FIDGET, BATRISHAN PRINCE OF DARKNESS
The Batrishan & The Battlefield
"You nervous?"
A soldier standing next to Fidget asked the ten-year-old private this question as they were waiting in formation on the battlefield, waiting for the right moment to strike the opposing army in the valley where the battlefield was taking place.
"I won't be nervous if I die during my first battle," Fidget said rather sarcastically as he clenched on to his sword. The soldier chuckled.
"That's the spirit, kid. I almost had the same reaction during my first battle and it never got old even after five to seven years of service."
The Aldoradian alarm horn sounded, announcing the beginning of the battle.
"Well, kid…good luck."
And it began: the very first battle for Fitzgerald Denada Cortés as a private in the Aldoradian army. The sky was gray as the Aldoradian army charged towards the army of Eastern invaders in order to claim the battlefield as part of their nation's empire. Screams were heard as soldiers clashed among one another, fighting or killing one another. Cannons were heard being fired up. Explosions paraded on the earth, sending dirt flying.
This is what Fidget was seeing as he raced into the battlefield. He had never seen such violence in his life. It was almost as if the peaceful world he lived in shattered ever since Geneva died. Fidget almost wanted to shut his eyes and give up instantly…
Your first battle is still ahead of you…
Always fight with love and honor…
Rise…Batrishan Prince of Darkness!
A sudden flame rose into Fidget's mind and a black vision filled his eyes as he glared at the battlefield. He grabbed his sword and held it high as he charged at the battlefield. Without any hesitation, he slashed one deadly sword strike at ten men in a row. All at once, they formed one last breath of life and a scream of horror before dying.
Such a giant scream attracted the nearby soldiers, Aldoradian and not-Aldoradian, that they stopped fighting to see what happened. The enemy soon realized that it was a rather bad idea to stay still, for Fidget didn't stay still: he charged at the Eastern invaders and attacked them all with strikes similar to the one he used before.
"What on earth?" Hernan exclaimed. He and the other Aldoradian officials were standing on a hill in order to observe and operate the Aldoradian army to see how things were going. When Hernan saw Fidget fighting above the normal through his telescope, he didn't know what to think. Was Fidget fighting to become a hero for Aldorada? Or was he becoming a monster?
"Your son is practically a one man army!" one of the generals exclaimed.
Indeed, the general was right: nothing seemed to be stopping Fidget at the moment. He kept slashing ten men at a time with his sword. His movements were so agile that it seemed like he was a bird of prey flying through a herd of preys in the middle of the night.
"You think he could give us all an early retirement?" one of the Aldoradian soldiers asked his nearby comrade who was too dumbfounded to even shrug.
It seemed like forever for Fidget, but for the others, it was like a five-minute show that lasted until eventually, there were a thousand dead Eastern invaders filling the valley. The Eastern general, who had observed from his cliff, knew instantly that the non-human Aldoradian Batrishan must be destroyed at once. But of course, the battle wasn't taking place without Kaïra observing the event, and when the winds blew to ears that a certain general was going to have her mortal champion killed, she flew back a warning breeze at him.
"A quick death you shall have at Fidget's hands if your army still withstands."
Everybody in every realm knows that supernatural events shouldn't be disregarded, especially if they are messages from deities. Fearing the gods' wrath if he didn't listen, the Eastern general immediately had his troops retreat and surrendered to the Aldoradian army.
Time skip
"What you did out there was dangerous, Fitzgerald!" Hernan scolded Fidget. They had barely returned to Aldorada two days after their 'victory' and Queen Florencia summoned them once she heard the descriptions of the battle and Fidget's actions.
"I know I must have…overreacted," Fidget said calmly, "but at least Aldorada won."
"Aldorada winning isn't the issue here!" Hernan retorted. He pointed at Fidget's chest, where his medallion was hanging. "Remember when we returned this to you? Remember what Melchior said? Should you succumb to darkness, then villainy shall consume you!"
He paced back and forth in the waiting room while Fidget sat quietly, guilty of having forgotten that tiny detail. Hernan took a deep breath before kneeling in front of Fidget and putting his hands on the private's shoulders.
"Fitzgerald, please understand. I've already lost my barely born son William and my wife Geneva. I can't afford to lose you as well! You're my only family left!"
"But I just wanted to live up to what I promised Mom and serve Aldorada…" Fidget said, retaining his tears. He needed to be strong, just as he promised to Geneva.
A guard came and told them that the Queen was waiting for them in the throne room. The Cortés didn't say a word as they entered the golden room and bowed before her Majesty, who was sitting on her royal throne. She dismissed the guards, leaving her alone with the Cortés, and got up in order to walk in front of the soldiers.
"I heard of what you've done on the battlefield, Fitzgerald," she told the Batrishan with a stern voice. "You shed more blood than any new private has ever done in Aldoradian history."
Fidget felt sweat on his forehead as he heard the Queen's words. He feared the worst as she began to approach him until she rested a hand on his right shoulder.
"Yet, you have done above the extraordinary and managed to bring Aldorada to an easy victory much faster than you already have," she said, her voice full of pride. The Batrishan quietly lifted his head up to look at her smiling sincerely before she moved on to Hernan.
"As for you, Commander Hernan, see to it that this brave private, your son, eventually becomes your second-in-command. Aldorada will need him in the future."
Unbeknown to the humans, Kaïra was watching from the windows as Hernan and Fidget thanked the Queen and were excused. The goddess was proud that her Batrishan champion was beginning his success in the army with prodigious results, but also worried at how quickly Aldorada would crumble should Fidget fall into darkness. One thought in her head was for sure as she turned into a raven and flew off: with what Fitzgerald Denada Cortés just demonstrated on the battlefield, the steps to his destiny as the Batrishan Prince Of Darkness would begin sooner than expected.