Escape from Freedom
All along the sunny, tranquil shore, a breeze blew in from the ocean that rippled through the sand. When the wind grew strong, it unearthed several pieces of brilliantly crafted metal noticeable in the distance by the bright shine they reflected from the sun. For such articles to lay hidden beneath the dunes of a secluded beach required something more than Nature's guiding hand.
A lone man sat in the distance, his footprints leading away from the discarded armor long erased. He freed himself of the heavy metal that once shielded him from wicked blades and demon fangs. Without a war to fight and a people to defend, such things as breastplates and helmets served only to weigh him down with unnecessary burdens. The Warrior of Light was free now—free to live as he pleased without conscription or duty; free to explore without pursuing an enemy; free to lay down his sword and settle for a life of peace.
Freedom, to most, is a positive ideal desperately sought and fought for by the masses. And yet to the Warrior, such a concept as freedom plagued him more than any war. For being free meant his purpose in life no longer held any certainty.
As long as he could remember, the path set before him always led to strife and conflict. He was the peacekeeper—the man called upon in times of dire need to thwart the forces of darkness and restore glory to the light so that others could live without fear of death or destruction. In truth, despite harboring chaos as his enemy, the Warrior of Light could not exist without it. For what worth did his life hold if he could not lay everything down on the line to battle for harmony's victory? After slaying the god Chaos, discord no longer threatened the realm, and therefore, the Warrior no longer had a purpose.
With a heavy heart, he left his fellow Light Warriors in Cornelia and journeyed alone for many moons until his feet could no longer guide him. Through villages and forests he passed, through mountains and hills, valleys and meadows. All across the continent he traveled with no set destination, sometimes passing through familiar territory and other times seeing sights for the first time. The sea, however, marked the end of his journey—the end of his path.
The sun's rays warmed the Warrior as he sat with his bare feet outstretched where the tide met the beach. He gazed out into the crystal waters and azure sky. No one particular thought held his attention for too long; he allowed his mind to wander without restriction. He contemplated engaging himself in a particular trade, such as hunting. At least then, his sword would be put to some use. Or perhaps he could enlist himself as a town watchman in one of the nearby villages. Though beast attacks fell in numbers since Chaos' defeat, people still struggled with the occasional wolf or goblin.
The Warrior sighed and leaned his head up further towards the heavens. His thoughts shifted, and he entertained the idea of returning to Cornelia and accepting Princess Sarah's hand in marriage. Perhaps then, as both Prince and Captain of the Guard, he could find meaning in training knights for potential future wars. Or perhaps he could work to foster stronger ties between the kingdoms to prevent further conflicts.
A group of clouds drifted across the sky and blanketed the beach with a cool shadow. The Warrior retracted his legs to cross them in meditation. No matter what plan crossed his mind, everything paled in comparison to his previous endeavors. It wounded his honor to think his sword would only serve in battle again if he played at marriage or resigned himself to a small, quiet village. Those types of lifestyles ill befit his persona. He could not fathom living from day-to-day undergoing mundane rituals, whether they be of regality or pedestrian nature. He longed for the do-or-die rush of the battlefield, knowing that every breath could be his last if he failed to exercise mastery of his swordsmanship. To feel a sense of camaraderie with fellow warriors and fight alongside them in order to advance a cause far greater than all of their lives combined—that's what gave his life meaning; that's what justified every sacrifice.
Peace served only to heighten the Warrior's anxiety and depression. Although he respected the humble lives of those he fought to protect and preserve, he knew his path led him apart from them all. He was destined always to be the world's lonely protector.
Sunlight cracked through the advancing clouds, bathing the Warrior in a stream of light. However, his attention shot away from basking in the warm rays when he sensed a change in the surrounding atmosphere. Without delay, the Warrior flipped to his feet and pulled his sword out of the sand.
"Show yourself!" he demanded, eyes darting in every direction to scan for the interloper. But in every direction, nothing but swaying palm trees and sand met his gaze. Still, the Warrior trusted his instincts. Someone was watching him.
In a burst of light, the hidden figure came into view. Struck by a mixture of awe and disbelief, the Warrior loosened his grip on his sword and allowed his arm to fall limp at his side.
"Can it be? Cosmos?"
