Chapter 23: The Story Begins
'The Rising...'
Several Years Ago...
Far, far above, up in the skies a streak exploded across the line lighting it up in a bright glow as it soared across the black sky, the millions of stars far above it seeming to all glow.
Down below four people could be seen. Two kids, a boy and a girl, and two adults, one a young man with an arm that was in a cast. The other one was an older man wearing fancy robes with a crown.
"Oh..." Davi, the young boy, said with wide eyes. He raised his hand up pointing towards the streak that went across the sky. "Look. That star is moving! It's a moving star!" He said with wonder his eyes shining. His large and jagged teeth formed into a smile. A shark like smile.
"A shooting star." Ava, the girl, asked cocking her head to the side. "I've heard of them but never seen them before..."
"Ah... That..." The young man with the arm in the cast, said staring up at the star. He seemed to reach up for a moment with his left arm. He had messy blonde hair tied back into a pony tail and light blue eyes. "Yes... That's a Dragon. I'm sure of it."
"A Dragon!" Davi, and Ava said in shock turning to look at the man.
"Yes!" The man announced. "A Dragon!"
"Actually I think that's just a comet..." The older man chuckled. This man was King La Fay. The man who burned Davi's sisters, mother at the stake. And standing next to him was Orion, the husband of that woman. "Honestly Orion... You shouldn't tell lies to kids."
"Sorry King La Fay. I couldn't help myself." Orion said letting out a chuckle.
"So it's not a dragon!" Davi asked with wide eyes as he turned to look up at his adoptive father.
"Ha. Get punked ya stupid brat!" Orion laughed. "HAHAHAHA! I tricked you with a cunning lie. You'll have to be better than that!"
"Master Orion!" Davi whined. "That was just mean!"
"How is he the strongest man in your army father." Ava sighed shaking her head as she looked at the younger man.
"Trust me my daughter." The young man, who was called La Fay, said reaching out and petting her head. His fingers brushed the very top of her head for a moment as he stared down at a blue necklace she wore. His fingers brushed something as if expecting something to be there. "Orion is... A Strong warrior. Strange yet strong."
"Still though..." Orion was still looking up towards the sky the strange streak now gone and only hundreds of shining orbs remaining in the sky from the many many stars. "How do we know what it is. We won't. Not until we get to see it up close one day. That great unknown. I want to see it. The place where the Dragons Sleep. Where the World tree lays. I want to see the place they call paradise. The place where his ashes were laid to rest and the lower half of the black beast is. I want to reach that location. Thats my dream. And if I can't reach that dream I'm counting on you to grow up and become a cool Arcane Hunter that can reach it for me Davi."
"That's a dumb dream." Davi said only to receive a smack over the head from Ava. "Ow... What the heck Ava? Don't tell me you're a weirdo like the Master and want to see some dumb tree?"
"Then what's your dream." She asked sticking her tongue out at him.
Davi seemed to think on it for a moment. "...I want to become the ultimate panty thief and develop a move that can steal any girls underwear-" Ava smacked him again as Davi's Father burst out into laughter. "Ow! That one really hurt!" Davi whined grabbing the top of his head.
"I'm being serious you shark tooth jerk!"
Davi let out a hum as he seemed to think for a moment. "I don't need a dream." He said finally shaking his head. "Not as long as I have you Ava." His statement made the young girl blush and look away.
"Idiot..."
Orion seemed to let out a chuckle as he turned away from the two kids. "Dreams are important Davi. We'll never know if we can make them come true until we try." He announced. He reached down towards his waist and pulled out a metal sword that hung from his belt. The blade ignited as a massive white aura seemed to explode around his body and he pointed the sword towards the sky shining brighter than any shooting star. "If we stay still, stay in these lands, there will be so many things we'll never have a chance to see or understand. So many things that will never even have a hope of seeing us either." Hundreds of sparkles flowed off his sword lighting the area up around them all as a rainbow aura seemed to cover his body. "To walk forward. To go on Quests. To save the day. To experience greater pleasure and pain. We exist. So we march forward." He sliced his blade down pointing it at Ava and Davi. "So I hope to see the day in which the two of you make lots of friends."
"Friends?" Davi frowned folding his arms.
"That's right. Friends. Lot's of them."
"I don't need friends. I have Ava." Davi said rolling his eyes.
"I could use better friends." Ava nodded making Davi stumble.
Orion let out a chuckle. "Friends are the most important thing in this world. Hear those words and learn them Davi. Because I want you to have a great life."
"I don't need others." Davi said throwing his hands behind his head.
"I hope you'll see it one day. Just how important others can be. To have someone that would cry for you. That's someone worth keeping around. Never let them go."
"Would you cry for me?" Ava asked turning to look at Davi.
