1 ARIA 1500 EDENIAN ERA
‘Argius, Argius’ the yelling is ringing in his ears.
The heat blared around the windows. The heat must burn skins. At last that is what he believed. Fire is supposed to stay hot. But never for him.
Fire is not something he fears.
‘Argius’ his mother yelled from the distance.
His finger grips the blanket, but the flame engulfed the house. HE could see it. He could almost feel it. But it was not the fire that he fear, for the young boy has inherited his father blood.
And his blood is strong.
He wanted to run from the carriage and jump out from the grip of the young man holding him, wanting to save her mother, but the young man gripped tightly.
On the outside the neighbour who have always fear the mother and son who spread rumours and unkind words about the mother and son ,anxious and afraid as the flames lick the brickworks of his dilapidated house as Argius mother were engulfed in the fire.
Trring,Tring.
The alarm clock wakes him. And the nightmare recedes to his memories. It is nearing summer. Argius open his eyes slowly and carefully as the sunlight shone his face.
He opens his eyes and look at the ceiling contemplating.
‘At least I did not wake up screaming again.’ But still there is sweat on his forehead. And slowly he wipes the sweat and take a deep breath.
He looked around. New house again.
‘Uncle’ he said as he shakes his head. The house is new. Very new. Even the smell of the paint can still be smell.
The colour of the walls is white, no picture of family or places that he might have visits, or notes, clean like no one ever live in it. Empty and desolate.
Argius know that these walls will remain empty. The wind breezes through from the windows.
‘Did I open my windows last night?’ He asked to himself and he remembers how he was feeling suffocated last night and he wanted to enjoy the sound of the rain dripping from the ceiling.
The windows were huge. It is his house, sponsored by his uncle, his only living relative because he has regarded anyone from his father side dead to him.
They are dead to him after what they have subjected…..and he shakes his head. ‘Old history’ he said.
He doesn’t want to have anything to do with their lot. And his mother side? All exterminated. Killed in cold blood.
‘Old history’ he muttered but even he could not believe the words anymore.
He goes to the kitchen, open his fridge, take a couple of eggs and make himself an omelettes. He asked from his uncle to try let him live the way he wanted.
Then he looked at the calendar. 1 Aria. School starts.
‘New school’ and he sighed again. He is accustomed to it but never did he feel…he belongs anywhere. And even this is to run away from his father.
His father it seems is not gracious enough to let his second son to live by himself and far away from his eyes.
He then went to the bathroom and it could fit 4 people in it. ‘Uncle always buy some house that I don’t even need, a bathroom big enough for 4 when only one person will live here.’ He complained but he appreciates it.
He looks himself in the mirror. He couldn’t help but smile. His father doesn’t give him much, but at least his father gives him his face. And that gave him much confidence.
He is not a male model but he should have been. His nose is perfect which complemented his prominent cheekbones.
The only flaw is this white hair of his. He took the colouring and slathered it around his hair. ‘They could not know that I have white hair.’
That is what he is thinking. ‘That would cause an unwanted attention from many people and a matter of safety for me.’ In a couple of minutes, his white hair turns to golden.
He then looks back at the mirror. His blue eyes are another problem. Beautiful and entrancing his mother used to say.
‘And invites a lot of unwanted question’ he says
And remembering about his mother he remembered the burnt house.
Looking around at the rest of the village, this must have been where the fire started. My uncle beside him is wearing a cloak, his face unreadable. Patting Argius back, slowly, consoling him.
But he can hear his cries late at night when his uncle thought he was sleeping.
The walls had long since crumbled and in their place stood thick beams of wood, blackened and charred from where the flames had licked at them.
The ruins were still smoking.
He walked around the remains of the house, looking, searching, and hoping it’s not there. Nothing had escaped the fire; glass littered the floor, where the windows had broken as he saw the skeleton.
His mother skeleton he is sure, for whom else in the house when the fire happens. Then he found it. The dragon pendant and he took it and hold it in his hand.
And as he held it, his tears flowed down and the sound of sadness that he releases was a sound of great and terrible sorrow.
He cleans his face with the water as he looked back at his face.
Golden hair and green eyes.
No one will know. No one must know.