"I apologize. I did not mean to startle you," said the glowing goddess. She looked upon him as she always did with her worried eyes and melancholy expression.
"How is this possible? Your fate is connected to the other world. You do not belong here."
"With the destruction of Chaos, the world I once presided over lost its foundation. Harmony cannot exist without discord, and therefore, I was ejected from my own realm."
The Warrior hummed in accordance and stuck his sword back upright into the sand. "I see. Then you have been liberated from your charge?"
"Without The Great Will to guide my fate, it is now in my own hands to control."
"Then you are…free."
"Free to rule over a new realm."
"I see." The Warrior glanced back out at see without turning his back to the goddess. "Then what brings you here? Surely you have not chosen to reign as this world's deity."
Cosmos took a few steps closer to the Warrior, setting her eyes to the azure horizon. "No. This world has seen enough of gods and crystals. You and your comrades have done well to restore the balance between harmony and discord."
"Forgive me, goddess; I am not certain I understand you," said the Warrior, now looking at her. "Why have you come here if not to intertwine your fate with this world's?"
A stronger wind blew in accompanied by a round of larger waves that crashed up against the shore. Water surged past the goddess and warrior, burying their bare feet into the sand and slanting the nearby sword outwards towards the sea. "I wish to embark on a journey," said the goddess after some time. "I have come here to ask that you may accompany me."
The Warrior could not hide his shock at the request. He stood with mouth agape wondering if the whole scene was a hysteria-induced illusion. But there she stood, the same goddess he once served in a war that he dreamed of every night.
"This is…an unexpected request," the Warrior finally replied.
"Do you refuse?"
"No." The answer passed his lips faster than he felt comfortable allowing it, embarrassing him. He glanced to the side to avoid eye contact but snapped them back just as fast when he heard the one sound that convinced him all the more that the entire exchange was nothing more than a dream. Cosmos held a hand to her mouth that concealed a small smile. She found the Warrior's reaction amusing and had let out a soft, dainty laugh.
Despite the Warrior's initial observations, it grew apparent that Cosmos' newfound freedom altered her entire demeanor. The veil of sorrow that blanketed her aura dissolved before the Warrior's eyes, and he could feel a lighter air that better suit the Goddess of Harmony.
"I am both honored and humbled by your request, goddess," said the Warrior. "But may I inquire to as why you have chosen me to accompany you? Surely your intended destination is home to strong and able warriors."
Cosmos did not offer an immediate answer. Instead, she looked to the horizon where the sun began to set. Pastel reds and oranges painted across the once blue sky. "Isn't it remarkable?" she said, prompting the Warrior to turn his attention skyward.
"Yes, I have found this beach to be an ideal location for watching the sunset." He let his eyes wander towards Cosmos, watching her once sad eyes now opened wider as she marveled at the natural phenomenon most took for granted.
"You must have seen many sunsets, then."
The Warrior nodded. "I have."
"Would you miss this world, were you to leave it?"
"I am not attached to the world," the Warrior said without pause. "There is nothing for me here—not anymore now that Chaos and the Four Fiends have been slain."
Several more minutes passed as the two stood in silence; Cosmos watching the sunset, and the Warrior drifting his sight away from the sky every so often to watch the goddess in anticipation. Eventually, Cosmos spoke. "You are a noble knight who has proven himself in battle numerous times," she stated. "You commit yourself wholly to your mission, and are a capable leader. To find such talent and skill in one man is rare. It would…be unwise for me to overlook enlisting your services."
The Warrior caught notice of her hesitation towards the end, as if she meant to say one thing but quickly censored her words at the last minute. "You humble me, goddess," he replied. "But tell me: what is your destination?"
"A world overrun by darkness, where its denizens cling to fragile hope that the light may one day be returned to them. A war must be waged. The path will be long and hard, but once order is restored, the people will be free to live unafraid of the shadows."
The Warrior turned his back to the goddess, concealing his small, relieved smile. He pulled his sword out from the sand and held it high to bask in the emerging moon's light. "Cosmos," he said turning to face her, "it is my honor to accompany you wherever you go."
"I thank you."
"By your leave, Cosmos, let us be on our way."
With a nod, Cosmos conjured a portal of light to transport both her and the Warrior to a new realm in desperate need of hope and heroes.
End thought: Are either of these characters truly free?