Intro of Seiken Densetsu 3, Duran storyline

By Ultima66

Duran held up his sword. It was the last round of the tournament. He remembered that it was his father who originally won this tournament so many years ago.

"Last round, Duran vs Bruiser!" said the king.

Duran was a mercenary under the apprenticeship of King Richard of Forcena. His father was known as the greatest warrior that ever lived, upholding his honor during the war with the Dragon Emperor, where the two faced off in a one-on-one match. In the battle, both of them fell into a bottomless hole, and Duran, just a baby then, was left with his mother. Then, his mother died of sadness and Duran and his sister Wendy were left with their aunt Stella. After the war, Prince Richard became king, and being Duran's father, Loki's friend, he hired Duran as a mercenary.

Duran braced himself. He was face to face with his opponent, a soldier named Bruiser, in the small tournament courtyard no more than 20 feet between them. Duran rushed and then took a heavy slash at Bruiser. Bruiser countered by swinging upwards, the force of the blow sending Duran flying into the air a foot and then falling back, far enough that neither of their swords could reach the other. Then Bruiser struck at Duran, and Duran jumped to the side. Duran unleashed the full force of his blade on Bruiser's armor, knocking him to the side. Bruiser turned and swung again, and Duran attempted to dodge. This time, Bruiser followed, forcing Duran to fall down to the ground, and Duran parried the slash at him and jumped to his feet.

Duran was worn. He decided that he couldn't beat Bruiser's raw strength. Duran had something that Bruiser didn't, however. He leaped in the air in a somersault, glowing with energy, and then unleashed all his might in one huge thrust. This knocked Bruiser out of the arena for the win. The crowd went crazy. This was Duran's signature attack, Cross Slash, a skill that he had mastered under King Richard's guidance. Richard then stepped up to the battling floor.

"Duran has won the tournament. May his prosperity continue so that he may be as great as the Knight Loki that hath given his own life to save our home of Forcena. Duran, you have proven yourself worthy of becoming a knight in the future and I owe thy father for my own life. I hope you continue in your work. Good day to all, the tournament is finished," said Richard.

Duran returned to his home, where he was greeted by his Aunt Stella.

"Hello, Duran. You did a great job today, but maybe you should turn in. It is pretty late," she said.

"Alright," he said, "Do you think that I will ever be like my father?"

"I'm sure you can, if you tried hard enough,"

"But what support do I have? My parents are no longer here,"

"I'm your parent, Duran. You don't have anything to worry about. Besides, no one can predict the future,"

"You know I hate fortune tellers… they don't do anything but lie,"

"Don't be so down. Now go to bed. Well, I really shouldn't have to tell you, you're already 17,"

Duran went up to his room and got in bed. Someday, he thought.

That day may not have come too soon. That might, a sudden alarm went off. Duran got up, still drowsy, and grabbed his gear. He headed up the castle. Several soldiers were already unconscious. Duran wandered around the walls of the castle, and then he saw his target: a blonde wizard wearing all red.

"So who the hell are you?" yelled Duran.

"Heh, I am none other than Koren, the wizard of the red lotus, greatest wizard in all of Altena. Who, may I ask, are you to be here to question me?"

"You have come from Altena? I am Duran, mercenary of the King Richard. Now leave before I have to come and get you,"

"Then why don't you come and get me?"

He laughed, but did not move. Duran ran forward and struck, but the blade hit nothing. Koren had teleported several feet away from Duran. Koren laughed again.

"Is that all you've got? Get on, hit me if you can,"

Duran ran forward and struck again. Again, Koren teleported away. Koren was now next to the door.

"Weakling. Anyways, I have no business with you. Fireball!"

And three fireballs began encircling Koren's head, and then they flew at Duran, knocking him unconscious. Koren charged up another shot.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Several men ran forward. They were the knights of Rolante.

"It seems that the soldiers are here to get me. Well, adieu, and I will finish you off another day, thick headed fool,"

And Koren teleported out of the castle.

Duran awoke in Stella's house. He decided he was feeling alright, so he looked around the house. Stella was still asleep, and so was his sister.

"After that, I don't deserve to be a knight. I have to leave. There is no other choice. The only way to keep my honor is to find that damn red wizard and take him down. I guess Wendy and Aunt Stella can't know about this. I suppose I also don't need anything in this room," he said, staring at a chest in his room, "Just my sword and my armor. Goodbye everyone," and with that, he left the house.

Duran walked to the castle to talk to King Richard. Richard was ready and waiting.

"I know what you are here to tell me. Go if you will, young knight. I have no more need of you. Please, do not take this the wrong way. I knew your father, and you two are very similar. There is no more you can learn from me. To grow, you will have to go out in the world and accomplish what you dream to accomplish. If it is to defeat Koren, then let that desire guide your path. You should go to the holy city Wendel, and seek out the Priest of Light,"

"How did you know all of this?" asked Duran.

"Like I said, I knew your father. He had the same ambition as you, and if the same thing happened to him, he would too leave his old life behind to try to get revenge. Also, I have been planning and waiting for a long time now. I have tracked the movements of the other great kingdoms for years, and I can sense a war approaching. There are three sides of fighting, all for power and greed. Altena, as you can see, has targeted us for our mana stone, which they hope to use to power their own empire. The mana stone of ice, which they control, is running out of power, so they want the other stones. As of right now, the kingdom has no heat to prepare for the oncoming winter. Then there is the Beast Kingdom. The beastmen are planning an invasion soon to get revenge on humanity for the exile of the beastmen. And just recently in Navarre, a wandering traveler arrived and things have been acting up,"

"So there really is going to be another war, this time involving many more kingdoms than just the war with the Dragon Emperor,"

"Yes, and I hope that you may provide a turning point in that war. Koren was here from Altena for something, and I'm afraid that the consequences of his mission are far too dire for anyone to envision. I feel that you may be the one that stops Koren and therefore saves all of us. But this is just speculation. Whatever may happen, however, I feel it is best that you go and complete your quest,"

"Alright, then. I will go see the Priest of Light in Wendel. Goodbye, or at least until we meet again, my lord,"

And with that Duran left to seek the one that attacked the kingdom. He would have a long journey ahead of him. And so begins Seiken Densetsu 3.