"There once was a queen so powerful they called her 'God slayer.' The ones closest to her knew better than to call her that, to them she was 'The One Who Swallowed The Daystar.' Her enemies only knew cool steel pressed to their hot necks and bolden bloody eyes willing death to take them to hell's gate. A champion worshiped among mortals, gossip to the heavens, a beauty feared nonetheless. She who wrestled god and won. Even she had her Achilles.
Mortals. The starts and ends of many wars, devastators of great lands. The ones like The Queen insisted the humans were impure, unjust beings, they were to be kept at the base of the mountain, never to gaze upon those specially gifted. Lower life forms. Cattle moo loudly, but they are still cattle. And yet…
The moment their eyes met that fateful day, god herself could not separate her from him. She lavished him with gifts, spun precious compliments, bathed him in sunlight. She let him drink from her, birthing him in powers unknown to his human soul. Of all the gifts he cherished his swords most. Kusanagi, a valiant, vivid bronze broadsword created in the image of Valor. Mars, a sword unlike any found on Earth created in the image of God. Excalibur, a long sword of steel and water, the image of Balance etched into the gold handle. And his most treasured of all: Damokles, said to be Mars' complete foil. A sword never used, the blade unknown, powers yet to be released. Each sword had a purpose— Mars' protected the realm of the specially gifted, Kusanagi oversaw the human, Excalibur brought both to harmony. The Mortal King once inquired of Demokles, why he had never seen the blade, why it stays wrapped in silk cloth untouched when it's his? A king cannot wield a sword who's powers lay unknown.
'Damokles, my love. Is what Mars is for you to me. The only way to kill a God is this one sword. Forged deep in a cavern volcano, pressed with my very own blood, you my dear, hold the power to Kill a Mage.'
The specially gifted took up arms at the Mortal King, cattle are still cattle and cows do not belong in the palace. They devised a plan. On the fourth night of October, just before the rising crimson moon, a spell was to be placed on the Mortal King. In a week, he would carry out a task most heinous. On the forty-sixth year of her birth, The Queen would meet her end, and The Mortal King would be the culprit, Demokles his damning weapon. Upon waking from his haze, overcome with grief, the Mortal King hid away his three precious swords (The Queen and Demokles being stolen in the fray) and withered to ash, carried east by the Wind."
A slew of hands shoot up, eager round faces bouncing in place, all curious, all perplexed. The most intriguing is a blond boy, a hybrid fox boy, who's stark incisors draw blood from the left corner of his mouth.
A soft sigh leaves the teacher, the talented mage he is, Iruka never had all the answers to Naruto's ten thousand questions. Every field trip, every lesson, even during breaks, the boy always had stars of wonder in his azure eyes. "Yes, Naruto?"
"So if the Mages were born from swallowing a daystar, whatever that is, why was she called the 'God Slayer' and 'She Who Wrestled God?' And what exactly is a 'daystar' and why don't we have to swallow them, and—" if it weren't for the breath he had to take, Naruto would have surely asked questions the entire class had.
"They don't know where Mages come from, actually." Sasuke, a boy with little magic infinitive, mutters. Although his starless irises bear the mark of unimpressed, Naruto and Sasuke were never far from one another. Sasuke may even call him his best friend if they're alone. "Pay attention during lessons."
"Then what's a daystar, Sasuke? Huh?" Iruka sighs again. "See even you don't know, don't interrupt Sensei like that."
"Thank you, Naruto. And Sasuke." They carry on further into the exhibition, a timeline of Mages from as early as 300 b.c, eroded and tattered memories of the past. "The Daystar theory is," Iruka stops in front of an illustration of the day sky over the Hokage Castle, a bright star sits just above the highest tower. "There was a star so bright you could see it even when the sun was shining, or it was raining, The Queen one day observed it fall from the heavens. She then picked up the star and swallowed it, gaining powers from God." The class moves to the next picture, a man of gold and a woman more beautiful than they've ever seen in a crater. "The God theory comes from the same origin, but rather than a star, it's a God, and this God is a god of war. He challenges The Queen, and when she wins, he gifts her her powers. The Queen then in turn blesses that power onto her subjects. And that's where we think Mages come from." The class gives a resounding 'Ah'. "We don't have to swallow stars or fight gods, our ancestors did that for us."
