And thus the demon god was poised to swallow the world in darkness. All of his plans falling in place, his enemies all but defeated. The nations of the world sprawled at his feet. The other gods, dead or fallen so far they were powerless to stop him. One person struggled against evil, a solitary candle burning in the eternal dark night. To this day nobody knows their gender. Was it a dashing man, sculpted muscle and keen mind tearing their enemies? Or a gorgeous and elegant lady, gracefully evading her enemies and sharp wits predicting their every move? Who knows? I don't. Through cunning and sheer stubbornness, the candle refused to be blown. In that pitch black darkness, it was the faintest and brightest light. Many times did that person fight against the demon god, all ending in defeat. But they refused to stay down. They refused to back down.

Body, Spirit, Mind, Heart. A body that cannot wield a sword won't defeat adversity. A spirit that cannot cast a spell won't reach enlightenment. A mind that cannot withstand torment won't see the path. And a heart that doesn't beat will achieve a hollow victory. Those four tenets kept that person moving forward. And in the end, when all hope was lost, the body defeated adversity. The spirit achieved enlightenment. The mind saw the path. And the heart persevered.

The invincible demon god was defeated by its own creation. That person resurrected the gods and brought back the light of the sun to the world. No longer the land would be dead, no longer the world would rot away in the empty void. Life, Hope, Wisdom, and Love. The body defended our Life. The spirit rekindled our Hope. The mind unveiled our Wisdom. And the heart showered us with Love.

Godslayer was how this nameless person passed into history's annals. Instead of ruling over us they vanished back into the darkness, to selflessly fight evil to this day. Our first and last hope.

Excerpt from The Eulogy of the Godslayer, popular bard's tale, unknown author.

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They were still two days away from the capital. The company of the knights changed the dynamic of the group. They had to be mindful of their prying eyes and keen ears, taking in every single thing they did. It was like having six spies out in the open. They were especially suspicious of Aidan, the young noble that had Lumina's favor. He was a mage, a powerful one from what they could detect. He had a dragon familiar, something as rare as quad-element mages. And he felt too comfortable among all those females. That he addressed the princesses by their first names did not escape their perceptions, adding insult to injury.

In one of their meal breaks, the knight captain decided to have a chat with him. He approached him at a moment Lumina was not around.

"Lord Aidan, could I have a moment of your time?"

"Absolutely, captain. What is on your mind?"

"I don't recall you in the court yet you are a noble. Are you from Yutis?" The captain paid great attention to his body language to sound and look friendly.

"Yes. Proudly, I must add. I was born and raised here in Yutis. I don't have many opportunities to show up in court, I've been away for the best part of the last year and a half protecting the princess."

Although the captain could not detect any falsehood, he knew for a fact that the princess was hospitalized for an entire year and disappeared at the start of winter. Was this boy at the hospital all this time? It could not be. Something was wrong.

"I'm sorry, milord. But I cannot remember you in the security detail of the princess."

"It is because I do not hold this job in an official position. I was unwittingly placed in a situation where I had to protect the princess and I have kept her safe to the best of my ability ever since."

'And nobody in the castle bothered to let anyone know. There is something very fishy there'. The captain thought.

"Forgive my insolence, milord. But what is your noble rank?" The insolence part was for not knowing Aidan's rank beforehand. Nobles were too self-aware and self-absorbed. To not know them beforehand could be a great offense.

"My house holds a baronet title, and I am the heir," Aidan answered matter-of-factly, without putting much importance on the gravity of the question.

'A fucking baronet is making me worried? What the hell, this guy must be the princess' doorstop. He shouldn't be allowed to come a hundred meters from her'. The captain's anger burned inside his plate armor. He didn't have a noble rank but his military rank was the equivalent of a count or viscount at least. He outranked this brat.

His forced politeness vanished like a coin that fell through a gap in the floorboards. He only had to clear two things.

"The lord is a mage, right?"

"Yes, I am. I am still studying at the Royal Academy so I have not yet finished my gauntlet."

The gauntlet was a trial every fledging mage needed to pass before he could be considered a full mage.

Captain was thinking of asking the boy's elements but he was not even a graduated mage.

"It must've been hard to hunt for a dragon egg, right? Where did you find that one?" That was the last thing he needed to clear. If this boy was skilled enough to hunt a dragon egg to hatch his familiar, maybe he was worth something.

"Oh, I didn't hunt that egg. My parents brought it to me as a souvenir from an expedition ten years ago."

