Chapter Text
The human nation, Avaloria, was in turmoil when the king of the human nation waged war against the king of the demon nation.
Men left their families for the war.
Lives were lost.
Homes were destroyed.
Towns were in ruins.
Families were broken.
Many thought this war was never going to end and that the kings would continue to fight with one another.
That is, until the war was ended because of one man.
And it all started with a challenge.
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It was a peaceful day.
The sun was shining, birds were singing, and the harvest of one family was beautiful.
This was the house and farm of the Garfors. They have had the farm for 10 generations and will continue to do so until the end of time.
A man with no hair on his head, but he had a full beard and steady muscles for a man of his age, and worn clothes that were worn of their stitches, but were still strong and good to wear. He was currently hauling bags to his merchant cart.
This was Atlas Garfors. He's an old but headstrong man who takes nothing from anybody and will do as he pleases without hesitation or fear. He was a law-abiding man and was friendly with those he wanted to be with.
"There, that oughta be enough for selling." He said to himself as he loaded the final bag of fruit into the cart.
He soon heard panting and whining behind him, and as he turned, he was quickly greeted by a wet tongue kiss from the family pet and herding dog, Fenrir.
He wasn't like any other dog; he was a special breed that would grow up to be the size of an adult horse and is rideable for the owners.
Fenrir continued to lick Atlas with affection as Atlas tried his best to get him off of him and to stop.
"All right, Fenrir, stop!!! Stop! I already had a bath; I don't need you to take another one!! Stop it, you overgrown cow dog!" Atlas screamed at him, causing him to back away. The insult didn't bother Fenrir as he continued to pant.
Atlas quickly brought out a large bone he had hidden in his pocket and brought it out front to Fenrir, quickly getting the dog's attention. "You want it? Do you want it?" Atlas teased Fenrir as he moved the bone in different directions, which got Fenrir excited. Fenrir kept barking, panting, whining, and jumping for the treat, begging his owner to give it to him. Then, finally, Atlas did. "Then go get it!" He yelled as he chucked the bone far at a good distance, and Fenrir barked after it.
After getting Fenrir away from him, Atlas turned his head to the farmhouse and yelled out.
"HEY MAGS GET YOUR SORRY ASS OUT HERE AND HELP ME WITH THE PRODUCTS!!! IT'S TIME FOR THE FARMERS MARKET!" He yelled out for a man called Mags.
No response followed the yelling.
"Oh, for the love of- HEY, MAGS HURRY UP!!!" Atlas screamed again as he finally got a response.
"I'm COMING!!! ALRIGHT!?!? SHEESH!!" A gruff, mature young voice yelled back.
Soon, a tall, hulking man came out of the house with black hair, gray eyes, and strong upper and lower body muscles that were almost seen through his clothes.
(A/n: This is the clothes he's wearing, but he's still wearing the mask on his mouth⬇️)
This is Atlas's only child and son, Magellan Garfors.
Despite his hulking physique and intimidating appearance, he's a caring person when he wants to be and with whom he's with.
"What took your lazy ass long? Were you sleeping in like always?" Atlas told his son in a mocking tone.
"Shut up you crappy old greezer, I was reading," Magellan replied with attitude.
"Reading, blah! Since when does a person need to read about stuff when he can find stuff on his own?" Atlas complained to his son on the subject.
Magellan just signed at his father's comment, knowing that he won't change his mind about something he sticks with.
Now, despite them arguing over stuff, you will never see a deeper bond between them as father and son.
"Enough of chitchat. We need to head to the farmers market to sell off the product," Atlas said as he climbed onto the cart.
"Then let's get to it, then." Magellan agreed with his father as he also climbed aboard.
With a snap of the reins, the horses trotted off to the farmers' market in the town's capital.
*Timeskip*
After some time, they finally reached the city at the farmers' market in the city's capital.
It was a vibrant marketplace where farms from various regions of the country could sell their produce and goods for money, as well as receive tips from other farmers.
Magellan and his father reached their stand, got off, and started getting ready to sell their harvest.
"Okay, get the produce off and be careful with the berries; you know how delicate and dangerous they are. When you're done, let me know so I can let the crowd know we're selling". Atlas ordered as he took out a small pipe from his pocket.
"You shouldn't yell too much, Dad. I don't need you hoarsening your voice everywhere you go, and your smoking doesn't exactly help improve it." Magellan stated
"I'd let you do the announcement, but I don't want to ruin people's days by letting them hear your nagging voice." Atlas shot back, "Now get the goods off the cart and get the stand ready." He again ordered as he lit the pipe and puffed on it.
Magellan glared at his father for the comment and started doing what he was told. It took some time to set things up, from getting the produce off and setting different sections in the wooden bins, but Magellan finally finished, and Atlas faced the crowd and began his announcement.
"OKAY PEOPLE, FOR A SPECIAL TIME ONLY, COME AND GET YOUR FRESHLY GROWN FIRE BERRY FRUIT!!" Atlas said as he yelled for the customer.
Magellan pulled a small sack out from behind the stand and showed the product they were selling.
Fire Berries.
Fire berries are a unique type of fruit that is highly valued by cooks, adventurers, and nobles alike. When cooked, they improve blood flow and stimulate muscles, resulting in increased attack power in high-temperature conditions. Additionally, fire berries are used to create fire arrows and scorching meals.
However, they are extremely challenging to grow and harvest. Instead of water, fire berries require molten magma to thrive, and they need to be surrounded by an extremely hot atmosphere for optimal health. Harvesting them is particularly dangerous; if done incorrectly, not only can you end up with poor-quality produce that may explode, but you also risk severe burns, injuries, or even fatal accidents from the explosion.
(A/n: I apologize to all the Legend of Zelda fans out there. I just sort of made the information on the spot since I don't play the game, and also I kinda wanted to get creative on this.)
Almost the entire crowd in the market lined up to purchase the rare fruit. Magellan handled the product, and his father handled the prices.
The first of the customers was a small old man who decided to strike up a conversation with Atlas. "Atlas, nice to see new stock with you. And fire berries, nonetheless, tough fruit there that is."
"Bah, I haven't met or seen a fruit where a Garfors can or can't grow, plus the only problem with this one was I had to find a way to keep the bellows going to make sure it didn't stop keeping the forge nice and hot," Atlas explained his ways.
