Intro
In the world of Ordania, there are many myths. But also many truths.
According to legend, there are 7 legendary weapons with divine power, scattered across the lands.
These weapons are guarded by 7 incredible powers. If they are orgsnism or spirit, is still a mystery. There is only stories about them.
Chapter 1
Corneus watched as the sunlight cracked through his blinders, hitting just the wrong spots in his eyes. The light was harsh and concentrated, like a flashlight held point blank. Though, there was a sense of hope, a sense of desperation.
Corneus was graduating today. The boy jumped out of bed, into his clothes and he ran downstairs. He was…home alone. On this big day, the day he would go from a teenager to an adult.
He didn't think much of it, as he checked the time. It was almost time for the ceremony!
"Shit…" Corneus muttered quietly to himself. Rushing out on the almost empty streets of his home town, Prumore.
Corneus was suddenly lost in thought, his whole life, he had lived in this town. Not even leaving it once. He was like an uneducated monkey when it came to the "outside world", as he called if. Though, this was his opportunity. His opportunity to venture out and see the world with his own eyes.
Thinking about his future, Corneus started speedwalking. Which turned into jogging. At one point, he was straight up sprinting. He was hopeful about his future. He was positive, and he believed nothing could change it.
Once Corneus got to the ceremony, he was called up instantly. Someone seem to have spotted him entering.
Since Corneus has an early letter at the start of his name, the odds of him being called up pretty early were big.
He spotted his parents in the audience, right by the stage. He wondered where they were this morning, but now he got his answer. Though, now Corneus wondered why neither of them woke him up. Maybe they didn't want him to graduate?
Both of his parents looked ready to cry and scream his name at any moment, but held it in to prevent embarrassing their little boy.
Corneus had always impressed them. He wasn't especially sharp, but he wasn't dumb either. Corneus was motivated, and when he liked something, he bit onto it and wouldn't stop until he got tired of it.
Corneus hastily got into the typical suit you usually wear during graduations.
and stepped up on the stage, shook the principal's hand and got his diploma.
"Was that all?" He thought silently.
All his life leading up to this? Corneus was officially an adult as soon as he walked off this stage. He thought it felt anticlimactic, regular even.
Almost sad.
Corneus didn't let it get to him, he couldn't embarass himself even more after coming late. So he quickly walked down the stairs of the stage. But he couldn't help but feel a little depressed. He had waited his entire life for this…
He walked down to his parents sitting in the front row. And he spoke.
"Can we go now?" Corneus muttered. He made sure it was loud enough so only his parents would hear.
Corneus was embarassed enough already, his cheeks rosy from his parents awkwardness. He knew it was too risky to stay for his pride, since his parents looked ready to cry even more than before.
There was no response. Corneus' parents were simply, looking at him, too shook to speak. They eventually started nodding in unison as they quickly realized the situation turned awkward.
Later that evening, they had a feast at home. Family and relatives came and went to congratulate Corneus.
"How does it feel, my boy? Finally an adult." Dagr said. Patting Corneus on the back.
Corneus sighs.
"I...I don't know what to say I...it feels anticlimactic. It feels really anticlimactic. My whole life for this?" Corneus replied.
There wasn't a time where Corneus could leave a room without being either praised or mentioned.
It eventually got overwhelming hearing his name over and over, being called and mentioned from room to room. So Corneus went up to his room.
He laid down in his bed, the familiar warmth from the sheets releaving him from his stress. He could hear the cicadas buzzing and the birds chirping. He took it all in and sighed a little.
"This is it, huh? My new life." He sId to himself.
Corneus's eyes drift closed, but he opens them. He yawns a little and starts zoning out.
Corneus didn't realise it, but he had fallen asleep after awhile. Waking up later, sweaty from the summer warmth, even though it was dark outside.
The cicadas were still as annoying as ever and the birds still sang loud and clear. Corneus stood up walked out of his room. He walked downstairs, where luckily,only his parents were there now.
"Here we are celebrating my big boy, and you go off snoozing? Come on Corneus!" his mother, Cassandra said, an obvious sarcastic undertone in her voice.
"Oh calm down, the boy's tired. He's had a big day and needs some rest." His father, Dagr responds. Not catching Cassandra's sarcastic intention.
"Sorry, but father's right. I'm tired and worried. I don't need any of your horrible pep talk though." Corneus responds with a tired sigh. His eyes proved his exhaustion.
"Oh, no need to 'pologize honey" Cassandra chuckled. "I was only sarcastic."
Corneus didn't really get his mothers humor, but he attempted to chuckle along, failing miserably.
Then, everything froze. A giant explosion is heard from outside. Everyone went silent.
"What was that? It couldn't have been far from here." Dagr said. He was a little worried. His worried expression eventually faded.
"Eh, it was probably just some geezer dropping something heavy. Might've been fireworks aswell." He replied, to his own question.
