthur's room.
Arthur opened the door, and we both entered. The room was neat, clean, and comfortable.
Arthur immediately walked to the dining table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. I closed the door and followed him.
"So? What's the plan?" I asked, feigning enthusiasm.
"I'm going to take you to a place unknown to anyone else," he answered excitedly.
"And I will train you there," he continued.
"You want to train me? Or do you just want to get your 12th-grade assignment over with?" I retorted cynically.
The requirement to advance from the 12th grade, or to graduate, was to take on a disciple. Once you had one, you had to help them grow beyond their previous capabilities. You had to foster their development from before they became your disciple.
"Hmm... That is, in fact, my goal," he replied in a flat tone.
"Why are you in such a hurry, Senior? Is there something you're after?" I asked, curious.
"I want to get out of this damned academy as soon as possible and begin my training to become emperor," he answered.
"Hmm... What will you teach me when we get there?" I asked, wanting to be sure.
"I will teach you everything I know. We'll spend the entire vacation there, and we'll only return when it's time to come back to the academy."
"Alright."
Arthur immediately summoned a form with his magic and handed it to me to fill out.
I took it and began to fill it in. The form asked about my training and study process when I was on my own, how often and for how long I trained/studied, and what I had achieved.
I filled everything out except for the bottom section, which asked: "What changes have been achieved with a mentor?" I would fill that part out when this was all over.
"Alright, let's head to the Heartstone Empire," Arthur said, standing up.
"Heartstone? Is that where it's located? Or are we just passing through?" I asked, confused.
"Passing through. The only way to get there is through the Heartstone Empire," he replied.
"Wait a minute, I want to meet my friends and write a letter to my father," I said.
"I'll wait."
...
Althair von Kaelvros's Point of View
The Veil
"Whoa! It's beautiful."
"How did you find this massive island, Senior?"
"Hmm, find it, you ask?" Arthur said, stroking his chin in thought. "Through a dream. More accurately, I dreamed of this place."
"Oh, I see." I turned my attention back to the place called 'The Veil.'
It was a huge island, with enormous trees like a primeval forest. But the air here was high quality, the atmosphere calming. Soft grass adorned the ground. And in the sky, there was an aurora.
Right now, Arthur and I were high up, floating. I was riding Arthur's familiar, a dragon.
Yes, a dragon—not just any dragon, but an ancient one named Azareth. Honestly, it was my first time seeing it. It was shocking that a 16-year-old could bond with a dragon.
From up in the sky, I could see many monsters and several mystical beasts. They all looked strong; the weakest was probably on my level.
"So, I'll be training here?" I asked, my adrenaline pumping.
"Yes. I'll train you first, and then I'll release you to them," Arthur replied.
"'Release me?' What do you think I am, an animal?" I said, offended.
"I meant letting you fight them," Arthur corrected himself.
And so it began, a month of training.
[ Information: Arthur is a hybrid, a Mage Swordsman. ]
I was taught proper breathing techniques and trained in swordsmanship with him (even though I was only a mage, it didn't mean I couldn't use close-combat weapons. In fact, mages are encouraged to be able to use them, like shields, swords, and spears).
I created new magic spells. After that was done, I began to fight the mystical beasts and monsters there.
I defeated many, but I also received many wounds. I was even on the brink of death once, but Arthur was there and immediately helped me, swiftly killing my enemy.
From that incident, I learned a crazy fact: Senior Arthur had already reached Tier 2 as a Mage and Tier 2 as a Swordsman.
"Since when have you... Senior Arthur, how did you become a Sage?" I asked enthusiastically.
Arthur listened, then gave a faint smile. "Just recently. I haven't been a Sage for long, maybe about two months."
"Wait a minute... If that's the case, then you had already reached Archmage status back at the academy?"
"But how could you have been placed in Class C? Was it a data error, or did you hide it on purpose?"
"The second answer is correct."
information on Arthur: Tier 2 Mage [Sage] and Tier 2 Swordsman [Grandmaster].
...
Right now, I was chatting with Senior Arthur by the campfire that kept us company.
"Senior, I saw a monster—well, a monster or a mystical beast. But I think it's a monster. He's tall and large, wearing a black cloak that covers his body and a hood that hides his entire face. Only a pair of terrifying eyes are visible," I said at length.
"Who is he?"
"He is the Warden, the guardian of two paths," Senior Arthur answered.
"Two paths? The path to heaven and hell?" I asked, making a silly face.
"No. The path to the Realm of Spirits and the path to Heartwood," he replied.
"Huh? I know about spirits, but what is Heartwood?" I asked, confused.
"It's said to be the heart of the world."
"'It's said?' Who says that?"
"It's written in the Stellaris family records."
"Wait a minute... We just passed through the Heartstone Empire. How could this place be described in a Stellaris family book? Shouldn't it be in a Heartstone family book, since this mysterious island is closer to the Heartstone Empire than any other?" I rambled.
"You're asking me? Seriously? I haven't lived long enough to know the reason. I'm just a kid too, in case you forgot," Arthur replied.
Ah, I forgot. Because he was such a prodigy, I treated him as if he were much older than he was.
"So... have you ever been there? Or at least fought the Warden?" I asked curiously.
"The Warden... he's an S-tier monster in his base form. He could probably ascend to a higher tier if he fought seriously," Senior Arthur answered.
"And I have no intention of fighting him. The book says he is a balancer. Without him, the world's balance would be destroyed."
