Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 431: Vasir (3)

'Asrana the Great Conqueror will have two hearts, his power defies the Heaven, nothing could hold him in chains, a Conqueror of Darkness shining Light to the hopeless, a beacon of hope. He is the Great protector of Worlds. And in his final battle Asrana will ride a great dragon, flames all around him, Light bless him with its powers facing his greatest enemy and Vasir will rise from the Great Darkness, his minions awakened, His Three Horsemen will bring War, Sickness and Hunger. They will battle in the open sky, the fate of the world in Asrana hands. The Hero's journey ends in the final battle.'

And each time he read it there is uneasiness in his heart. Final battle? Wait a minute!

'Hero!' Arial exclaimed.

'I thought Asrana is a god.'

'Hahaha. Realized that don't you? Yes, Asrana is not a god.' Mikael said.

'Then…a mortal?'

'No.'

'If he is not god and not mortal, what is he?' Arial asked.

'Something more. He is a bit of both.'

'Bit of both.'

Then Mikael pointed to one passage. 

And Arial read it.

'Having the power of a god, and a heart of a mortal, Asrana understand the suffering of mankind, the burden of mortality and the hopeless existence of eternity. He will be tested with many suffering of the heart. Sorrows, loneliness, loss. All this and more, he will experience. He will walk among mortals, live among them and eventually become their Great Savior. And as the eventual savior there will be trials that he will have to pass and overcome. 

'He will die three times and each time he will be brought back by the machinations of destiny and fate. For no mortals could become a God without experiencing what it feels like to see Death. And no God would ever understand humans, until they live among them. And then Asrana will awaken and he will fulfill his destiny.'

And Arial look upwards like he could take it all in. Three times! Dying…three times. Arial then remember. 

He has died two times. 

One time was when he dies in the basement. The other time was when he dies at the martial art tournament. 

Wait! Or was it only one? Since he didn't really think he died that time. But then Arial musing is broken by Mikael exclamation.

'Suffering' Mikael said, with a sigh 

'Isn't that too pitiful for Asrana?' Arial asked frowned looking at the word.

Mikael look at Arial and said.

'Great men are forged in fire, Arial. That has always been the case, and in Asrana that is even more true.'

'What do you mean?' Arial asked.

'One myth of the Thirteen Tribes is that one way to determine whoever is Asrana is that he will not be burned by The Fire of the Gods.'

'Fire of the Gods?'

Mikael then smile and relayed unto him the story

'Eremetheus was the one of the Gods of the Thirteen Tribes. He was the God of Trickery. Once he tricks Varleon, the God of Fire to show his Palace. Eremetheus sleep with Varleon wife, Frida and impregnate her while at the same time stole the Orb of Fire belonging to Varleon and gifted it to the Arakian tribes. Story says, that the orb, it burns anything and everything but the flesh of Asrana. Even dragons could not endure the heat. It is chanted with great enchantment that only the elders of the Arakian tribes knows how to unseal it.'

'Asrana huh?' Arial said looking at the depiction of Asrana in the book riding a dragon, light behind him facing a black mist.

Mikael then exclaims

'Imagine that, Arial! A god walking among men. Imagine that! It is like the Ages of the Gods all over again.'

Arial laughs a bit

'If I'm not mistaken Mikael, the Age of Gods really doesn't fare well with humanity.'

'Hahaha. True. That is true.' Mikael said laughing

'But this story of Asrana and Vasir is there any indication of when these characters will battle? Any specific dates perhaps?' Arial said gulping a little.

'No. Other than the signs.'

'What signs?' 

'When the Battle drew near.'

And Arial remembers.

'Fire turns cold, winter that burns.' Arial said.

'That and more.' Mikael said, this time taking a seat and sipped the cold tea.

'Then how did Asrana deified into a God if he is not a God?' Arial asked, clearly not understanding how Asrana were deified.

Mikael then answeredjosei

'Because the stories about him appeal to the mentality of the Thirteen Tribes. The Thirteen Tribes takes it upon themselves to appoint Asrana as their protector. And soon enough, He is a Savior for the thirteen tribes and then the story was spread among the thirteen tribes. The Cassini and Enceladus tribe who were used to paganistic belief, take Asrana as their God and designate him as the Sky Lords and God of Heroic feats and the other tribes followed by putting him among the same rank as their other Twelve Gods if not higher. And that is how Asrana become a warrior God in the thirteen tribe beliefs.'

Arial nodded in understanding, no longer interested in drinking the cold tea. It was dark now at the Imperial Studies. 

Time passed listening to Mikael stories. And then a look of determination appears on Arial face.

This question needs to be answered. Is he Asrana? Is he reading his own prophecy? Arial is not conceited but he also knows not to underestimate himself.

Could the story of Asrana….is his story? Could it be…. the Conqueror of Darkness is himself? When he himself is regarded as a tyrant by some, a devil by the other?

Redemption, Arial mused. 

Redemption. The word echoes in his mind. The dragon, the two hearts, the three lives. 

There is too much coincidence. Too much similarity. And Arial heart burns again. Bloodlust replaced by wanderlust. 

Adventure. 

Once again Arial has a purpose now. A quest for truth. His quest. 

Seek me in the Land of Shadows, the word whispers.

And Arial does not forget the word. Seek the voice and his question will be answered. Is the dream just a dream? Or a glimpse of the future? 

Or the path not taken? How would he know if he does not take that first step? Arial mused.

He decided then at that moment, steeling his heart and one word resonate strongly within him. 

The Hero's journey end in a final battle. 

That words echoes. Echoes again and again. The End part. The fact that he could die doing it…. somehow doesn't fear him as much as the thought of facing the people he used to kill.

Alderam, Harald, to name a few men he remembers killing. And how about the thousands he killed and slaughter without mercy? How would he face them?

What would he tell them? The Final Battle did not sound that bad for him

'Redemption' Arial said slowly, almost like a whisper.

Then he asks Mikael.

'One last question, Mikael.'

'Ask away, friend' Mikael said putting down the teacup realizing that his friend face has become hard and there are matters of importance that is being asked right now.

'Perhaps, do you know the way to the land of Shadows?' Mikael is shocked for a while and then a smile slowly formed on the curve of his lips.

'I do know.'

'Can you tell me?' Arial ask.

Mikael stood up and said.

'Ask me anything and I will answer it to the best of my abilities'

That night Arial take the first step to his destiny and Mikael fulfilling his role as the guidepost to the Chosen One to tread the path he is supposed to walk on.

That night, Arial learn of the Novus Gaia, the New World.

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