Once upon a time, a nation now unseen once stood tall. It was a land of boundless freedom and promised silence, known as the Sunvale Kingdom. Little did anyone know that this once prosperous kingdom would soon be engulfed in darkness. Without warning, an eternal storm devoured the realm in its entirety. The people, once peaceful, grew to become miserable, yearning for the light to return. Yet, the clouds would not part. Humanity was doomed, destined to live as slaves to persistent oppression for the foreseeable future.
But one day, a collective known as the Purifiers foretold the arrival of a potential savior. The Purifiers, with their history of accuracy and relentless force of greater will, were a sure sign for those who remained confident that help would one day come. This prophecy grew over the coming weeks, giving rise to a flicker of hope within the hearts of the oppressed. However, this optimism was tested when a sonic boom swept across the land, accompanied by a wretched and deafening scream. The power surge was like an earthquake, shaking the very foundations of the kingdom. The castle shook, and lesser buildings crumbled. Even the determined Purifiers had to prepare for a battle they feared.
They gathered their forces, calling on everyone to stand with them. And stand they did, side by side, ready to face the end of their days in spite of unabating terror. The clouds covered distant parts of the country, the darkness as relentless as the guts of Hell. The winds grew colder by the minute, and the sun became a fading source. In the face of such odds, someone had to make a stand, but who? A paragon appeared amidst the despair, a potential beacon of hope. But the silence following the boom ensured failure, or so it seemed.
It was the Astral Ordeal—the essence of space itself began to take over. Yet, the confident warrior stood unflinching. Some say she laughed in the face of abomination, a stone in a storm. Wielding her sword and shield, it was a tense standoff. Just as the brave one readied to charge, the unholy cloud imploded, manifesting into a giant orb of chaos. But to tip the scale, the pinnacle of this legend's existence lies with the valor of the warrior who stood against the darkness. Her blade of light clashed with the orb in earth-shattering opposition.
The collision was fierce, and the biting winds manifested into a wild hurricane. At first, the wind was piercingly cold, cutting through her skin and chilling the warrior's bones. But then the temperature began to rise to a sweat-inducing degree. The gales that had been violently stirring suddenly dissipated. The blinding dust cloud faded in the wind, leaving nothing in sight. All that remained was a crater in the Earth and what was thought to be fragments of the blade. As for the warrior—she was nowhere to be found.
Some say that her sudden disappearance marked a turning point for our future, believing her disappearance signified that balance was restored. Without the great darkness that enveloped the land, the bright light that arose to conquer it was no longer needed. Some say that the brave warrior died in the dark storm that day. Regardless of the truth, one thing was certain: the legend of her courage and sacrifice was deeply woven into the fabric of Sunvale Kingdom. Like a spark, what she left behind would set all wickedness ablaze. Her name was Ember, and she will forever be remembered as a symbol of light during catastrophic times, a flicker in the dark, you might say.
Yayra carefully rolled the scroll up and slid it into her back pocket. "So? How'd it sound?" She scanned the faces of everyone at the table. Beth enjoyed the read and soaked it all in while delicately picking at the food she had left. Harper was unimpressed and little Justice was hanging on every word.
"And you're telling us this all really happened?" Harper was having a hard time believing a legend she never once heard before.
"A long, long time ago, but yeah—I remember hearing bits and pieces of Ember's story. When I was still at the orphanage, a drifting bard used to come through town and entertain people at the tavern. The following day, before he'd leave, he would go down to the river and catch a few shellfish for the road. Some of us kids would help him fill his fishing net, and in return, he would tell us stories or sing songs. That's how I learned about Nutty Longfellow—the drifter sang one of their tunes, and it got me hooked."
"Well, color me amazed, young blood," Yayra was pleasantly surprised at Justices' admission. "I've never met someone as young as you who was familiar with Ember's legend. Did you know that blade rests somewhere in the sky, undamaged," she added with a slight smile.
"Really?" Justice perked up.
"Allegedly. I can't prove that to be true, one way or the other; even I'm not too sure about that detail. It might have been added for dramatic effect. But if you ask me, I think it's out there…somewhere." Yayra winked at the mirthful little girl. "What do you think?"
"It does add a certain mystique to the story," Justice admitted. "I think it's out there somewhere too."
"Now, I admit that I took some creative liberties with some of the story details for the book, of course, but not enough to damage the integrity of truth in the lore."
"So, it is all true then?" Harper said, sliding her empty dessert plate to the center of the table.
"Perhaps. What I meant was I didn't twist the words of old—everything I jotted down is what the original text stated—I just spruced it up a bit for a modern audience."
Justice's eyes sparkled with excitement as she leaned closer to Yayra. "I love hearing stories about female heroes. Mom—I mean, Beth—has so many cool stories that she experienced. Do you think there will be legends about her someday?"
"There are legends about her now. Well, maybe not legends per se, but word of her exploits surely gets around. I even heard about the pet gluttony-spawn you took in, strange little project."
"What are you talking about?" Beth asked.
"I heard you have one of those monsters chained up at the café, taught it to work and all sorts of things."
Harper, Beth, and Justice all looked at one another strangely. "Chuck, you mean?" Beth asked.
"It has a name?" Yayra almost couldn't believe it.
"Chuck isn't a gluttony-spawn; he's just…" Justice paused to consider what Chuck was. He was different, that much she knew. "…different, that's all. Like how Pax is."
"Ah, yes—the cursed pig-man. No matter—sometimes words get jumbled up when they travel. Anyway, as I was saying—the thing about legends is that they need time to grow. They begin as significant events and then evolve into stories—some are forgotten over time, but others find their way into taverns and campfire circles and are retold forever. That's how legends are forged."
"I promise to tell your stories everywhere I go," Justice announced, looking at Beth. "As soon as I'm old enough to start going places, that is."