Another hand goes up, another hybrid boy, a snow breed, "if the swords are hidden, then how can we and humans live in peace?"
"Preceptive, Kiba. We have a treaty and due process in place for that, and..." Iruka leads them to another room, this room huge but empty, only one artifact lay on display, one wrapped in blue silk cloth. "The only sword to ever be recovered was Damokles." The class erupts, angry shouts and chaos descends over the twelve-year-olds as a few cry they don't want to die. "Ah, no, children! No I didn't mean to frighten you, please." Some stressed into changing forms, others magic exploding like dynamite in their pockets, a few crying to go home. Iruka knew it was futile, he'd have to let them calm down on their own, this wasn't the first class to have a meltdown over Damokles' existence, hence the barren room.
What Iruka did notice, however, was how none of the panicking kids were Sasuke or Naruto, who were standing closer to the sword now, leaning towards it. They're speaking, but whatever it is goes lost to the noise. Sasuke looks more invested in the swathed blade than his friend's words, it's only when he reaches out for it does the teacher strode over. "Uchiha Sasuke." Both boys jump, the room settles down, a few scattered whimpers can still be heard. "I know it's fascinating but you can't touch the artefacts."
"But Sensei, it told me to." Everyone is thrown immediately back into tears and oblivion. The only human in their class can talk to a demon sword, they wailed. "Well not like that you guys! It just… beckoned me to touch it." That did so little to quell his classmates, Sasuke's shoulders sag in defeat.
"I didn't hear anything," Naruto admits when Iruka's raised eyebrow and honey glare meet him. "But Sasuke isn't a liar." A determined face washes over the blond, throwing his right arm over his friend in comfort. "No harm in touching and nothing happening!"
Ino, another blonde but an elemental mage, shudders. "Or he touches it and we all die!" Hinata, another elemental shrieks.
"Come now kids please. Sasuke won't touch the sword, we aren't going to die, they aren't even sure this is the actual sword Damokles. It was found while excavating under Hokage Mountain, so they suspect it's The God Slayer Blade, but there's no evidence."
"Has anyone tested it out?" Choji, a skilled kitchen witch, is peeking from behind Ino, who is hidden behind Shikamaru, a telekinetic. "Like on a Mage?"
"Well no." Iruka leads the class to the hieroglyphs on the wall. "To ensure fairness, Damokles could only be wielded by The Mortal King and his heir, but because they had no children, there's no one alive who can wield any of the four swords if real. So no, Sasuke isn't going to kill us if he touches it." Although quelled, this field trip ensured Sasuke's life was very hard up till graduation. In the real world no one cares if you're human, Mages, hybrids, and spirits alike congregate harmoniously in Konohana, and after finding that out, Sasuke lived his life quietly running a bar at twenty-five.
School might've been hell, but the real world still had Naruto in it, even Kiba had warmed up to him, often the pair coming by for a drink. Naruto does coaching at the college, Kiba an outdoor guide of some sort, both very welcomed patrons.
Occasionally they joke on the day Sasuke almost murdered his classmates, Sasuke not finding it to be such a sore spot, but one of his most powerful moments. No one fears humans, especially not Mages, hybrids are more enamoured than intimidated, and spirits find joy in their inconveniences. Sasuke still insists he heard the sword, but whenever they insist on going back to the museum, he's first to deny. That one day would be enough.
—
He stabbed her… in the chest. With a sword she had gifted to him from her own blood she bore a blade only for he who stole her life? Her head was reeling, this place— what was it again? Not heaven, absolutely not hell. The weather is nice and it's bright, the stream she floats on has carried her for centuries. She had an inkling, something terrible happened in her life, something truly awful brought her here. And now she knew. The blood still pours from the closed sore, she'd have vengeance, on him, on the Mages, on the Earth. All those who betrayed her will meet their end in time, for now she drifts on the endless stream.
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hey 🏃 hows it going? been awhile huh? well thats my bad! rlly! Heres my latest project, a preview, no title, looks promising tbh. Thisll have its own story soon just wanted a little upper hand. Hope all is well, ill see u again next week or sooner