“Oh, speaking of you being my first victim, I did have one last question about that actually,” Theo’s eyes narrowed on Aksel, as he raised a questioning brow in response.

“Sure, what is it?”

“What in Nith were you doing when I found you?”

“Erm… Walking?”

“Not that, you idiot! I mean, why were you ignoring me when I tried to rob you? You didn’t even blink when I appeared right next to you, and you walked past me when I demanded your money!” She asked, getting quite animated at the memory.

“Oh, that? I was just daydreaming,” Aksel told her casually.

“Don’t lie to me! You walked past me like I was some dirty beggar off the streets! Did you really think ignoring me would make me go away?” Theo asked him, the annoyance of the incident clear in her words.

“No, really, I was just daydreaming. I’m just good at tuning out the world when I need to,” Aksel explained. It was true. When he wanted to, he could walk right past anyone vying for his attention, including his own family members, without even noticing them. His absent-minded dedication to his own world was truly a force to be reckoned with.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Theo seemed to take personal offense to the comment. “I’m not some annoying street trash, I’m a human! Don’t just ignore me!” She crossed her arms and grew a small pout on her face. This was yet another stain on the already ruined robbery attempt, and she clearly wasn’t happy about it. “What were you daydreaming about anyway?” she asked, almost reflexively.

“Well…” Aksel thought about his answer, as he recalled his latest fantasy.

---

High above what was to become his next battlefield, Aksel observed the elven warband charge towards the lightly guarded settlement nestled close to the border of the Kingdom of Elynore. This fearsome host numbered in the hundreds, with almost all their members armed in the fashion of a traditional Indraven hoplite, making the group appear more akin to a tide of bronze and spear tips.

Despite watching this fearsome display that would make any ordinary person cower in terror at their approach, Aksel couldn’t help but flash his signature heroic smile, as the feathery white wings growing from his back held their position, allowing him to levitate in place. After all, he was the Divine Hero, a being with powers completely unrivalled by all who opposed him.

“I’m ready when you are, my love,” his partner and lover, Ariel, spoke from beside him. In his eyes, she was flawless, with no imperfections to dull her beauty. He adored her golden blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes, each of which was more than enough to make both men and women fall in love at first sight, even without her divine aura enhancing each of her features at least twenty times over, wrapped in a golden white robe that perfectly suited her form in every way. Despite all of that, though, her smile always reminded Aksel of how fortunate he was every time he saw the girl of his dreams.

“Let’s not keep them waiting then,” Aksel replied, as the pair descended towards the village, appearing as little more than a blur of white and gold during their descent. As expected, all color drained from the faces of the enemy army the moment the pair arrived, halting the entire force in their tracks.

“It’s them! The Divine Hero and the Blessed Angel!” The beleaguered defenders erupted in a roar of shouts and cheers, hope returning to their dishearten eyes at their heroes’ arrival.

The battle was practically over, and everyone knew it. Or at least, that’s how encounters like this usually went. This time was different, however. Instead of withdrawing in their usually orderly fashion, the ranks of the stunned elven army began to stir.

Between the separating rows of soldiers, a new adversary appeared, draped in black armor from head to toe with a grim metal visor obscuring his face. Through his divine enhanced hearing, Aksel could hear the audible hum coming from the sheer amount of enchanted equipment this single person had equipped.

This man, clearly the leader of this elven host, stepped forward, speaking with a deep, smooth voice imbued with a level of authority and nobility few had matched in Aksel’s life. “The great Divine Hero and his companion. It is truly an honor to meet someone as renowned as yourself in such a backwater place.” He bowed deeply, showing his respect for the pair.

“I thank you for your courtesy, but formalities aside, I must request that you turn this army around and return home. This land is under our protection, as is all of humanity,” Aksel stated, crossing his arms as he awaited the expected refusal.

“That,” the elven noble began, drawing his heavily engraved sword from its sheath. The moment the weapon fully unsheathed from its master’s side, its magical enchantments set the blade ablaze in a pristine blue flame that shimmered against the black armor of its wielder. “Is not something I can do,” the armored champion turned the tip of his burning blade towards Aksel in clear provocation. “Hero of the Heavens, I challenge you to single combat for the right to this land. Do you accept?”