"A god? Or a legendary figure?" I asked, listening to his story. One thing was certain, the Warden was a being not to be trifled with, as the world's balance supposedly depended on him.
He guards the Realm of Spirits, so maybe without him, evil spirits would descend upon our world. As for Heartwood... I had no idea.
"In my opinion, he is the subordinate of a god," Senior Arthur said. For some reason, his aura shifted, and his eyes grew sharper.
"If that's the case, then he's older than anyone in our world? But wait a minute..." I said, hearing him out.
"Do you believe in the gods?" I asked him.
"Me? It's 50/50," Senior Arthur replied.
"I see."
"But," Arthur said.
Still lost in thought, I lifted my face and turned to him.
"We can enter those worlds. The Realm of Spirits and Heartwood," Arthur said.
"How?"
Hearing my question, Arthur stroked his chin and thought.
'Is it a transaction? No, too mechanical. An agreement? Not really, because the one giving the (sacrifice) isn't on equal footing with the Warden. Then what is it called? A ritual?' Arthur thought to himself.
"A ritual," Arthur answered me.
"What kind of ritual?" I asked.
"A sacrifice. Sacrificing the life of a loved one, or sacrificing yourself."
The air fell silent. I said no more, and neither did Senior Arthur. Only the sigh of the wind passed between us.
---
Back to the present - Althair's point of view
We reached the Warden's location. A black cloak shrouded his body, a black hood concealed his face. But a pair of eyes was still visible.
I held Clara's hand tightly, and she held mine. The Warden approached us—the atmosphere inexplicably turned horrifying.
My hackles rose, and sweat beaded on my forehead without my command. To be honest, I was on high alert. I was afraid he would attack us, so before he could...
"Warden!!" I shouted.
"I wish to make a request. Or a ritual."
"Something like that."
How ridiculous. Why was I acting like such a fool?
"Wait a minute... a request? You said if we gave him an item called a krisom, he'd let us pass?" Clara whispered in my ear.
I ignored her words, keeping my gaze fixed on the Warden's eyes. Clara began to shake my arm.
"State it," the Warden said to me.
I stepped forward, letting go of Clara's hand.
"I offer my soul. Let my friend and our baby enter Heartwood," I said with conviction.
Our baby... I wanted to crawl into a hole and never look at Clara's face again... I was so ashamed to say it.
After all, Carsel was Arthur and Elena's son. But here I was, claiming Carsel as my child with Clara.
I said this for a reason. If I said the baby belonged to someone else, I was worried the Warden would ask whose child it was.
It would be too complicated, so I chose the simpler path.
Hearing my words, Clara rushed to my side, grabbed my arm, and turned me around. Where I had been facing the Warden, I was now facing her.
Her beautiful face was now streaked with tears, her eyes red, her whole body trembling. I was sure that if Clara wasn't holding onto my arm, she would collapse.
"Hiks... I-I knew it... I knew it when we were on the horse. You were lying about the krisom."
My heart ached hearing her. My only best friend was crying because of me.
"Why did you lie?! Lie to me and to the others? I know I'm not reliable. I know I can only help from the sidelines. I know I can't fight, I know I'm stupid, I know I'm pathetic."
"But at least... please be honest... Hiks."
"We could have talked about it and found a solution. We could go somewhere far, far away and build a home."
"Raise a family, raise Carsel without having to lose anyone."
Clara could no longer support her own weight. She fell to her knees, and I followed, kneeling with her.
I pushed a fallen strand of Clara's hair back, cupped her face, and wiped away her tears. I smiled, perhaps for the last time.
I gave her the best smile I ever had, showing her my white teeth.
"Don't cry. You'll ruin your pretty face."
Hearing that, Clara punched my triceps.
"It's not funny!"
"This is the safest way," I said, trying to make her understand.
"If you enter Heartwood, you can live in peace there, without worrying about enemies bothering you."
"If we hadn't come here, if we chose to run forever and build a home somewhere far away, we would eventually be found. They would hunt us."
"In the end, Carsel wouldn't be able to live safely."
Do you think I'm being mature right now? Or a savior? Sacrificing myself for someone weaker than me?
No... I hate this.
I want to live.
I want to experience what a family feels like.
I don't want to die now.
I want to raise Carsel, watch him grow into a great kid, and make Clara happy.
Clara grew up in a broken family, where her father saw her as a tool, not a daughter.
I want Clara to experience happiness, to let her feel what love and affection are.
But do I have a choice?
I'm not an adult; I'm still 17.
I'm not a savior, because I left my people to die back there.
So what am I?
Not a savior, and not an adult.
I... am me.
A human trying to be better than he was before.
"Please," Clara lifted her face, looking into my eyes with her tear-filled ones.
"My mother died giving birth to me, my father saw me as a tool. Alicia is gone, so are Rio and Alex. They all left us."
"So please... Don't leave me alone in this world."
"Please, Al."
I didn't answer.
Thinking back, I realized Senior Arthur was also just a young man. Like me. He was only 19 years old, and now he was dead.
Why do we have to die so young? Is this destiny? No. I don't believe in destiny.
Because if everything was already fated, why would humans be given brains, reason, and the ability to think?
This made me realize I was wrong. I did have a choice. Humans determine their own lives.
Arthur von Stellaris, the child prodigy. He could have chosen to show his talent from the very beginning, silencing all who insulted him. But he didn't.
He chose to hide it, and that was his choice.
We all have a choice. Destiny doesn't limit us; we are the masters of our own lives. We are the ones who decide what we want to be and what we end up becoming.
We humans have power.