Why is my redemption so hard to come by? Why do they insist on my fate? I contemplate my hands filled with the blood close to my horse, I contemplate this holy-looking sword stained with the same viscous liquid.
Am I really a savior? .
26th day of the month of the Zaphir moon, time 18 hours 45 minutes.
A child emerges from his noble mother's womb, and she takes a closer look at him, at the beautiful blue eyes he had and the little brown hair on his head. She showed the child to her husband, dressed in a long red coat emblazoned with golden signs. He, too, looked at her with a smile on his face, but not as big as his mother's. For him, it was a forced smile. Compared to his mother, he could feel the mana level in her blood, which was abnormally low for a human. He handed the infant back to his wife. She then pointed to her younger sister. When she met the infant's gaze, she hid behind her father's cloak. It was then that the baby raised its head towards its mother. Her eyes filled with tears of joy. She exclaimed.
From now on, your name will be James, James Hodes. She began to say. Son of Emperor Raphaël Hodes, Rose Hodes and that girl next to your father is your sister Lucia Hodes.
She smiles at him with tenderness.
That infant in his mother's arms is me. James Hodes, a young nobleman from, as my name suggests, the Hodes. I was born into a prosperous and happy family, and every day I saw the smiles of the villagers turn towards me. So I greeted them with my chubby little hands, still at my young age, turning my hand from left to right. Every day was a big banquet on the estate. And before each meal, we prayed with Sophie, the family priestess. I lived happily ever after, without further conviction. But as I grew older - I was now 10 - I was taught swordplay, writing and battle strategies to make me a good swordsman for the family.
But one fine day, on the 30th day of the sun month of Domenion, tension mounted between my parents.
Your son will never be the rightful heir to my throne. began Raphaël. He can't even cast a spell to create water. He's nothing but an incompetent Rose.
I approached the door to better hear the conversation and saw my sister, now 13, coming towards me.
- Don't make any noise, okay. she said.
I simply gave her a thumbs-up.
- Now come here and listen.
She grabbed me by the collar and made me come and look through the door where our parents were arguing. I saw an enormous torrent of violence. Every word that flew out of their mouths was for me like the deluges of Elrigia.
- You don't realize, Raphaël, that our son is an excellent swordsman for his age and very good at battle strategy, so why do you call him such a beggar ? He puts his heart and soul into rekindling the flame of our great family. So why don't you understand that?
With a dark look in his eyes, Raphaël moved towards Rose. He grabbed her hair and let out a snarling growl. She was in pain, but trying to fight off her husband's embrace. Up to my eyes I saw a dark, even menacing aura emanating from my father.
- You were just a toy to me. Who would have loved you anyway? The village pig, that's for sure. I got you out of trouble and this is how you repay me? When you're nothing but a common plebeian in everyone's eyes. He said coldly, smiling into Rose's eyes.
I could no longer see him as a father, but as a monster with a thirst for fresh flesh. Turning my gaze back to my sister Lucia, she was no longer there. "She's probably gone back to her bed," I thought. So with a step hesitating between listening again or going back to sleep, given the hourthat it was, I took the second option until I went back up to my room and heard.
"Either way, I'd rather break up with you and find one of my other wives in my palace, now pay attention to Heaven because punishment can come at any time remember that Rose ... . "
Hearing Father's words, I became a little afraid of him and what he might do to Mother. It was then that I climbed the stairs and returned to my bed. Thinking of what atrocious torments my father could inflict on my mother. I dozed off. Days passed with no news of Father, who had returned to his grand emperor's palace. The villagers began to look at us like common beggars desperate for food. My mother stopped at the bakery to pick up a loaf of bread. My sister and I looked at each other, wondering why so many people were staring at us.
- Lucia, why have people been staring at us ever since Father left? We've got nothing to do with it, have we? I asked her.
She grabbed both my shoulders and looked into my eyes.
- James, we're noblemen, and if their emperor leaves their mother, they see us as the scum of the earth. she said.
Looking again into the retinas of my sister's eyes, I forgot to see if Mother had returned from her run. She then came back to us, handing the bread ball to Lucia. She then put it in her bag behind her back. We then set off for the manor house, where Ergrid was waiting to open the doors.
- Please come in, Hodes family. he said. I've prepared the coffee you like, Miss Rose.
She thanked him and we headed for our living room, where we could see the forest surrounding the house. It was then, after these moments, that I grew 4 years older, my sister Lucia started trying to get her diploma in magic and combat, while I devoured arcane books in the dark magic category. And I tried to talk to my mother about entering the Espria school for swordsmen and magic. Every evening, my mother and Ergrid pondered what to do with my future, knowing that relations between the Hodes and the villagers were gradually breaking down.
Then, on the evening of the 9th day of the Silent Sun. During dinner, someone knocked on our door. My mother got up and headed for the door, being curious I also set off after her while my sister was enjoying her best roast veal. That's when, hiding behind a wall, I peeked out to see who Mother was chatting to. That's when, opening the door, she saw a villager named Alice, an old acquaintance of our family, carrying a pitchfork. She cried out.
