Breaking the Myth

And then something worse came forth.

Mother!

Her arms encircled me, drawing me close. The scent of her skin was warm, familiar—even in this strange new form I inhabited.

She uncovered and...
Oh gods no!
No, no, no—not this.

I turned my head away. My mind rebelled at first—me a child again. Or tried to. No control. None. I guess it was inevitable.

My mind screamed.
My pride shattered.
My dignity… left the room.

Vulcan, I swear to the stars, close your eyes if you’re still in here with me, watching.

This is how heroes die. Not in battle. But in utter shame.

Still to stay alive, I need to do something about this body.
And the only source of sustenance I had was… well… that.

So I did what a normal baby should do.

I gave in. For the first time...

Unwillingly.
Unceremoniously.
Absolute defeat.

This wasn’t rebirth.
This was karmic punishment in its purest form.

"What were you talking about?"
Her voice rose. Soft, but firm enough to demand the truth.

I couldn't watch father's expressions while my dinner, but I could feel his warm palm brushing my head.

"It was nothing to worry about. He wants to name Basalin as a potential heir. Not the heir... just second in line, after the prince. Said that this could motivate him, keeping the line strong. He wants to announce it on Basalin's first birthday." he said.

So, it was decided the first night I born.
I could never know that.
My future laid bare before I could even control my own limbs.

Father continued with an exhale of sigh, "I hesitated..."

His voice faded with every words.

"He's just been born..."

My eyelids felt heavier and heavier.

"And you know—"

I fell asleep before I even knew it.

***

I turned one.

A full year since that night, when I found myself into this tiny, traitorous body.
Twelve years of memory. One year of drooling.

And now, the day of ascension had arrived.

The celebration hall overflowed with guest of all kinds. Every noble in the kingdom packed into the ornate space, dressed in silks and suspicion.

I watched it all unfold from the soft prison of Mother’s arms. She’d dressed me in ceremonial silks, gold-threaded and utterly suffocating. My tail kept flicking from irritation. A child’s tail. Gods, how did I survive this harassment for a whole year?

But yeah... It is my birthday, a mixed-blood's birth is not exactly amicable. Their smiles were fake, polished masks hiding centuries of prejudice. I could feel it, now more than ever. After months meditating to reach Vulcan, I’d grown sensitive to aura, to lies soaked in sugar.

If it weren’t the King himself who invited them, they’d have found a dozen excuses not to attend.

"...It is finally time for the special programme." Uncle’s voice echoed above the murmurs.

Mother and father carried me to the royal family.

Uncle took me in his arms, gentle but proud, and turned to face the assembly.
"You all know that our kingdom's responsible and trustworthy general standing beside me is my beloved brother, Sakan Lenard. His newborn boy, little Basalin, is like a son to me. Therefore, I have decided to give him a golden opportunity."

He paused. The hall tensed.

"After discussing this with my ministers and family, I, Pholomin IV Lenard, King of Beaster, hereby declare Basalin Lenard as the second in line for heir of this kingdom after my own son, Prince Pholomin V Lenard."

The room fell into a stunned silence.

Then, predictably, a voice rose like a snarl from the crowd: "A mixed-blood will be a royal heir, don't be absurd!" A wolf-kin stood before the crowd. Father of Lumier... Lysandre Fenrahl.

Then chaos erupted across the hall as many nobles began murmuring and objecting to the news.

Just as it always was. Just as it always would be. I have faced it a lot in those years. The only con of being a mixed blood.

But then—she arrived.

Lady Temina.
The Forest Guardian.

She stepped into the hall with no announcement, no trumpet fanfare. Only the weight of her presence.

The crowd fell into silence as if the very roots of Elarothen had tightened around their throats. Heads bowed instinctively. Even the King’s eyes flickered with cautious surprise.

Small whispers could be heard across the hall.

"What is the guardian doing here?!"
"I think even the guardian could not accept this!"
"Even the king couldn’t summon her throughout last year—why now?"
"I believe in our forest guardian. Such a decision can never be appropriate."

"Silence! Please quiet down, everyone!" the announcer yelled, tried his all to maintain the situation.

But, they weren't seem to pause.

The King handed me back to father. Then he stepped forward. "Everyone stand behind me."

And there it was... 
A faint glow across his body—tawny brown. Terris.

Lifting his arm forward he ordered the ground before him.

The small quake created quite a struggle for the guest to hold their balance.

With a roar he apologized, "Sorry for this! You left me no choice. Now then, let's welcome the guardian and hear what she has to say."

His attention shifted, now to Lady Temina. "I am very happy that you came. Though I tried to contact you for the invitation. But all my summonings failed."

"I was quite busy in the spirit-realm for a while. I came here as soon as I heard about this occasion."

"Please enjoy it to your fullest." the King replied, tone softening.

She gave the smallest of nods.

"Now, as I was saying, to finalize my decision, I honour Basalin Lenard with the sword, Hellframe."

Finally.
My sword.
After one long year… we are reunited.

A knight came forward, lifting the Hellframe, covered with a red cloak, with both hands and handed it to the King.

The hall echoed with the last words of Hellframe’s legacy, its weight settling over the crowd with the defeat of an actual Demon. The ceremony, it seemed, had concluded with my touch to its hilt.

But I think I was too thrilled, too fixated on seeing Hellframe again, on reclaiming even a piece of my past... that I didn't see it coming.

"Now, I guess it's my turn." Lady Temina stepped forward toward me.

Her gift?!

My whole body trembled, eyes widening. Terror haunting like never before. Breath hitched.

I have Vulcan already. Another one... and it's end. Everything.

She held out her both hands toward me, and the ritual started, I began to glow...

"No, wait. Lady Temina." But only some "goo, goo, gaga" left out of my throat.

Damn this body! It can't be the end... Not like this. 

"I, the seventh guardian of the spirit realm, Temina, bestow upon you, Aeolus, to inhabit this little boy! Help him in his long journey through life!"

No.
No, no, no, no!
This couldn’t be happening.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Am I gonna die?
Will Vulcan and this new one... Aeolus tear my subconscious apart?
Vulcan, spare me... It's not out of greed of power. I am powerless here. 
Will Vulcan fight?
Will they devour each other?
Devour me?