Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

1014 AF Seedmonth

Day 70

Mikael Devonhurst

"Son, will you accompany your sister to the Palace today?" Mikael's father asked as he slumped in his chair after breakfast.

Mikael glanced over at his sister Arianna as she prepared herself to meet the Crown Prince.

"She looks giddy," said Mikael. "Let her handmaiden go with her." His father frowned a bit before sighing. Then he said

"Do you not approve of this wedding?" asked his father.

"It's not that," said Mikael, fiddling with his spoon. "The court is a dangerous place. You know that. Mother knew that." And he seems to stressed the word mother like it means something.

His father closes his eyes and let a sigh filled with regrets.

"Your mother knows it too late" His father said, his eyes show sorrow only certain people could. It is a sorrow of being alone.

"Yes. She knows too little and knows too late" Mikael agree.

There was silence between the pair of father and son for a few seconds before his father said

"But your sister is marrying into royalty," his father said, the tinge of sadness in his eyes overshadowed by joy.

Mikael knew his father loved his sister more than him, although he didn't complain, he loved his sister too.

Arianna resembled their mother too much, and even after all the pain she had caused his father, his father still loved her dearly.

It is curious how the thing that hurts us the most can also be our medicine.

His father…his heartache because of Mikael mother is big and impactful. Like a trace that can't be erased.

Yet, he still loves her even after all the hurt. Mikael however do not share the same feeling of his father.

He hated his mother

For leaving this family, for leaving his father, for leaving him and Ariana, and for being so stupid.

Mikael sighed and then he remarked

"Marrying a Crown Prince of Arakath is not something to be celebrated. A Crown Prince would be a King someday. And a king is even more dangerous than the Court. I detest it" muttered Mikael. "Anyway, I'm doing research today."

"Again? What research are you doing exactly?" His father asked.

"Just history, myths, old stuff like that," Mikael shrugged.

"Fine," said his father, shaking his head. "But next time you will accompany her."

Arianna waltzed over to them, her elegant black hair flowing behind her. She looked at their faces closely.

"Did Mikael agree to come?" she asked her father, looking hopeful. He shook his head, and she scowled. "You never accompany me, brother."

"Don't be like that," Mikael smiled. "Next time, I promise."

Arianna smiled and instantly Mikael was reminded of his mother, of the woman she used to be before she left her family.

Stupid and pitiful

Arianna was too young then to tell her the truth about what happens. A story that he doesn't like to retell or recall

Arianna kissed his cheek and bounced happily away to meet her betrothed.

She is excited to meet her betrothed, probably to sing and play musical instrument again.

The lovely couple. The royal couple. Playing their string instrument while his sister sings melodious tunes.

So beautiful their harmony, that the common folk says that even birds will freeze in the air trying to listen to their melody

It is because of this happiness that Mikael felt even more worried about his sister. Royalty have dark secrets and those secret makes them cold in their heart and merciless in their action.

He just hoped that the Crown Prince is not like that.

Mikael returned to his room, which was filled with stacks and stacks of books. There were hundreds piled all over the floor, all in alphabetical order.

The day before, he had crept into the library again and stolen a book titled "The Lost Generation".

He had read it once several years ago, but he wanted to analyze it more closely. He sat on his bed and flipped open the book.

The Lost Generation referred to those who came after the First Generation, who disappeared without a trace.

Their offspring created a thriving empire of their own, called Enoch, and using the technologies of their forefathers they became so powerful that even the Dark Lords feared them.

They lived on an island surrounded by an impenetrable barrier.

One of their most famous relics was their Enochian steel, impossible to break and so sharp it could cut through mountains.

Levitia was said to have owned a sword made of Enochian steel, and the legend said that it could cut through anything

The fact that they can cut anything is probably exaggerated, because of Levitia.

The hero had once successfully cut through a mountain, now known as the Flat Mountains in the Dukedom of Alan.

