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Chapter 13. Past.

Several years back in time.

In a small kingdom, a boy of the nobility was born with a personality very different from the rest of his class. He was always interested in learning more about the world and its people, he did not perceive social barriers with anyone. His parents tried hard to teach him that he should not mingle with people inferior to him, but they never succeeded in convincing him of this. His name was Dorba. That child was abhorred by many other nobles, because they saw him as someone quarrelsome who preferred taking sides with humble people rather than with those of his own class. His actions were always driven by what he considered to be right, never fearing to antagonize powerful people if he felt they should be stopped for their abusive and tyrannical practices. He never was seen playing with friends, because among his peers he was often considered an "unworthy nobleman". This situation often caused them to try to intimidate him with blows, leaving him full of bruises and wounds that were never enough to break his spirit.

Worried about the risks their son was facing, when Dorba turned eleven years old, his parents decided to bring forward the gift they had planned to give him until his fifteenth birthday: the direct transmission of Goan. It was then that the boy met Bopo, that elderly heir of the original Goan. At the moment he transferred the power to the kid, the old man was surprised to find a simple and curious boy who kept smiling and asking questions. He discovered a gentle little kid lacking the pedantry that the vast majority of noble heirs tended to have from an early age. Dorba would question him insistently to hear all his experiences accumulated over many, many decades of life. The old man was pleased to feel that, for the first time in so long, someone valued him more for himself than for the power he carried. That day, Dorba received from Bopo the Goan his parents had paid for, but his relationship with the original heir did not end there. An uncommon friendship between a child and an old man was engendered.

Dorba did not want to stay away from the renowned old man and managed to convince his parents that Bopo would be the best mentor for the use of his new powers. He made the perfect excuse to leave for a trip around the world with one of the most important people in the history of mankind. The old man became very attached to the boy, even considering him as his own son. For that long-lived man who was totally focused on extracting monetary value from the gift he obtained from the Cave of Power, the presence of that little boy reinvigorated his appreciation for the simple things in life. He became Dorba's protector, as his progenitors - although they never said so - always felt disappointed in their heir's behavior. They benefited from his departure, obtaining the relief that allowed them to free themselves from the guilt of rejecting their own son.

Unlike his parents, Bopo allowed the child's personality to blossom without restraint. He watched with curiosity how the boy was not obsessed with the luxuries and the assured life he had because of his social class. Something that contrasted with the old man's personal view of life, as for years he had prioritized obtaining those comforts through the commodity he received in the Cave of Power. Dorba was very different from him, always seeking to help the underprivileged rather than thinking of himself. The old man knew he had to introduce him to someone else, a young person with similar interests and outlook.

-You know, your only friend can't be an old man. You need to meet other children. Some time ago I passed Goan to a little boy who was a couple of years younger than you, and I've heard he's now a prodigy with it. Also, that child was always obsessed with becoming strong in order to protect his people from bullies. If the two of you are humble enough to allow yourselves to learn from each other, I think you'll get along just fine, Dorba.

-If you think he's a good boy, I believe you, Bopo. And what's the name of that kid?

-His name is Rioya.

Bopo made the encounter between them happen. Dorba met an eight-year-old boy with the musculature of a teenager. His body was hard and rough, but he also had such a soft heart that conveyed a lot of peace. He trained more than twelve hours a day alongside his mother, a prestigious warrior in retirement after losing her sight in combat. Rioya only paused his long practice sessions to devote his attention to the main priority in his life, a baby he always carried everywhere he went, his brother Fyrod. After the initial presentation, Bopo went off to talk with the mother, leaving the little ones alone. Dorba was amazed to see in Rioya a tiny boy who could easily beat him up.

-You are strong, my friend. Bopo says you want to be a powerful man to protect the innocent people. Is that true?

The answer to that question came wrapped in a tender high-pitched voice, but the soul of a brave warrior already resonated in the depths of his words.

-Of course, my body will be the tool to allow innocent persons like my little brother Fyrod to live in peace. No matter how hard it is, I will make sure that no one will ever abuse their power again.

