The Summons from Kavermis
A month before Lyra’s departure from Bastreo, a letter arrived from the Oracle’s Academy in Kavermis, the eastern nation of Ardrath. Though framed as a request for assistance with a “minor problem,” Lyra knew better. The Academy, fully supported by the Holy Assembly, did not send letters lightly—especially when it came directly from the Grand Priestess of the Divine Mother Mythril’s Temple, the highest authority in Kavermis.
Kavermis was a nation encircled entirely by mountains, with its heart housing the Oracle’s Academy and the Grand Temple. The head priest or priestess, known as the Grand Priest or Priestess, governed the nation, chosen not by bloodline but by exceptional talent in communicating with Mythril’s forces and unwavering devotion. Though small, with only a few cities, Kavermis wielded immense influence due to its role as the guardian of ancient scriptures, artifacts, and teachings crucial to maintaining Mythril’s balance. Its heavily guarded borders ensured that only those with authorization could enter.
The letter felt more like an order than a request, and Lyra sensed the weight of the responsibility placed upon her. As a prominent student during her academy days, she had earned the respect of the Grand Priestess, making her an obvious choice for such a mission.
A week later, a second, more detailed letter arrived—not by a mailman but through a familiar messenger beast sent by the Academy to ensure secrecy. The message revealed alarming news: increasing Nox levels and sightings of Noxborn in the mountainous regions of Navarind, the northwestern continent. The cause remained unknown, but the danger was undeniable. Lyra, who had lost her husband and witnessed the devastation caused by Noxborn firsthand, understood all too well the catastrophic consequences of unchecked corruption.
Navarind’s geography only added to the challenge. Dominated by dense, towering mountains, the region was inhospitable and sparsely populated, with few waystones for quick travel. While its coastal areas served as vital trade routes connecting Caltheris and Eryndor, the inland mountains were remote and perilous. The letter called for Lyra to assemble at the Academy within a month, where she and a team would teleport to Navarind’s coastal cities using waystones before embarking on the arduous journey to the affected regions.
Lyra faced a difficult decision. Though her life in Bastreo was modest, it was peaceful, and leaving her son behind weighed heavily on her heart. She considered entrusting Theron to Orlan and his wife, who had cared for him many times, but she felt it would be an undue burden on the elderly couple. Instead, she turned to Caidar, her late husband’s close friend. Though hesitant to impose, she trusted him to provide Theron with a stable environment, good education, and perhaps even help in finding a cure for his illness.
Lyra’s letter to Caidar explained the situation, and his reply came swiftly, accepting without hesitation. While this eased her worries about Theron’s immediate future, the prospect of being unable to see or communicate with him for a long time was painful. Navarind’s remoteness, coupled with the lack of waystones in the region, meant that even messages would be scarce.
Still, Lyra knew she had no choice. Allowing Noxborn to roam unchecked would spell disaster. She began preparations to leave Bastreo and journey to Lyriandor with Theron. Though guards could have escorted Theron safely, Lyra insisted on accompanying him herself to ensure his well-being and personally thank Caidar.
The journey to Lyriandor was long, as waystone travel was unsuitable for Theron due to his sensitivity to Sol. Bastreo, being a small town, lacked waystones entirely, forcing them to take the road. Though the path was arduous, Lyra found solace in prayer, entrusting her fate and her son’s safety to the Divine Mother Mythril. As she prepared to step into the chaos of the outside world, Lyra could only hope her decisions would protect the fragile balance of Mythril and keep her son safe from harm.
The Champion of Change
Motion was not confined to the East; in the West, change was also unfolding, though in a more silent and subtle manner. The western continent of Caltheris, long embroiled in conflicts among its nations for power, was beginning to shift. The power struggles that once consumed the land were gradually subsiding, and the Western Alliance, led by the Valtheren dynasty, found itself blessed with a remarkable figure—a Champion.
Her name was Arlena Valtheren, the first daughter of Darynth Valtheren, the current head of the Western Alliance. She was born a Champion, destined to strengthen her family’s legacy. The Valtheren family had long been loyal to the former dragon god, Drazhael Vytheris, and even after his death, they remained committed to preserving the nation he once ruled by striving to create peace among the nations of Caltheris. Despite the growing difficulties over the years, they held firm to the ideals of their great ruler from the past.
