In the heart of Starglade lies Starhaven, its grand and luminous main city. Glittering with countless lights, the city shines so brightly that, from a distance, it resembles a twinkling star in the night sky. According to legend, a falling star—a meteorite—once crashed here, leaving an enduring mark on the land. From this celestial event, the city gained its name, Starhaven, forever tying its identity to the heavens.
In the Palace:
"My king! My king! Our troops took over the land that was captured by the enemies," announced a messenger.
King Darrios the Fifth, the ruler of the current kingdom of Starglade, breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! Tell the troops to stay low and guard the area."
Jeshur, the king's advisor, added, "Also, your highness, it turns out your son killed their General with his own power in the battle of the Generals."
"That's my son!" King Darrios exclaimed proudly. "Ezra (11 ½ years old, youngest prince of the kingdom Starglade)."
"Your brother just won their battle against the enemy," the king added.
"Really, dad?" Prince Ezra asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Someday, I will be like him."
His father's face softened slightly. "You should be, after you lost your Emberfox back then in the orphanage and someone almost died because of your recklessness."
Ezra's face flushed. "I was five years old back then, father. It's your fault for giving me that gift in the first place."
King Darrios chuckled. "Too many reasons for a man I see. Anyway, you should be training. Just because you're blessed with Mana and Artifacts, you just gonna slack off. Someone will beat you to that."
Jeshur interrupted, "Also your Majesty, it turns out someone from a Noble Family is a Light user. He's now been called The Prodigy. On the other hand, a genius from an Orphanage is a fire user and still in training. His Mana pool is just getting bigger, and he learned faster than the other orphans."
King Darrios nodded thoughtfully. "Woah, it turns out there are too many uprising stars coming. They're going to be valuable pieces in this current situation. Still, we can't celebrate too early. I'm pretty sure other countries have their own powerhouses too."
Jeshur hesitated for a moment. "Uhm, My Lord, I forgot. Xavier also said that the genius one never aced any test he gave."
The King was surprised. "Eh, how's that possible? As a genius, he basically has the talent and a bigger Mana pool than the others."
Jeshur replied, "Yes, but there's this young man, his age with a scar on his face. He also has a large Mana pool. He's a Dark User, Your Majesty."
"Oh! A Dark User might be rare too, but they are all dangerous," the king said. "But they're basically the opposite of Light. They can turn anything into nothingness. A dark mage can be the strongest, but every dark mage who has been so strong opposes our society. Keep an eye on those two dark mages in that orphanage. We should limit their power. It's for their own good."
"Yes, my King," Jeshur agreed. "The girl is just a normal Dark User. She might be a summoner too. But the young lad with a scar, a genius. He might be a good use, sire."
"Yes, let's hope we can keep these kids in line. Or else, we'll be destroyed by our own blade we harness. Hear that Ezra? The children with talents are blossoming here and there," King Darrios said. "The new era of Warriors and Mages are coming! We will win this war!"
In the Classroom:
"Okay, now we will teach you the history of our country," the teacher announced. "As you all know, war has been going on for a long time. However, there was a time that the three kingdoms here in the east offered peace. Peace lasted for decades. However, new leaders in both countries decided to start conquest again, and as a country, we don't have a choice but to fight for what is ours!"
"In those wars, countless men and women in the kingdom suffered. Many children lost their lives, caught in the crossfire of battles or left vulnerable in the aftermath. Their untimely deaths became a sobering symbol of the indiscriminate destruction caused by war."
"Women suffered greatly during this time. They were subjected to acts of violence, including widespread abuse, with many being taken advantage of during the chaos of conflict. Their suffering left deep marks, not just on the individuals themselves, but on the communities struggling to recover."
"Comrades who were captured faced grim fates. Many were enslaved by the enemy, stripped of their freedom, and forced into hard labor under oppressive conditions. These once-proud warriors were reduced to tools of exploitation, their loyalty and courage disregarded by their captors."
"These events serve as a reminder that our ancestors sacrificed their lives for us."
The kids' reaction changed, and there's anger building up inside them, making them fight even more. "If we win this war, we can take revenge for the people around you. To avenge your ancestors and even your parents. Did you know that most of your parents are warriors? Don't you want to take revenge for them?"
"Oh!" the students shouted in unison, their eyes blazing with a newfound fervor.