"How'd you do it?" the man asked.
"I had to tie a bucket on top of the bellows and made a pipe to pour water into, and when it got full, it pressed down on the bellows and made itself pour out its liquids and start the process over again," Atlas revealed his method.
"Incredible," The man praised as he gave the coins to Atlas and left.
As the people continue their purchases for the berry and other various things, a man is running down the street with panic as if the devil were chasing him.
“HE’S COMING!! HE’S COMING!!” he shrieked in fear.
Almost immediately, everyone on the market cleared the way. Some people had to duck and jump to various spots to hide themselves, men dragged away their wives and daughters in a rush to leave the scene, while some continue to do their daily routine but had to act like they just arrived.
Magellan had to lean to see what the commotion was about that brought fear into the entire crowd.
And right away, he found it.
From afar, four majestic white horses trotted gracefully, their gleaming coats shimmering in the sunlight. They harnessed themselves to an ornate golden carriage, which sparkled like a treasure against the backdrop of the city. The carriage was adorned with intricate patterns and vibrant lining, making it a breathtaking sight that captured the essence of elegance and grandeur.
It was the royal family carriage, and surrounding the caravan were red guards to serve as protection for the royal family and other nobles.
And they were heading toward the market.
"Aw, shit" Magellan muttered in rage.
"Oh no, not him, not now," Atlas grumbled in worry
To worsen the situation, the carriage stopped right in front of them, and an old man in royal clothing stepped out, and Magellan immediately began to get more irritated.
This was the king of his nation and homeland, King Charlos William II. He was a corrupt ruler who enforced strict laws against the lower classes, raised their taxes, and constantly demanded tribute. He waged war against anyone or any nation that disrespected or disobeyed him. What enraged Magellan the most was the king's belief that he could do whatever he wanted and take whatever he pleased, whether it was a simple piece of fruit or a girl, young or old, to add to his collection for him and his colleagues to "fool around" with.
Before long, another figure emerged alongside him. It was a striking adult woman with blue eyes and chest-length blonde hair. She was older and wore a white dress that featured a hood on her head and a golden belt around her waist. The design of her dress revealed quite a lot of her cleavage.
This was the queen of the nation, Tamanna Crusch.
Unlike her husband, she was a kind woman who had never done anything wrong to anyone and was willing to do anything for people and her nation. But, sadly, she couldn't do much or any without her husband's interference.
"Stay there, boy. I'll handle this." Atlas told his son as he stepped forward to the king.
"Evenin', your majesty, what brings you here on this day?" Atlas asked the king.
"We were just passing by in our carriage until we saw a line forming around your stand. And curiosity was getting hold of me, and I had to see what it was," Charlos explained.
"We were just selling off our produce for the day, right, Mags?" Atlas said as he turned to his son.
Magellan nodded to his father as he glared at the king.
"Well, may I see the produce you're selling?" The king asked.
Atlas simply went to the stand, pulled out the fruit, and presented it to the king.
"It's called a Fire Berry, your majesty, only grown in the hottest climates of the Volcanic Lands where dragons reside."
Atlas handed the king the fruit, and the monarch studied it carefully,
"I see, interesting," the king mumbled. "Well, I've heard a great deal of these fire berries and their worth, so I'll take them." He decided.
"That's nice to hear. So, how many? And I'll total it to see how much it is."
" I said I'll take them," The king repeated to Atlas. "I have no reason to pay you for it since you are a resident of my nation and have grown your harvest here. So I should take what is rightfully mine," The king explained.
"You pompous piece of-"
Atlas quickly glared at Magellan to ensure he didn't finish that insult. Atlas, who didn't want to start trouble, followed the king's order.
"Of course, your majesty, I'll get that right away."
Atlas went behind the stand, gathered all the remaining fire berries left, and placed them in a small sack.
"Here you are, your majesty, but I must warn you-"
Instantly, the king rudely snatched the sack away from Atlas. "I said I wanted the berries, not advice," he stated as he carelessly shook the bag too hard, causing a small hissing sound to arise from the bag.
"But, sire, I have to tell you that-"
"Did you not hear a word I've told you?"
And then the queen tried to reason with her husband, "Dear, please, if he has something to tell you that he considers important, then maybe it's probably best if-"
"When I want your say in this matter, I'll ask you when I ask you!" The king pointed his finger at her as he growled at his queen for trying to butt in this conversation.
The bag in his hand hissed louder from the shaking as a small glow started from within, and smoke rose from the top.
"Sire, I insisted on telling you this!" Atlas begged the king
"What! What could be so important to keep telling me?!" the king screamed, exasperated as he gave the bag one last hard shake.
The bag started smoking hard from the top, glowing with intensity, and started feeling hot as the king dropped the bag.
Atlas realized it was too late to tell and just had a small amount of time to warn everyone.
"Everyone get away and get down!" Atlas screamed as he jumped behind the stand, with Magellan ducking behind.
Instantly, all the onlookers left in a hurry from the smoke, knights raised their shields, and Tamanna hid behind the carriage to protect herself.
The only one who failed to listen was the king.
He stood there as he continued to nurse his hand from the burn. He looked towards the source of his pain and saw the bag with the berries glowing brightly.
Another fact about fire berries.
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BOOOOOOM!!
They can still explode when handled too roughly, and with a bunch together, that can result in a big explosion.
The king was blown back as he landed on his back, and his guards rushed to his side to see if their master was okay.
Atlas looked worried at the scene in front of him. Tamanna couldn't help but fear what was going to happen next, and Magellan couldn't contain himself anymore and started laughing at the king's situation.
As the knights helped their ruler up, Charlos was fuming in rage, and fueling that rage was Magellan's laughter towards him. "Seize the farmer and his son for attempted assassination against the crown!"
Straight away, all the knights started to come onto Atlas and Magellan to arrest them for their 'crime'.
Magellan got up to ready himself for the fight, but Atlas jumped before him and the knights. "No! The boy had nothing to do with this! It's me, I planted the berries and hoped you would come today! It was me!" Atlas confessed, in hopes of keeping his son out.
"You admit your crimes to me?" The king asked, to which Atlas nodded, "Very well, guards, arrest the farmer alone, but don't be too delicate with him." The king sneered with an evil, joyful tone.
