by Ryan Johnson
“Not quite the story I was expecting,” said Sora.
“It was not my idea for to have an earlier wedding. The people I know already had scheduled the wedding to be held in a week, but it was changed by—”
“Me,” said Marina. The Siren stood some short length from Valverno and Sora. “I told the king of this castle and Geraldus to switch the wedding day, but it seems I still don’t have regrets to have changed it, even if it did anger my husband or a battle causing an uproar inside a castle home.”
Sora looked past Valverno’s shoulders to see the Siren giving a strange stare toward Sora. “Your idea? And you didn’t care what would have happened?”
“Of course not,” said Marina. “I do care of what happens. I just don’t care of being lonely in the dark.”
“You Sirens do have a way of causing disasters, even when you were just fish fits swimming in the open seas long ago. Sometimes you would come would crawling out from the waves of the sea and drag any lurking animals.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“I’m just saying from experience, Sirens have always caused trouble and always made choices that lead to disasters. And by switching this wedding day, which is supposed to be a day of great importance and the best day to remember and a brain filled with many memories, ended up becoming a bad memorial day for you and your dear husband.
“And I think it is a big mistake why my brother had to marry you in the first place. I mean, marrying a fish from the seas and evolved from watery minnows? Valverno would had been better off with someone else who the surface world instead of the world living underwater.”
Marina found Sora insulting her and pulled out her bow along with an arrow, pointing at the girl was calling to be Valverno’s sister. Sora replied back, with her pulling out her twin daggers.
However, before they could start a catfight, Valverno rushed himself between the two female rivals. “Enough!” With one small flap of his wings, Valverno unleashed a small air gush that made Marina and Sora drop their weapons from their hands. “What’s done is done. We can’t let old affairs intrude on present times. So unless any of you have the power of time to undo these past events from happening, we’re moving forward.”
Sora and Marina remained silent, staring past the demigod; this was one rivalry Valverno was somehow going have to get through. After some moments of staring at each other and studying each other’s movements, they preceded to grab their weapons from the ground and sheathed them.
“But before we move any forward, Geraldus,” said Valverno. Valverno walked up to Geraldus, who was standing on the other side of the fountain with Flarefur.
“Yes?” said Geraldus.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a White Knight? Of the travels I’m been on and the battles you could have been with me, fighting alongside me. But when I traveled to the Northern Region, your son, Flavius, came instead of coming yourself? But of all times, why did you hide your identity of the White Knight of Loyalty?”
Geraldus remained silent from answering immediately. He knows the demigod was demanding from the man who raised him an immediate answer. “I’ve been quiet for a long time, Valverno, Chosen Warrior of the Gods, as my ancestors have been since the days of Herus. The reason I’d concealed my identity from you was your identity,” said Geraldus.
“My identity?” asked Valverno.
“I wasn’t sure enough you were the demigod at the time. I wasn’t sure if you were the hero thought to return after being stuck in a underground chamber for thousands of years. You were brought to my doorstep when I saw Ralenskrit and Belverda with you in their arms. There was a possibility you were their child and not the child born of a mortal and a god.
“After all, they were scientists working on experiments of rumors swelling around them. I wasn’t sure if you were a child they wanted to have of if they went of their way through experimenting to create you.
“I didn’t have the knowledge to know if you were Valverno. They didn’t give me any information about you, only to hold you until you were able to strong and fight on your own. Through the years I watch you grow and your power still hadn’t revealed to be the demigod my ancestors have been waiting for, but I know you are the demigod now. And you are regaining your power.”
“If you’re a White Knight of Loyalty, why didn’t you take the time to search for me while I in an underground chamber?” asked Valverno.
“It was complicated; when you were casted into an embryo when they Shadow Men invaded, the child born of Herus thought you and the four White Knights have died in that attack.
“However, Herus survived the attack, but his memory had been wiped clean after the ambush the Shadow Men put into place. When he returned to his children after he survived and without his memories, he settled down and to make a kingdom grow.
“One of his children, however, saw you in person but you wouldn’t remember the child. He goes by the name Merken.”
“I remember that name,” said Sora. “I never knew he was a child of Herus.”
“Merken, who is also my ancestor and the eldest child of Herus, saw Valverno only once in his lifetime. He knew his father had brain injuries and thought he had abandoned his master to start a new life in the new Generation beginning to take shape. He thought of searching for Valverno for a time.
“But since he had a father with amnesia and several younger siblings to look after; he faced a difficult choice. Give up his family and search for the demigod or not look for the demigod and stick to his family. He had the choice of honor in one hand and family on the other hand? Which responsibilities do you think he would have chosen?”
“So, it your ancestors, through the line of a bloodline White Knights,” said Valverno, “continued what I and the original White Knights did and personally helped with humanity grown from living in caves to living in stoned walls.”
Geraldus nodded his head. “The White Knights of Loyalty have all helped humanity ascend. We also helped other creatures ascend to greater heights than they were ten thousand years ago: Centaurs, Dragons, Fairies, Griffins, Merpeople, Pegasi, Sea Serpents, and Unicorns. We helped what was back then: primitive creatures. They ascended to a civilization of different creatures and humans living on the two islands.”
