Disclaimer & Note: While it is under my pen name, this fic is the brain idea from both myself & Greymon Leader (the birthday boy) hence why his avatar Dragon will be featured in this fic. Asides my own OC in this fic, I do not own anything White Knight Chronicle related.
Enjoy.
*#pq#*
The realm of Faria, a continent covered in a forest vast and beautiful as it was deadly to all who would invade it. Nestled amongst its inner circle which was dubbed Wheel of Seasons in the humans tongue was the Archduchy of Faria, the first city of the elven folk who roamed and lived in the great forest along with its protector, Father Yggdra.
Father Yggdra was not a person but a tree, possibly the very first tree to spring from the red earth after the climax of the Dogma War thousands of years before now, at the very epicentre of the woodland covering the realm. For many years, he looked over his children and would always have a willing ear to lend, as the saying went, to whomever wished to speak of their troubles like the youth before him now.
'Ah, young Cerwyn' The sentient being greeted easily recognising the lad on bended knee before him. 'Come to ease the weight on your shoulders before setting of with Dalam?'
Rising to his feet, Cerwyn continued to stare at the ground indeed nervous and nothing like the brave, kind-hearted warrior Father Yggdra or the rest of Faria recognised him as. Ever since he was little, Cerwyn had an unnatural flare for swordsmanship which improved as he aged and had even gained a place amongst Archduke Dalam's Guardians more than two years ago at the tender age of sixteen.
While the people of Faria were unsure of him being given such an honourable role at his age at first, mainly because he preferred using a humans straight-edge sword rather than the elegant curved sabres used by their armies, he soon gained their respect by not only beating Ban Nanazel's protégé but also a group of soldiers from the enemy realm of Balandor single handed.
Despite this, Cerwyn was kind-hearted and could always be seen helping out others in need regardless of how below him it was almost as if he did not bear such a responsibility at all. It would always amuse Father Yggdra how he treated young Lady Miu, the Archduke's granddaughter, like a younger sister ever since the two first met.
The sentient tree knew that Cerwyn was never one to let anything get to him letting things brush off of him like leaves in the wind, so to be here before him today, when the Archduke and his party were to leave for the realm of Balandor to negotiate peace talks, it had to be very important.
'What ails you, my child?' He asked very much like a grandparent would speak to an upset grandchild of theirs.
"Father Yggdra" Cerwyn began amber eyes looking up at the great tree that held the ancient mind before him. "I…I had a dream last night"
'Ahh. A nightmare was it?' Yggdra asked curiously. Had he been Farian, he would have been stroking his long beard as he looked at Cerwyn in equal measures of intrigue and curiousness with a small smile on his face.
"Not so much a nightmare, just…different. Strange even, I suppose" Cerwyn elaborated.
The Farian Yggdra would have now been on the edge of his chair leaning closer to Cerwyn evidently eager to hear what sounded like a strange but promising tale. Alas, being a tree, all Father Yggdra could do was ask of the young Farian to recall what he had seen.
*-qp-*
He was in an underground corridor, clearly far from the elegant chambers in Faria, probably the free city of Greede or maybe even Balandor, if he dared to tickle the thought. Opening the door at the end of the passage, Cerwyn found himself in a massive room barren of all things minus a suit of armour.
This suit of armour, however, was tall, maybe as high as four or five average Farians standing on top of each other's shoulders. Directly in front of it was a pedestal holding a metal gauntlet and a long dagger both in the same white and silver colours of the towering behemoth behind them.
"Get away from there!" A voice from behind him ordered. "The Ark is mine, not yours!"
Cerwyn barely had time to turn to the speaker, who seemed vaguely familiar to him, before another voice spoke out this one feminine.
"Do not let him get it!" She pleaded.
Twirling towards the girl, Cerwyn noticed that he was now wearing the very gauntlet that had been on the pedestal moments earlier. He was in the midst of trying to figure out how it had got there when he was suddenly blinded by a fierce light forcing him to close his eyes. When he opened them again, Cerwyn found himself being several times taller than he should be and encased from head to toe in white metal.
