The Temple was nothing like the one on the moon. Instead of minimal stone, it was fine detailed, polished, and elaborate. There were priests and priestesses, all dressed in white, fixed in meditational poses. Jaival noticed a faint aura emitting from them. There was a distinct silence and a feeling of tranquility that seeped through the halls. This was a place where evil was unwelcome.
“Why have you brought me here?” Jaival turned to Arya.
The princess glanced at him. “Come.”
She led him to the side of the cathedral, expecting him to pay reverence and not disturb those who were meditating. As they walked by, Jaival observed one of the priestesses’ auras had become vibrant when she entered a deep state of meditation. A yellowish glow wrapped around her. She opened her eyes and looked over at Jaival, then gave him a warm smile that silently said, I know.
Interesting, Jaival hadn’t a clue what to make of it. The whole thing seemed surreal to him. He knew of the Temple when he was a teenager but he did not get a chance to enter it. Not many do, even the natives. The Temple was regarded as a place of purity and spiritual evolution. Only a few chosen ones were allowed in, and when they were, it was very brief. The Paladin Order and the Phoenix Knight Command had strict duties to secure the Temple to the utmost degree. No one really questioned why it was so guarded – it was just the way things were.
Arya led Jaival past priest after priestess, guard, and the like, into an obscure passageway that few would know. The passageway ended in a secluded, mid-sized room that depicted ancient writings and hieroglyphs carved on the walls which spoke of tales from an archaic age. Jaival observed them carefully. They called to him.
“What is this place?” he looked around in awe, interested in studying their true meanings.
“This is a secret. Part of the reason I brought you here,” Arya lowered her hood. “Can you keep a secret?”
“Yes.” Jaival eyed her.
“Good,” she smiled. “Now listen well. First, I have a history lesson to tell you.”
***
A long, long time ago, eons before the modern elf walked our planet, there was a great Calamity from The Heavens. It descended upon Star World and plagued the lands with malicious power and evil intent, eventually invading our Moon as well. Although not all, many Ancient Guardians, and Dragon Shifters, who were once natural protectors to our worlds, fell under the influence of this dark force. They were promised unlimited power for their servitude to the one called The Dark Lord, the Calamity from The Heavens.
Despite their loyalty, The Dark Lord operated as a puppet master between nations, causing havoc and chaos amongst once peaceful allies while turning them into monstrous atrocities. They erupted into an interplanetary civil war, each side desperate to prove their worth to The Dark Lord, until one day, The Two from the Stars, a pair of a god and a goddess, came to our worlds. We only know them as The Ancient Goddess and The Ancient Titan. The Dark Lord knew of their coming – it was why he plunged the lands into chaos as his last act of defiance since he could no longer run away to another world. If it was to be his last stand, he was determined to take all life with him to the grave.
And so, he succeeded in corrupting both worlds to the point of no return. The once noble and fair races became monsters and demons — ravenous, bloodthirsty, and depraved. The Goddess and The Titan were left no choice but to wipe our worlds clean. Many are aware of The Titan’s purge using the Xenosaber, a weapon so mighty it was revered across the cosmos, but few are aware that his great weapon was created and imbued with its power by The Goddess. She was a wielder of the very first Pure magic to an extent so powerful, it was said she had the capability of turning Void into Pure.
This allowed her to harness both energies into the Xenosaber, which the Titan was then able to utilize to its max potential as he was a natural dual-wielder of Pure and Void energies, whereas The Dark Lord was dedicated to the Void. It was a joint effort to eradicate The Dark Lord’s corruption and seal him in a realm between time and space, using the power of the Xenosaber and the Stargate, a teleportation artifact created by the Goddess as well.
Once the Dark Lord was imprisoned, The Two from the Stars decided to stay and mend our worlds back to a habitable state. They nurtured, protected, and cared for our worlds for tens of thousands of years; restoring balance, harmony, peace, freedom, love and order, until eventually – they entered our planetary reincarnation cycles. It is said that after a very long time of their spirits’ rest, they may walk among us someday.