Did Aksel have the authority to accept such a challenge? Of course he did. Even Her Majesty, King Adriel Luxor, and Her Holiness, Fayth Sussex III, bowed to the wishes of the Divine Hero, such was his level of prestige.

Despite this, however, Aksel still found himself looking over to Ariel for approval, who quickly assented to the proposal with a nod and comforting smile. “Very well, I accept your terms,” the hero agreed, holding his hand out before him. “Sword of the hero!” He called forth his signature weapon.

With a light matched only by that of the Heavens itself, his illustrious blade known throughout all of Mythrin formed in his palm, a weapon forged and tempered with his own divine power, unrivalled in all the universe.

The two warriors squared off against one another, the tension in the air continuing to escalate as a peculiar silence overtook the battlefield. Then, the silence was broken as Aksel flew towards the elven commander with a step so powerful that it left his footprint indented on the compacted soil, his body carried through the air by his angelic wings.

The champion stood firm against the legendary hero’s approach, a commendable feat in its own right, preparing to bear the brunt of the incoming strike with his pyromatic sword grasped in both hands. With a clang that echoed across the plain, the two juggernauts of their respective fields of power clashed in a brilliant display of lights and feedback. The humming of the enchanted gear growing louder as it worked overtime to compensate for its master’s deficiencies.

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The circles of Aksel’s divine formations continued to spin, cycling more holy energy throughout his body. In a flash, the hero overpowered the black-clad champion, breaking his enchanted blade in two, the beheaded tip of the weapon continuing to burn as it flew through the air. It was only natural, after all. Aksel was The First’s chosen hero, with the divine formations and circuits running throughout his body granting him strength and power far beyond that of his human peers, elevating him to an angelic level. With his opponent still reeling, Aksel’s sword maneuvered through the air and sliced through the heavily enchanted armor as though it was mere cloth, leaving a clean slash right through the mana-enforced metal and straight into his torso.

The elven commander fell to his knees, blood spurting from the wound like a poorly crafted vessel that had just sprung a leak. In his defeated state, he could do little as he came face to face with Aksel’s legendary blade, held only inches from his head. “Victory is mine. Surrender now, return home with your people, and let the bloodshed end here.”

“I… accept,” the champion acknowledged his loss. With his victory secured, the hero’s blade disintegrated into particles of light, the energy cycling back into his internal system to be reused in the future. With a triumphant grin across his face, Aksel turned to the crowd of people that had gathered from the settlement and raised his fist up into the air. Cheers from the entire village erupted all at once, chanting his name and praising his heroics.

Just as he was returning to his lady love’s side, a low mumbling reached his ear, coming from behind him. Rolling his eyes, Aksel spun around to find the armored elf making a series of gestures with his hand, in the clear pattern of a spell.

“Hear me, oh fiery mana that burns through the veins of this world. Grant me the power to reduce my enemies to cinders!” The man shouted in a loud, pained voice, as his palms finally pointed toward Aksel in time with his chant. “FIREBALL!”

A massive ball of roiling flame blasted towards the hero, more than double, no, triple the man’s size. The searing heat consumed Aksel’s body in a fiery explosion that detonated on impact. The shockwave threatened to sweep those nearby off their feet, as the crowd of villagers looked on in horror. The elf managed a few laughs at the fried hero’s expense. “Damn human. Hero or no, magic will always triumph!”

The elf’s laughter was cut off almost as abruptly as the head that fell from his shoulders. The Hero of humanity, completely unharmed from the attack, appeared directly behind him, the elf’s noble blood already sizzling clean from his heroic-level blade.

The elven host, seeing their champion cut down before their very eyes, grew enraged. A flurry of orders rang out from across the lines, as someone took control of the situation, and the frontline became a wall of shields and spears. The rear guard drew back their arrows, and were given the command to loose, launching a cascade of projectiles towards the Divine Hero. Without warning, Ariel appeared in the space above Aksel, her eyes glowing with power.

“Divine Welfare | First Wing | Bulwark!” The angel chanted her miracle as an enormous wall of golden white formed in front of the pair. The arrows struck the shield like a light drizzle washing against a window, bouncing off pitifully against its resplendent form.

“They never give up, do they?” Aksel commented, putting his hands on his hips.

“Well, you can’t fault their passion,” she replied. “But let’s not drag this out.”

