Ten years of bloodbath have finally come to a close.
The war resulted in staggering losses for both sides. However, the scales ultimately tipped in favor of the Holy Church; the entire race of cursewrights was exterminated. This genocide was hailed as a victory—a triumph of good over evil.
As propaganda soared across the globe, people celebrated, treating the slaughter as a "necessary evil." The world had changed forever. This relentless battle between the Holy Church and the cursewrights was now embedded into memory as the Holy Purge.
Sirius walked through the center of the battlefield, surrounded by mountains of the corpses. Tasked with collecting as many soldier dog tags as possible, he moved with silent steps. Surprisingly, the man showed no sign of joy. His face was a mask of horror and melancholy.
"All this bloodshed... for nothing."
He remembered when he was just like his colleagues. He had voluntarily joined the Holy Knight Order with a single goal: to wipe every cursewright from the face of the world. But as the war escalated further, he began to see through the Church's lies. Yet, he was powerless to stop them.
"Lord Arimanus, day by day, I am losing hope for this world. In the name of God, the Knight Order does as it pleases. The Church turns a blind eye and brainwashes the masses to keep their hands clean. Is this justice? Is there no light left for us?
Oh Lord, please... give me a sign."
"Waaa... waahhhhh... wahhhh..."
The thin cry of a child drifted from the distance. Sirius stood upright and ran toward the sound. He found the source buried beneath the body of a woman. She had died shielding the infant with her own life.
He lifted the child, only to freeze. On the babe's right hand was an unmistakable mark.
"A... A cursewright?"
He looked around in a panic, but there was nothing but a sea of corpses.
"Is this the task you have set for me, Lord Arimanus?"
After a long silence, he looked down at the boy.
"I shall name you Azel."
* * * * *
Three years had passed. Sirius had retired with honor, leaving the Church behind. The two now lived a quiet life in Arlam, an isolated village deep within the woods.
Since the forest was generally peaceful, there was little to no risk of beast tides; they were safe even without the Church's protection.
Using the wealth earned during the Purge, Sirius bought land and turned to farming.
Life was peaceful. Mostly.
"Azel! I brought apples!" Sirius called out warmly as he enters the house.
Usually, the boy would sprint at the mention of his favorite fruit, but today there was no sound of tiny footsteps.
Sirius found Azel sitting by the window, his gaze fixed on the village children playing outside.
"Father, why won't you let me play with them?" Azel asked with heartbreaking innocence.
The sight of this small orphan, unaware of how merciless the world had been to his kind made Sirius's chest tighten. He approached and gently stroked the boy's blonde hair.
"You're still too small to go out there, my boy. Once you're as big and strong as your father, I'll take you to see the whole world."
Azel looked up, his eyes narrowing skeptically.
"Is that so? Well, when I'm grown up, I'm going to be way more powerful and cool than you, father."
Sirius barked a laugh, seeing the spark of ambition in the boy's eyes.
"Is that right? Well, the path to being 'cool' is paved with broccoli. You'll have to eat all your vegetables if you want muscles like mine."
Azel's face instantly soured.
"Awww, no! Not the veggie speech again. Is this your secret plan to make me eat the green stuff?"
"Whoa! My plans are never secret." Sirius laughed, dodging a tiny fist.
Watching Sirius laugh his head off, Azel pouted and began chasing him around the small cottage.
"Come back here! I'm going to beat you up and then throw the broccoli away!"
"Haha! You have to catch me first, kiddo!"
And thus, the tale of the last cursewright had just begun.