It was then that someone inside his head spoke.
'Master, to thee, all my power, I bequeath'
*-qp-*
"And that's when I woke up" Cerwyn finished puzzled as well as worried about what he had seen even if it was just a dream.
'I can see why this troubles you' Father Yggdra admitted after going over what the young Farian had told him.
"It is not the dream itself that troubles me, Father. Rather…the two people in it as well as the giant armour. Could it be related to the Moon Maiden you carry within you?" Cerwyn asked pointing to the shape nestled between the great tree's vines and roots and securely sealed within hardened sap from ages passed.
'If your description is accurate, then the Knight you saw was the White Warrior, indeed brethren of the Moon Maiden' Father Yggdra answered the smile evident in his voice over the young Farian following the breadcrumbs correctly. 'Alas, our conversation will have to postpone 'til your triumphant return from the peace talks in Balandor'
Cerwyn could not believe what he was hearing. He was sure his dream was somehow-nay, is connected with what may lie ahead in the realm of their, supposedly, former enemy. While he could not discern the figures, he knew in his heart of hearts that they were people he had known or heard about from time before.
Before he was able to voice his concern, however, his ears picked out the sound of footsteps running towards him yelling what could easily be heard as 'big brother' that tugged a smile to his features. Turning round to the source of the call, which was gradually getting louder the closer it got, the Farian schooled his expression into that of an obedient servant as he knelt in front of the approaching Farian maiden.
"Greetings, Lady Miu" He welcomed her formerly and was immediately rewarded with the granddaughter of the Archduke's cheeks puffing up in frustration.
"Big brother, you said you would not call me that again after I asked you not to" She ranted.
Cerwyn could keep up the façade no longer and broke out in chuckles as a wide grin appeared on his face.
"But it is the only time I'm honoured witnessing the true face of the Farian Princess" He teased standing up. "I'm sure some of the young boys think you're cute like this"
In a manner unladylike for a woman of her stature, Princess Miu stuck her tongue out at the guardian before turning her back on him.
"And I am sure that you would rather remain here cleaning out the stables for all of Equos" Miu countered still not looking at the now stricken Farian.
"Come on, little sister, you know I was only jesting" Cerwyn apologised although he was sure she actually would order it if just to keep her favourite guardian around-all because he had said hello to her instead of the traditional greeting when meeting royalty many years ago.
He had been just a boy, swinging a wooden sword about pretending he was fighting off the humans that were trying to invade them when he first saw her. When Ban Lorias stepped into view and spoke her name, Cerwyn was sure he had prostrated himself to the Princess with such speed and force that he had left an imprint of his head in the ground that remained there to this day.
When he became a guardian, he was naturally shocked and surprised that the very girl he had greeted like he would anyone else requested that he be her watcher whenever the Archduke did not have a need for him.
Miu smiled softly knowing that she had Cerwyn feeling nervous. He was too believing and gullible at times, especially with women although that fact was rarely known which was rather fortunate for him. The smile disappeared leaving a sad look on her face as she turned to face her favourite watcher.
"Please be careful in Balandor, I fear something bad may happen" She told him her eyes pleading the unspoken order to keep both himself and her grandfather safe.
Cerwyn smiled softly as he knelt down before the Princess and wrapped his arms around her in an assuring yet comforting embrace.
"I give you my word as a guardian and as your big brother, that I shall keep both myself and His Holiness safe" He promised fighting down the beast of doubt within him about what lay over yonder terrain and time.
Watching his two children as they rose and headed off towards the parade grounds where the Archduke's caravan was to be sent off, Yggdra sighed quietly to himself. After many, many years, what had once halted was about to march forth once again.
-*pq*-
Do not expect this fic to be updated for a while to come. On March twentyfifth, the poll I have up will be updated & reset so if you want me to continue this fic after I've finished one of my current ongoing works, I'm sure you know what to do.
Review if possible & 'til next time
Watch this space , peace out & HAPPY B-DAY GREYMON LEADER!