Dorba smiled, seeing that in Rioya's statements, which many would call outlandish, he found a connection he had never felt before.

-Well, maybe it will be a little easier if we make it happen between the two of us.

Bopo's instinct was right, the two boys established an immediate friendship. They began frequenting each other and training together. It didn't matter who belonged to the nobility or was the strongest, they saw themselves as a team with a common goal. They always talked about how as adults they would create an army of peace that would end the conflicts in the world. Soon they detected their personal strengths, Rioya seemed to be born to fight, he could defeat anyone, while Dorba possessed a great tact with people that made him endearing. They knew they had to recruit more people in the future, imagining that Fyrod could eventually join the team and bring more to the party than just cries and dirty diapers.

Rioya was one hundred percent focused on the goal of creating the group, and did not conceive the existence of distractions in his life, but he feared that one day Dorba might get bored and choose to return to a comfortable life in his kingdom. Therefore, it was not uncommon for him to question his colleague about it with the typical indiscretion of his age.

-Don't you regret moving away from your castle where you had servants attending to you all day long?

-Not really. My parents always treated me well, but I never felt at home there. The only thing I miss about the principality is one person; Gaena.

-Gaena? Don't tell me you like a girl! -The young Rioya commented with gestures of repulsion, showing that dislike for the opposite sex that characterizes children.

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-Gaena was the only friend I had. Nobody knew about her, since I had to frequent her in secret, just because she was poor. My parents would have killed me if they had known I was seeing her. We met one day by accident when she helped me escape from some kids who wanted to beat me up, since then we started talking and became friends.

-I understand, if she's just a friend I don't see a problem, Dorba. You know, women can also be very strong, like my mother. We could invite your friend to be part of our army and then you could be reunited with her.

-Your proposal is great, but I don't think she's the fighting type of woman, Rioya.

Dorba began spending more time in the forest than with Bopo himself, the old man noticed this and did not want to interfere. The busy life of an original Goan heir required constant travel, so Bopo decided that in his absence it was best for Dorba to stay with Rioya and his family. The little nobleman accepted the idea, never complaining about the limitations that the wild life offered. Everything seemed to go smoothly for this young alliance, until soon after, when an irreparable incident occurred. The group's cohesion was put to the test with a terrible event that shook the lives of its members. Rioya and Fyrod's mother died from an infection in a wound she received in her thigh during the combat in which she was also blinded. It was common to see her limp with her left leg, but no one imagined that this could have fatal consequences. She always underestimated what such an injury could do to her -in her life as a warrior, she suffered much greater damage than that, and she managed to survive them all-, even rejecting Bopo's offer to look for a Goan wielder with regenerative powers to help her heal. However, what she did not consider, were the less than aseptic living conditions in the forest, which caused the injury to quickly infect and deteriorate, generating her fevers and aches that she sought to hide from the children at all times. Her military education taught her to never reveal her ailments to anyone, and it was that rigid training what prevented her from asking the children to seek help, costing her life ultimately.

It was only until she reached a critical condition that she decided to call her children to say goodbye. She apologized for failing them, ending up blind and in that state for not being strong enough. She was afraid that Rioya felt ashamed of her fall from grace, but his son confessed to her he never suffered for it. In fact, it was a greater joy for him to know that he was going to be able to spend more time with her, because despite having a better economic life before, his mother was always in the army and did not spend much time with them. After hearing that confession that soothed her soul, his mother told him that it made her happy to have raised a good man in him, she asked him fervently to take care of Fyrod so he could follow in his path.

-I know both of my sons will become great men. Fight for your ideals, don't give up your life for a few coins like I did. Please incorporate Dorba and make a new family together. I love you.