Although Mikael thought that perhaps the sword was only as strong as its wielder.

Levitia is known to have such great internal strength, that he can battle dragon and survive.

The Lost Generation lived in peace and prosperity, until one bizarre, fateful day when their entire Empire sank to the bottom of the ocean.

Mikael placed the book on his bed.

He knew why no one knew the story of the Lost Generation. The reason why this is part of history is unknown is because of Levitia.

When Levitia reached the Blessed Land, he was met by the Three Wise Men of the Sea, who offered their knowledge to him.

Some historian and scholar believe that the knowledge that Levitia was given is about the First Generation and the Lost Generation.

Levitia at that time had been marching to the Dark Lands, determined to wipe out the Dark Lords of Arakath,

In the Blessed Land, the Three Wise Men of the Sea shows themselves to Levitia, and spoke to him in private.

It was from the account of Alan Shadowstrider who was there at the scene.

After their conversation, suddenly Levitia stopped his march and return back and declare Davarus as the Human Continent, that the Demon Lords may never come again.

And after what Levitia put the Demon Lords through, they surely did not dare to step their foot again, not as long as Levitia is still alive.

The fact that Levitia did not continue his march, and his reason, is still debated by scholars from the Human Continent or in Anvali.

He was unstoppable and no one in the world at that time came close to his strength, yet suddenly he stopped his march, send his soldier home and for the first time, peace is achieved, ushering in the creation of the Empire and their subsequent development

Then after the Subjugation, the event that refers to his subjugation of the Demon Lords that ruled Davarus, he ordered the Demon Lords to meet him to discuss the post war agreement.

He would continue the peace if they would give him all the books about the Lost Generation that they had, or he would bring hell to Arakath.

Then Levitia burn the books about the Lost Generation and kill all those who know about the Lost Generation.

The humans like to paint Levitia as a hero without fault, honorable and just, yet this is one of the only things in history a terrible deed, he ever did, one terrible deed.

He never rapes woman, even when raping was legal back then, he did not drink, he did not participate in licentious activities, did not own slaves as he believes liberty and freedom is for all, and all are equal before God, neither did he kill randomly, yet this is the only time he acts in such a way.

What would lead such an honorable man to act such way? What would be his motivation? Mikael believe he has a secret that he need to kept.

The burning of books and the killing of the scholar. No one understands why he did it. But he believes that the Great Hero of Humanity knows something.

Something so dangerous and terrifying that he would rather broke his honor than let the truth be known.

The truth about the Lost Generation and the First Generation. It is why Mikael wanted to go to the Human Continent.

He wanted to search for the Levitia Disk.

After his meeting with the Three Wise Men of the Sea, Levitia carved words into an Enochian disc using his Enochian blade, Lightbreaker.

Words that no one could understand. With a language no one had ever seen before.

His sworn brothers could not understand in what language he wrote in the disk.

The disk has some that is small, some large, all scribble in an undecipherable writing, yet it seems Levitia understand and so does the Three Wise Men of the Sea.

This is reported by Alan when Levitia scribbled the writing while the Three Wise Men look intently at Levitia scribbling.

Afterwards he had scattered the disc across the Human Continent, for reasons nobody knew.

But I will know, thought Mikael.

He wanted to unravel the secret of the past. He wanted to know about the Enochians and why they were destroyed and why the First Generation disappears.

He would travel to the Human Continent. He would find Levitia's disc. That is what he wanted to do.

Mikael raised his head from his thoughts and called to his attendant, who came rushing to his side.

"My lord," he said, bowing.

"I need your help," said Mikael. "Prepare a carriage, pack a bag with supplies, weapons and money."

The attendant nodded. "Where are you going, young master?"

Mikael looked outside his window. The cool air drifted through, and the sunlight bounced off his face.

His heart leaped. It has been a long time since he went out from the castle.

"To a land filled with myths and heroes," he replied.

And for some reason he couldn't stop smiling. His own quest. His personal quest

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