The great hall was bathed in the warm, late-afternoon glow of the setting sun, a familiar golden light that seemed to promise peace after the long, grueling journey. The atmosphere was thick with the excitement of homecoming; Thorenz, Moses, and Jonah had finally returned, nearly a month after their departure.
Fredericko and Roxanne rose, welcoming their son with open arms, their smiles radiating immense relief. As the gathered family and friends settled around the great central table, a respectful silence fell over the room.
Fredericko cleared his throat, a warm, paternal smile finally settling the anxiety that had shadowed his face during Thorenz's absence. "Thorenz," he called out.
"Yes, Father," Thorenz replied, his voice clear and filled with the same deference he'd carried since childhood.
"You are heartily welcome home," Fredericko said, his eyes shining with profound pride.
"Thank you, Father," Thorenz returned, mirroring the smile.
Fredericko then turned his warm gaze toward the two figures flanking his son. "Moses and Jonah," he called. They chorused their reply in unison: "Yes, sir."
"You are both welcome back. And thank you," Fredericko added, his gratitude evident, "for looking after your friend Thorenz."
Moses spoke first, his voice earnest. "No need for thanks, sir. Thorenz is our friend after all."
"That's right," Jonah affirmed with a ready nod.
Fredericko nodded once, turning back to his son. The formalities were done; the true matter could begin. "Alright, Thorenz, what is your report on the mission?"
Thorenz leaned forward, clearing his throat and settling into a professional seriousness. "Yes, Father. The rumors are true. There are indeed other humans beyond our borders. The path I took led me to a small country called Welbgard."
"Since you were away for quite a long time," Fredericko asked, a subtle edge entering his voice, "can I assume that Welbgard is quite far from here?"
"It is indeed far," Thorenz admitted openly. "But I'd not be honest with you if I said that was the only reason I stayed this long out there."
Before Thorenz could elaborate, Aethel's voice sliced through the room, sharp and laced with undisguised bitterness. Aethel, standing near the mantelpiece, finally broke his tense silence. "I was right, after all. You were actually passing time on vacation in Welbgard, weren't you?"
Thorenz snapped upright, his expression turning instantly serious, his eyes narrowing in confusion and offense. "Huh?"
Laura, sitting nestled between Moses and Jonah, leaned toward Moses, whispering urgently. "Um, is it just me or does Aethel seem bitter towards Thorenz? Do they ever get along?"
Moses leaned in close, his voice hushed. "Well, it's not that they don't get along. The last time I saw Aethel, he and Thorenz were quite close. I don't know why he's so cold toward him now. Perhaps we will find out if we listen carefully."
Fredericko, maintaining an admirable composure, ignored Aethel's cruel jab and steered the conversation back to the mission. "Thorenz, what else took your time that kept you from returning home sooner?"
Thorenz's demeanor darkened with the gravity of his next revelation. "Welbgard was being terrorized by a giant called Lazio."
Fredericko's eyes widened in profound shock. "A giant? I thought I had eliminated all of them!"
Thorenz nodded, gripping the edge of the table. "Well, it turned out that Lazio was alive. So we had to stay behind and fight for them. We defeated him, restored peace to Welbgard, and even found out that Welbgard was, in fact, a land of gold."
"Gold?" Fredericko and Roxanne exchanged surprised, wide-eyed glances, unable to hide their astonishment.
"Yes, Father," Thorenz confirmed. "We brought some home. They are in our bags."
Roxanne, her shock giving way to maternal curiosity, turned toward the new face at the table. "Thorenz, who is your new friend?"
"Oh, Mother," Thorenz smiled warmly, relief washing over his face at the topic change. "This is Laura. We met her on our way to Welbgard but—"
Aethel abruptly cut off his brother, his patience visibly fracturing. "Cut the irrelevant crap, already!"
"Aethel, what is it?" Roxanne questioned, her voice taking on a maternal sharpness.
Aethel ignored his mother completely, his eyes fixed on his father. "Father, what are we waiting for? Both Thorenz and I are back from our journey now. We've both confirmed the existence of humans beyond our borders. What else is needed? Let us know who will inherit the Oathkeeper's Shadows right now!"
"Aethel! What is wrong with you?" Thorenz demanded, finally snapping at his brother's persistent hostility.
Aethel turned his gaze onto Thorenz, his magnificent, diamond-like Roogan eyes fixed on his brother with a chilling, cold glare.
Fredericko rose slowly, his expression heavy with the weight of the moment, the years of waiting finally concluding. "Very well then, if you truly want to know who will inherit the Oathkeeper's Shadows, so be it. I will pass it to its next master." He paused, his gaze sweeping over his two sons. "However, whoever inherits the black blade, I want you two to remain brothers. I want you two to continue to love and support each other, no matter what path this weapon takes you down."