Following the order of their tyrant, one of the guards punches Atlas on the back of the head, causing him to fall to the ground, stunned. Magllan, furious at this, rushed in to protect his father, but was held back by two guards. The remaining group then processed to beat Atlas while he's still down on the floor, not giving him any chance of getting up. After the said beating was done, one of the guards grabbed some rope from somewhere and tied Atlas's hands and legs together and slung him on one of the horses' backs.
The king, about to return into the carriage flanked by armored knights, and following him was his wife, who had a worried look on her face, watched the scene unfold with a cold gaze. As Atlas was dragged away, Magellan broke through the two guards and shouted, "No! Release him—he did nothing wrong! It wasn't his fault!" The king studied him for a long moment, then said, "Come to my castle, boy. We shall talk," and without another word, turned, entered, and shut the carriage door, his cloak trailing like a shadow behind him.
And with that, the king had left.
Villagers started coming out of hiding and soon came to Magellan and gave their condolences for the loss of his father. But it all fell dead at his ears as he started moving forward in the direction from which the carriage had left.
"Wait, where are you going?" One of the villagers asked.
"Where else? I'm going to that bastard's castle." He revealed.
Gasps rang through he crowd as they couldn't believe Magellan was considering taking on the king's invitation to the castle.
“No, lad,” grunted the old man, stepping in front of him with his weather-worn cane. “You’ll not take one step toward that cursed place. Not while I’ve got breath.”
Other villagers gathered behind him, forming a wall of anxious faces—the local baker, florist, seamstress, and even little children who clung to their mothers’ skirts, eyes wide and wet.
“You don’t understand,” Magellan said. “He took my father. He beat him as if he were some animal and thought he could get away with it.”
The baker stepped forward, their flour-dusted hands trembling. “That’s why we’re afraid. Do you think we wanted to watch? Do you think we want to step in and help? We’ve wanted to, but we couldn't. Too many were lost to the mad tyrant. And we won’t lose you either.”
“You think hiding is living?” Magellan spat. “You call this fear-shackled life safe? I’d rather die fighting than breathe the air of cowardice another day.” He stated as he marched through the crowd with clear determination.
Fear spread quickly among the villagers. An old lady, who’d once served as a maid in the castle, pulled the Magellan aside. "Don’t go, lad. The king’s heart is as black as pitch. No one who goes in ever comes out." Others nodded in grim agreement. "He’ll twist your words. He’ll trap you. He’ll kill you too." But the boy’s eyes, burning with fury and resolve, betrayed no fear.
"Then it's a good day to die."
And with that, Magellan started running to the capital city.
*****************
A journey to the capital city was considered too long for most people, but for Magellan, he could cover the distance in just thirty minutes by running.
He was just that inhuman in certain skills.
' How in hell am I going to get the old man back from the king?' Magellan asked himself. 'That blue-blooded bastard is probably just going to pin it all on him like some assassination attempt and try to make it seem like he's the victim, but how am I going to just get to him to give me the old man?'
He continued to ponder how to free his father; the castle was up ahead.
He hated the city inside the castle gate and the castle itself with every inch of his body. The nobles and aristocrats who lived inside acted like the world belonged to them and treated the lower class like dirt and the non-human race as a disease.y
The guards saw him approaching the gate and stopped him for questioning.
"State your purpose for coming here," one of the guards orders.
"I wanna talk to your king, you know, the one that has my father."
"Who's your father? No doubt I'd bet he's some criminal." One of the younger guards
"My father isn't a criminal! He's just in there because your bastard king took him because of his stupidity!"
"Oi! Watch your tongue when addressing his majesty! He is your king!" The guard warned as he pulled out his sword.
"He is not my king!"
"You insufferable-!"
Just when the young guard was about to attack Magellan, one of the older ones slammed their fists on his head, knocking him out.
"Sorry about that. He's one of the nobles who just came in on the job for about a month, and already he thinks himself above everyone else." He revealed his knockout coworker.
"Wait, if he's one of the nobles, aren't you going to get in trouble for striking him?" Magellan asked.
"Yeah, but we always devise ways to make him think he got knocked out by random things. Last week, we had him thinking an old sign fell on him." The guard revealed, "But, besides that, what are you here for? Be quick about it, because we're relieved of our posts in just a few minutes, and we leave home for the day. Something about your father was it?"
"Yeah, he was taken here by that bastard king because he took the fall for an incident at the farmers market," Magellan said.
"Oh yeah, I've seen that, the king and guards drove through hell before, and with them was someone the guards tied up on the horses." One of the guards mentioned.
"Yeah, that's my father, Atlas," Magellan confirmed.
The moment they heard that name, all the guards turned to Magellan with shocked eyes.
"Wait... can you repeat that?" the guard requested
"Atlas is my father," Magellan stated again, confused as the guards backed away in shock and looked at each other.
"Oh shit, it's Atlas kid" one of them spoke in shock.
"Atlas? Man, I haven't seen him in a while. And you're his son?" Another asked.
"Well, I'm not his daughter, am I?" Magellan sarcastically replied.
"Yeah, he's Atlas's kid all right. They both got the same attitude." One of the guards stated.
"The question is, what is Atlas in trouble for? What was the incident?" Another asked
"The king didn't listen to my father, who was trying to warn him of the fire berries' tendency to explode when they're shaken too hard," Magellan revealed as some guards wince at the mention of the berries.
"Oooh, yeah, I can see why that bastard would do in Atlas for that."
"Yeah, so I'm going in to see the king to demand my father's release."
Magellan was about to walk in, but one of the guards stopped him.
"Now, listen, boy, I get how you feel, but you might want to play it smart and not just rush in with an empty head to demand such things without a plan."
"I got a plan," Magellan rebuttled.
"What is it?" The guard asked.
"Go in and ask, and by any chance, if he says no, I make that assassination attempt for real this time," he explained.
"Like hell that's a plan, look, just go in and ask for his release, and if by any chance he denies it, we'll just string him out ourselves and let him out through the back way for you to go pick him up," one of them explained.
"You're willing to do that for me?"
"Yer' dad is an old work friend of ours, he used to be a soldier, hell, he could've been the head soldier if he hadn't retired." The guard revealed as he reminisced over the memories.