He then moved to his wardrobe and opens it. His uniform is there all laid out or him. Who did this? ‘Uncle.’ No he thought it must be one of his uncle maids.
Grove High, his new high school. Last time it was Hill High. This time it is Grove High. For some reason that seems funny to him. After that he went outside.
There is no car waiting for him, or any butler to serve him. He ordered it because that would attract too much attraction.
He looked around and he knows no one is here.
His uncle has chosen a big house up top the hill, far away from people to protect his identity. And Argius is fond of walking.
It made him feel not so much a freak. Dawn has shown itself. The road is wet with last night rain and slippery.
He could still remember last night rain, the coldness which he always welcomed.
After a while he reached the front gate. He was not late because he started coming since dawn and it was not that far though running down the slope is a little taxing but he think of it like his morning exercise.
The other came to school by limousine or luxury car. He looks at the kids, some who will become his classmate.
The rich and the famous. He had no feeling of envy. He knows how the rich and the famous live. And it was not always happy.
They just only have more money. If my time with my mother taught me anything, it is that even without a lot of money you can still live happy.
Argius look as he sees the symbol of the tree and the Badger as the mascot of this ridiculous high school. ‘I mean, anything that choses a badger as a mascot is rank up pretty high as ridiculous. I could just imagine the costume for the mascot.’ He whispered looking at the picture of the badger.
He decided when he receives that envelope.
And it his mission to infiltrate this school. His own mission. His uncle of course objected on the ground someone might know him and recognize him but he could not help but be tempted by the promise of information that he might find his mother killers.
Though, why would his mother killers hide in high school is beyond him. But the hooded man has never disappointed him.
He trusts him as much as he trusts his uncle. He walked and enters the hall.
The halls were crowded with people, a couple making out on the lockers (sheesh) and some rich girl who walks in unison.
Then there are the martial art students and the wizards in training with their Magic stones. And then there is him.
Argius.
But in this school his name is William. William Smith. A normal name. With a normal parents. With a normal life.
Then he entered his first class. Martial Art studies. The teacher urges him in.
‘Ok, students. Today we will have a new student joining us. His name is William Smith. Would anybody like to sit with him?’ One of the rich girls he saw in the hallways said
‘Sit here Will’
Already familiar with him he thought. The girl push one of the guys out beside him and the class laughed.
Not all of them but some of them.
He spotted a girl, someone who looked fairly comfortable in her skin and bonus points for not laughing.
Argius hated people who laugh at others misfortune. Maybe because he is one of the most unfortunate man.
He approached her ‘Hi, can I sit here?” she is shocked. More like flustered really. She straightened her glasses and looked at him like she is dazed but she quickly regains her composure.
And Argius could see the rich girl expression is sour. But he doesn’t care. He doesn’t think he will be here in this school for long anyway.
‘Well…if you don’t mind’
‘I don’t.’
‘Then sit.’
‘Is that an order?’ He said amused and Argius couldn’t help but forming a mental image of the girl in front of him.
She is not someone that is meek.
‘An invitation’ she said and she flashed a smile. It is a bright smile.
Then he sit down and take his place as the murmurs and whisper fill the classroom about him and he could feel the rich girl eyes is lasering on him.
Then the teacher explain to us about martial art techniques that existed, the importance of internal energy in forming a strong supplement to external attacks and the theory of martial art.
The teacher then said we will learn it on the third month. When the teacher is talking in front, the noisy chatter fills the classrooms.
People grinning to each other speaking in hushed tones, people exchanging papers, written with some kind of message, funny ones he presumes considering they laughed after seeing it.
Some were called by the teacher, and reprimanded. They are some weird ones in the classroom.
There is this one boy who he learn his name is Will ( like he said, common name) who daydreams looking at the outside windows.
What did he found so interesting? Argius wondered.
Then suddenly the girl beside me whispered ‘the name Sarah’
‘Will-‘ he said wanting to introduce himself.
‘Yeah, kinda got that.’ She said cutting Argius from finishing his sentence. He became a little miffed. His word is rarely cut off.
‘Do you always do that?’
‘Do what?’
‘Interrupt people from speaking?’
She smiled ‘from time to time.’
Then the teacher looks at them. They feign silence. Then the teacher returns back to his board.
