A raging crimson trail followed the sword and burnt embers were turning into ashes and falling onto the ground. It was such a beautiful sight. For the first time in my life, I had seen an Aeon with my own two eyes. In the story of the Hero of Nautilus, my mom used to tell me, the Aeons manifested in those who shared the same views on Freedom as them. Aeons themselves are spoken of as Gods in the story, Gods willing to come down to us humans and bless us with their blessings.
But who knew that the approaching crown prince would be one of the Aeons? I stared at the flower on his cheek as it burned even stronger with a raging fire.
Viego was about to slash me as I was completely out of it and just staring at the flower on his cheek. That flower, was red. The one that appeared in my dream was black, I remembered clearly what the black flower in my dream looked like.
Just as the sword grazed my eyelashes Emovi jumped onto her brother from behind and held him back. I snapped out of my trance and finally realised the precarious situation I was actually in.
"Run Vivshi!" Emovi cried out whilst trying to hold back her brother.
I was only a stray, I shouldn't put my nose where it doesn't belong. I should just do as other people tell me. It's for the best, I quietly whispered to myself and started to run away from the mansion.
An ear-piercing cry came from behind me, I shouldn't look behind… it isn't any of my business…
"Brother, please…"
Viego was about to strike his own sister, her eyes filled with fear after he had shaken her off his back.
In the tales of the Hero of Nautilus, the Hero was an Aeon just like that prince, heroic, chivalrous, generous, benevolent, caring, the Aeon of Ember that he carried emitted a warmth that united the people even if they were divided by language, race, wealth, and ideologies. Anger boiled up inside of me, a man like him is undeserving of the Aeon. Those who wield the Aeon which is meant to protect and unite people should grant those around a sense of security in this case, THIS PRINCE IS A FAKE.
I swiftly shifted my ankle and started to run back towards the Prince who was about to strike Emovi.
"A MAN LIKE YOU, IS UNDESERVING OF THE AEON OF EMBER!" I screamed as I charged towards him.
I made a promise, and promises should never be broken. Those who break a vow, are worse than the scummiest scum. Rocks from the wall crumbled, Viego looked down at me with eyes full of rage that I had yet again touched him. Worse than that, I had assaulted a royal.
He punched me in the stomach and kicked me away from him before burning up the dust I slathered onto his clothes. Lying crouched wheezing on the ground holding my stomach because I was completely out of breath from the punch the Prince approached and kicked me again. My vision was going blurry again…
I could hear the faint sobbing of Emovi, sitting there crying with her dirty dress.
"Any last words you filthy mongrel?" He said with contempt.
He raised his sword infused with the crimson flames and was ready to plunge it into my body.
"Hah… You are no hero," I wheezed in between my breaths.
The Prince not caring about what the opinions of a peasant were ignored my remark and readied his blade.
That dream replayed in my head once again. I reached out my hand and tried to grab onto the wind. I wanted to see a world filled with human expression, expressions that I have never seen before in my life. I wanted to experience Freedom. As the cold wind blew over the city of Fukviyu my resolve steeled, I refused to yield to a Prince telling me when I need to die or what I need to do when I'm alive.
I pushed myself up from the ground and smirked at the Prince who looked at me with an irritated expression written across his face.
"I will admit one thing, you are one persistent mutt," the Prince said mockingly.
I had not noticed it myself but black liquid was dripping from the hand that tried to catch the wind. From my ragged pocket, I pulled a rusty pocket knife that I used to cut open tin cans and pointed it at the Prince.
The Prince's eyes softened and the corners of his mouth went up in laughter as he saw what I was trying to do. Then everything went quiet, the Prince seeing that I held a blade offered me a battle of honor.
He explained that even if I were a mere filthy dog, anyone who challenged him with a blade would be determined as his opponent, and enemies should always be treated with the utmost honor.
I could feel the burning passion he had for swordsmanship in his eyes as he said those words to me. Even after all the derogatory terms he called me, I couldn't help but smile because he offered me a feeling I couldn't have ever felt in the slums. Exhilaration.
Both of us braced ourselves and then lunged at each other. This feeling inside whilst I was clashing my blade against his, was otherworldly. My heart was beating so fast, my brain felt so alive, my feelings had been completely devoured and replaced with the exhilarating feeling of battle.
After a bit of struggle, my wrist started to weaken and eventually… I dropped my pocket knife which had been completely broken into two parts.
"So this is how Freedom feels…" My eyes twitched around euphorically and I grinned like a kid in a candy shop.
I could see the blurry image of Emovi rushing towards me trying to prevent the Prince from cutting me. But there was no way, I could die after feeling that. I refuse.
Ominous black roots sprouted from my grinning face. I felt how the roots dug into my skin and rooted themselves deep into my body. On my cheek sprouted the very same flower I had seen in my dream.
The Prince took a step back as he saw the black flower emerging from my cheek. He couldn't believe his eyes, he was witnessing the birth of a new Aeon. The world has always had 12 Aeons, each reincarnating into a new host after the old one dies.
Emovi's eyes widened in terror as she saw the roots spreading across the right side of my face and neck.
"A black flower…" They both muttered in utter disbelief.