***
Jaival stood motionless, absorbed in the princess’ tale. There was a sense of familiarity in her words. Arya felt the same. It may have been why she held historical studies in such high regard.
“Do you understand everything I’ve told you?” The princess asked.
Jaival snapped out of his daze. “Yes, it resounds well in me.”
Arya smiled. The feeling was mutual.
“I understand.” she replied.
“Is this the secret you wished to share with me? It sounds like knowledge everyone should know.” Jaival quizzed.
“No, but it was necessary that you know of these things,” Arya turned and stretched her palm on the hieroglyphic wall. “So that you can appreciate what I am about to show you.”
Light whirled around the princess. At first it seemed weak, but as every second went by whilst she drew on her magic, it grew much stronger. Jaival got cautious. He had no idea Arya was so powerful in Pure magic, let alone, a spell caster. The room shook while the energies encompassed Arya’s hands. Her eyes became illuminated, and yet, she remained unfazed. This great power was known to her. The wall split vertically and a passageway opened, at first narrow, then soon, wide.
“Come.” Arya walked into the path, her power slowly waning.
Jaival cautiously followed her, keeping watch on the princess with a new eye. As they went deeper into the dark aisle, a light at the end of the sanctum shone bright. The closer they came to it, the more Jaival began realizing what it was. There, inside the sanctum filled with depictions of times long gone, stood an alien weapon, dormant in its pedestal.
“Is that-” Jaival stumbled on his words.
“The Starlight Blade.” Arya finished.
The elegant blade had the same base design as its twin, but unlike The Void-Star Blade, The Starlight Blade was pulsing with the energy of light magic. Streams of pure energy flowed down the blade, all the way to its pedestal. The hilt was carved with royal insignias, and both moon elf and princess felt a strong magnetic pull, mesmerizing them to the alien weapon. Whispers from times in universes far, far away, echoed in their minds.
“I take it this is the secret.” Jaival’s gaze remained fixed on the object of his attention.
“That’s right,” Arya moved closer to it. She trailed her fingers gently on its hilt. “Only a chosen few protectors and my royal family know that it is here. So, I ask you again – can you keep this a secret? If the unworthy were to know, they’d come looking for it. Our kingdom’s citizens are no exception.”
Jaival nodded to her request. “As you wish.”
Did she say ‘chosen few protectors’?
“But if I may,” he looked at her with respect. She nodded him to go on. “Why show me? What good would it do if I know of the blade?”
Arya thought well of how to present her answer. There was so much she wanted to say.
“Because you are its chosen champion,” she confessed. “The Twin Blades of Destiny choose who will one day wield them. And my dreams; my visions, have shown me that it is you.”
Jaival glanced at the blade again and pondered on the new information. “But why?”
“It has been this way since The Two from the Stars left the swords in our hands. The Star Blades can only choose someone who is pure of heart – good in intention, to take them to their maximum potential. If one who is of evil intent were to wield either of the swords, then all will be lost. The blades will be consumed by evil and bot
h worlds with them. Ask yourself, do you feel consumed by the sword’s presence?”
Jaival searched his feelings.
“No.” The Moon Elf stated.
Arya beamed. “Then it is as I thought,” But suddenly, her face dropped. “However, there is room for concern.”
Always two sides to the coin, Jaival guessed.
“Baldr.” Arya shot a piercing glare.
Jaival gritted his teeth. “He must answer for his crimes.”
“That he must, but it is beyond the justice that concerns me. It is your relationship to him.”
“What are you saying?”
Arya moved closer to him and pressed the palm of her hand over his heart. A surge of unbridled emotion flushed through the moon elf’s mind. He was keen on keeping it in check, but as the legend said, no one could hide anything from Arya.
“I know what is in your heart,” she whispered. “I know that he has taken everything from you.”
Jaival trembled and backed away from the princess, panting and clutching his chest as everything he’d carefully locked away was pouring out.