"And Aethra, do you know that your parents back then also participated in the war? And they had a high rank too," the teacher said. "Considering your father was a fire swordsman known as the Phoenix Sword, and your mother being a healer, no wonder you're a boy genius."
Aethra was shocked. He knew that children in the orphanage were the children of dead warriors of the country. He never knew how high-ranking his parents were, which filled him with a sense of pride.
"Woah, that's so cool!" the students exclaimed, their faces alight with admiration.
"So, are you going to fight for our country, Aethra?" the teacher asked, his voice laced with expectation.
"Gladly, sir," Aethra responded, his voice filled with determination.
"Oh, sir, how about Rethrus? He's unbelievable too, is it possible that his parents are high ranks in the army too?" Hans asked, his voice brimming with curiosity.
All eyes turned to Rethrus, who was fast asleep, his face hidden in his arms. He had been trying to extend his Mana pool in the dark, striving to reach Platinum Petals. He knew that his Mana pool would get bigger with battles and more rigorous training at the magic academy, so he was pushing himself to the limit.
"Rethrus! Rethrus!" the teacher called out, his voice sharp and insistent.
Rethrus jolted awake, his eyes blurry with sleep. "Ha, yes sir!" he mumbled, his voice raspy with sleep.
Elizabeth chuckled, a melodious sound that made Rethrus' heart skip a beat. Elizabeth was so beautiful, he thought.
"Now, Rethrus here," the teacher began, "we don't know his parents."
The class erupted in murmurs of surprise.
"You see," the teacher continued, "we just found him in the forest at night crying, and we dressed him because we knew that he'd be a great citizen for this country."
"Will you defend the country that feeds you, Rethrus?" the teacher asked, his eyes searching Rethrus' face.
Rethrus felt a wave of unease wash over him. "No," he thought, his voice unwavering. "Why would I sacrifice my life to this senseless war? I'm gonna live my life and enjoy most things in it. I will die old and happy."
"Rethrus?" the teacher's voice was laced with concern.
"Yes," Rethrus answered, his voice betraying none of his inner turmoil. "I will defend this country until the day I die."
Dinner Time:
After class, it was time for dinner. The children gathered around the communal table, their chatter filling the air. There was already a little discrimination between the Mana Class and the Mage Class, but they still ate together.
Rethrus ate quickly, his mind elsewhere. He didn't join their conversation.
"What's the rush, Rethrus?" Elizabeth asked, her voice soft and concerned. "You don't want to join our conversation?"
"Yeah, where are you going, huh?" Jack asked, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance.
"Contacting with the devil, are you?" Hans joked, his words causing a ripple of silence as the other children looked at Rethrus with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. They knew he was exceptionally strong for his age, even stronger than Aethra.
"Hey, come on, it's a joke," Hans said quickly, trying to lighten the mood.
"No," Rethrus replied, his voice calm. "I'm going to rest for tomorrow. And you all can check my body if I have a mark. It's like a tattoo proving that you have a contract with the devil."
Elizabeth's eyes softened with concern. "Can you stay and join us?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of persuasion.
Rethrus couldn't resist her beautiful face and joined their conversation.
"I'm going to be a General and going to ask your hand for marriage, Elizabeth, so wait for me," Jack declared, his voice filled with youthful bravado.
"No, I'm going to ask her hand for marriage," Hans countered, his voice filled with a playful defiance.
Elizabeth smiled at them, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Both boys blushed.
"Now that I think about it," Lumine said, her voice thoughtful, "we're so abundant when it comes to food."
"Yeah," the other kids agreed, their voices filled with a sense of contentment.
"Nah, who cares, let's just enjoy it," someone else chimed in.
The others agreed, their laughter filling the room.
In the Office:
Meanwhile, in the office, Sister Susan spoke to their father, her voice filled with awe. "Father, that's a lot of donations!"
"Yeah, since they know about Rethrus, Aethra, and the other kids. The kingdom wants our orphanage to produce fine soldiers for the future, so we should give the kids all they need. And also, the Silentvisk Family (an assassin family who operates freely in the Kingdom and the Kingdom can't do anything since they help the kingdom and this family is loyal to the throne) donated some money. They left a message, 'Keep feeding those younglings.'"
Sister Susan looked at father, her brow furrowed with confusion. "What does it mean, father?"
"I think the news about Rethrus and Aethra reached that family. We both know what they want," father said, his voice serious. "Let's just hope the boys make the right decision. Especially Rethrus."