"Okay, look, kid, we'll let you through, but you gotta keep in mind that the king is a man you don't want to mess with without some repercussions happening, you got it?"
"Yes, I got it."
"Good, now go and get yer' dad back," The guard ordered as he and the other moved aside to allow Magellan to go into the city.
He thanks the guard for letting him through and walks into the elite capital.
Moments when he stepped through the gates, the city confirmed itself of why it was the home of the nobles.
The city rose from the valley floor like a dream, carved in pale stone and crowned with gold. Domed rooftops shimmered in the morning sun, each one adorned with sculpted lions, marble saints, or the crests of ancient bloodlines. Every building bore the touch of artisans—balconies traced with curling ironwork, windows framed in delicate carvings of leaves and winged beasts.
This was Viremont, a city not built for the common man but sculpted by centuries of noble ambition, whispered diplomacy, and the kind of wealth that never tarnished.
The streets were wide, clean, and quiet, paved with white stone that shone like bone in the daylight. There were no creaking carts or shouting vendors here—only perfumed gardens and mansions with shuttered windows were allowed.
High above, terraced promenades climbed the slopes, each tier belonging to a different house of power. The closer one lived to the summit, the spired citadel at the city's heart, the greater the influence.
In the grand salons of the upper district, chandeliers the size of boats glittered above velvet-draped banquets.
Even the air in Viremont felt rarefied—laced with the scent of foreign spices, burning incense, and flowers bred to bloom only for nobility. Time moved slower here, more deliberately, as though the city itself believed that haste was a peasant’s disease.
He had never seen a place so rich in detail, yet so void of life.
Balconies overflowed with lush green ivy. The fountains in the squares still flowed, and shop windows displayed vibrant fabrics and polished trinkets, untouched by dust or decay. Everything was pristine, perfectly maintained. And yet, no one-no aristocrats walking down the streets, no guards doing rounds, no children playing in the alleyways, no merchants shouting their wares, no scent of baking bread or sounds of a dinner bell. Just silence.
Magellan stood near the town center, in front of an inn that bore the name The Singing Chalice. He peered through the window—tables were set, candles unburned, not a chair out of place. It was like someone had prepared everything for a celebration and vanished before it began.
"Where is everyone?" He finally asked.
But he had to push that aside and make his way to the castle; luckily, it was a short walk there. He walked through the empty town and straight towards his destination to it front gates. He expected some sort of security, but there was nothing but an open door.
He stepped through and was surrounded by majestic cobblestones, marble, and other majestic stone in the halls, decorated with different pieces of statues, artworks, flora decor, and expensive items to show off the wealth of the castle.
Then a problem occurred.
Magellan was completely lost.
Since Magella had never been here, he didn't know his way around the palace. He kept turning at random hallways and hoped it would lead him somewhere, but it only led him to either dead ends or more hallways.
He was just on the verge of screaming until he finally found life in the walled-in city and spotted a maid cleaning, wanting some answers, he rushed to her.
"Excuse me, miss, do you know the way to the throne room?"
The maid was startled by the surprise behind her, but quickly gathered herself and gave the directions to him. "Just two lefts, a right, and then just straight through, mister."
After a quick thank you, he hurried his way in that direction.
But, again, (and due to never knowing his left or right), he quickly got lost.
"I knew I should have learn to take directions when I retired." He told himself, just as he was about to take another turn, he heard someone call out to him.
"Well, if it isn't the farmer boy," the voice called out, irritating Magellan from the sound of it.
As he turned, he found three men taking up the whole hallway and blocking Magellan's way.
They were the 3 princes of the royal family.
The first prince was named Erya Uzruth William.
He was the second in line for the throne.
He was a skilled fighter in martial arts, swordsmanship, and other hand-to-hand combat.
But he was his father's son. He's vain, spoiled, cocky, rude, arrogant, racist, cruel, and uncaring to anyone who wasn't an aristocrat.
He also believes that humans are the world's dominant species and that other species are simply viruses that they are destined to kill.
To prove more of his horrible nature, he has and takes with him three elven girls as his slaves and belittles and abuses them daily.
Next to him was Prince Diodora Williams.
He was third in line for the throne.
He was cunning, smart, manipulative, and skilled in the art of persuasion with that sharp silver tongue of his.
Unlike his older brother, he wasn't powerful in brute strength but skilled in magic.
Other than magic, he also had connections to the criminal underworld, which consisted of different criminals, crime organizations, crime families, and assassins at his disposal.
And last, Prince Philip William.
He was fourth in line for the throne.
He's an incredibly stupid man who reeks of alcohol and gutter garbage, which makes others wonder if he even was a prince and the son of the king.
He was always at a bar, pub, or any tavern in the city and constantly drank strong, weak, expensive, and cheap alcohol to the point that he was constantly drunk every day and night.
Unlike his brothers, he was not extremely strong, agile, skilled in fighting or magic, smart, manipulative, or well-connected. He had nothing at his disposal except for foolishness and delusions in his mind.
Magellan hated the three princes with the same anger that he held toward the king. The three of them were different in many ways, but one thing was certain: that all three of them are exactly like the king.
Corrupted and arrogant.
"Oh, goodie, the royal jesters came to entertain me." Magellan insulted them.
"Jester's?! You idiotic farmer! We are the princes and your future rulers someday!" Phillip shouted at Magellan
Erya shoved Phillip aside as he strutted up to Magellan. "Oh, shut it, Phillip. Between the three of us, the only one who fits the role of jester is you, from how stupid you are."
"Quite indeed," Diodora agreed with Erya.
Erya stood face-to-face with Magellan. Both glaring at each other with pure hatred.
Both Erya and Magellan had a history with each other; they both worked at the same guild, and both hated each other.
"So, Magellan, it's been a while since I've seen you, and I see you're still that same peasant with a mouth. I'm not surprised, even after five years of not seeing you, you've still got that attitude on you like some horrid smell."
"And I see your still an arrogent asshole who doesn't know when to shut up. Tell me honestly, do you still think of yourself as some sort of god sent hero? Because the only thing you have is an unlovable personality that makes your mother ashamed of you."
Erya's expression faltered a bit, but he quickly composed himself and continued to look at Magellan with that same smug look.