“Sounds good,” Aksel agreed, the barrier fading in time with the end of the barrage.

In an instant, the pair appeared in the space in front of the army, their speed unmatched, and their movement a blur to the naked eye. As she reappeared, Ariel held out her palm, focusing her holy energy into another miracle.

“Sword of the Angel!” The second of the duo’s signature weaponry formed in her hand—the companion to the sword of the hero and just as deadly.

The first six elves they faced felt this power for themselves, quickly being cut down by the divine couple, with any shielding they formed a wasted effort. Like an unrelenting storm, the two dashed through the ranks of soldiers arrayed against them, their movement so swift that it could only be tracked by the piles of gore they left in their wake.

Chainmail, plate mail, mythical beast hide, and magical enchantments, they were all cut equally and without discrimination, as though mere wrapping paper to be opened. Soon, the lovers’ short burst of speed had seen fifty of the invaders scattered on the ground, as the two reached the center of the formation. The fearful elves formally packed lines grew a very accommodating gap for the pair, as no man or woman dared to get within striking distance of the duo.

“Ready?” Aksel asked.

“Ready!” his lover replied.

In complete sync, the pair had adjusted themselves to face back-to-back before unleashing massive beams of holy might held within both their swords.

““Heavens’ Slash!””

The light emitted from the attacks shone so brightly, it blinded any invader who dared look upon its radiance. It burned through both halves of the army, as dozens upon dozens of soldiers fell to its power, its divine might unstoppable as it sliced through the entire force from flank to flank. Shortly after, the pair blurred out of vision, as more of the invaders were swiftly cut down.

With the power on display outstripping that of even their false gods, the remnants of the army fell into complete disarray and scattered to the winds. Witnessing the rout from high above, the duo broke off their assault. They were heroes after all, not monsters, and they would never harm a person who had lost the will to fight. Cheers roared from the distant village, as men and women, young and old, flooded back into the streets, their hearts filled with joy and blissful relief at being rescued by the greatest heroes this world had ever known.

“Looks like another job well done,” Aksel beamed in satisfaction.

“We should stick around this time, don’t you think? I’m sure the villagers will want to thank us properly. I bet they don’t get to meet a pair of real-life legends every day either,” Ariel suggested.

“Erm, are you sure? Even after the last time?”

“Hmm, I’m choosing to believe you when you said it wasn’t your fault.”

“Come on, Ariel, you know how… ‘grabby’ some of them can be when they meet a real-life hero.” Upon hearing Aksel’s remark, Ariel shifted her expression into her usual, adorable pout.

“Then don’t let them grab you, dummy! There shouldn’t even be a situation where I find you neck-deep in your own personal harem!” Aksel laughed, an act that only deepened the pout on Ariel’s face.

“What is so amusing?”

“It-It’s nothing. I just find it impossible to imagine myself having a harem because all I’ll ever need in my life is you.”

Ariel’s angelic white face quickly turned beet red, as she let out a metaphorical puff of steam at Aksel’s remarks. Even though they had been together for a while now, declarations like this always seemed to make her blush.

“Y-you can’t just say things like that!”

“I can, and I will—and I’ll say it to everyone in the world if I have to. I love you, Ariel, from the very deepest depths of my heart. I will forever dedicate my life to yours.” Grabbing Ariel’s hands, Aksel made his earnest confession. They stared deeply into each other’s eyes, and Ariel’s expression softened, hearing her lover’s genuine proclamation.

“Aksel…”

“Yes, my love?”

It was at this very moment that the Divine Hero Aksel let out the most heroic “GAAAAAAAAAH?!” in human history, as his real-life counterpart was choked from behind.

A sour look poisoned Aksel’s expression, remembering how such a perfect fantasy was ruined by the girl sitting across from him. For her part, Theo offered him an increasingly impatient stare as she continued to wait for his answer to her question, her index finger repeatedly tapping against her body in the process.

“… Well?” Theo repeated Aksel’s own line, gesturing for him to finish his sentence.

Yeah, I think I’ll keep those particular daydreams to myself, Aksel thought.

“It was nothing important,” he told her, ending the conversation.

“Tch, you’re no fun,” Theo clicked her tongue in disappointment, but didn’t dwell on the dead topic any further.