“So your ancestors were too busy being teachers and scholars with many of the unborn beings coming into the light. I can see why I was being left behind; you’re loyalty wasn’t just to me but to all living things living on the islands.”
“And it was Herus who named the islands Shimabellia and Isla Maeli. It was my ancestors who finished what you started long ago when everyone and everything were growing. Soon enough, danger also lurked in the Shadows. My ancestors, who were the only White Knights, stood against the dangers and they were soon joined mysteriously joined by the White Knights of Charity. Both White Knights managed to keep the peace, for a time.
“Then as soon as the White Knights of Charity came, they disappeared. They’re the only ones who came into joining the formation of the Second Generation. The White Knights of Strength and Trust were never heard from.”
“Those two White Knights must have sacrificed their powers to save mine, knowing I was of great importance.” Valverno leaned against the broken fountain, with him placing a leg on the fountain’s stem. “In their memory, I must not let their deaths go in vain.”
Geraldus laughed suddenly.
“What’s so funny?” asked Valverno.
“I find it rather funny you look evil and dementing, but you sound like you’re still an honorable demigod,” said Geraldus.
“Laugh it all you want. I’m still in control of myself. If Lusìvar wants to control me with some kind of magic, just let him try. He has no power over me, even if he is a spirit of the dead or a long-lost Titan. He may control my half mortal body, but there is no way he can control my half god body.”
“Enough of this talk of White Knights and evolution,” said Sora. “What about this
threat you speak of Lusìvar? What greater threat does he possess that we don’t know about?”
Valverno leaned away from the fountain. “Follow me first. I’ll tell you that when we go see King Uragiru.” Valverno walked again and led the group through more crowds of people, creatures, markets, and alleys and toward the upper levels of the capital city of Shimabellia.
Once they got the upper level of the city, more construction was going on. It must have been here, the top level of the city, where the most damage was taken. Humans were formed in lines and handing rocks to another person right next to them while the Dragons were lifting the heavy rubble stones.
Griffins heaved small stones with their small claws and the Unicorns had lifted big rocks with their magical horns attached to their heads. Everyone was pitching in to help reconstruct the capital city, the home of the royal family of Shimabellia and the capital of trade routes and the main traveling route to the Northern Region.
“Never knew these people and animals could work together lifting and carrying big stones around, Sora?” asked Valverno.
“I admit seeing these different species being able to build and rebuild the heaviest objects without magic power is a pure phenomenon,” said Sora.
“Forgive me for saying but,” said Flarefur, running to Valverno. “I must help my clan with this mess. These humans are going to need help lifting same rock and stone that is not needed and help with coloring the castle’s walls.” The Griffin widened his wings and dropped the book from his feathered wings. He soared up past several Griffins and disappeared into the large crowd of flying Griffins.
Valverno signed as he watched a loyal companion depart to peruse to help the other Griffins. “One of the biggest struggles one always has: loyalty to his people or to a single person,” said Valverno. “But let’s get a move on. King Uragiru still waits in the throne room.”
“Uragiru is the king of Shimabellia,” said Geraldus. Geraldus walked to pick up the large book of experimented creatures. “You can’t just walk up to the front door and knock. A king has many duties and responsibilities. He is not going to have enough time to listen to what we have to say, and the guards won’t let us in.”
“What do you suggest then?” asked Valverno.
Marina pumped Valverno’s shoulder and walked past him. “Allow me. Anyone around this place will listen to me, even if I am a fishy person of the sea.” Marina rudely passed through Geraldus who almost lost the grip of the book he was holding. The Siren walked through to the crowd, the large and wide views of construction, and toward the throne room’s doors to speak to the guards of letting her and Valverno inside the throne room.
“What a Siren she is,” said Geraldus, making sure he was still holding the book. “It seems Sirens do have some kicks in their personality. In legends, they’re monsters who eat sailors. In reality, their soft-hearted creatures, only turned into monsters if insulted or ignored. They’re very complicated creatures like humans.”
“Fortunately and unfortunately, I married one of them, in front of eyes of gods and mortals,” said Valverno. “And I happy we are married but disappointed it had to be an early wedded couple.”
“You’re still not going to let that event go?” asked Geraldus.
Valverno gave Geraldus a questioning eye look. “If Marina keeps making decisions without consulting with me first, then I will not be able to let go of unpleasant events,” said Valverno. “It’s supposed to be it a duty for husband and wife to communicate with each other. She could have talked with me about the change in wedding plans.”
“She couldn’t commutate with you because you were off on your adventures searching for your toys.”
“We had a whole winter to ourselves, Geraldus; she had enough time to tell any plans she had during the winter. I’ve been living the winter months with her under my roof and not yours, and she didn’t mention anything about an early wedding.”
“That is something with girls living in the wilderness: stay away for too long and they will eventually grow scared, especially Sirens. They’re not as monstrous as we were told from the legends. For hundreds of years told from legends and stories, Sirens were monsters of the seas and lured sailors to their deaths.