"So I've heard your father has been arrested for trying to assassinate my father. Have you also come to turn yourself in?" Erya mockily asked.
"No, and he's not an assassin, you father just didn't listen to him bout the fire berries, but then again, he is your father and not listening when it counts is something you idiots share with that bastard." Magellan insulted both them and their father.
"I'd watch my tongue if I were you, especially from where you are." Erya reminded him
"Yeah, well, you're not me and could never be me." Magellan remarked, "And I'm not afraid of that blowhard father of yours." He mocked.
"Always with that attitude, how anyone can stand you is beyond me!" Erya growled at him.
"It's because I'm not a spoiled brat like you."
"Please, I simply have everything all those peasants want: fame, fortune, skills of a master, and one of the fastest high-ranking adventures in the nation. Meanwhile, you were probably one of the slowest there was."
"Please, I earned my ranks through hard work; you just paid your ranks back at the guild." He brought up, "And unlike you, I don't use slaves as teammates."
"They were not slaves, slavery was abolished years ago, they willingly joined me as my servants," Erya countered.
"Willingly? Don’t dress up coercion with ceremony. You couldn’t find anyone who respected you, so you bought loyalty instead." Magellane countered back. "Heck, that alone is why the entire guild never respected you."
"And you think respect kept our guild together? Don’t pretend you didn’t see the cracks forming before you retired. Everyone had a price. Yours was just ego."
"Better ego than desperation. You were so desperate to lead, you surrounded yourself with warm bodies instead of comrades. They follow because they must, not because they believe in you."
"And you think yours do? Please, all they did was clan up with you because they felt sorry for you at the beginning, you remember how you were at the beginning, your group let you because they pitied you!"
"And at least they treated everyone with respect and not like the world owed them everything for simply walking on it."
"You think you're so tough with your skills and allies, but all that pales in comparison with all the achievements I've done over the years for the guild with my talent and hard work."
"Hard work? What hard work?!" Magellan shouted at him, "You always had to join up in other groups and never do solo's on your own because you always want to earn your ranking through other people's hard work and not your own!"
“So what, I do those stupid quest not from the goodness of my heart or the thrill of adventure or any other sentimental crap like that, but for the money! Honestly, I should start charging double,” he said, cocking a brow. “They should be lucky I’m there to do the heavy lifting for them.”
Magellan stood as he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.
“You mean the part where you ducked behind that boulder the second things got ugly?” he asked coolly. “Real heroic, Erya.”
He scoffed, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder. “I was strategically repositioning. You wouldn't know tactics if they bit you in the—”
“Oh please,” he cut in, standing straight now, his voice rising. “Every time the fighting gets real, you start ‘strategically repositioning’ yourself behind someone else. You talk like you’re the hero of every tale, but the only thing you’ve mastered other than that sword is running your mouth.”
Erya’s smile faltered. “I don’t run. I survive. There’s a difference.”
“Sure,” Magellan said, stepping closer, fists clenched at his sides. “And while you’re busy ‘surviving,’ the rest of us are taking the hits you won’t. You think flash and swagger make you brave? No. It makes you a coward dressed up in charm.”
He tensed, jaw twitching. “You think you're better than me because you charge in headfirst? That’s not courage—that’s recklessness. One day it’s going to get you killed.”
“And one day your fear will get someone else killed,” he snapped. “Maybe it already has.”
"So what if some commoners died! At least they died doing good for the kingdom and for keeping their prince, me, safe!" Erya argued.
"They died because you are a dickless, self-centered, bastard who thinks everyone should bowed to them!"
"They should bow to us, we are the princes, we are the next in line for the throne, we are this nation's future!" Phillip declared as he now butted in on the argument.
Magellan side-glared at this fool's attempt to make himself feel important, so he just decided to put an end to this clown.
"Don't ever get me started on you. You make these two look better in everything, from how stupid and incompetent you are, you failed at the guild test, you failed as prince, and you failed at being a decent human being! Now, why don't you make like a dick and piss off!" Magellan yelled at Phillip.
Phillip, seething with rage, ran at Magellan in hopes of striking him to make him pay for his insults. "You bastard! I'll teach you to respect your superiors!" He screamed as he pathetically flailed his arms.
Magllan only had to step to the side, Phillip to crash into a vase displayed on a pedestal, causing the jar to topple and fall on top of him.
"And your shit at attacking." Magellan finished.
Diodora decided it was his turn to poke at the bear, "Aside from my idiotic brother, you have the aggression of a boar, an ugly sort of thing. You can't help but allow your anger to take over and react in an undignified way." Diodora told him with that same calm smile, "I mean, wasn't it the same thing and the incident at caused your retirement?" he mockily reminded Magellan.
Magellan tensed at the mention of the incident has his cheeks throbbed in pain from the memory, rather than act that the insult go to him he played it cool and stared at Diodora with an annoyed expression, "Oh please, I'm not taking the same shit of a man who was heading of getting kicked out of the guild because he had to have a creepy fetish of women's clothing and women of the church" Magellan insulted, "So if I've were you I'd shut up, and the only good thing about you is you can do something on your own, but Erya is just weak by himself and without his servants."
Diodora was pissed and embrassed by this, so he decided to keep his mouth shut for now.
"Weak?! You dare call me weak! You ignorant farmer! I have done more than you ever did!" Erya claimed.
"Like what?" Magellan asked as he raised his eyebrow.
"I recalled that I was victorious in the sword match back in the Dwarven Kingdom," Erya recalled with a cocky grin.
"You gained third place right behind me and Henrietta," Magellan mentioned.
Erya gritted in teeth in anger and continued to try to think of more things he did that were considered 'wins' by his standards at the least.
"I was the most requested in the guild for dangerous quests!"
"Again, right behind me."
"I was considered the next future hero of our time!"
"Didn't try to spread that through the guild for three days straight, and nobody believed you?"
"I was the most handsome man in the nation!"
"Okay, at this point, you're getting desperate."
'Think Erya! Think! There must be something I did that this farmer hasn't achieved!' he thought to himself. He kept thinking and thinking about something that could have a win over Magellan, then he had it. "I managed to get access to one of the most dangerous quests in the guild for the wyvern at the Malevolent Depths!" he stated.
But it backfired.
