Prologue: Descendant of Legends

"The Gems. An object of unknown origin. A millennia and a half ago, a strange glowing object landed here. One man found it, and when he touched it, he felt an immense power flowing through him. Using his new-found power, he helped many people achieve what they needed. He helped with famine, sick, and many incurable diseases.

One day, he decided to do something for himself. He gave himself unlimited power over all, making everyone a slave to his power. We came to answer the call of the world and, through many toils and strife, took the power from the power-hungry dictator. Afterwards, the physical embodiment of the power was shattered, since it could not be destroyed. Each one of us was given a segment to guard and we have since been known as The Guardians.

However, the power was still too powerful to be kept open to the world, so Moneo and its neighboring lands were moved into a... well, a rift of sorts. Now its own separate world, disconnected from any others, only those with immense power themselves could enter this world.

Five hundred years passed and one of The Guardians used his gem to take over Moneo. As far as we know, he had the same goal as the man who originally found the power, make Moneo serve him only. He used the help of a young boy to bring the Gems to him, and when he had them, he began to take over Moneo. When the boy figured out his plan, he and a young girl he met along the way took down the fallen Guardian who called himself Exitilus. Those people are your ancestors, the Heroes of Moneo. And... hey! Are you still awake?" I awoke to my grandpa yelling at me. "Boy, when are you going to learn not to fall asleep during my stories?"

"S-sorry, grandfather," I answered. "But I already know all this. You tell me this every year." My grandfather stroked his beard.

"I know I do," he responded. "But this year is a special one. This year marks the one thousandth year since your ancestors defeated Exitilus and restored peace to Moneo."

"Okay, so what happens this year?" I asked. "Last year, we had a large feast. Year before that, you and I went fishing in Lora Lake."

"This year will be the first year in a thousand years that all of us Guardians will be together," grandpa said. "We have each chosen one person who will receive a wish from the Gems."

"One person from each town will have a wish granted? What if something like what Exitilus did happens again?"

"We will take the wish back then or leave it ungranted," he answered. "Besides, we chose carefully. We chose the one with a good ambition."

"So who did you choose?"

"You, of course."

"You sure? I don't think I have anything I want to wish for,"

"Sure you do, everyone does," he said. "But each of us protects our Gems. Mine is in the Temple deep in the Forest. I want you to go get it."

"If you say so, grandpa," I stood up. "When is the gathering, by the way?"

"Later tonight. Be sure to be back by then."

"I will," and with that, I left. The town of Fora is a simple town; one Shop and one Inn, both are usually used by visitors, and two houses, mine and my grandfather's and my friend, Andrew's. Each house is painted in a bright yellow color, but the roofs are different. The Shop's red, Inns are green, Andrew's is blue, and mine and grandpa's are purple. I walked over to the entrance of the forest when I heard a voice yell at me.

"Stephan! Wait up!" I turned around and saw Andrew, running toward me from his house. "You're heading into the forest, Stephan?"

"Yep. Grandpa told me to go get the Gem in the Temple."

"And you're going alone?" he asked.

"I was going to, why?"

"You know what they say, it's dangerous to go alone," Andrew said smiling. "You go into a forest by yourself and you're bound to get lost. I'm coming with you." I looked at his waist and saw a sword. It was clear he was going to come with me whether I wanted him to or not.

"Very well, but do you have to bring a sword?" I asked him.

"You never know what'll happen in a forest," he answered. "Best to be prepared."

"Should I have something then?"

"...Alright, I was planning on giving this to you for your next birthday, but since Fora's sending you into the forest, I suppose I could give this to you now." He went back to his house and came back several minutes later holding a small sword. "I worked a long time on this, Stephan. Take good care of it," and he reluctantly gave me the sword.

"I don't have too much experience with these," I told him. "But if it'll up my chance of survival... thanks."

"Now, let's go get that Gem," and we headed into the forest.

The forest wasn't big, but it was large enough and dark enough for you to get lost in if you're not careful. Andrew comes here all the time, so he knows this forest well. When we finally arrived at the temple, it seemed almost ready to fall apart. Some walls were cracked, floorboards were missing... If it wasn't for grandpa's Gem holding it together, it would likely collapse on our heads.

"Thing with this temple is that it tests you," Andrew said. "One of the rooms changes based on what you have on you and who enters first. Since we both have swords, it shouldn't matter much, but if the room proves too big of a challenge, you let me know."

"I'm not going to quit. Grandpa gave me a task and I'll see it through."

"Good answer," and we headed inside. The only light we had was coming through the windows and, since there were trees surrounding the temple, very little light came in. I spent my time in the temple looking at the floor and avoiding holes. When we headed upstairs, I made out what looked like a block suspended in midair. Next to a door was a switch. When I stepped on the switch, the door opened, but when I got off, the door shut.

"Can you come keep this door open, Andrew?" I yelled across the room.

"This is the room that tests you, Stephan," he answered. "Try to figure this out. You're not gonna get anywhere if people solve your puzzles for you." I continued to look at the block. Something was keeping it up, but it was dark so it was hard to see what. I walked a bit closer to the wall and hit my head on a rope. I slashed at the rope, causing the block to fall with a loud thud. Then Andrew and I pushed the block onto the switch and the door remained open. "There," Andrew said. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" We headed upstairs, blinded from the light above, to find a canopy on top of the temple. When we reached the top, we saw someone, clad head to toe in silver armor.

"Hello," I said to him. "We didn't expect to see anyone here."