‘You’re handsome’ she said suddenly
‘Thank you’ Argius said surprised by the sudden compliment
‘No, no, that is not what I mean.’ She points her fingers to the rich girl.
‘That is why she is interested in you’
‘Who?’ Then she pointed to the rich girl Argius see before.
‘Her name is Leia Lethe.’
‘House of Lethe?’ Argius asked shocked
‘Yes, so she practically royalty here.’
‘But I don’t think they have nobles here in this school. Most of them learned in the Vermont Academy. From what I heard, yeah?’
‘Maybe you shouldn’t know about this.’
‘Do I look like I don’t want to know about it? I’m curios. Come on, tell me.’Argius said bothering her.
‘Fine’ she almost yelled but Argius managed to cup her mouth. After she calmed down and the teacher stopped looking at them, they resume their conversation.
‘Rumour goes that she party so hard that she burns one of the club in Astoklom. Her father had to pay the expenses and face the indignity explaining to the Emperor. The Emperor after all could not suffer more blows for the Imperial monarchy. And after all nobles are scarce these days.’
Argius nodded while casting a glance towards the girl.
‘Daughter of House Lethe huh?’
Didn’t expect that. I need to ask my uncle to fetch me some information then.
Then it’s time for history class. The teacher is an old man wearing a glass, a protruded belly and a large book on his hand.
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With a thump he slam the book at the teachers table and Will who Argius saw is dozing off snapped to the world of the living, wiping his saliva.
‘History!’ the teacher exclaimed with a kind of joviality Argius rarely heard from anyone.
“Without history, you don't know anything.’
He said as he orders the student to open the first pages of the history book, that big book filled with dates and one of Argius favourite subjects.
Maybe because in history many people live a screwed up life more than him and reading about it make him feel a little better about his life.
‘First we will cover one chapter of the History of the Edenian Empire. I would appreciate conversation only if it’s about history’ as the teacher realized the students were about to break out in a chat among themselves.
‘First, Edenian Empire’ he said with reverence.
‘The history of the Empire at first is nothing but a Kingdom in Our Continent which once called Davarus continent, as an emerging Kingdom and then as a world ruling empire dominating one third of the whole world and still is.’
‘Will’ he pointed at Will while Will almost didn’t hear him. “Will!” the teacher yelled and he finally aware.
‘Read the opening.’
Will lazily rise from his seat and recite the books.
‘In a millennia after the formation of the Empire, the Empire of Eden comprehended the fairest part of Earth, and the most civilized portion of humankind. The frontiers of their borders were guarded by renown and valour. The Edenian have an army at the time the best armed force in the ancient world and a great navy which expanded the Empire expansion policy, they were generally undefeated.
No other army could in the long term resist the might of Edenian military, relentless, unflinching, and genuinely invincible. Edenians general can be outwitted, but in the terms of army there is no one that could resist in the long term.
The influence of laws and Edenian culture cemented the union of Kingdoms to the Empire. The peaceful inhabitants enjoyed wealth and luxury for the Empire is prosperous than any other Kingdoms in the world. It is an Empire-‘
‘Thank you Will sit down.’ The teacher shakes his head. Argius understand why. Will talks in monotone. It bored the hell of everyone even the teacher.
‘Yes, the teacher said.
‘The Empire is one of the greatest monarchies that are still ruling and unconquerable. It’s wealth and extensive knowledge has helped the Empire to retain it’s influence to the world, gifting them their culture and innovation.
But not many knows the story of how its formation. It started in a small duchy. How a small duchy in a middle of nowhere grew into an empire that ruled so much of the known world is one of the greatest tales in history my dear pupil’ he said, happy seeing the student pays attention.
Even Leia Lethe is paying attention. Well considering her family is in the formation of the Empire it would be disrespect to her ancestors not to pay attention.
‘In the ancient world there is no kingdom that matches the Empire strength, its discipline and valour and it will not be possible if not because this one man. No one change history more than him. No one contribute more to mankind than him, to culture and policy of openness in his administration.’ He said and then he asks the class.
‘Does anybody know who I am talking about?’
In unison the class answered.