"Down with the traitors, long live to the true emperor !!!! "
The villager then stuck her pitchfork into Mother's chest. The spikes protruded from her bloody back. Mother spat out a long spray of dark-red blood. Seeing this, I forced myself to scream and decided to run towards my one and only attention. Alice saw me and kicked me in the stomach, propelling me into a wall. Her vision blurred, she advanced towards me, pitchfork pointed at my childish eyes.
- You move and I'll pierce what you need to see us. she began. How does it feel to see your mother lying in blood on the floor?
I looked her up and down, her clothes stained with my mother's blood, and tears began to fall between a mixture of black hatred and sadness.
- GO TO HELL, YOU MURDERESS! I spat at her.
She looked at me still on the ground, then waved her hand at the front door. A man came in, our butcher whom my sister and I loved when we were young. He looked down at me, then turned to Alice.
- Should I take the blonde or not ?" the butcher asked in a deep voice.
She nodded in agreement. Then the one we thought was our friend started looking for Lucia. I heard cries of distress coming from my sister's room, as she struggled against the butcher's embrace. Until I heard a thud as if someone had been knocked unconscious. Then the butcher came down the stairs, my sister under one of his arms. He looked at me one last time, then left our house. All that was left was me and Alice, still with her pitchfork. A broad smile played across his thin lips.
- I've figured out how you're going to die, James. she began. I hope you like fire, because it's liable to sting a bit.
She raised her hand and a mage outside launched the assault to burn down the house. She then left, waving goodbye with her right hand. She slammed the door behind her, leaving me and my mother's corpse. I could hear magical rites outside, throwing fireballs at the house. The fire began to enter the house, bringing the ceiling down on the rooms next to us. That's how I went to see my mother on the floor one last time. And vowed to kill anyone who stood in my way of redemption. As I closed the door behind me, I saw a huge flaming beam fall over the cellar trapdoor, and I fell backwards, catching every step of the staircase. On the floor, I still saw a lantern burning. I struggled to my feet, my body aching, and headed for the light source.
- What's that workbench over there? I asked myself.
Despite the pain, I moved slowly towards the table. I saw a letter on it, which read.
"I the undersigned Mr James Hodes
Be taken into the Tarkir fencing school"
But I also distinguish another letter, I take it in my hands then start reading.
"My emperor
Your son is nothing but a waste of society
He is not capable, compared to your daughter Lucia, of controlling magic
We must eliminate him as quickly as possible. Imagine telling the entire kingdom that one of your sons is a magic-deprived man.
You would shock the world by saying these words
We must purge this vermin as quickly as possible.
Chancellor Thomas. "
In a flash of rage, I threw this message to the ground. Who was this Chancellor Thomas, why did he want to kill me for simple magic and why did my father do this today?
I curled into a corner and sobbed.
- I hate this world, I hate my dad, I HATE THIS SHIT LIFE !!!!.
I cried and cried for several minutes. Until I fell asleep on the floor.
The next day I got up with the same ache in my stomach and bones after falling down the stairs. Then I made my way up the stairs to the trapdoor. I could no longer hear the sound of the fire crackling and the rooms collapsing one on top of the other. I put my ear to the ground, trying to hear footsteps coming towards me. When someone came towards the trapdoor and the beam that prevented me from getting out. He called out.
- Is anyone there? Can you hear me?
Then tears of joy rolled down my cheeks. I wasn't going to end up rotting here, but I was going to get out of this hole.
- Yes, someone's here. I shouted to the person outside.
Then she answered.
- Hold on, I'll pull the beam out of the hatch.
That's when I heard him lift the obstruction. He opened the trapdoor and saw me. Wide-eyed, he fell to the ground and knelt down. I climbed the last step and left the cellar, closing what was left of the charred trapdoor. I looked down at him, wearing a sumptuous knight's armor made of white ore, and carrying a sword worthy of the greatest generals of war. And it was then, looking into his face, that I recognized him. This is Ezekiel, one of our greatest knights from my mother's house.
- It is an honor to meet you again, Sire James Hodes. he said, still kneeling before me.
I looked at him, then told him to stand up. As he stood up, he saw my weeping eyes.
- Why are you crying, Sire? he began. Who is the runt who hurts you?
I nodded, then told him.
- Mother has been murdered by the villagers, those bastard villagers I thought were our friends, but they're not.
He then took me in his arms and I raised my head towards him.
- I will do the voice you choose, James Hodes. You are now the only survivor of this atrocity. he said, holding me close.
Then, after a few minutes, he let go of me. And held out his hand.
- Now it's time to take your revenge, Sire James. But if you'd like to go to my wife and me first and prepare your equipment for the lessons in your establishment?
I hesitantly took his hand, thinking it might be a trap set by my father to kill me for good, but looking into his eyes I saw a kindness and loyalty to me and my mother that was second to none.
- Well, let's go now to the town where I live, Tarkir. he exclaimed. We'll need your sword and uniform.
And so we left my old home, leaving my mother's spirit behind to rest under the rubble. It was then that I swore to avenge my mother against that "wife-murdering father".
- I swear to you, Ezekiel, I will kill my father with my own hands, I swear to you, you hear me, Ezekiel. I tell him, clasping my other hand remorsefully.
He smiles at me.
- Don't worry, I'll also be the sword that strikes down your father's armies. he says.
- End of chapter one -