'Fucking brat with a gold spoon in his mouth. He didn't even earn his familiar. That is it, I am taking control. To hell with this piece of shit, I am sure Lumina will ditch him once we reach the capital. That big guy seems like a hired mercenary and the beastkin too. I can't believe the realm descended so low as to let this scum stay near her Highness much less look after the princess.'

"Men, pack up and get ready to leave in ten minutes. Her highness is tired and we need to take her back home faster." The Knight captain ordered his men.

"Captain, the horses need more time to rest and..."

He was cut off rudely. "Shut up brat. I won't let her Highness suffer on this road any longer than I need to. The horses can endure and if they can't we can trade them for fresh ones at the next village."

Aidan understood why the change in the captain's demeanor. He knew a knight captain outranked a baronet. And they were aiming to reach the capital, the soonest the best. It was not like it wasn't against their goals.

Sora looked at Aidan and then at the horses. But Aidan gave no signal to act, she let it slip too.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Soon they were on the road. The horses slowed down a bit, tired of pulling the carriage up a particularly long hill. Captain delayed his horse and got close to the driver.

"Driver, spur those lazy animals. We must reach the next village before nightfall." Captain ordered. The driver looked at Aidan and received a nod in return. He forced the horses to move faster.

After this hill came a forest, tall trees casting an everlasting shadow on the road.

"Aidan, this place is perfect for an ambush. These woods are too far from any settlement and several bandit groups make their lairs here." Sora approached the carriage and warned.

Captain overheard her and scoffed. Aidan glared at the man that didn't even turn around to speak.

"Shut up, filthy beast. Do your job and ride ahead to scout for these bandits if you are so worried."

""Stop the carriage."" came the command from both Aidan and Dawn at the same time. He reached his limit.

Aidan jumped down on the road before the horses came to a full halt.

"Captain, your behavior is unacceptable. Apologize to Lady Sora right now or you will regret every word you said," Aidan threatened.

"Ha. So the pampered brat has some gall in him. This is going to be fun. I am going to beat you senseless, boy. Show you some respect for your superiors."

The other knights jeered and even whistled at the captain. They were also uncomfortable with the situation. He got down from his horse and flexed his muscles beneath the plate armor.

"Withdraw your insult to Lady Sora this very instant, captain." Aidan insisted.

"Make me, boy." He taunted. He opened his arms wide to show he had no fear. The other knights laughed.

Meanwhile, inside the carriage, the women were almost rioting at what was happening.

"Go outside right now and have that insolent Captain beheaded, Dawn!" Pearl ordered.

"No. This will do Sora no justice. I am going to beat that arrogant hoodlum myself." Dawn uttered through clenched teeth. "Come, there will be a duel now." She completed.

"Captain, you give me no choice. Take your words back or face me." Aidan warned him one last time.

"Come, boy. I hope you give me a good exercise. Oh, your Highness."

The princesses came out of the carriage. Dawn borrowed a folding fan from Pearl to hide her face because it was unsightly right now. Princesses should not make such furious faces.

Pearl decided to speak on Dawn's behalf. "Princess Lumina won't stop your duel, but agree to the rules."

"Fine. Boy, you got yourself a fight. I am going to enjoy this. Sword!" The captain received his sword from another knight that fetched it from the hilt attached to the horse's saddle.

they walked out of the road into an open grass field atop the hill they just climbed.

"I call Princess Pearl to be my witness." Aidan declared.

"I accept," Pearl took a step forward.

Dawn positioned herself on the driver's seat. It gave her a better view of the fight. The others spread out in a wide circle around them.

"First blood, Captain?" Aidan asked about the conditions for victory.

"First to yield. I don't mind a few cuts if you can make them. I also don't mind if you use magic. My armor is enchanted. But your pet is off-limits. Win this with your own strength, boy."

"Of course. You are not worth of Skippy's Dragonfire, Captain. Who is your witness?"

"As if I need one."

"No death blows," Dawn commanded from her spot outside the circle.

"Of course, your Highness. I am just going to shake him a bit." The captain lied. His intention was to 'accidentally' kill Aidan. His hubris demanded that.

Aidan drew his own sword and moved around a bit to warm up. He focused on his dual sight. Superimposed were his narrower field of view and Dawn's broader one from behind him. The spots in sight of both of them became sharper, the motion was easier to detect and predict. He could see more detail.

"Come at me, boy. I give you the first strike." Captain taunted.

"Here I come then. Let us begin."

Aidan moved forward and swung but the captain easily parried. He was at least eight years Aidan's senior and trained the sword regularly every day.

In every exchange, Aidan came out as the loser. Captain was stronger and more skilled than him.

However, Aidan kept pressing on. He had to do that. He had to surpass this man.

