「 Tola. 」
「 Your name means "Meadow." 」
「 You must be proud of that bloodline. 」
「 No matter the circumstance, no matter the place, you must take pride in yourself. 」
Blink.
「 Tola. 」
「 I wish for you to live as an ordinary Kuranta. It is a simple life. 」
「 Study, grow up, work, learn a trade, find a pretty wife, and live together. 」
Blink.
The smell of grass. The vast meadow, damp with drizzle, stretched to the horizon, the sky visible and free.
Running across the plains, playing in the fields, one could see an ordinary forest. Trees with exposed roots spreading in all directions, small flowers blooming between them, stretching toward the sunlight.
Green, beautiful trees and delicate petals. Amidst them, a boy was picking flowers and placing them in a basket.
Blink.
A beautiful world. Beasts and tents made for nomads. Inside the tents, people laughed and spoke.
We are the kin of the Great Blood. So straighten your shoulders and roam these meadows proudly.
Even if thousands of years have passed, even if history is buried in the earth and no one remembers.
Blink. Darkness moves. In a world made solely of shadow, devoid of light, stars rose in the sky, illuminating the world.
But like a backdrop, the stars merely rose. They did not shine.
Childhood memories cannot be forgotten. To him, those memories were the foundation of his Arts, unforgettable.
Clack. The sound of gears meshing, and the world changes.
Do not be weak. The path to the Kheshig is long.
Do not be weak.
Do not be weak, Tola!
"That history is thousands of years old. Who cares about such things?"
"Are you not chasing ghosts that no longer exist?"
There was no one there, but the shadow spoke. And the wheel began to turn with a clatter.
Blink, clack.
Who will take the next step?
Different from the first meadow. Ordinary land, but in the center of a lake lay an island. The only way to the island was a single bridge, a one-way path.
Visitors are not welcome. The feeling was palpable, but he opened the door without hesitation.
Inside, he saw a simple wooden rocking chair. An old man sat there. Meeting the old man's eyes, he felt his insides rot away.
A short conversation. He drew his sword but did not swing it. Faint pity crossed the old man's eyes, and he closed them.
Seasons pass. Spring, summer, autumn, winter. Watching the vague passage of time and seasons, he bought a small house. A house with stone walls marking the boundary, a small flower bed, and the sound of rain clearly audible.
He sat in a rocking chair identical to the old man's. Not knowing how the old man felt, he rocked back and forth before standing up.
Did he get what he wanted? No. There was no meaning at the end of the road he walked.
What did he desire? He didn't know. Burdened only by what could be called a dying wish, he was lost.
He felt like a child. He wanted to throw a tantrum and cry. But there were no friends or family by his side to accept his childishness.
Wind blew over the stone wall. Watching the swaying grass, he habitually touched the sword at his waist.
He still hadn't found meaning.
Blink, clack.
Kheshig and Khagan. The great conquerors who roamed the world and subdued continents. The boy admired the stories his father left behind and loved the Kheshig ritual, akin to a coming-of-age ceremony.
His mother and father laughed at their young son's antics. The boy laughed too. Then, his mother stroked his head worriedly, but the boy didn't mind.
A young hunter embarks on the path of the Kheshig ♪
Starting from dreams, heading to the golden utopia ♪
Holding a spear dyed red with the blood of kin ♪
Immersed in the sorrow of bright moonlight ♪
His father's words, his mother's words. The song he heard as a child, still unforgettable.
Until red flames burned the sky, catastrophe fell from the heavens, and a beast sank its fangs into his mother's neck.
He sang this song with his family.
"..."
The task must be completed. Finish the Kheshig and stand as a rightful adult.
That is the only meaning left to him.
The kin he could walk with, the story of the Khagan now akin to a fairy tale in history books.
But, Tola.
You were born on this land and ran across the meadows. So you will be able to find yourself...
Closing his eyes. Covering his ears. What did his mother wish for? What did those eyes, looking at Tola with worry while being torn apart by fangs, desire?
Leaving his hometown, he walked the path to perform the ritual called Kheshig. His home had fallen, so he had to go elsewhere.
Walking through countless regions. Walking along the coastline overlooking the blue sea, walking through falling snowflakes at the northern edge. Walking through desert cities with rough sandstorms.
But still, meaning could not be found.
The Khagan conquered countless nations and led his warriors, the Kheshig.
Walking that path. Passing other cities, finally arriving at a place where a race he could call kin resided.
The flow of the world changes. Countless people walked the earth to avoid catastrophes and wars, but now seeing massive machines carrying people, he looked up at the sky.
