Aldis was the person who confronted those hysteric elders. Before anything else was even decided, she had insisted on naming the babies.
For Aragasa, the act of naming children was sacred. A persons fate would depend on their na. That was not to say they killed naless children. If any naless children were dying, they would be rescued. However, the Elders despised these two babies because they feared that Acre had reincarnated into them. Regardless, Aldis continued to persuade the Elders to na them. The problem was none wanted to na the children, allowing Aldis to insist on naming them herself.
Aldis, thats such an underhanded trick. No matter what, I will not allow it. You are a Jeddaha, a high noble from the bloodline of the Founding Families and an inheritor to Harkonias eyes. I cant allow such a talented person from our clan to do this.
But Master.
Youre naming them to protect them, right? To stop the Elders from killing them on a whim? But thats just foolish and will only increase your burden. Why are you chaining yourself to these children?
I dont know. For , its just the right thing to do to protect these little lives.
I see. Its useless benevolence. Why are you going so far as to be kind to your enemies?
I was friends with Acre, thats why. I sowhat understand why Acre betrayed the clan. In fact, even after his treason, I just cant hate him.
Dont ever ntion that in front of anyone else. If the other Elders hear a word of this, youll be in big trouble. Okay then. Ill na the children. The boys na is Azadine, and the girls na is Arael.
Huh? But those nas
Long before they arrived in Hubris, Azadine was the na given to the eyeless imoogi, the Dragon of Destruction. Arael was the angel who fought against that monster. They were the main figures of a myth that symbolized light and darkness. They were destined to fight forever until their eventual ends.
Arent those nas more than good enough for them? After all, theyre the nas of our Gods before we arrived in Hubris and started worshiping the Emperor.
Yeah, sure, theyre the nas of Gods, but one of them is the na of a demon. Not to ntion, how could you na them such that theyre destined to kill each other until their doom?.
The naming of soone was a sacred ritual for the Aragasa, people of the ssenger Clan. It was part of their cultural superstition. No matter how grand soones na was, their fate was immutable. On the other hand, the Aragasa believed that a persons fate was intertwined with their na, though none knew if this was true.
Therefore, Aldis was against using those ill-fated nas, but the Grandmaster stood firm.
It needs to be this way to satisfy the Elders. Aldis, do as I say if you wish to save those children. Then the Elders will understand too.
You an to say that such nas are to protect them Ah, I hope those nas dont beco a chain that binds them.
Indeed, the Elders were satisfied with those nas, just as Hathir intended, and no longer ntioned killing the children.
Originally, those of the Aragasa had nas from their foreign ancestors who had boarded the five ships that landed in Hubris. The leaders of those five boats and their children beca the Founding Families.
The people of Hubris called them Heavenly King Slayers and soulless blasphers. Yet, even within them, there was a hierarchy. mbers of the five Founding Families were considered to be the most prestigious, followed by their vassals. The lowly oarsn ford the lowest ranks.
Everyone dread of becoming a ssenger within the rigid hierarchy of the Aragasa. It was a rank the Emperor granted and transcended the class distinction.
Since the ranks within the Aragasa lost all aning when faced with the status of a ssenger, those who beca one could escape the binds of a low social rank. They could also perform honorable missions and form bonds with renowned families through marriage. In other words, becoming a ssenger was the only way for an Aragasa to rise through the ladder of hierarchy.
Parents did all sorts of things in an effort to make their children into ssengers. From a young age, the children would be fed good food and raised with affection, and no stone would be left unturned to support them. Being without parents, Azadine and Arael were inevitably left in an unfavorable position.
Of course, thats the story of every other person.
None of this was a hindrance for Arael.
The one who was affected was Azadine.
Huh. He doesnt have any magical ability?!
The Senate of Elders thought that the Heavenly Kings Book might have reincarnated in the form of these two children. Therefore, the book Mages and Aldis thoroughly examined Azadine and Arael. Upon a closer examination, they ca to an astonishing conclusion. Azadine could see despite not having eyes and possessed a surprising resistance against black magic. However, he also paid a large price for it.
To be precise
Aldis shook her head.
What Azadine has inside of him isnt quite exactly the Beauties of Nature, Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon.
Every person in the ssenger Clan received the magical book when they were born. It was the gift of power that was passed down to them by the Emperor through the Contract of Service.
With this magical book, a person of the ssenger Clan who studied and researched Harkonias Writings and received understanding would be able to use the magic contained within them. However, they could only sense hints of their clans magic book inside Azadine.
What happened most probably, I think, is that originally the Curse of Service was ant to result in only one child. Azadine and Arael were originally one, but then they split into two. And just like that, he was not able to receive the Beauties of Nature- Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon.
is that so?