With those final, pleading words, Fredericko turned and walked into his private chambers. The great hall fell into a stunned silence, the air thrumming with anticipation and the lingering disbelief over Aethel's aggressive outburst.
It was not long before Fredericko returned. In his hands, he carried the legendary Oathkeeper's Shadows. The black blade was flawlessly clean, its surface so dark it seemed to absorb all the light in the room, contrasting sharply with the silvery, shining guard.
"Alright, before I announce my successor, I want you all to listen to this," Fredericko began, his voice commanding and clear. "The reason why my mother forged this sword wasn't to make me more powerful or stronger. It wasn't a tool to kill humans. It was rather to protect humans. In other words, the Oathkeeper's Shadows isn't a tool meant to make you stronger or more powerful. It isn't a tool for murder. It's made to perform one function, one purpose: to protect. And I hope that with it, you two, my sons, can keep protecting humans forever."
He paused, his eyes returning to Aethel and Thorenz. "However, Mother also warned me of a particular risk the sword holds. It's an immensely powerful sword, and Mother warned that in the wrong hands, the sword could bring about great ruin. The test I set for you two was to see who the Oathkeeper's Shadows has chosen as its next master. You both have done well, passing the test in remarkable fashion. And now, I will choose my successor."
The silence in the room was absolute, every person holding their breath for the monumental decision. Fredericko walked slowly across the hall, the legendary black blade balanced carefully in his hands, and stopped directly in front of Thorenz, his gaze fixed solely on his younger son.
"The one who will inherit the Oathkeeper's Shadows is, ... Thorenz," Fredericko stated firmly, handing the legendary black blade to Thorenz.
The entire room erupted in celebration. But while smiles and cheers filled the air, Aethel stood frozen, his face a mask of shock and burning, incandescent anger.
Fredericko continued, placing a hand on Thorenz's shoulder. "Thorenz, do you swear that with this sword, you will continue from where I have stopped, to continue to keep humanity safe?"
Thorenz, still reeling from the shock of the immense responsibility now placed upon him, gripped the Oathkeeper's Shadows firmly. He replied with a smile, his voice ringing with absolute sincerity: "Yes, Father."
Thorenz stood utterly still, the legendary Oathkeeper's Shadows heavy yet perfectly balanced in his hands. A gentle smile touched his lips as he gazed down at the black, diamond-like steel, absorbing the immense destiny just passed to him. His family watched him, their faces alight with pride and relief.
But the light of celebration was violently extinguished.
A sudden, fierce crackling tore through the air. Aethel, his body rigid and trembling, began to crackle as raw, intense lightning sparked across his skin. Before anyone could react, Aethel directed the electric energy, lashing it out like a whip. The bolt slammed into Thorenz, sending him hurtling through the ancient wooden wall behind him. He landed hard amidst the dirt and rocks of the compound outside.
"Aethel! What are you doing? Why did you attack your brother?" Roxanne shrieked, her voice frantic.
From the shattered remains of the wall, Thorenz's voice, raw with outrage, cut through the din. "Tch tch tch. Hey! What did you do that for?!"
At that moment, Aethel's face transformed. His diamond-like eyes began to radiate an intense, stunning blue light, illuminating his features like twin stars burning in the night.
"Thorenz the chosen one," Aethel sneered, his voice dripping with venomous sarcasm. "The one Father chose. The one the Oathkeeper's Shadows chose as its next master." His smile widened, devoid of warmth. "I'm challenging you to a duel. Put the Oathkeeper's Shadows on the line. If you win, I will quit. If I win, you'll hand the sword over to me. Deal?"
But Thorenz didn't answer. His eyes widened in pure shock as he stared at his twin. "Aethel, your eyes..." he whispered, his voice catching.
Aethel instinctively reached a hand up toward his own face. "My eyes?" He then conjured a small, perfect diamond in his palm and peered into the reflective surface. When he saw his own illuminated, stellar gaze, a menacing, cacophonous laughter burst from his throat.
"I'm truly the strongest! I'm the most powerful!" he roared, savoring the sound of his own dominance.
He lashed out instantly. Thorenz reacted with superhuman speed, dodging to the side, but the attack hit him from the exact same direction he had moved to avoid. The shockwave sent him spiraling through the air and deep into the dense forest surrounding the house.
What? I thought I dodged the attack. What happened? Thorenz muttered in utter confusion, trying to regain his bearings among the trees.