"My group and I were with you on that quest, and we did all the work!" Megallan recalled that day.
"Please, without me or my servants' help, you and your pathetic group would have still been stuck at the Malevolent Depths with that wyvern!" Erya brought up in hopes of saving himself from the embarrassment.
"Really? Cause what I remembered is that I had to drag your ass to safety and you kneel over and hid like some kicked rat from the sight of the thing." Magellan brought up.
That insult and memory had gotten to Erya's skin, and having had enough, he pulled out his sword and was ready to slash Magellan in half.
"You insufferable-!"
"And just what are you three doing?" a loud voice demanded from behind.
The princes flinched from the voice as they all turned to see if it came from the person they might suspect.
And to their worry, it was as they expected.
Behind them were two beautiful females, one of whom was dressed as if she were prepared for a battle, and the other was dressed as a regular princess.
These were the royal family's princesses and daughters.
The first daughter was named Farasha Awar Crusch Williams.
She was first in line for the throne.
Unlike her father and her brothers, she was an honorable woman who would lend out a helping hand to anyone for anything at no cost.
She was a skilled woman who had a better talent for the blade than her brother Erya, so skilled that the people named her the sword princess.
While she was the firstborn child, her father, the king, was upset that it was a girl. He had hoped that the firstborn would be a boy whom he could teach his ways and to be a "successful" ruler, but alas, he had a girl. (A/n: no offense to any female readers on this statement; I just made it up for story purposes, and I think it was like this back in those days.)
The king thought he could change the supposed heir to another newborn, but couldn't due to the old law in the monarchy, which states:
In the days of old, when knights did rule and kingdoms under one crown did pool
A law was passed, both harsh and fair, that firstborn heirs would take the chair
"Twas not a question of gender nor age
But firstborns were next in line, turn by turn, on stage
Be it a boy or be it a girl
The crown would pass to the child who unfurled
Kings and queens could not undo this law, which cut down any departure view. So, if a ruler wished to change
Their firstborn's fate, they'd be estranged
And so it was, in times gone by, the law stood firm, no question why, for all the land, it was just and fair. That firstborns reigned, with sovereignty rare.
Though the king was a corrupt ruler, he couldn't do anything to the old law even if he wanted to.
The second daughter was named Safina Tani Crusch Williams.
She was fifth in line to the throne and the youngest of the royal family.
She was an absolute jewel to the people with her kind heart and loving attitude, but was so timid to confront her father and brothers.
"What are you three doing this time?" Farasha asked her younger brothers.
"Nothing, sister. We were just talking to the farmer boy, that's all," Erya reassured her.
"That doesn't seem like talk to me, brother," Farasha said while glaring at her brother.
"It's the farmer's fault; he threatened us, and we have every right to execute him for it!" Phillip brought up.
Farasha simply glared at him, then pinched her nose in frustration. "Phillip, for the last time, just because someone disrespects you, it does not mean you have the right to execute them."
"But-"
"But nothing! Now, Father has sent me to bring all of you to the throne room, so he expects all of you there! Now move!" she ordered them.
The only two brothers, Phillip and Diodora, followed their elder sister's order and went to the throne room.
"Safina, see to it that they are in the throne room with mother and father," Farasha told her younger sister.
"Yes, sister."
Safina led her two brothers away from the scene, as the only one left was Erya.
"Erya, go!" Farasha demands of him
"I'll go when this common farmer apologizes to me!" Erya stood with his sword in hand.
"Unless you want to be in trouble with Father by making him wait for so long, then I suggest you move!" Farasha warned him.
So with that statement said, Erya had no choice but to back down. He gave an annoyed grunt as he placed his sword back in its sheath, but before he left, he gave Magellan one last glare.
"You're lucky that my sister had mercy on you, you filthy farmer, but next time, you won't be so lucky," Erya threatened.
"Move!" Farasha ordered as she kicked her brother and forced him to walk.
Erya grumbled in anger and nursed the spot his sister had kicked him. He shot Magellan another menacing glare before leaving for the throne room with his brothers and little sister in tow.
"Idoits! Whole lot of them!" Farasha shouted in annoyance at her brother's action to Magellan.
"Even after five years, you're still short-tempered as before," Magellan commented behind her.
Farasha turned to Magellan and started to smile at him, "True, but when you're dealing with brothers like those, it can irritate anyone."
Unlike the princes and the king, Magellan had no issues with the princess since he and she had known each other before in Magellan's time as an adventurer and had the time to learn more about each other.
"So, how's adventuring going for you?" he asked her.
"Good, but a bit hard. With the war that's happening, adventurers are working extra hard to finish even the basic requests." She mentions.
"Yeah, all because of that bastard of a father you have," Magellan grumbled.
"Magellan! Please! He's my father, you have no right to call him a bastard." Farasha scolded him.
A small moment passed, and the two just burst out laughing.
"Good one," Magellan commented on her joke.
"Thanks. Still, it's been five years since you retired from the guild."
"Yeah, last time I saw you, you were still on the Iron rank, while I was ranking up to Gold," Magellan mentions to her.
"True, I was still learning from then, and I'm still learning now." She admits, "But what about your, I thought you told me a long time ago, you'd rather have your guts cut out than be an inch near the capital city or the castle, and yet here you are, why are you?" She now asked Magellan.
"Your bastard father pinned my old man as an assassin for not listening to him at the farmers market," Magellan told her.
"An assassin?! Your father? How did it happen?!" Farasha cried in shock.
"That old fool didn't wait for my father to tell him about fire berries' knack for exploding when their rocked too much."
Farasha groaned in embarrassment at her father's stupidity and actions against her friend's father, "Ugh! Why does he do these things?! I swear one of these days I'm going to wring his neck!" She declared in rage.
"Get in line. I've got a meeting with him about freeing my father." Magellan revealed to her. "But enough about my troubles, your sister and mother, how are they?" he continues to ask about her family's well-being.
"Good, but I fear that my mother is in a tense situation with my father from trying to help her subjects." she reveals, "She's trying her best to keeping them away from the crossfire, but with that sack of shit around, he's making it harder for her each time." She informed Magellan, "My sister is fine for now, but I think my 'father' wants to use her for an arranged marriage, but I always keep stalling time for it to not happen."