‘ARIAL THE CONQUEROR’
‘Yes, that’s him. Arial the Conqueror. The greatest of the Emperors. King of Kings. The founder. Father of the Empire. The golden age. Politically, economically, and culturally. ‘He has found a kingdom of brick and left it in golden marble’ one of his descendant said about The Great Emperor. His family, the Vermont’s have ruled the Empire for 1500 years. We are now at 1500 Edenian Aera, and still the people revere Arial.’ He said opening his arm wide open. He is passionate about his job, that is for sure.
‘Why the reverence? To some he was their god.’
‘Speaking about that how did he become god anyway?’ Leia asked holding his hands up.
‘That is a nice question. Anyone know of the Five Wise Emperors? You’ he said to Argius.
‘Five Wise Emperors refers to the Five Emperors including Arial and his sons and grandson in successive brilliance in creating the Empire to be strong and united.’
‘Thank you.’ He said as he gestured for Argius to sit down.
‘But why Arial and not all the other? This is where it is important to understand the mind-set of our ancestors.
The Edenian at the time sees the rise of the Empire as inevitable and divinely preordained. And not to mention the man who led them was nothing but a young man when he first began his conquest. Able, smart and ahead of his time, he transforms the continent to such immeasurable heights, bringing them new innovation, so much that in some story it is reported that his father believed him to be divine the blood of Light in him.
And so many of them believe too. The fact that he lived for so long is also the reason people believe he is half god.’
‘There is also that story’ one student said ‘what was it?
‘Is it is about his mother dreams?’
‘That…yes that.’
‘But that is mostly later descendants of Emperor Arial who embellished the story. The story said that when she was pregnant with the Emperor, his mother dreams that a light come out from her wombs and envelope the world.’
The students nodded
‘But it is best to remember that when the Great Emperor lived he never ask people to worship him. It was his descendant that created the Pantheon, considered as one of the greatest Edenian temple. The temple to all the Gods.’ The students nodded. All knows the about the Pantheon.
‘It is also regarded as one of the most sublime of Edenian building. It was built at Novus Gaia. Anyone learn architecture here?’ The teacher ask.
One girl held her hand up.
‘The pantheon please explains it Lily’ the teacher said. The girl quickly explained reciting from memory
‘The Pantheon is composed of three disparate elements, huge colonnaded porch, a tall middle block, and the rotunda that support it dome.The porch has 16 giant columns of the composite orders, made with grey and red Seren granite with bases and capital of white Freya marble. With dragon on top of its pediment, the porch dominated the colonnaded piazza in front. ‘
The students are all yawning. ‘Come on Lilly’ some yelled. ‘Do you want to bore us to death?’ one of the muscled martial artist I saw in the hallway is yelling at her
‘Ok Lily skip it please.’ She nodded
‘The effects of the building are lavish and its mathematically perfect proportions help explain its remarkable appeal.’ The teacher hold up his hand and Lily take her seat
‘In a world filled with gods, the step from human to god is a short one,’ the teacher said reciting Arial famous line when he was asked whether he is a god by his friend.
‘Arial dealt pragmatically with the desire of many of his non Edenian subjects to worship him. He didn’t like it but he did allow altars and temples to be erected worshipping him. Sacred Songs and hymms were presented to him yet never once he believed himself as half god but he recognize the backwater tribe he has conquered that they need a god, and he was the closest thing to a god to them.’ He said as he used the markers to write some title of some sonnets and poems dedicated to the worshipping of the Conqueror.
Then he faced us and continues.
‘In contrast, the nobility in the Edenian empire regarded any presumption of divinity by the emperor is tantamount to tyranny and this is where he tread carefully. Remember, many of Edenian is literate compared to their conquered subjects, discussion of philosophy and religion is vibrant in the city of Eden, namesake of the Empire.
He never let anyone call himself a son of a god, or build a temple for him in Eden. It was long after his death that he was declared a god by his descendant and he, and by he I mean the gigantic statues of him, sitting in a large throne presiding over all the Gods of the empire assimilated in their conquest in the gigantic pantheon’
‘Now let’s talk about the man.’ The student opens up their books.
‘The man who would be known to history as Arial the Conqueror was born in the autumn of 1000AF, the son of Aries, a farmer at that time, and Julia, daughter of a certain noble house which even now still hard to ascertain. Their love story of Aries and Julia can be found in the Sonnet of Leats in his famous books Sonnet of Aries.’
