Bedtime story 2 : The Zodiac Heroes
There was once upon a time, tale tells the wars between good and evil. War torn, good and evil clashing each other, souls died until finally, the good defeat the evil. As the evil lord sealed into the stone, the good lord, knowing the grief future hold, using his last limited end power, putting his hope into the future. In sword he put his will and in stone he seals the power. Thrusting the sword into the stone with the last remaining power, the will were pass on through generations.
As time pass on, the chaos were back into the human world. Long has forgotten the peace that been brought by the good lord. Countries and feudal lords war each others. There were no peace treaty reach amongst them. It was impossible. The stone which was keep silence shining its wrath again, envelope peoples in its thirst for bloods. One nation, The Aries, upon the death of their last king whose without a heir left, the lord battle each other to snatch for the nation throne. It was then, a sorcerer stand on the altar, raising his staff and announces the truth of his prophecy. For whoever manages to release the sacred silver sword from the altar, he then rule the Aries Nation become a King.
One by one, the lord come forth with strength in hand but none succeed. The offer then opens to common class people, rich and poor, royalties and slaves.
One morning, the long queue finally end, as the sorcerer ask if anybody still want to try their luck on the sword, a boy then come forth. Folding his long sleeves, and wiping the sweat hand on his torn shirt, the young boy grabs the holster of the sword. Without much effort, like the sword a meant to be his, he took the sword out of the altar and raises it toward the bright blue sky. Witness, people kneel down of their knees and yelling his name. He then was named by his bright green brilliant eyes, with the blunette hair, King Kruger. The reign brings the Aries Nation together in the chaos world. As the chaos expand it territories, the greed, hunger and bloodthirsty enslave people to demand for wars. One man soon stand above all the evil mesmerized by the power of the bright red stone become the leader of chaos and marched toward Aries. The man soon known as the obsidian lord. To battle against Nagi de Artai, the obsidian lord, King Kruger gather heroes from over his kingdom and form the Ivalice Alliance. Soon, more heroes join them and their alliance greatly known as the twelve zodiac heroes. Each hero has the child of the twelve known zodiac. King Kruger himself is a master of the canine wolf, Lord Fujino master of serpent, Lord Tokiha master of dragon. They soon confront the obsidian lord himself. The fierce war took their energy and souls and finally only six were left as the king kill the obsidian lord.
But alas, the stone of chaos still shine brightly calling for next evil lord. It must be seal for the chaos to end. The Childs then sacrifice life form to seal it and the stone then lock inside the chamber guarded by none other than one of the survived heroes, Lord Greer. The temporary seal bring short years of peace as all heroes going back to their family and beloved one to embrace their momentary life.
One clear afternoon somewhere in the outskirt of Aries Nation...
A young mother sat on a lazy chair while knitting a small bundle in her hand. Maybe its a shirt for her incoming new family member. Singing sweetly to a soft tune of unknown song, suddenly, the young mother to be stop in her task when a loud commotion resound from outside her house. Standing up, she walk slowly toward the door, but it rudelf swing open and a tall male with huge grin standing in the doorway.
"Maki!"
"Nii-san?" the female woman in the house has a shocked expression on her porcelain face.
The tall man run toward said woman and hug her while laughing loudly. "HAHAHA! so, how are you? Its been long...and I miss you my cute sister!"
Maki smile fondly toward her brother. "It's been so long, Nii-san. I miss you..and..errmm.. I'm fine."
"Ah.." the brother release a bear hug and looking toward his sister "I come here as soon as I got your news about our out coming new member."
"Ah..hai, Nii..."
"Tokiha Ken. You totally forgotten about your friends when it comes to your sister. She's not a child anymore..gezz"
Two more figures enter the house. Both have a happy smile on their face.
Maki faced her new guests and bow slightly. "Its been a while, Armitage-san and Fujino-san"
"You too, Maki. You look good, I see...and where the pup?"
"Fujino-san, Ivan is not a pup. She has going back to castle for the upcoming ceremony of the new king." Maki chuckle slightly at the mention of her wife. Not many people knows the truth that Ivan Kruger is actually a female that disguised as a male to win the people hearts for the reign of the nation. For peace and hope that the nation have a king, it will be a big shocked when they know their king is actually a female and the wars for the throne couldn't be avoid if that is the case. Thus, only the Ivalice Alliance knew the truth as they have been fought together for so many wars and befriend Ivan for years. The secret they will bring to their death.
"Wha..? So, pup has step down from the throne?" Shocked was evidence in Armitage voice.