"Nah." Davi said. "I'm a man. I don't cry!" He grew serious for a moment giving a smile showing off his fanged teeth. "Besides. Monsters can't feel. That requires a heart. Something my mom never gave me."
"All things, even the darkest monster, has a heart." Orion said spinning his blade around and sheathing it. "The thought of someone without a heart is sad, but the thought of someone not knowing they have a heart. I think that's sadder."
"Yeah whatever."
"Watch it brat! I'm the strongest Arcane Knight alive! Show me some respect kid! I didn't have to rescue you from that bitch of a mom and take care of you!"
Davi spun around sticking his tongue out at the Master. He then grabbed Ava's hand and quickly ran off with her the two kids laughing as they did so.
Life...
Was good.
***
Six Months After The Incident At Wasteland Island...
The Kingdom Of Avalon...
"Hey did you hear about the latest rumor?"
A pair of elderly men could be seen walking down a dusty trail. In the distance a small village resting next to the ocean could be seen, as well as a massive black mountain. Behind the men they dragged a large wooden wheel barrel behind them that was packed with various items and trinkets that were stacked high.
"No." One of the elder men said cocking his head to the side. "What rumors?" He asked curiously.
The other old man raised his hand up pointing towards the large black mountain in the distance. "Supposedly... The King, King La Fay has fallen into a deep Slumber... One caused by magic... He hasn't woken up in days... The Arcane Hunters are scrambling to figure out whats going on..."
"So what. Those Arcane Hunter guys are always in a panic. Our Country Avalon could use the Arcane Hunters during these times anyways. Especially with the war with Alnwick going on and the rise of that group Dragon Dwellers... Don't even get me started on the Oddity Beasts that have been rising up..." The other man said letting out a heavy sigh. "I don't see what the big deal is. They can just find a cure for the King anyways right."
"Maybe... Who knows." The elder man said letting out a small sigh. "What with the war, and the many Oddity Beast attacks though... It's been hard you know... I just hope... Nothing else goes wrong-"
The entire ground in front of both the men began to shake making their eyes go wide. A large brown worm the size of a large bus came spilling out of the ground. It had a wolf like head covered in rock like armor and its jaws opened up and let out a massive cry making the two men be flung back from the sheer power from the creatures roar.
"A... An Oddity Beast!" One of the men cried with wide eyes. "Why is it here! I didn't think one would be out in the middle of the day! Especially so close to a human owned village. Shit we don't have any wizards, or Arcane Knights out here to fight this thing! Why is it here!"
"I don't know but we gotta get out of here!" The other man cried out. They both turned and began to quickly make a run for it as the creature let out a loud cry once again and began to slither its way towards them opening its large jaws.
"Oh crap! We're not gonna be able to get away-"
"Looks like it's about time I get back to work huh..."
Both men stopped when they heard the voice looking ahead. Before they could even figure out what they were looking at though a brown flash flew past them. They turned around to see a person in a brown cloak flying at the monster at high speeds. The figure pulled a guitar off their back as they jumped at the beast which flew towards them.
"No! Don't do it!" One of the men yelled. "That thing is an Oddity Beast only a person with magic can-"
The cloaked figures guitar exploded in a bright red energy as the guitar seemed to morph out becoming a large claymore forged from chaotic energy. The figure stomped their foot down on the ground so hard they shattered the floor as they slammed their arm forward in a powerful forward stab easily slamming their sword through the head of the beast and blowing it apart. The two men stared with wide eyes as the entire body of the beast suddenly fell over.
"T... That was magic..." One of the elder men said.
The other one shook his head. "It can't be though. He never casted a spell."
"I know but..."
"Davi." An annoyed voice cried out. The two men, plus the cloaked figure turned to find a second cloak figure moving towards them. This one seemed to be another man though for whatever reason steam was rolling off of his cloak and small bits of flames danced on his brown cloak lighting it up by a small amount. "I told you not to run off." The man huffed out in annoyance steam and smoke spilling off of him.
"Sorry Tori." The cloaked figure named Davi said scratching the back of his head in a sheepish manner as the claymore glowed and returned into a simple red guitar once more. "These two guys were in trouble so I jumped in and saved them."
"Honestly." The man who was apparently called Tori let out a heavy sigh as he unfolded his arms. He walked by Davi grabbing his shoulder and began to walk back down the trail. "Well come on. We still got a long ways to go before we reach the city." He sighed.
"Right-"
"Hey wait a second." The elder man said with wide eyes. "Just... Who are you?" He asked the two boys.
"Just some idiots looking to get their wish granted." Davi shrugged. "Be it saving loved ones, or wanting to put out a fire. Either way you look at it we're just Davi and Tori."
Weekly Power Status
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