The land the Khagan first conquered. The land ruled by the Pegasi, who rivaled his Arts.
They called themselves knights, but they were different from the knights he heard about as a child. He had hoped, seeing his kin, but still found no meaning.
Knights. They scream that they are knights and swing their swords.
But where is the Chivalry, the honor of knights they proclaim so loudly?
He despised those who took honor and fruits without bearing responsibility.
He had to prove he wasn't wrong, but the world was different from the Khagan's era.
Old traditions. Walking on one's own feet. Knights laughed at these things.
Let them laugh. Believing in himself and continuing his actions hadn't changed.
Still, he wandered in search of the meaning of life and the end of the story.
Blink.
Opening his eyes again, he saw the horn in his hand. The silver metal locker and the murmuring of people outside reached his ears.
The sun set, and night arrived. The city's neon lights had vanished due to last night's blackout, barely maintaining the stadium lights, but thanks to that, the stars he saw in the meadow were visible beyond the sky.
When he first saw the light of the Pegasus. He laughed. To walk the same path as the Khagan, hoping to find meaning by walking a similar path.
But the young man, still retaining his boyishness, left and didn't return by the time his guard duty ended. Knowing the nature of this city well, he knew what end the young man had met.
An empty arena where no one would come. Perhaps due to a small expectation left in his heart? He put on his helmet and walked out to the arena.
Nightzmora.
The Nightzmora stands on the arena. With his helmet pressed down, his gaze unknown, he hummed the last part of the old song.
Until the dark night covers the eyes ♪
Until a tower of bones rises in the heart ♪
Until deadly poison erodes the faint hometown ♪
The hunter's fire is bound in ash ♪
And the hunter's soul sleeps in the spring ♪
Is the prayer finished?
The commentator shouted something ridiculous from above, but he ignored it and looked at the entrance where his opponent should appear.
There are no obstacles here, no forests, no other devices. Just a dueling ground standing solely to prove each other's honor and justice.
When no one came out from the other side, the commentator shouted something in panic. People who seemed to be officials ran in and entered the waiting room.
Even if no one was there, a grace period was given. As the given grace period was running out, he lifted the horn.
To mourn the dead, but at that moment.
Thud!
Something was fired onto the ground. A silver spear was embedded before his feet, and he put down the horn.
It wasn't over yet.
From beyond the arena, a knight walked in, wearing neither proper armor nor a helmet. But his eyes shone transparently with platinum light, beautiful.
Light poured onto the arena. Stars in the sky shone.
People chanted the knight's name, and the earth shook. He pulled out the embedded spear and threw it back to the knight.
"Did you achieve everything you wanted?"
"…Yes."
A short answer. The knight caught the silver spear he threw.
People chattered loudly, and the commentator spoke of this fight as if it were mere entertainment. But for the two standing on this ground, this duel was no game.
Light rose. Not golden, but a clear, pure platinum light resembling starlight rose.
The light looked like the stars in the night sky visible between the stadium lights. After this duel, after defeating this honorable knight and descendant of the Pegasus, would he find meaning?
Since the knight wasn't wearing a helmet, he took his off as well. Even as the referee's whistle blew, the spectators looked at them curiously as they didn't fight.
A Nightzmora warrior and a knight looked at each other.
"I am Tola of the Darknight Tribe."
His tribe, already burned and ravaged with no one left but him...
"The Darknight Knight, and a descendant following the will of the Khagan. The last descendant of the Darknight Tribe."
Red light flashed. A shadow tinged with fear dyed the earth. Contrasting with the light surrounding them, the shadow spread like ink dropped in clear water.
With those words, he put on his helmet. Drew his sword. Shadows cast over the drawn blade.
Thus, the one before him also showed proper respect. The final duel. The fight to determine the strongest champion. Observing the rules of the duel.
"My name is Yujin."
Without helmet or armor, platinum light dotted and spread like waves. Yujin held the silver spear and sword, looking at his opponent.
"Disciple of Netsalem, the Nachzehrer King, and direct disciple of the former Grand Knight of the Silverlance Pegasi."
The silver spear was dyed gold. Pegasus feathers fell onto the earth.
"I am a Knight of Nearl."
Hearing Yujin‘s answer, he smiled with satisfaction. Looking at the honorable knight who seemed to have broken through many crises and darkness to come here, he felt he could find meaning.
And without any signal, without anyone saying anything, they spoke to each other simultaneously.
"To an honorable duel, and rightful glory and victory."
Immediately after, shadow and star collided.