This is the story of a planet. But not just the planet, the people on it. The people of this planet are highly advanced, both in technology and in magic. In fact, they are one of the few planets where there is not an ongoing war between magic and science. In stead, They are peaceful, prosperous even, and they often send out ships to colonize other planets. On each of the ships there is a basic crew of about ten people, fifty or so colonists, a mage to protect and guide everyone when they get to the planet, and a commander to protect and guide everyone on the trip from the planet and to the new one.
This is the story of two in particular.
~(D)~
The mages are a people who are inherently born with natural magical ability. They look much the same as the other citizens of Cardon, the planet, except for one trait that can set them apart. Where as the normal citizens can have eyes ranging from silver to gold to, very rarely, blue, only a mage can have natural purple eyes, but this trait shows itself even more infrequently than the blue eyed trait.
These mages with purple eyes are revered above all others, and treated with immense respect, for they are said to have powers that no other mage could possibly dream of. They only appear once every few thousand years, and most of the populace have ever set eyes on one of them.
Until now.
A Child of Ender (a nickname given to the purple eyed mages for who knows what reason) named Rythian is living with his parents near where the Academy is, and he shows great potential, even at a young age. He can easily teleport around the house, has a basic grasp of telekinesis, and can even, on occasion, speak to his parents telepathically, a feat which both amuses and irritates his parents.
His parents both know that soon he'll be leaving to go to the Academy to better his training, so they fondly explain to him about his powers, and what they will mean for his future. They call him "Enderborn" and he enjoys the attention, although he doesn't really understand it. Not to soon after that, he begins his first semester at the Academy as the first Ender Child mage that has been seen in 2000 years.
Even with all the attention that the mages give him to try to gain his friendship, and a few of them succeed, he still remembers those two kind parents that sat him down and explained to him.
~(D)~
On this planet there is also a monarchy. The king of the small planet rules with a firm, but powerful, hand. When each of the kings die, the son he has chosen will succeed him and rule. The king at that time was a very kind man with a son named Latrios who was 12 years old. King Thelonius' wife had died a few years ago, and to remind himself of her, Thelonius would enjoy taking walks along the paths in the city where he had met her oh so long ago. However, every once in a while, his wandering feet strayed off the brightly coloured stones of the main roads and in they took him into more unsavory parts of the city.
Thelonius turned the corner of an alley to see boy of around Latrios' own age with slightly taller stature engaged in a fight with a man mountain of near to twice his height and around three times his width. The boy had received numerous injuries including a black eye, a couple of missing teeth, what looked like a broken or sprained ankle, an the front of his shirt was slightly bloodied.
Surprisingly, despite these injuries the boy hadn't given up. He was shouting to the huge man about "picking on someone their own size." It seemed that this young man had jumped in to defend a younger boy who had been getting harassed by the man, and indeed there was a much smaller boy with somewhat fewer injuries off to the side in the crowd being tended to by a woman Thelonius could only assume was his grandmother.. Right before the King intervened, the boy got thrown against the wall of the house bordering the alley, but he got up and started to limp back into the fray before he finally collapsed in exhaustion.
Thelonius rushed in, drawing his broadsword as he did so, and engaged the man. The giant soon surrendered to Thelonius after a short bout of sword-play which proved the King's prowess in the art. The giant sobered up and allowed himself to be escorted away by the guards.
The King was more concerned for the welfare of the young man. After sheathing his sword, he jogged over to the form of the unconscious boy and the crowd surrounding him. After a few hurried reassurances, the crowd allowed the King to carry the limp young man swiftly back to the castle. As he passed them, people stared with curiosity at the tall broad-shouldered running to the castle with a thin unconscious young man in his arms. When Thelonius arrived, he immediately gave orders for a bed in the hospital wing to be prepared for the young man.
~(D)~
An hour or so after they had arrived and the lad had been laid in bed, he awoke to see the hulking form of the King sitting anxiously in the chair beside the bed. The first thing that Thelonius noticed was the pair of dark sapphire blue eyes staring around in wonder. This amazed him, for blue was the rarest of eye colours, second only to the mage's purple.
"What is your name, child?" the King asked kindly after he had explained to the confused young man why he was lying in the hospital wing of the Royal Castle, and not in some back alley of the capital.
"I don't know my name," the boy replied quietly,"When I was a baby, my mom and dad died. I've lived on the streets my whole life." The King was astonished by this statement. This young man had no parents? But...who took care of him then? Were there more children like this young man? More young orphans of the street?
Thelonius floundered awkwardly "Do you have a nickname then?" It seemed important that he find more information about this young man. "I mean, I can't just call you 'young-man-that-was-in-a-street-fight-that-I-brought-to-the-castle'!"
The young man chuckled at this. "I know, but don't worry, I do have a nickname." He adjusted slightly in the covers and scratched at the bandages covered the large scrape across his ribs. "The shop owners and stall keepers of the main market place know me well. Their nickname for me was Blue Xephos," the boy answered, smiling. As he does so, his eyes shine slightly more brightly than they normally do. "I understand the blue part, that bit's about my eyes, but I don't understand the Xephos bit..."
"Ahhh! Well it seems they nicknamed you accurately." Thelonius stands as he speaks and draws back the curtains to reveal the night sky outside glowing with stars. Thelonius pointed up to a cluster of small bright stars that formed the shape of a man. "That is Xephos, the Brave Hero. Your nickname is based off of him."
The boy, Xephos, shifted in his covers to stare up to the stars in amazement. "I've always loved that constellation." He explained,"but now I know why. I just assumed it was because of my interest in space in general." He settled back down in the covers, a contented smile on his lips. "I've always been interested in space, and now I know why."
A fatherly smile crept cautiously across Thelonius' face, and a sudden fleeting thought entered his mind. Could this boy be the son of-? Thelonius opened his mouth to ask the question, but he thought better of it. It couldn't be them. They had died years ago...but it was just possible. He'd have to look into this.
"Well," Thelonius continued after a brief pause,"Based on the fight I witnessed, and somewhat participated in, you seem to be a born warrior. And anyone who stands up for someone in trouble or in need of help is a hero in my books." He stands," so I'd say that the 'Brave Hero' is a very accurate description." He turns and starts to walk away before turning back suddenly and speaks the idea that had been on his mind ever since he had heard that Xephos' parents had died.
"You seem to be a strong enough lad, but you seem more suited for sword-play like myself than any other kind of fighting. How about when you get yourself fixed up, I give a few pointers, son." The hospital wing got eerily quiet, and Xephos simply stared dumbfounded at the hopeful looking king. Then a grin leaped onto his face and his eyes grew larger. "I think I'd like that, sir. I think I'd like that a lot!"
Thelonius grasped the young man's cold hand, and shook it firmly, grinning bashfully all the while. Then he turned and calmly strode out of the room. He closed the door firmly behind him and paused to listen.
"YES!" came the joyful cheer from inside the hospital wing. It was quickly followed by a series of cheers and the noises of bustling nurses coming out of the office to see what was wrong with the pale young man that had not to long ago looked like death itself, but now looked as full of happiness as anyone had ever been.
Thelonius grinned and quietly slipped away to his private chambers, snagging an lawyer on the way to draw up the necessary paperwork.