“But that was proven wrong when you saved one and fell in love with. You saved Marina from being torched to death and devoured by wild dogs. After you saved her, you fell in love with her and she fell in love with you. Love is what brings two different together in a great matrimony, and love has brought you and Marina together.”
Valverno ruffled against the idea of him saving Marina, just for the sake of love. He thinks it was just a mere coincidence he had stumble into a certain female creature calling out for help. He was walking on the beaches when he heard Marina’s shouting cries of agony, and he reacted violently when he saved the Siren from sharp teeth and weapons. He only killed in defense of a creature being helpless to defend herself. “And is it supposed to be fate that brought us together or the might of a greater force?”
“Valverno, forgive me for interrupting your talk with this man,” said Sora.
“What?” said Valverno, softly.
“Remember what Mother said about fate and gods?”
Valverno nodded.
“I know it good, and I know it well: it is the will of the gods.”
“It is the will of the gods,” said Sora. She said the same line in a talking-unison with her brother.
Valverno gazed at Sora with a pale look. “Still reminding me I’m the son of the Crystal Dragon?”
“No, I’m reminding you almost everything happens through the will of the gods, and let their voices be heard through your ears. After all, you’re a demigod. You should have an ability to communicate with the gods, or from what Mother told you.”
“Well, I remember trying to call to them, and I only got the sun sparking at my eyes. I swear I could have seen them talking, but I couldn’t hear their voices.”
“Because you weren’t listening.”
“Thank you for the input, Sora, I’ll try to make sure to call them first and open my ears so I would be able to listen and hear the gods.”
Marina was talking to the bodyguards guarding the door with long, glittering, silver shields painted with gold-plating tiger heads and carrying long metal spears. Not hearing to hear she was saying, Valvano say the bodyguards nodding and Marina nodding back. “Okay, we can go see the king now.”
Valverno blankly blinked at this announcement. Since Marina had been taken under the king’s wing, Valverno knew Marina would be treated as royalty, a daughter of the king through adoption, but he knows he is a demigod that has apparently had been married into royalty. It would be no surprise for bodyguards of the royal family to listen to any princes or princess they’re bound to guard with their very lives. He was now considered to be royalty and a member of King Uragiru, through Marina’s adopting into his family after Valverno saved her life.
“Let’s get on with it then,” he said.
Valverno was the first to walk forward, followed by Sora and Geraldus. Marina still kept her distance from the hybrid, so she went last and behind everyone else. The Siren was mistrustful against Sora and Valverno; she wanted to see the hybrid Vaeludar again and not the demigod he is.
Valverno could sense Marina’s mistrust for her husband and Sora, but he didn’t care about any mistrusts or family relationships at the current moment; he was focused on getting the information to the king as soon as possible. If Lusìvar does bring the ancient Titans back from their prison buried somewhere deep beneath the waves of the seas, then the future for any person’s freedom will be tarnished.
As the group walked toward the door, the two bodyguards stood from their guard posts and opened the large door for the group to enter. They didn’t take any close notice to Valverno’s appearance that they are doing as they are told by royalty: open the gate and let the group in.
Valverno, Geraldus, Sora, and Marina walked through the opened doors, wh
ich were quickly closed behind them.
In the throne room, a long narrow table stood in the center of the floor, stretching all the way to the throne. Wooden chairs had piled in little space to fit dozens by inches. Candles lit on small gold-plated, thinly-curved candlesticks.
The king was seen by Valverno sitting on his throne on the opposite of the tall table, enjoying a small meal. He was stuffing his mouth with chicken wings battered in light sauce. He then smiled upon seeing the group back alive. “Welcome back, my subjects,” he said.
King Uragiru was smiling bigger when he saw Sora stepping to the side of Valverno. “Ah, look who it is: the hybrid returned and very fast too.” The king got up from his throne, wiped his hands clean with a piece of cloth, and walked to greet his subjects closer than the far end of his throne. “Found another lovely girl? Marina wasn’t enough that you’re eying another girl?”
“Absolutely not!” said Valverno.
The king laughed. The old man knew how to cheer the environment. But he didn’t know he would stop laughing, as he walked closer to see his visitors and see Valverno’s change of a new appearance: his red-iris eyes and his head more dragon-oid the last the king saw Valverno. “By the Three Gods! You look… like Lusìvar.”
Valverno backed away and looked at the book Geraldus was holding in his arms. Valverno strolled over to Geraldus to retrieve the book and show King Uragiru what the main reason was for the change of the hybrids appearance.
Geraldus knew the evil-looking demigod was coming for the book and held it out to Valverno.
For him not wanting to be like the Shadow King, Valverno gently and softly grabbed the book from Geraldus and walked back to the king. Valverno walked toward a random spot at the table and used his tail to pull a chair away to make an open spot to him to dump the book on. He pulled open the about half the pages and flipped them over to a random page.
The first picture that came to Valverno’s view was a Centaur-like being: with a horse head on a human body with goat horse instead of a Unicorn’s horn. He saw the words “Project Failure” on the top, and the next page over was “Project Failure” again of a Minotaur-like body, with a half male human torso with cat-like ears and a unicorn horn.