Aethel launched his next volley—a torrent of ten massive fireballs—at his brother. Thorenz tried to evade the first attack, but the same terrifying phenomenon occurred: he was miraculously struck by all ten projectiles, sending him flying deeper into the forest canopy with searing force.
"THOREEEENZ!" Laura screamed in terror.
"Aethel, stop this madness now!" Roxanne pleaded, but Aethel ignored his mother, his focus solely on the destruction of his brother.
Thorenz slowly gained his footing, pulling himself upright, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Aethel's laughter echoed through the trees. "Hey, Thorenz! If you don't use the Oathkeeper's Shadows, you might die!"
"I don't want to fight you, Aethel," Thorenz called back, desperately trying to catch his breath. "We are brothers! Why can't we live together peacefully forever?"
"Because you have what I truly want!" Aethel declared, his voice ringing with psychotic certainty. "I'm very powerful now. The light in my eyes is just a sign that my Roogan has developed into another stage of its powers. Right now, I can see your next move, so I know where to attack. But that's not all. The Roogan makes the enemy believe he has dodged the attack, making it easy to attack!"
"In other words..." Thorenz gasped, realization dawning amid the pain.
"Yeah, it creates illusions for the enemies, making them believe they actually dodged the attacks. But what's truly terrifying is that you can't tell the difference between real attacks and fakes! That's the new ability the Roogan granted me!" Aethel shrieked, relishing his devastating advantage.
Huff huff huff. Thorenz mentally calculated the odds. Damn, Aethel has gotten stronger. He's so strong, I feel like I might die if I don't give it my all, he mused. He looked up, his expression hardening, his breath slowing as a fierce resolve replaced his panic.
"I love that look in your eyes. It looks like you're ready to go," Aethel said, his smile widening. "Alright, playtime is over."
Aethel squatted down, placing his hand flat against the earth, and commanded: "Lift of your heads, oh ye gates of hell, and let the flames of the realm be my sword!"
"What kind of incantation is that?" Thorenz questioned, horror rising in his throat.
The earth began to shake violently; the tremors quickly escalated into a roaring earthquake.
"Hey! What did you do?" Thorenz demanded, his voice laced with horror. Aethel only answered with a menacing, high-pitched laugh.
Suddenly, the ground erupted in volcanic fury. Massive columns of smoke billowed into the sky as molten rock burst from the earth. Volcanoes began to spring up, rapidly filling the mountains and the surrounding forest. The very foundations of their home groaned and fractured before being entirely consumed by the searing, relentless magma. Their family members—Fredericko, Roxanne, Moses, Jonah, and Laura—could be seen struggling desperately to avoid the encroaching, blistering heat.
"Hey, Aethel! Stop!" Thorenz screamed, his voice thick with fear for his family. "Stop it!"
But Aethel merely erupted in a cacophony of triumphant laughter. "Are you trying to play the hero like you did in Welbgard? Haha, nice try!"
Before long, the entire compound and surrounding area were a shimmering, deadly pool of hot volcanic magma. Left with no other choice—his family's lives hanging in the balance—Thorenz drew both the newly inherited Oathkeeper's Shadows and his Aureblade.
"Arise, Aureblade! Arise Oathkeeper's Shadows!" Thorenz mused, his anger finally boiling over into a fierce, righteous rage.
Aethel's rage-fueled laughter died instantly as his illuminated Roogan gaze fell upon the second blade in Thorenz's hands.
What is that weapon? Aethel hissed, his curiosity momentarily overcoming his fury. It's made of pure gold. I guess this proves that they really returned home with gold. Is that what Thorenz used to defeat the giant in Welbgard? What kind of power does it possess?
Thorenz gave him no time for further questions. With a sharp grunt, he plunged the golden tip of the Aureblade into the turbulent earth. Immediately, the golden blade began to glow with blinding light, drawing the immense, catastrophic heat. The molten magma that had spread throughout the mountains, erupting from the instantaneous volcanoes, was rapidly absorbed by the Aureblade. The landscape normalized in a rush of cool air, leaving only scorched, bare earth. The Aureblade, now smoky from the incredible energy it had consumed, was pulled free by Thorenz.
"What did you do?" Aethel asked, his diamond eyes wide with shock and a frantic curiosity.
"Are you sure you want to stick around and find out?" Thorenz challenged, a cold seriousness replacing his previous reluctance. He adopted a ready stance, holding the Oathkeeper's Shadows in one hand and the smoky Aureblade in the other. "Two swords style," he mused, a dangerous glint in his eye.
"Two swords style?" Aethel stammered. "When did you learn how to use the two swords style?"