"But, isn't she too young to be in a marriage? What's that bastard king thinking?" Magellan stated in outrage.
"She is of age, but it's still too early for her to even think of marriage. I'm just lucky I found a way to stall for time," Farasha told him.
"What'd you tell him?"
"I told him she needs time to prepare for wifely duties, and every time he checks up on her, I lie and say she's not ready yet," she revealed her plan.
Magellan hummed in response to Farasha's clever plan. She had always been clever, even back when they were at the guild.
Despite the fun conversation they were having, Farasha gained a worried look as she looked down in fear.
"But I worry, Magellan. My family aside. I'm worried that this war will end up hurting my mother and sister. Each day, it comes closer and closer to the capital. I'm scared that what if I'm not around and I'm too late to save them." She shared.
“You’ve already protected more people than most rulers ever will,” he said. “Your people trust you, Farasha. Your mother believes in you. Safina adores you.”
“That doesn’t mean I can keep them alive,” she whispered, clenching her jaw. “What if it’s not enough?”
Magellan looks at her, his brown eyes steady and kind. “It’s not about being enough. It’s about not giving up—even when it feels like you're standing on a crumbling edge. I’ve fought beside you. I’ve seen what you’re made of. You don’t back down. Not for anything.”
Farasha looked at him, and for a moment, the flicker of a warrior’s fire returned to her eyes. “I’m not afraid to die, Magellan.”
“I know. But they need you to live.”
He walked forward to her and offered one of his hands out to her.
“You’ve already saved this kingdom more times than we can count. You’ll save them too. Not because you’re a princess. Because you’re Farasha. And there’s no one stronger.” He praised.
Farasha was speechless. Magellan always had a way with words, but this type of speech made her feel like she was meeting him all over again. Blushing from Magellan's sweet words, Farasha gently placed her hand on Magellan's
"Thanks, Magellan," she gratefully said.
"You're welcome."
The sounds of heels clanking against the floor brought both the attention of Magellan and Farasha as she reeled back her hand away from his. When they turned to the source and direction of the clanking, it was revealed to be Safina, who was hurrying down the hall to reach her sister.
"Sister, hurry! Father is getting impatient." Safina urged her.
Realizing that their talking took up a huge amount of time, Farasha quickly went to the throne room before more time was wasted. "Oh crap I forgot, Magellan follow us, we'll show you to the throne room!"
Without a word, Mgaellan followed the two girls through the castle.
After turning a few corridors and passing a couple of the servants in the castle, they finally arrived at the doors of the throne room.
"Safina and I have to go ahead, but wait a few minutes and come in. I wish you luck, Magellan." Farasha instructed as she and her sister went inside.
Leaving Magellan alone in front of the doors.
After a few minutes had passed, he began to prepare himself for confronting the king.
'It's simple, just ask for my old man and get out, nothing more and nothing less.' He told himself.
He knocked on the grand door three times and awaited a response.
"Enter," a voice replied as the doors opened.
As Magellan entered, he was unexpectedly greeted by a stunning, pristine hall adorned with gold, silver, and other exquisite pieces of metal. Towering pillars arched gracefully to support the ceiling, enhancing the room's beauty. The massive windows allowed an abundance of light to flood in, illuminating the entire space.
He kept looking around the place as this was his very first time seeing the throne room, while Magellan kept eyeing the room, his vision trailed to the center of where the thrones were.
And there he was.
The King.
He sat high upon his golden throne, and beside him was the queen, her worried expression lingering as she gently held her cheek, which bore a red mark indicating she had been struck. Their children sat in their seats just below them, arranged from the eldest to the youngest.
All around them stood the knights and nobles of the city, both young and old, dressed in their finest attire, including suits, cloaks, dresses, and uniforms.
' At least I know where they all are,' Magellan told him as he walked forward to the king.
He stopped at the foot of the stairs and simply glared at the king with nothing but hatred.
"So, you came, didn't you?" The king spoke as he was mildly surprised that Magellan had come.
"Of course I came, I wouldn't have come to this place if you didn't have my father."
"Ah, yes, your father the assassin," the king commented.
"He's not an assassin, he's a simple farmer, and I demand you let him go!" Magellan boldly stated.
A mass murmuring spread among the nobles as they were surprised that Magellan spoke this way in front of the king.
The king raised his hands to silence the nobles and then looked down at Magellan, "Why would I do that? Your father confessed that he alone planned the assassination of me, and my burned hand is proof of that!" The King stated as he showed his bandaged hand to the crowd.
'Proof that you're an idiot for not listening,' Magellan silently told himself.
Then the king continued with his version of the story, "And all I've ever wanted was a simple carriage ride in the afternoon with my queen, but your father had to ruin it by his attempts to kill me! So keep demanding all you like, I'm not letting your father go. He's going to rot in the dungeons like the criminal he is."
"Listen, I've had a lot of plans today, and spending my time here in this blue blood den is not on that list! So you will give me my father, or I'm going to finish that so-called assassination attempt on you!"
The King was getting more infuriated with Magellan as he continued to defy him, and even had the gall to threaten him. Just when he was about to order his guards to detain him and throw him away in the dungeons, he suddenly had an idea.
"I'll right, farmer boy, I'll amuse you, I'll release your father."
Magellan wasn't stupid. It was clear of that, but it can't be this simple to get his father back without some sort of catch.
"I know how you are and how you work, I'm not dumb enough to fall for that."
'A smart one he is,' the king thought to himself, "And right you are, I'll release your father, but you have to do something for me first, call it a challenge, yes? And if you complete it, I'll let him go, okay?" The king offered.
Magellan thought about the offer, and an idea came to him, a risky idea, but an idea that could work.
For too long, this king-no, this tyrant, had ruled over the people and did and allowed such acts as slavery, corruption, increased taxes against the lower class, taking away family members for his amusement, and most importantly, the war that has ruined the lives of many.
For too long, this was happening, but Magellan decided that this was enough.
So he would decide to ask something else to go with it.
"Can I ask something else to go with the offer?" Magellan asked with all the politeness he could muster.
"I suppose so. What is it that you wanted to add?" The king asked.
Magellan knew that if he made this request, it would make him an immediate target of the king's wrath. But, despite this, Magellan would want nothing more than to make the king angry.