What were the tenets of his house for if not to usher one to defeat greater odds?

Indignation at someone as noble as Sora lowered to the level of an animal.

His musings and loss of concentration earned him a few nicks on the arms and legs. The captain was toying with him. Aidan kept attacking.

Body. He didn't dedicate full time to the sword, but he did train regularly.

Spirit. He had no support magic for a sword duel where his life was not at a stake. Maybe a spell to repeal metal. Now that he had the Light element...

Another cut on his shoulder, this one deeper. It stung and shook him away from his digressing train of thought.

"Keep your mind in the fight, boy. Or you will regret. Come."

Mind. He had to focus else he would falter. Captain preferred attack was a three-strike sequence. Aidan needed to parry sideways, parry upward, dodge a thrust. It was the third time captain repeated the same routine.

Heart. What was worthier to fight for than for the woman he loved?

Realization hit him and he stuttered for just a moment.

Captain swung at his belly and he would've been gutted if it were not for his dual sight.

"Where is your mind, boy. Don't look sideways, look at me!"

That moment Captain decided the boy was useless. Worthless to keep alive. Rules are damned, kill him and spare his family this failure.

Captain pulled all stops and went after Aidan with all his might. He didn't even bother to strike at his body, he bashed Aidan's sword at every movement he made.

Aidan's arm was numb. The sword chipped and dented. His legs weary from moving around.

He was not enough.

"Yield. I yield." Aidan shouted and released his sword. It fell on the grass with a dull sound.

Captain swung once more. With his dual vision, Aidan could see the sword approaching his neck. He moved back and ducked. The sword opened his cheek from side to side, scraping against his jawbone.

His world spun. His soul stirred. Time froze.

'This impudent Captain is trying to kill us. Stop him.' Lumina. Without words, she conveyed the feeling, the indignation, the dreaded fear of the end.

She gave Aidan one new spell diagram. The knowledge felt his own. As if he had learned that spell years ago.

The spell circle for another, well-known spell was already done in his mind moments after he thought of using the spell.

"Circle of Conflagration."

He maxed out the amount of mana he could use and narrowed the area. He felt the raw power flow and descend on the ground.

A pillar of flame spiraled up from the ground beneath the captain.

It burned over him, coiling around his armor like a snake. It rose up dozens of meters in the sky.

The heat and roar of the flames forced all present to walk away. It burned and burned. The sound of glass breaking rang and soon after a wave of raw mana buffeted the area.

Aidan fell on his knees, losing consciousness and dismissing the spell. The tongues of flames rose up without guidance and vanished up ahead.

A deformed, glowing red chunk of metal in the shape of a person fell backward right after. Hissing against the damp grass.

"Aidan!" Pearl shouted and ran to support him. As the witness, she had to make sure of his condition before anyone. She took a look at him and yelled without turning around. "Deb, get a hero potion! Now!"

Sora drew her bow and Gurf his hatchets. They were wary of the knights. Five of them against two.

"Knights of Yutis, put down your weapons, NOW!" Dawn commanded standing up on the bench of the carriage. Now that Aidan was unconscious, his entire being shifted to Dawn. She could feel the phantom pain of the wounds.

The knights hesitated. They knew their fate was dire. But would they go down without a fight? Against two royals? This would not end with their deaths. Their families would suffer the same fate, probably being purged entirely. Disgrace. They looked at one another. If and only if they killed everyone present, they could get away. Pin the blame on the bandits.

"Kneel or perish. Skippy, fly and burn any one of them that moves." The dragon flew up and circled around the hilltop.

They clenched their weapons. Five against two and a tiny dragon. Still doable.

Dawn's mind burned. Lumina was in Aidan's body and with him unconscious she had no influence. But she needed to be Lumina right now.

"I am princess Lumina of Yutis. I will not be defied!"

One of the knights charged Gurf. Dawn cast the spell Lumina revealed.

"Lightning Bolt."

It hit the knight instantaneously. Nothing could dodge lightning. Dawn's affinity was abysmal and the spell only jolted the knight in his enchanted plate, stunning him and interrupting his charge.

A ball of Dragonfire rained from the sky on the immobile knight. It covered him, immolating his body.

Dragonfire burns everything.

The enchantment protecting the armor and the person inside was devoured by the Dragonfire, ringing the same sound of broken glass as before. Then the metal and the person inside.

"Next one?" Dawn asked.

Four against two mercenaries, a dragon and the princess they were sworn to protect. Forget their families, their own souls would face divine punishment.

The Knights dropped their swords and kneeled on the grass.