Thorenz's answer was delivered in a rush of power: "TWIN CONTINENTAL DEVASTATION!"
He swept both the Oathkeeper's Shadows and the Aureblade in a devastating arc. The Aureblade unleashed a massive wave of superheated energy, double the volume of the volcanoes it had just absorbed. Simultaneously, the Oathkeeper's Shadows discharged a pure stream of ominous black and red light. The combined assault barreled toward Aethel, who stood frozen in stunned terror.
The attack missed. It impacted the earth a few feet from where Aethel stood.
"Huh?" Aethel finally snapped out of his daze. "You missed on purpose? Why?"
"Because you're my brother," Thorenz said, his voice laced with sadness. "I don't want to fight you."
Fredericko, watching the display of restraint and power, sighed deeply, the tension finally leaving his body. Thorenz was the right heir after all, he mused with quiet satisfaction. Roxanne, Laura, Moses, and Jonah all shared relieved, heartfelt glances.
"No!" Aethel instantly snapped, refusing the peace offering. He engulfed himself in defensive flames and began to shoot a furious barrage of fireballs at Thorenz. Thorenz met the onslaught calmly, absorbing every single attack effortlessly with the Aureblade.
In a final display of dominance, Thorenz pointed the tip of the smoky, golden Aureblade directly at Aethel. Smoke continued to emanate from the tip, a clear sign of the volatile energy contained within. The obvious, insurmountable difference in power and self-control crushed Aethel's resistance. The flames coating his body quenched and died.
"Come on, brother. Just give it up," Thorenz urged, his voice soft but firm. "I could do this forever and still beat you. But I want a happy family. At this distance, I could attack you by shooting your own attack which I absorbed with the Aureblade. Or I could attack with the Oathkeeper's Shadows. Or I could attack with both blades simultaneously. But I love you, brother. I don't want to hurt you."
Thorenz then sheathed both the Oathkeeper's Shadows and the Aureblade.
Aethel, silent and defeated, turned and walked past Thorenz, a burning fury simmering beneath his cold exterior. "Hey, where are you going?" Thorenz called, but Aethel did not answer.
That day, Aethel vanished, retreating into the shadow of the world. He was never seen again. No one knew what happened to him; no one heard any news about his fate. He simply vanished, leaving no trace, as if he had never existed.
Ten years later, the shadow of the past returned. Roxanne slumped and died instantly, leaving Fredericko devastated. He battled a terrible illness for five long years. Then, on a fateful afternoon, he called Thorenz and his wife, Laura, and their twenty-one children to his bedside.
"Thorenz, I've failed as a father," Fredericko said, his voice weak and broken by coughs.
"Father, don't talk like that," Thorenz insisted.
"Our family fell apart because of me. I should have handled the situation better. I failed," Fredericko confessed. He coughed hard, then reached out and clasped Thorenz's hands tightly. "Thorenz, please forgive me for putting you through all this, but you must find your brother. Wherever he is. I'm sure he's out there. Find him and make peace with him."
"No problem, Father, I will find Aethel. But first, you need to rest," Thorenz promised.
In the moment Thorenz promised to find his lost brother, Aethel, Fredericko breathed his last, a warm, relieved smile settling upon his face. Thorenz and his family buried Fredericko next to his beloved wife, Roxanne.
This tale was passed down through the generations, a sacred story told with the hope that someday the two nations descending from the two brothers would make peace. But even now, four thousand years later, the conflict rages on. The Thorenzians, descendants of Thorenz, and the Aethelgardians, descendants of Aethel, fight majorly over one single symbol: The Oathkeeper's Shadows.
As the assembled people of Chronohelix listened to the age-old tale, told by Sir Lancelot El Vitrifex, they finally understood the root of the unending conflict they faced.
"And now," Lancelot continued, his voice heavy with the weight of four millennia of history, "even now, four thousand years later, the war between two brothers rages on. All because of the Oathkeeper's Shadows."
"So, I get why they want the sword," Princess Alexandra conceded. "But why do they want our land?"
"Well, Princess," Lancelot explained patiently. "Just like us Thorenzians, this land is the Aethelgardians' home as well."
"I disagree with that," Isolde spat, her voice ringing with defiance. "Aethel left and didn't bother to return. There is no way we're going to let them take this land!"
"Well, whatever you say," Lancelot countered gently. "But our ancestors want us to make peace with our brothers."
"I don't care," Thane roared, his eyes blazing with fury. "I don't want peace! We are taking back our land and our Oathkeeper's Shadows!"
The Thorenzian part of Chronohelix erupted, screaming in unified rage: "YEAH!"