“You’ll have to forgive me for not cultivating loving thoughts for the bastards who killed my mother,” Jaival’s words were wrought with anger. “I can’t help what I feel. I want him to pay for what he did, and I want to be the one who makes him pay!”
Arya shook her head. It was a terrible spot in between Jaival and Baldr.
“Would that make you satisfied then?” she gazed at Jaival. “Killing my brother?”
Jaival panted and panted, then took a moment to search within for an answer.
“I don’t know,” he shook his head. “All along I had an idea what I was doing. Now, I have not the slightest clue. I don’t know what to do. I can’t tell what’s right anymore,” The moon elf peered into Arya’s eyes fearlessly. “And it’s because of you.”
Me? Arya wondered.
“You are what stands in my way. I don’t know what kind of mad sorcery it is but anytime I see you, I cannot give into my rage. I question myself, I question my motives. I’m divided.” he trembled.
A moment of silence came about before Arya found the courage to reply.
“The feeling is mutual.” she said.
Jaival furrowed his eyebrows.
“Since you arrived in Eira, nothing is the same. Not the kingdom, not the Phoenix Knights, not my brother,” Arya looked away. “I thought I knew what should happen. Now everything’s changed.” she continued.
“Then where does this leave us?” Jaival calmed himself.
“I don’t know,” Arya took a step back and pointed at The Starlight Blade. “All I know is that you are the one to wield this blade, as I am the one to imbue it – like Mikael and Sorata before us during the time of The World Breaker. If either of us are to fall to hatred, then we are no better than the monsters we’re about to face.”
Jaival cocked his eyebrow. “About to face?”
An unearthly silence swept across the room.
Something was coming.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Return of The Prince
OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE OF LIGHT, a dozen robed figures made way up the stairs, when suddenly, a guard stopped them from going any further.
“Halt!” he blocked their way. “What is this gathering? It is not appointed.”
None of the figures responded. They kept their heads bowed while their hoods covered their faces. Only their leader looked up, growled and a swirl of void energy surged out of him. The Void-Star Blade materialized in his hand, then, with lightning speed, he slashed guard across the neck – killing him instantly. Before anyone could understand what happened, the leader revealed himself – Baldr. He pointed his Star Blade at the temple’s entrance and unleashed a blast that sent a shockwave across the entire kingdom.
The people of the kingdom began screaming and running, horrified they were under a terrorist attack. Mikael and Cyrus, followed by Danzul and the rest of the Phoenix Knight academy, ran out of their training quarters and hurried toward the source of the chaos. There, they saw acolytes and footmen of The Order of the Void, casting their magic upon the kingdom guards and helpless victims. Magnus was amongst the invaders, summoning portals which brought forth savage monsters and towering demons from The Realm of the Void.
“You were right,” Cyrus said to the ancient hero. “It was just a matter of time.”
Mikael turned to his apprentices and drew his sword. “Phoenix Knights! Prepare your blades! We march to defend our kingdom!”
***
Jaival reached for the Starlight Blade and pulled it from its pedestal while Arya looked on. Pure energy surged around him as he did. This task of taking up the star sword and defending Eira Citadel was Jaival’s test. He raced for the room’s exit and halted for a moment to take one last look at Arya. The two of them exchanged silent words with mere expression. He wanted to tell her that he will do what is right, while she wanted to tell him that for the sake of himself and the sake of their worlds, he must.
***
Outside the temple, flames soared high from the battle. Monstrous demons, some tall as seven grown men, encased in black armor with hooves, leather wings, and scythe-like weapons, trampled across the city streets, fighting knight and guardian while other demons hunted innocent women and children. The Phoenix Knight Command and The Paladin Order were out there giving it their all. It was no longer a training session. This was the true face of combat.
Cyrus and his Paladin comrades fired blasts of light energy in conjunction with melee combat to keep the demons at bay. The paladin made great use of his mighty weapon – Mordjün, a special hammer that shot Pure bolts. Danzul was keen to test all that he’d learned. He dual-wielded longswords and leapt into the heat of battle, determined to save the kingdom. Mikael was on the lookout for Baldr, but no matter how close he came to finding his former student, he was forced to dispatch demon and acolyte alike, using his guardian’s sword and superior experience from past wars.