"If I complete this challenge of yours, not only will I get my father back, but..." Magellan stated, but stopped at the end.
"But what? Speak up, boy!!" The king ordered
This was it. No going back.
"I get your throne."
Gasps were heard in the audience, and following the gasps were turned into muttering of the people talking about this.
"The throne!?"
"Has this boy gone mad!?"
"The king will no doubt throw this insolent fool in jail along with his father for even challenging the throne!"
They all waited for the king to order the guards to take him away for his foolish request, but instead, the king laughed.
"Hahahahahahahahaha!! You want my throne?!? You want to be king!?! Hahahahahahaha!!!" He said as he continued to laugh.
The king soon stopped and looked at Magellan, who had a face of seriousness, and realized he meant what he said. The king, who had no fury on his face but only amusement and security, decided to accept this request.
"You amuse me, boy, and for that, I accept your request." The king said, which shocked everyone in the audience.
Whispers raged throughout the crowd from 'What is he thinking?', 'Is this some joke?', 'Surely he isn't considering this?'
"Now, I know what you're all thinking," The king spoke out to the masses. "Why won't allow myself to accept the challenge of this common street dog, but the truth of it is, I've grown rather bored, and I decided that this commoner will be my new source of entertainment." He explained to them all. "Now that's out of the way, here's your challenge." The king spoke as he snapped his fingers, and one of the knights came forward. The king whispered a few words to them before sending them off, and shortly after, a group of knights came with a large scroll and a table.
They placed the table down between the king and Magellan and unrolled the scroll, revealing it to be a map, but not just any normal map.
(A/n: ignore the word Alworh)
This was the world map of every nation, large and small. There were many species, nations, and groups among them, but there's was the main 14 were: humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, harpies, centaurs, lamia, goblins, dragons, demons, Beast men, lizardmen, fairies, and merfolk.
There were others besides the main groups, but they had either died off or vanished without a trace.
"This is the map of the world and each nation on it, from us humans to the demons," the king said as he pointed at it.
"Yeah, but what does the map have to do with my challenge?" Magellan demanded.
"I'm getting there. The challenge for you, farmer boy, is that you must go to each one of these nations, whether it's big or small, of the world and bring back proof you have been there and returned here to show me it." The king explained as he dragged his finger across the map from the beginning to the end.
"That is your challenge, boy. Do you accept?" he finished.
But Magellan wasn't like the people. He was an inhuman farmer; before that, he was an inhuman adventurer. So he gave his answer.
"Deal"
"Good, and to make sure that I know you fail." He snapped his fingers again, and a group of hooded people came out of the shadows and came to Magellan, forced him down to his knees, and started a small chant.
One of the hooded people pointed at the back of his neck, and immediately Magellan started to cry out in pain as a symbol began to appear in red on the back of his neck that caused him to scream more in pain.
Once it was done, the symbol faded out the red and appeared in black.
"It is done, my lord." One of the hooded figures said as the group let Magellan go as he dropped to the floor.
"Good, you may go." The king said as he waved them away.
"What... did.....y-you...do?" Magellan asked as he breathed in exhaustion from the pain.
"This is the life link; you share it with your father. This means that if you get hurt, he feels the pain. If you fall ill, he becomes ill too. And, most importantly, if you die... he will die as well," the king said, displaying a sadistic and smug grin.
"You...you...YOU CRUEL, MANIPULATIVE BASTARD!!!" Magellan screamed in rage as he rushed to the king to hurt him, but was met with a group of knights holding him back.
"I've been called worse things, farm boy; your little tantrum is nothing to me at all." The king jeered, "Oh, and one more thing, farm boy, you have until the spring solstice to complete this challenge." The king's words enraged Magellan more than before.
" BUT THAT IS THREE MONTHS AND A HALF FROM TODAY!" He screams at the king as he tries to thrash his way out of groups of knights.
"Then you better get started," the king sneered with a smug grin. "And since I'm a good king, I'll let the first two days be free for you, and on the third day, your challenges begin." The King added
"Now then, since this is over between us,” The king commented as he then snapped his fingers, “Guards throw this peasant farmer out of my home and out of my sight!" The king ordered.
The knights soon started to drag Magellan away as he continued to thrash around.
"Charlos, do you think it was wise to accept that boy's request for the throne? I mean, your family had been rulers for generations before you." Tamanna asked her husband.
"Do not fret, woman; I gave him an impossible task. I mean, you don't expect me to give him an easy challenge, did you?" He said with a cocky look.
"Indeed, father, you have given the most impossible task for that commoner." Erya praises his father in support.
"It's more than impossible; it's suicidal!” Farasha claimed, "And what's worse is that a war is happening! He wouldn't last a second without walking into an active battle, honest father, have you no shame or dignity?" Farasha scolded the king.
"It's not about dignity; it's about keeping those in line who step out, and if I were you, girl, I'd watch my tongue from whom you're talking to." The king threatened her.
Farasha sat in silence but glared at her father with disgust. He had no issue with considering the life of the man when he delivered this challenge. Farasha could only watch as Magellan was dragged away and his father was taken back to the cells.
After that, the king dismissed the masses, and he and his family went to their chambers, but without the king noticing, the queen quietly snuck out.
********
Back outside the city gates, the doors opened a bit as the guards threw Magellan out and quickly hurried in before he could get his footing back.
After getting up, Magellan looked at the city, furious, and shouted, "Blue Shitters!"
...
.......
..........
.............
Nothing but the wind was his only response.
Magellan huffed in anger and began his walk home.
'Three months and a half,' He told himself, 'I got three months and a half to travel the world and be back here before the spring solstice. Great, just great' He groaned.
"To be honest," He said out loud, "I'm surprised that the bastard gave me that much time. I expected at least a month, but three?" He asked him in clear shock. "I've done quests that are more time-consuming than that."
Granted, Magellan had spent more time on quests back in adventuring, but this time he was on a time limit and had the first two days free, but it still doesn't hide the fact that he had to travel the entire nation in just three and a half months.
So he had to get things ready.
"I need to gather supplies: the old cart from my adventuring days, my old clothes, swords, maps, books, and find someone to watch Fenrir," he listed.
But he needed one final thing above all else.
"But first things first, if I'm going to go on this journey."
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"I'm going to need some backup."