The woman died leaving the children with no material inheritance. Her possessions vanished when, after leaving the army, she had to sell them gradually in order to support her children. In the final moments, they subsisted from the money Bopo sent them for taking care of Dorba. Only a single family treasure remained intact, the sturdy red armor she always wore in combat, which years later her son Rioya would proudly wear. Dorba did not know what to do to help at the time, he walked away to try giving Rioya his space and respect his grief, but Rioya sought him out after a few days to make something clear to him as he carried his brother in his arms. Sobbing, he told him:

-For the love and respect I will always have to my mother, today more than ever I need to make that group a reality. No more people will risk their lives for powerful persons who then leave them to die in misery because they find them longer useful. No one will fight again for other people's interests that only benefit a few!

Although Rioya and Fyrod were left orphans, Dorba made sure they would not be unprotected. He persuaded Bopo to help them, succeeding in obtaining the old man's economic shelter for all. The three of them continued living in the forest, establishing the basis for the group that gradually would become more serious. Bopo ended up being indirectly the benefactor of a peace protection team. An interesting contradiction, since Bopo was the main responsible for commercializing Goan in all armies and fronts of the world, yet he decided to help appeasing those conflicts generated by it. However, he never stopped selling the Goan that sustained his way of life.

The consolidation of the group came to fruition within a few years. Both children became young adults with great skills protecting the peace of the forest and its surroundings. They never discriminated against anyone because of their species or social conditions, and were always ready to help whoever needed aid. They formed friendships with groups of humans, minotaurs, stone giants, snake men, among others. People began to follow them, the group had a brilliant present backed by the abilities of both of them. But the future seemed to be even more encouraging, given the rough diamond in their team. By the time Fyrod reached eight years old, he was far exceeding the skills his brother Rioya possessed at that age. Expectations for him were high, he looked to eventually become the most powerful warrior in the group. Fyrod received his Goan when he was a baby, due to his mother's fears that the risks involved in the militia would impede her from ensuring she could watch her son grow up. -Some time later it was discovered that in some cases, the transmission of Goan to newborns allowed the baby to absorb the Goan better, making it possible for him to take it to higher levels than the rest of the people.

Fyrod's potential was so vast that word spread quickly throughout the various kingdoms of the world, attracting attention even in the highest spheres. Given the consistent blitz attacks by a group known as The Three Savages against Mankuzo Móruvel's kingdom, the royal family was looking to renew their troops with fresh warriors, and when they heard about Fyrod's power, they immediately wanted to recruit him. A retinue traveled with the purpose of convincing him to join them, but Rioya expelled them from there in an event that made headlines everywhere. That did not give a very good image to the dominant kingdom, thus that event fell out badly to the King, who in addition to wanting Fyrod under his command -as he represented the ideal soldier; a monster in combat with a puerile mind that could easily be molded-, now he also wanted to put an end to Rioya's life for having insulted his crown.

A son of Mankuzo personally went to the forest in search of getting both things done. Dorba and Rioya met him and were confronted for the first time by someone who surpassed them by far in strength, even them could not stand up to a blue Goan wielder. Seeing all lost, Rioya ordered Dorba to take his brother into hiding while he bought time for them to escape. When Rioya was about to die at the hands of his rival, The Three Savages appeared and interrupted the fight, attacking all at once the man they had been tracking for days. They accomplished a historic event, murdering a member of the Móruvel family and then hung his head in the kingdom's public plaza to aggravate the King. As a result of this act, world history was irreversibly set in motion. The Móruvel's fury exploded as never seen before, leading them to order the tragic massacre in the native villages of The Three Savages, an event that shocked the world and was crucial to unleash the so-called Great Revolution. Both Dorba and Rioya eventually ended up allying with The Three Savages and other warriors, accomplishing the feat of overthrowing the Móruvel family. The twelve people involved in that day's uprising became world heroes and were admired in every corner of the planet. One of them, Moal, took the royal office vacated by the Móruvels, seeking to stabilize things and reform the government. He surrounded himself with some of his battle buddies who assumed important positions, trying to create an exemplary government that raised the hopes of the people. A young Dorba, for his part, was called by his hometown to occupy the position of Prince. An invitation that he accepted only for two reasons: to try to support Moal's government in the preservation of peace from another point of the orb, and to be able to reunite with someone special that he desired to see for a long time.