Instead, the magical powers of the book that Arael possesses are astonishing. Honestly, they could be the strongest in history.
Are you saying shes the Reincarnation of Harkonia?
The Elders asked Arael.
Her powers are stronger than mine. This child will likely beco the strongest ssenger in history. I believe the na of Harkonias Reincarnation will also beco hers.
As she said this, Aldis expression beca glum.
Are you frustrated at the thought of a rival?
No. Its not that I feel sorry for Azadine. What was his was instead given over to Arael. Except for Azadines eyes and magical resistance, he cant even match the foundational abilities of his peers.
His magical resistance?
Yes. The incomplete magical book inside him is releasing magic in a chaotic manner. Theres a whirlpool of different types of magic inside him. This makes him resistant to magic, but on the other hand, he would be unable to use any of that magic either.
It seems Arael even took away Azadines share. How wicked. Does that an she took away his eyes and magical book, essentially everything from him?
Arael had opened her eyes and was able to recognize objects from the very day she was born. The day she took her first steps, everyone around her realized that the child would grow into an unparalleled beauty.
No one would be able to match her powerful magic. Nor would her peers be able to surpass her remarkable critical thinking, unmatched archery skills, or her formidable physical abilities. On the other hand, Azadine was closer to a commoner child of Hubris.
A cruel fate awaits this child.
The Elders said those words, but no one there pitied Azadine.
As he was the son of a traitor, his fate, no matter death or life, was just what he deserved. However, Araels talent piqued their interest greatly.
When their foundational training started, the other children hated Azadine and Arael as they were orphans without the backing of a family. However, with her peerless skills and beauty, Arael wrapped everyone around her little finger in no ti.
It took less than a month for her peers to beco her followers. Then, with just her skills, she crushed everyone else, even if they were her seniors. Even her instructors ended up dead in freak accidents or beca her followers.
Then there was Azadine.
By the age of four, all Aragasa children would be house-broken. At the age of eight, they would be able to use a White Wood Bow, and by the age of 12, they would be able to shoot a two-string bow, dive two ters into the water, and jump as high as their own height.
But Azadine, at the age of eight, was still wetting his bed. Far from being able to use a White Wood Bow, he couldnt even throw a stone decently. He did not et the standards of a child of the Aragasa and was more similar to one from Hubris. The other children from the ssenger Clan could not stand him.
The Aragasa was clearly stronger than the Hubrisians. After arriving in Hubris, interracial marriage had diluted their bloodlines slightly. However, despite that, they were still sharp archers and possessed extraordinary physical abilities. Above all else, there was the Contract of Service.
They were imbued with a sense of purpose to beco the Emperors ssenger by using the Magical Book of Beauties of Nature, Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon. Their persecution from the outside also tempered into them the ntality of Proud Warriors. Yet that ntality often devolved into the oppression of the weak.
Oi, idiot!
Oh God, this retarded bastard. You still wet your bed, huh?
Try pulling the bowstring, you moron!
Hihihi, did you see his nose running and looking like hell die just after running up the hill?
The foundational training was difficult for those of the Aragasa. In fact, one in five children could not keep up with the training, and a majority of the dropouts were children of lower-class families. Yet even they despised and harassed Azadine.
As the son of the clans traitor, Acre, his existence was inferior to everyone.
Among the Hubrisians, he would have been an average child. To the Aragasa, Azadine was simply an incompetent child with a retarded developnt cycle.
Ughhh.aaaahh
Under the waterfalls of the ssenger Clans sanctuary, Azadine was crying due to everything he had to suffer through. Without eyes, he was unable to even shed tears. He simply let out one scream after another.
He was an orphan with a dead parent and was persecuted by everyone. On top of that, the process of foundational training beat into him with proof of his powerlessness and incompetence that he desperately wanted to deny. He felt as if he would die.
He wanted to run away if he could, but he had nowhere to escape. Arael had been his shield prior to the start of the foundational training. If his peers tried to bully him, Arael had been his shield. If anyone had tried to bully him, she would appear like lightning and teach those children a lesson. Even the top-ranking children inside the foundational training program were no match for her.
This changed once his foundational training started. She no longer protected him.
As Arael distanced herself from Azadine, the other children were still wary of her but steadily increased their bullying of Azadine. Despite this, she turned a blind eye to it. In the end, many could not restrain themselves and openly hit Azadine. Still, Arael simply sneered and returned to her task.
Arael has finally abandoned Azadine.
Everyone beca certain of this. Since the foundational training was physically and ntally stressful, even for the strong-willed children of the Aragasa, they needed a way to release their stress.
And Azadine was a great target.
Reviews
All reviews (0)