It was then followed by another and another boom. There were people screaming outside, faint shadows running by the windows. Boom. Boom. Boom. Was the only sound that was heard.
The rain didn't stop. Explosives flying everywhere. One hit the roof. It collapsed over Corneus, trapping him under the debri.
Corneus's father was first to move, walking outside to see what it was. He ran back inside screaming.
"It's the plalees!". He shouted. Almost intense enough for his voice to crack.
You might wonder who the "plalees" are. The kingdom of Plaleen wants power. They aren't scared of taking lives for wealth, power or even status in general. Merciless barbarians riding dragons and airships.
A barbarian landed in front of our house. Corneus's father went outside and blasted him with tons of arrows. But it was no use. The barbarian had armor made out of steel. Arrows hit him, but they bounced back.
Eventually, one arrow sneaked it's way into his knee cop. The barbarian grunted, but in an instant, blood sprayed against the window, a head coming flying slightly after. Corneus' father's head.
It didn't break the window. It simply bounced back onto the ground. Adding a print of blood onto an utouched part of the window.
Corneus's mother ran out blinded by the shock of her husband dying. What a foolish mistake. She was decapitated almost faster than the father.
Corneus wasn't blinded by anything like his mother. He was frozen in place.
He couldn't move a fiber of his body. He wouldn't be able too even if he wasn't stuck under the rubble. He was scared, scared down to his soul.
Luckily, the barbarian didn't bother entering the house. He must've thought everyone was dead already.
Corneus slowly but surely crawled out from the debries covering him. Careful not to make too much noise. His Knees were weak, arms were heavy, his head spinning and theres vomit on his shirt already from the sudden encumbering.
Corneus Stepped out of his house after the barbarian had left. He stepped out onto the almost empty street.
This time, the people weren't walking by. They were lying face down on the gravel roads, the ground colored crimson red from their blood and insides.
Among them was everyone he loved. From his parents to the cousins he met a few hours ago.
He walked back in. But he suddenly couldn't move. Corneus had fallen hard onto the cold wooden floor, only the sounds of explosions being heard.
The only reason he was alive was because of his parents. They protected him like their son, like their child ever since the day Corneus was born. And they probably would have forever.
He took his last breaths before his vision started fading. It didn't seem healthy as he fell to the floor.
He felt a slight liquid flowing from his cranium, dropping from his eyelids and down on the already drenched floor from the roof leaking. The liquid dripping was no doubt his own. His own blood.
Corneus felt warm, even though he was laying down face first against a soggy, cold wooden floor. It was his adrenaline.
"Why now…" The Corneus said, realising the rush of adrenaline might have been useful before, but it was wasted on this pathetic moment when he was shown mercy by the gods.
Corneus might be the only person alive in Prumore. And he thanks everything for that. But, a slight part of him started hoping he had died alongside everyone else.
Corneus had no one to live for, and nothing to live for in general anymore. His goal was always to protect his parents. But, he already failed.
Corneus' motivation was down at zero. He didn't care if he lived or died anymore. It felt the same to him. He started wishing his guts started leaking out as well, dragging out his death.
Corneus thought he deserved it. He thought he deserved it for being useless, a nobody who couldn't even protect his own parents. A nobody who had no motivation, a nobody who got adrenaline boosts at the wrong times.
Corneus was slowly going insane from his deprecating thoughts. He felt his sanity slipping out from straight under him, making his mind start hallucinating about killing the barbarians. Corneus knew there was nothing he could do now.
Corneus wanted to scream. Scream for his parents and everyone else. Scream so much his lungs would flip upside down and puke them up.
But, he knew he couldn't. If he screamed, the barbarians would find him. His parents would have died for nothing. Even if he tried, Corneus couldn't make a sound. Nothing came out.
He was saved, but at what cost?
He would bleed out here, like a loser. Like a no one. He slowly tilted his head upward. But it was no use. He was paralyzed, he couldn't move a muscle.
Corneus could still hear the screaming faintly. But it died down, was he blacking out? or was the source of the screams disappearing? Corneus didn't know. He was completely destroyed, like a loser. A nobody.
"What's wrong with me…" Corneus said quietly in his weakened state.
"I'm useless…I couldn't even protect the ones I held dearest. I'm not a man, I'm a joke." He said.
Those were the last words Corneus spoke that night. He had blacked out. It was also the last time he was awake for the next few days.
Corneus woke up. Not knowing what time it was. He looked at the sun but quickly looked away. Corneus rubbed his eyes, seeing the afterimage of the sun fading from his eyes as he closed them.
Corneus stood up and looked around. The carnage that he could only assume happened recently. His head was still filled with questions. Ones he couldn't answer.
"Why am I alive?" Was the most reoccuring one. Eventually it took up his entire brain. Corneus could only think of why he was alive.
There was a long silence. The birds weren't singing like they used to, neither was there buzzing from cicadas.
It was dead silent.
Until, the gravel started creaking. Someone or something was coming.