However, the Valtheren family bore a unique challenge. While they ruled over a large portion of Caltheris, their bloodline was not composed entirely of dragon blood. As a mixed-blood lineage, they faced opposition from certain factions who questioned their legitimacy, though the majority still supported them. The current leader, Darynth Valtheren, was himself a product of a mixed heritage—his father, a greater dragon, and his mother, a dark elf. This heritage was reflected in Arlena, whose light brown skin resembled that of her grandmother. But her appearance or heritage mattered little, for she was a Champion.
Arlena’s birth marked the rise of an extraordinary individual. Even at a young age, she demonstrated intelligence and an unparalleled aptitude for learning. Her very existence elevated the Valtheren dynasty’s influence, as she showed every sign of becoming a prominent and capable ruler. Her specialty lay in physical amplification—she could generate immense strength, even as a child. This power, enhanced by her connection to Elyssar, made her a prodigy among her peers.
She was chosen by a world-class artifact known as the Wielder’s Wish, a legendary relic capable of channeling immense energy. The artifact could transform into one of nine weapon forms: sword, greatsword, mace, halberd, spear, gauntlets, scythe, bow, or magic staff. Though too young to wield it in battle, Arlena displayed an innate understanding of its power, practicing its forms with remarkable precision and creativity. Her mastery of its potential at such an early age left no doubt about her future as a powerful leader and protector.
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Arlena’s brilliance extended beyond combat training. By the age of nine, she had already developed a keen understanding of politics, often impressing her elders with her insight. Her father, Darynth, occasionally sought her perspective on matters of governance, marveling at her ability to grasp complex issues and propose effective solutions. Though her journey had not yet brought her to the battlefield, her natural leadership and dedication to peace laid a strong foundation for her future.
However, her remarkable intelligence came with its burdens. Arlena’s deep understanding of the world allowed her to see its flaws clearly. She realized that the fear of Nox was the only force preventing nations, continents, mortals, Champions, and gods from descending into chaos. This insight made her aware of humanity’s darker tendencies, and by the age of eight, she had begun suppressing her own emotions, choosing instead to focus on her responsibilities.
Her parents, Darynth and his wife, worried deeply for her. Though she had the potential to be a great ruler, they feared she might never experience the joys of a normal life. Yet one thing remained certain: Arlena despised violence and dreamed of building a new nation free from the suffering caused by Nox.
Caltheris itself was a land of marvels, often called the Land of Dragons. Nearly every nation on the continent maintained dragon armies, supported by Caltheris’ advanced agriculture. Dragons, being omnivores, were relatively easy to maintain, as their diets could be supplemented with both plants and meat. Wyverns, on the other hand, were carnivores, making their upkeep more challenging due to their reliance on meat. Physically, wyverns were half the size of dragons and far less intelligent. However, they were much more numerous than dragons, making them a common sight across the continent despite their limitations.
Greater dragons, possessing immense reserves of Sol and exceptional control over it, stood at the pinnacle of dragonkind. It was from their ranks that dragon gods arose, with the legendary Drazhael Vytheris being the most powerful among them. Known as the strongest dragon god in history, Drazhael’s abilities far surpassed even other greater dragons. Yet his mysterious death left a void in Caltheris, one that families like the Valtherens strove to fill. Though Drazhael was gone, his ideals of unity and peace lived on through the people of Caltheris, guided by loyal families like Arlena’s.
In the East, Theron was beginning his journey, discovering new things and growing into his potential. In the West, Arlena, burdened by her vast knowledge of the world and her desire for change, was setting out on a journey of her own. Though their paths were different, they were like two sides of the same coin—each destined to shape the future of Mythril in their own way.