Some students take some notes, thinking maybe this question will enter the exams.
‘Many legends have arisen about the first meeting of the lovers, and the circumstances in which Julia became Aries wife. At that time, a farmer of such common birth to marry a noble lady from a noble house is almost impossible but Aries did it, which could explain the regal bearing that the Conqueror seem to master even during his early age.’
The teacher coughed for a while and takes some water to clear his throat and then he continued.
‘It is said at his youth he has exemplified manners befitting of a noble when he follow his father to trade, every trader that they met praise the young boy of his knowledge and manners. As he grows older of course, his father a wealthy citizens were granted lands and in a couple of years managed to turn it into a successful city. Anyway, we are straying. That will be covered later in the formation of Arrandy but now I want to talk about the battle which changes everything for Arial . Who knows what the battle is called?’
‘The Battle of Arleans’ Leia answered enthusiastically. Considering her great ancestor also fought on that battle it is expected she knows the name of the battle.
‘Yes, The battle of Arleans. It is the battle that changes the continent and changes the world. Why was it fought?’ The teacher asked.
‘You’ he pointed at Argius again.
‘The matter of the Throne of Vangua.’
‘Yes. Like we know Edward the Saint died leaving no heir. Harald Alan under the Council of Lords get himself elected as the King, making Arial swiftly moving his army, furious and angry even after Harald has sworn him his fealty and the conflict culminated in the defeat of Harald at Arleans hill and Arial at the time a duke and a prince of a foreign nation, instantly elevated into a King. Of course this creates quite a conflict with him and the King of Aetherland.’
Argius nodded.
This story is known and one of the famous story of the Emperor of how because of a broken oath he went to that kingdom.
Though the Anglais Raxons people see it differently.
‘He then atop the hill ordered that his messengers go informed the other noble lords of Vangua to surrender and swear fealty to him or suffer his wrath. Owing to his reputation and fearing to prolong the war all the nobles in Vangua, surrendered. Arial then replace the noble lords of Anglais-Raxons with Edenian lords. Those who resisted his rule were killed and exiled and there begins the formation, if not the backbone of the Empire. Of course the Battle of Arleans is still researched until this day and many books have been written about it. Ok, then there is also the matter of the Great Emperor love life. He has one of the most complicated if not messy love life among some of the many Emperors. First he married-’
And then the bells ring.
‘I WANT YOU ALL TO WRITE 1500 WORDS ESSAY ABOUT ARIAL BIRTH’ as his voice is drowned by the screaming of the excited students.
‘ LUNCH’ the students yelled and they jump from their seat. Will resume his napping, snoring like a tank as Lily comes to him and tries to wake him up.
Are they friends? Argius mused
Argius sees that Sarah is about to go to lunch
‘Wanna eat together?’ Argius ask Sarah.
He didn’t know many people here and she seems like a viable place to get information and knows the inn and out of this school. Argius was thinking.
And she seems like someone he could get along with.
So they go together to the cafeteria as Sarah explains to him the social cliques and the groups in it.
The Student Council, the wizards, the martial arts practitioners, the Scientist, the troublemaker and the King and Queens.
The Queens is of course Leia with her lineage stretching to the formation of the Empire and the King is some handsome senior who play kickball, on the swimming team and archery team.
Talk about an overachiever.
Argius was slurping the meat soup and about to eat the meatballs when suddenly the huge TV on the middle of the cafeteria were open. Someone yelled ‘EXPLOSIVE NEWS’ as all students turns their attentions to the TV.
‘The Imperial Highness, Heir to the Empire, Aeria Vermont has been confirmed dead this morning because of an accident in the military barrack.’
Then the news anchor explains about the accident and the public reactions while the people in the cafeteria is gasping.
Argius dropped his spoon.
And he could felt it.
He looked at the end of the cafeteria and he could see the Hooded Man waiting for him. His life has just gotten more complicated and he knows it.
‘William?’ Sarah said as he got up from his seat and began walking, knowing fully whatever news he is about to hear is not going to be good.
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Here is the first chapter of the story. Hope you all like it and support it. remmmber this will contain many spoilers of Arial life so be warned.