Yayra chuckled, seeing the luster in Justice's eyes. "If you like old stories, have you ever heard the legend that says there's an old temple in the Skylands containing a legendary blade?"
Justice's excitement finally bubbled over. "Oh! Let's go there! Can we, Mom? Harp? Please, can we go?"
Beth was amused and eager to nurture her illegitimate daughter's curiosity. "That does sound fascinating. Maybe we can find some local books about the Skylands first, and you can brush up on your knowledge. When you're adventuring, tons of things can hurt you, so learning everything you can about the environment you set out to traverse is just another way you can keep yourself safe. Besides, you could combine your love for learning with history instead of just focusing on celestial subjects—it's a win-win."
Justice's face scrunched up. "But wait..." she said slowly. "At first, you said the sword was broken and lost, and now you're saying it's complete and in a temple at the Skylands?"
"Yep."
Justice was confused. "That doesn't make any sense. Like, at all."
Yayra grinned, clearly delighted. "Now you're catchin' on to how these legends and rumors work! Just like I said about words getting jumbled up. The thing about legends is they've been told and retold so many times that not all of what you hear is true. Most times, some things don't add up or are missing altogether. Have you ever heard the old story about Pagona's Pool of Youth?"
Justice nodded. "Yeah. A lady went there and emerged as a baby—at least that's the shortened version."
"That's pretty much how the legend goes, but the truth is far less magical. The lady who went to Pagona's Pool of Youth was a pregnant mother who was very sick. Doctors had tried everything to cure her of the mysterious illness she somehow contracted, but it was no use. After taking the advice of a wise man, she journeyed to Pagona, hoping the fabled body of water would help her. About half a day from her destination, she woke up in a puddle of blood, and no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't feel the baby move. With her sickness taking over, she pushed forward and eventually reached the Pool of Youth. She climbed inside and ultimately died in the water. However, her baby miraculously survived—being born right there in the mystical pool. So, while the legend is far different—leading listeners to believe the water in Pagona's fabled pool could turn back time on the mortal clock—the truth is just as amazing. And that's just one example of misunderstood legends. Just remember, when you start looking into these old tales—you'll find the truth in the details."
"Fascinating," Justice said softly under her breath.
"No offense, guys, but I'm a manager at a café, and all this stuff is beyond me. I don't want to be rude, but perhaps we could talk about something else for the rest of our brunch?"
"Harp?" Beth scoffed.
"Come on, Harp—I love this kind of stuff." Justice begged.
Harper rolled her eyes hard. "Ugh—whatever."
"As luck would have it, Miss Harper, I really must be on my way as it is." Yayra looked around at everyone, and a hint of sadness crept into her smile. "It's been good catching up. Harper, it was nice to see you again, and Beth—I'm so glad we got a chance to sit down and spend some time together. I wish I could stay longer, but duty calls."
Beth put her hand on Yayra's. "I hate to see you go, but I know you have responsibilities. Just promise me you'll visit next time you're in the neighborhood. I can't promise I'll be here, but as long as the White Moon Café is standing, you'll always have a place for some food and coffee whenever you're in Crest Town."
"Much appreciated," Yayra turned to Justice. "And as for you—it was an exceptional experience making your acquaintance, young lady. I see a lot of your mother in you, and I know you will achieve phenomenal feats in the future. And next time I stop by, I'll have some more stories to share about female heroes and warriors."
"Promise?"
"I do. And who knows, maybe you'll be the star of one of the tales I teach my students about someday. I expect that I'll hear your name spoken in legends soon enough."
With that, the friends exchanged hugs and farewells. As Yayra walked out of the Nut Hut and the door closed behind her, Beth leaned back in her chair.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm still a little hungry," she admitted, rubbing her stomach.
Harper stared at her in disbelief. "After everything you ate and after not feeling well?"
"Give me a break, Harp; I was in a coma—I'm a few days behind on my eating schedule. Besides, that cake we just ate was phenomenal."
"I might still be a little hungry, too," Justice added.
Harper rolled her eyes, "Oh great, now there's two of them. I should have seen this coming, honestly. Beth and Beth Jr."
Justice's eyes lit up again. "Wait! Can I really be Beth Jr.?"
Beth and Harper answered in unison. "No."
"Oh. Sorry I asked—"
"Don't be sorry, sweetie—you should be proud to be yourself. Besides, you don't want to live in my shadow, trust me. Forge your path," Beth tussled her hair.
"But if I had to live in someone's shadow, it would definitely be yours."
Beth shook her head, "Good to know."
The waitress returned and started clearing out the empty dishes. "So, how was the food, ladies? Can I get ya'll anything else?"
Beth grinned mischievously. "Yeah—I think I might order some more dessert."
"You're serious?" Harper asked.
"Yeah. What can I say? I guess all that storytelling worked up my appetite again." Beth glanced up at the waitress. "Can I get 'Dark Moon' to go? This one's for the road."
The waitress acknowledged the request and returned to the kitchen. Harper shook her head, laughing. "You are unbelievable."
"And you love me for it." Beth winked.
The Dark Moon was a chocolate-themed secret recipe patented by Ancient Moon. It consisted of multiple layers of rich, dark chocolate cake interspersed with velvety ganache, topped with a glossy, mirror-like chocolate glaze.
When the to-go container with Beth's dessert arrived, she quickly took a bite, savoring the dense, dark chocolate that melted smoothly on her tongue. The outer layer was adorned with delicate chocolate curls and dusted with edible gold flakes, giving it an appearance as luxurious as its taste. Each forkful was an indulgent blend of bitterness and sweetness, perfectly balanced to leave a lasting impression on the palate.
"You know what," Beth said, licking the chocolatey goodness off her fingers, "I think I may just finish this one here and get another one for the road."