Ripples Across Mythril
Arlena’s birth caused ripples across surrounding nations and even other continents. Champions were born only once every 100–200 years, and even in rare cases where two appeared in the same era, many never rose to prominence. Some were born in remote villages, their existence unknown to the wider world. Others chose isolation, or societal constraints hindered their rise. A single Champion could replace a thousand soldiers with ease, making them invaluable. Nations eagerly sought alliances with Champions, hoping to secure their aid in times of need.
Arlena, as a Champion, drew worldwide attention. Eryndor’s prestigious and world-renowned Royal Academy of Magic and Research extended her an invitation to study, a symbolic gesture to show solidarity with the Champion. However, her father, Darynth Valtheren, politely declined. He refused to let his young daughter become a political tool and avoided jeopardizing Caltheris’ trade relationship with Eryndor. Instead, Arlena spent most of her childhood at her grandparents’ home, where she began her journey of discovery and learning.
Arlena’s heritage was as complex as it was powerful. She was neither fully dragon-blooded nor purely a dark elf. Her parents, dragonkin—humans with dragon traits such as horns—were descendants of powerful lineages. Darynth’s father was a greater dragon, and his mother was a princess from a dark elven nation in the southwest. Greater dragons excelled in both magic and physical prowess, while dark elves specialized in physical combat but struggled with magic and Sol control. Arlena, however, inherited the best of both worlds: the strength of dark elves and the magical capacity of greater dragons.
Her grandmother, an elven princess, became one of her greatest mentors. Elven society divided its people into two roles: common elves, who specialized in magic, and dark elves, who excelled in physical combat. These roles were strictly enforced, but her grandmother’s teachings bridged this divide, granting Arlena both physical and intellectual training. Her appetite for knowledge came from her grandmother’s stories about the world and its history, sparking a lifelong curiosity about Mythril’s mysteries.
Caltheris, known for its reverence for knowledge, had vast libraries documenting events from the reign of the former dragon god, Drazhael Vytheris. However, the elven archives provided access to even older histories, which deepened Arlena’s understanding of the world. The texts her grandmother brought from the elven lands detailed civilizations that thrived and eventually fell. From these stories, Arlena learned that a peaceful nation built without war and sacrifice was nearly impossible. Even nations forged through violence often crumbled under their own weight—just as Caltheris once had.
Arlena’s grandfather, in contrast, was less interested in teaching and preferred spending time playing with his grandchildren. He often transformed into a dragon and took them on flights over neighboring nations, much to her grandmother’s annoyance. These flights strengthened the bond between Arlena and her younger brother, even as their personalities differed.
Arlena’s brother, while a greater dragon by blood, lacked her potential and interest in politics. He spent most of his days with their grandfather, dreaming only of embracing his dragon heritage and soaring through the skies. Despite his limited ambitions, he excelled in battle arts, earning respect within the family. The siblings’ complementary natures—one focused on knowledge and the future, the other on simple joys and personal freedom—strengthened their relationship.
Arlena’s fascination with Mythril’s geography and history deepened as she explored texts from both Caltheris and the elven lands. The existence of Eryndor, a continent ruled by a single leader for over 500 years, intrigued her. Rising to power after Drazhael’s death, Eryndor thrived while other nations struggled. Arlena suspected a connection between the dragon god’s death and Eryndor’s sudden ascent, especially given the involvement of the War God Vrykos. Vrykos, a cruel ruler of parts of the northeastern continent, conducted inhumane experiments to gain control over Nox. Despite his atrocities, no nation, not even the Holy Land of Ardrath, had opposed him.
Another enigma that captivated Arlena was the region known as the “Other Side,” a vast expanse of islands directly opposite the known continents of Mythril. Her grandfather insisted they avoid the area, calling it cursed, though he admitted he didn’t know the exact reasons. Some texts hinted that this land was once a thriving region filled with resources, one that Drazhael had sought to rebuild. Yet, following his death, it became barren and lifeless overnight. Though Arlena speculated about its secrets, she kept her thoughts to herself, unwilling to endanger others.
Arlena understood that the seemingly peaceful world she lived in concealed far greater mysteries—secrets that had shaped the world into what it was today. Yet, despite these revelations, she held tightly to her dream of creating a better world, one built on unity and hope.
One lived in the present, and one dreamed of the future.