"Yes..." suddenly the atmosphere become gloomy and all occupant in the room silent.
"Its been five years. Such a short five years..." Maki continued. "and we have to go back to the chamber...finish where we left off."
"It's finally time, is it?" her brother, Ken reach for her sister.
"That's why we came here!" Armitage loud voice giving hope. "Maki, we decided to...inherit our mana keys to your child."
"Keys?" Maki look toward Armitage.
"Yes. We came here to give our mana keys to him. " Fujino point to a big bump on Maki tummy. "I have the keys of Moon and Wind, Ken have the keys of Fire and Light, and Armitage have the keys of Earth and Water. Therefore, we decided to bet on this. That the person that will destroy the Obsidian Stone will definitely coming from your blood."
"We also know..." Ken interrupted "That Ivan has cast a Wishing Star on herself so that you two has a descendent to continue the will...ah..I forgot..should I called her Ivana, now that she no longer a king."
"The Wishing Star..." Lord Fujino mused in his thinking pose. "Its a forbidden magic that using half mana shell to give the opportunity for both same gender to have a child. Therefore, we can concluded that the pup magic is only half of its true power now."
At that, Maki nodded. Sadness in her eyes. "Even so...we want a child of our own blood...to continue our wish and will on this land when we disappear."
"Very well then, lets not wasting our time...lets get started." with the order from Ken, all men circling the pregnant woman and extend their hand forward. A magic circle appear under them and the light shone brightly toward the blue sky as they cast the mana key transferring magic.
...
"Tadaima..." a door open in the small cozy home and a small stature man clad in knight armor standing on the doorway. Fond smile on his face.
"Okaeri, anata..." the pregnant woman has been preparing a dinner on the table smile in greeting.
The knight stop in his track. "Someone come in here while I was gone... Who?"
Knowing her lover flawless trace magic, its impossible to lied. "My brother came with Fujino-san and Armitage-san..."
"Ah! No wonder I trace fire and moon." now that the knight strip off the uniform, one can see clearly the curves of her body. Putting aside her silver sword, Ivan walk toward her wife and kiss her on cheek when again she stop and reach for her wife shoulder and looking straight in her eyes "...you..."
As if know the question in her wife eyes, Maki answer softly "They...want our child to inherit their mana keys."
"Why..?" Ivan silently look toward her wife blue eyes.
"They wish it will be our descendent to destroy the stone." Maki look to her feet. Sadness creeping inside her.
"Impossible..Its such a huge responsibility..." Ivan sigh and walk toward the opened windows, looking at the full moon.
"Burden our next descendent on such a task...we..."
"Ivana..." understand the pain in her wife, she walk to stand beside her. She seldom calling her wife real name. Just on few occasions that special to them. "I know its painful for us to put such a big responsibility on our descendent. But, we have no choice but to believe in the future. We hope they will carry our wish. At least, we can...rest..peacefully and wish that our descendent will never forget on what we had sacrificed for them."
Closing her eyes, the king inhale deeply. "Hearing you said those truth...I can never defies you, my love." She then turn toward her wife. "Me too...although, this is not my full power, I do hope, its enough for our future light. I will also cast the lock on the keys so my soul can rest peacefully knowing that such an enormous power will not harm the owner. The lock will activate the trace magic to this land and open all the six mana keys to its full power. The Apocalypse Song of destruction...that will be the lock. Instead it takes the owner life force, it will open the keys and drained its power. But he or she only have one chance to activate it. I will put all my will and hope in him..or her" the king smile as her hand softly touch her wife's tummy.
"We can only hope, Ivana..."
...
They all gather again inside the chamber of the Zodiac Heroes with determination and finality in their decision. They had decided to sacrifice themselves to seal the stone for more time of peace in hope that their future generation can destroy it forever. One by one hero disperse into green dust and each magic seal the stone turning it into darker color. In the end, only the king and Lord Greer were left in the chamber. The stone still too strong but it is not impossible to separate the power into two. Therefore, the king separates the stone and seals half of its power inside his sword, turning the sword into black. His last wish before he seal the stone is for Lord Greer to take the black sword and throw it into the lake. As he seal the stone, his remaining life forces flies away and leave the black sealed stone behind.
Lord Greer left alone stays loyal to his task guarding the obsidian stone. Walking at the center of the chamber, Lord Greer using his last remaining power, creates a barrier around the stone. He then returns to stand next to the closed door of the chamber. After centuries end, the loyal Lord Greer life nears his end. As his life come to end, he cast a forbidden magic and seal his soul unto his armor with the will of forever guarding the stone until days come when a hero would free his soul.