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Chapter One: "Snowfall"
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"That's it, I want to be a Paladin!" A boy's voice full of energy proudly exclaimed.
"Paladin? What's a Paladin?" Was the puzzled reply that came from the girl who sat beside the boy as she slowly stacked the stones together to form a pyramid shape on the ground.
Holding a small twig that crackled as he gripped it tighter, the boy stood up, casting his shadow over the girl. "What?! You don't know what a Paladin is?"
The girl, now curious, casted her head towards the boy, now wide-eyed and filled with more enthusiasm and without letting her react, carried on. "The Paladin is the title given to High Clerics which are Goddess' Altea's messengers in the land of Lagendia! They are really strong plus they are super cool! Listen, listen, the best part of it is they are the people chosen by the Goddess herself to carry out her judgment, therefore they are able to use these really awesome weapons from the Goddess!"
"Uh... Huh..." Completely clueless about what he was talking about, the girl could just stare back with her lips slightly open.
"Erm... Uh... Well... Basically... They are... Heroes that fight to protect God and the people... Ahahaha." Embarassed, the boy shied away as he scrathed the back of his head, totally flustered. "In any case, let's head back to the village, it's starting to get dark." Averting his gaze, he started to lightly fiddle as he began to walk back towards their small, sleepy village, the only shelter around the snowy mountain region they live.
The two of them silently walked past the snow covered lush green scenery, slowly being overcasted by the creeping darkness that looms in the distant horizon.
"Say, why do you want to be a Paladin?" Asked the girl as she blew her warm breath against her cold hands, pressing them close to her lips.
Taking note of her action, the boy hastily took off his scarf and gently placed it on the girl's cold shoulders as they reached a sharp bend on the road where the cliff overlooks the vast tundra, the pale orange hue of the sun setting down reflecting a soothing view.
"My father..." The boy gazed over the vast empty space before them. "...Used to be a Paladin."
"Used... To?" She replied, pulling the scarf closer around her neck, warming herself as much as she can, the relentless gusts of wind bearing down on her exposed skin.
"Yeah... My father... He used to be a hero... You know, fighting monsters and dragons and stuff... He was... Really strong." Leaning against the old wooden railing, the boy went on, placing both hands tucked in the warm front pockets of the tunic he was wearing. "He... Was one of the strongest Knight serving under the Church, most specifically, the Order of the Northern Cross."
Catching her attention, the girl moved closer to him, their bodies coming in contact with each other. "And then?" She followed up.
"That was until... Until those wicked Sorceresses from the Tower of Magic Institute decided to woo the Church into thinking that their magic is far more superior compared to the Paladin's more conventional ways of fighting. Their goal? to take control and take away the Order for themselves!" Clenching both his fists and gnashing his teeth, one could feel the intensity of anger the boy was showing.
"...And then that happened." He added.
Surprised at what he stated, the girl's eyes quickly shot up, throwing a fitting gaze against the boy's agitated features. "Wh... What happened?" She asked.
"To decide once and for all as to which specialization is far more superior than the other, both sides decided and agreed that a duel was the best way to go about things." Tracing back his memories, the boy unfolded a chapter which he has etched in his heart.
"..." The girl continued to listen.
"The Order sent forth my father to be the herald of the Northern Cross, their Champion, while the Tower sent that woman..." After saying that phrase, the boy's expression grew calmer, as if he lost energy, seemingly powerless against the torrent of time that barred him from doing anything to prevent it. "That... Sorceress who had control over ice... It was so... One sided... Father did not stand a chance. The woman froze the entire duel arena, floor, walls, everything. I even thought that the sky froze over and everything was so white that you will begin to think that you are in the middle of a blizzard. And then..." Relieving the memories made the boy tear up, the beads of sadness, remorse and anger slowly sliding down his cheeks.
Seeing that, the girl then pressed her finger against the teardrop, drying it out. "It's okay... You don't have to..." -Brushing off her hand, the boy decided to continue.
"No, it's okay. I should not be ashamed of this, as this is the very reason I wish to be a Paladin..." Lifting up his head, he gazed over the dark skies. "...Father's body froze in an instant, legs, arms, everything. In a split second, he was totally encased in ice, yet... He did not stopped believing. His mace shone and his shield trembled, and by the power granted by the Goddess, the dark blizzard that was surging around him started to clear up yet... He knew his body could not take it anymore, and with his already weak constitution before the battle, he succumbed to a heart attack soon after... The Sorceresses cheered and flailed around, while the Clerics and the Paladins took off their hats. I... Could not forgive them... For taking my father, and his only legacy in this world away..."
"It's enough... I understand... You... Will be a Paladin, someday... Someone who will surpass your father, who will be proud that you did..." She hugged him, as she sensed that he will break down if she didn't.
"I know... I'm sorry..." Wiping his tears away, the boy stood firm, asserting his usual energy. "Oh yeah, which reminds me, we've been playing the whole day, and I haven't really catched your name..." He asked.
Surprised, the girl couldn't help but gawk before finally coughing up her response. "Yu... Yukina... My name is Yukina..."
"And I'm Rai." He quickly answered back as he patted her head. "Hey, Yukina. Thanks for listening to my story. I hope we could be friends from now on!"
His question was met with a silence, an awkward silence.
"Yuki...? Is something the matter?" Rai moved his face closer to her's.
"Ah- Ah... No, nothing-" Startled as if she snapped out of something, Yuki nodded a couple of times. "-Y-yeah, sure, of course..."
"Great! Then we could meet up around here everyday to play, can we?" Assured, Rai smiled as he jumped away from her, leading the way back to their village.
Yukina smiled, yet her hands trembled, her eyes were starting to get wet and her conscience weighed down heavily but... "Mhm! Yes, we will meet everyday, starting tomorrow!" She quickly followed suit, putting up a strong facade towards Rai.
The two figures soon held hand in hand as they strode the icy path that leads back to their haven, little did they know what fate had in store for them.