Baldr moved in between the madness, using the chaos to his advantage to keep his presence hidden. He marched up the stairs of the temple when suddenly, he was forced to block a lightning quick, overhead slash from Jaival. The moon elf rolled to the side and pointed his weapon while Baldr weighed his blade and waited. Both Starlight and Void-Star Blades glowed with strange light, drawing toward one another. Once Baldr realized who Jaival was, he was both surprised and amused to see him alive – but more than that, curious how the moon elf came to wield the Starlight Blade.
“You again?” Baldr glared with a curious smirk.
Jaival fastened his grip and charged with a horizontal strike. Baldr blocked the attack, only to find himself blocking another swipe, then another. That surprised The Exiled Prince. He was expecting the amateur he fought on the moon.
Has the Starlight Blade increased his aptitude this much?
Baldr had enough of his opponent’s aggression. He parried Jaival’s flurry and shoved the moon elf, putting the latter on defense for a change. Baldr slashed from right to left and back again, then spun with a twirling attack that put both men in a bladelock. Using his strength, Baldr shoved Jaival again and empowered his Void-Star Blade to unleash a beam attack. Jaival rolled to his right, inches away from being incinerated. He leapt on top of the roof, hoping Baldr would follow.
The prince was amused. He knew well that Jaival was luring him, but he was curious what the Starlight wielder planned to do, so he followed. Besides, Jaival had the objective of his mission. He’d have to take it from his corpse anyway. Once he leapt on the roof, Baldr didn’t see the moon elf there. He walked to the edge and peered over the back of the temple.
He must be down there.
The exiled prince jumped from the roof and crashed into the ground. He got to his feet and took note of his surroundings. No one was around. It was just him and the endless forest in the background of the city of Eira. Baldr sheathed his sword through magical illusion, hiding it from plain sig
ht, which made him appear to be unarmed.
“Well, well, I see cowardice is no stranger to you.” Baldr taunted.
Jaival waited for his opportunity to strike in the shadows.
“What are you waiting for? I’m unarmed, strike me down!” Baldr moved to one of the trees. “Unless you need me to slay another one of those pathetic mongrels you care for so much?”
All along Jaival was holding his composure but Baldr crossed the line. He gnashed his teeth and struck with a jumping slash. Baldr unsheathed his blade from its magical illusion and blocked the attack inches away from his neck.
“That’s the spirit!” The prince smirked and shoved Jaival off, advancing toward him with a series of strikes.
***
Meanwhile, the battle between Eira’s finest and The Order of the Void raged on. Mikael gained headway through the hordes of demons and directed his knights to focus on closing Magnus’ portals while Danzul inspired his fellow trainees through example to trump their enemies. Cyrus backed them with the energized Mordjün, knocking acolyte and demon far, far away. Arya walked outside the temple, watching all the anarchy unfold before her. It pained her to see her kingdom like this, but what pained her worse was that she knew it was always coming, even if she denied it.
***
Baldr struck high, Jaival parried. Baldr struck high again, Jaival blocked, and this time, backed away on the defensive. Baldr continued his aggressive assault, pushing the moon elf to rapidly lose ground. His plan was to brutalize Jaival’s defenses and eventually cut him down. The problem was that Jaival was adapting, paying close attention to Baldr’s technique. The fight was becoming far too even for the prince’s comfort. He waited for Jaival to parry a feint, then counter with a wide armed horizontal swipe, which led to him eventually overcome Jaival’s defenses through a series of stabs.
Jaival was forced back some paces which Baldr quickly used to his advantage. The exiled prince charged the Void-Star Blade with raw power and fired a continuous stream of void energy at the moon elf. Jaival held his blade out to block, but he was overpowered by the attack which engulfed him and the area nearby. Baldr continued pouring his power into the Void-Star blade, pushing the continuous stream of energy. He wanted Jaival not just dead but burned to ash – wiped from the face of the earth.
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