"Neither did I," the knight said. "I came looking for something, but I found this instead." He held up the Gem.

"That's what we came here looking for," I said to him. "Can we have it?"

"Depends," he said. "Who are you?"

"I'm Stephan and this is Andrew. We came from Fora, the town down there."

"Stephan... Are you the descendant of the heroes of Moneo?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm on a quest of sorts," he said. "I'm trying to become stronger. If you have even a fraction of the strength the old heroes use, it would be an honor to fight you." He readied his sword and shield.

"Hold on a second!" I yelled. "The only thing I used this sword for was to cut a rope in the room below. I don't know how to fight."

"Yes, you do." As he said that, I felt a strange power flowing through me. "I made it so you have some skill with a blade for this battle. I assume your friend knows his way around a sword?"

"You want to fight both of us?" Andrew asked.

"It'll make us all stronger. Now, let us begin!" He dashed at me swinging his sword, but I dodged in time. He's fast with all that armor on. I thought. Is he using the Gem on himself as well? Andrew leapt at the knight, but he blocked with his shield. I thrust my sword into his back. Yelling in pain, the knight knocked me back and took my sword out of him. He threw the sword at my feet and continued to fight off Andrew.

"Stephan!" Andrew yelled. "One hit's not gonna do anything here. We have to keep battling until one of us wears the other down!" Andrew took a blow to the arm, but returned one to the knight's head. I grabbed my sword and swung it, only to be blocked by his shield. Andrew and I then both jumped him, but the knight blocked both of our attacks. Andrew then kicked the knight's knee, knocking him to the ground. Then the two of us thrust our swords into him. Afterward, I felt the power I held fade. We took our swords out of him as the knight stood up.

"You are very good, Stephan and Andrew," he said, nearly out of breath. "You definitely have some skill with a blade, but you have yet to discover it yourself."

"What was it you were looking for?" Andrew asked him.

"I'm looking for a way to defeat Exitilus," he responded.

"But... Exitilus is dead," I said. "My ancestors defeated him long ago."

"Yes and no," the knight said. "He was defeated, but not killed. At the end of the battle, he was sent to a different dimension: the Paradox Dimension."

"I've heard of that place," Andrew said.

"The dimension acts as a prison, though each being there has their own cell, meant to nullify their powers and prevent them ever coming back, though Exitilus, it seems, has found a way."

"If Exitilus is back, we have to stop him." I said.

"No doubt he'll try to take over the world again," Andrew said.

"Though Exitilus is my reason for being here, he is not my real quest," the knight said. "I wish I could help you, but I have to continue with what I was doing."

"We understand," I said. "Thanks for the sword lesson, though."

"Heh, you're welcome," he said. "But be careful. In this world, everyone is like me in terms of life. One sword blow to the head isn't enough. You have to constantly be on your feet and look for openings. I suggest you head to Bora, in the northwestern most corner of Moneo. There, you will find a warrior who will help you."

"And how do you know that?" I asked him.

"Because I was there earlier and I believe she will be of help to you. Now then, I'd best be off." He started to walk away.

"Hold on," Andrew yelled. "The Gem?"

"Oh, right," The knight walked back over to us. "Here you are." He handed me the Gem and left.

"We'd best be going to, too," I said, then Andrew and I left the temple and headed back into town. Though I didn't see him at the time, there was a man standing on top of the temple. He just stood there for a moment, arms folded, and then disappeared.

I ran back into my grandfather's house. "Grandpa! Exitilus is back!" I yelled almost alarmingly.

"What? How?"

"A Silver Knight told us he was looking for a way to defeat Exitilus," Andrew said. "Apparently, he has escaped the Paradox Dimension."

"A Silver Knight?" grandpa asked. "Never mind, do you have the Gem?"

"It's right here," I said as I handed him the Gem. "Grandfather, someone needs to defeat Exitilus. I want to follow in my ancestor's footsteps and..."

"No, absolutely not," he responded.

"Why not? That knight guy can't do it on his own."

"I was there when Exitilus rose to power. I know what he's capable of. You are not to go and encounter him!"

"But, grandpa..."

"I'll go with him then," Andrew said. "I'll train him along the way and, if Exitilus has endangered the lives of other people, we'll help them. He's right; the Silver Knight can't beat Exitilus on his own."

"Huu... you're really set on this, aren't you?" Grandpa asked me.

"Yes, I'll grow stronger and I'll get the gems before Exitilus can so he can't use them." Fora just stood there, looking back and forth between me and Andrew.

"...No."

"Wha...?"

"Me and my brothers will deal with this," he said. "You are not to go out on your own."

"But Andrew's coming with me," I said. "And I want to do what my ancestors did, helped people when Exitilus was troubling them."

"...Then take this Gem with you," he said as he handed me the Gem. "If anything happens, you use the Gem to come right back here."

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"And you, Andrew, you better take good care of my grandson, you hear me?"

"Yes, sir," Andrew responded.

"Then you are free to leave. I'll send word to my brethren about your arrivals."

"You can count on me, grandfather!" and I left. Then grandpa turned to Andrew.

"You better keep him alive, Andrew," he said. "You have plenty of skills with weapons, but Exitilus is powerful. Do everything in your power to defeat him."

"Don't worry, Fora," Andrew said. "I can tell Stephan has a long way to go, and I will protect him all along the way." And he left.

"You better protect him," he said to himself. "All of you."

TOC | Next Chapter >>