The Heart of Gaia

*Sigh*

"I-I just wanted to know about the Legend of the Brightest Star..." I said timidly.

"OH! a Good choice! What is it that you wanted to know?"

After his excited response, I couldn't help but notice his odd clothing. He had worn ashen robes without any distinctive color but it appeared weary at the lower regions.

His face was covered by it's hood as he stood towering in front of me, but there was one defining mark on what he wore; a symbol on his chest. It reminded me of the sun, a circle surrounded by wavy spikes.

It was shimmering, ever so slightly against the dim light from my cell.

"First time seeing the Symbol?" He said.

"Uh-uhm I'm sorry, it's just that it's the first time I've met a Monk of Gaia." As I lowered my head in embarrassment.

"It's quite alright." He answered kindly.

As he slowly took down his robe revealing his olden features.

"Finally I get to take this off, it's too hot wearing this."

It was actually the first time I've seen his face. I couldn't help but jump from shock and awe as he slowly shrank down to a height of a ten year old toddler.

His skin-faded gray hair that shyly shown filed horns protruding behind his temples was paired with his pale blood colored skin.

But what scared me all the way to the back of my cell was the three piercing animalistic eyes he had, two on the left and one on the right.

"MONSTER!?" I hurriedly exclaimed.

My thoughts couldn't think of a better way to define his being. He just smirked at my offensive remark.

"I know, the wrinkles got to me. I used to look way more handsome when I was your age! Trust me you'll look like this when you hit around five hundred!" He followed.

"The only thing I'll hit when I get to that age is six-feet under!" I thought to myself.

"Don't worry sonny, I'm not feral." He reassured.

As he gestured his hand towards himself, motioning me to near him. I composed myself as I slowly walked towards him as I raised my guard.

"Is this your first time seeing a Deimosian?" He questioned.

I nodded.

"Do all Deimosians look like you?" I rudely asked.

"We're all different, it varies from having horns to having scales or tails." He casually opened.

I never thought that Deimosians would look like that. Always thought that they'd seem more human.

"Aren't you mad?"

"Why would I be?" As he wore a clueless expression.

As he said that, I felt a whole lot calmer especially with his height that made him less menacing than he looks.

"I said something offensive." I awkwardly said.

"Can't blame you sonny, It's the first time you've seen one."

He took to the floor and sat idly in front of me.

"Now where do we begin?" As he clapped his hands together while rubbing them.

"Why was he powerful? Where did he came from? What kind of power did he wield?" as I gestured my hand on my chin.

Without any hesitation I fired every question that I could possibly think of.

He paused for a moment as he gathered his thoughts.

"You see in the ancient scriptures from the Monastery of Gaia, It's said that he was a human orphan."

"At the time he was conceived, Laxxo was utterly consumed by jealousy that he brought great evil to the world. Evil that defiled the greatest gift Gaia gave the world."

"What gift?" I asked.

"It was Corr my child, you see when she created the First three Celestials that brought balance to our world. She adorned our plane it with her own blood."

"Thus magic was born, Corr was the very manifestation of her power... While men basked in her gift, Laxxo saw this as an opportunity as a result he corrupted the minds of men."

"Those men grew strong, spreading chaos, destruction and famine around the world."

"T-then what happened?" I questioned.

"Well, Gaia realized that the Celestials she made couldn't interfere with the living realm; she chose a champion in their stead."

"That doesn't make any sense?!"

Of course it didn't, all powerful beings would have ended the problem faster if they just came and solved it themselves. I was baffled at how incredulous the idea was.

"If they were Gods, almighty and powerful? why couldn't they just ended it themselves?"

I stared at him waiting for his response, until he closed his eyes before answering my blatant accusation.

"Them coming down to our realm would destroy the Balance they created or so they say..."

There was a hint of disbelief and discouragement that I could discern from his voice.

"But what do you believe?"

He stared at me with those yellow feline-like eyes.

"As meager beings, we can't really comprehend those at the pinnacle of existence. I'm only here to pass these stories and what learnings they may contain."

That's true, we may never really know why didn't they interfere in the first place. There are some questions that can never be answered.

*Ehem!*

"As I was saying--"

"He was worthy of her power, bringing peace and balance in the earthly realm. Thus the Legend of the Brightest star was born."

"He was the known strongest wielder of Corr at the time." He continued.

"Magically incomparable to anyone that he shone throughout the regions, therefore he was entitled the Brightest star."

Was I a champion of Gaia? it was all too similar, to be a coincidence. I couldn't help but contemplate the story in my mind, although skeptical I wanted to ask more.

"Was this all true?"

I stared at him, wondering that maybe this would help me know more about the Vihztecians.

"..."

He just returned with a gaze, maybe pondering what was it that I wanted from all of this. As his mouth finally opened for an answer.

"You see legends are stories that just happened to be passed down through generations..."

With his pause I could tell, it was just a bunch of foolery that he believed to have saved the lives of many. A lie that begets more lies in order to reform those that had sinned with blind faith.

"I see..." I replied quite dejectedly.

"But!"

"The reason why they're still here is because our predecessors deemed it to be true."

My dejection had lost, lost in a pool of whirling curiosity.

"Then again, why would it still get passed down through generations if it weren't true?" I thought to myself.

But then another wild thought ran inside my head, why is it that the Monks of Gaia knew of such tales? I've got to ask him.

I stared at him with a raised eyebrow of curiosity.

He returned my gaze with the same curiosity.

"What is it?" He questioned.

"How come you know all of this?"

He revealed a leather book strap he carried from inside his robe, it hanged beside his waist.

With a click, he unlatched the lock that held the black book.

"The Illudus Sanctum, it's a holy manuscript created centuries ago by the First Generation. It contains every Legend, the Gods, The creation of the world and many more."

"T-then does it have information on ancient tribes or clans?"

"Well it does but..."

"Can I?!"

*Clang*

"Hey! Prophet! You're done for today! don't make me come in there and drag you out!"

His eyes rolled towards the man calling him out, he had a soft expression as he let out a deep breath.

"Well I guess that's it for today young man."

"Am I going to see you again? I still have a lot of questions!" I remarked.

"Maybe... We don't know."

Carefully, he stood while strapping the Illudus Sanctum back into it's resting place. The moment he hid his face with the hood, he grew several meters that returned him to his normal size.

There was something awfully odd about his last line, it's as if he was bidding farewell. This was my only chance for an answer, I won't let this slip away.

"WAIT! Can I ask your name?"

"Hyden, Call me Prophet Hyden."

He said as he waved goodbye. His image was slowly fading away from my view.

"Well there he goes..."

*Sigh*

Steadily I held with my hand was the Illudus Sanctum, as he turned to stand I took it from the strap since he was hurrying, he forgot to lock it in.

"Why did I take this?" I thought. This was a mistake, he might come back for this. I could just pretend that he dropped it by accident.

No, this wasn't a mistake. I took it out of desperation, an answer was right there in front of me and I couldn't just let it slip away.

Maybe If I can find out about the Vihztecians that would explain the reason behind this horrible power. I could find out why I was this way...

All of that talk about the Legend was intriguing, but I admit it was impossible to believe. There was no way that my power was bestowed by Gaia.

With both hands I held the book, I took a deep breath as I prepared myself for the underlying truth.

"Empty?"

I went through the book, page by page thinking that maybe I missed something within. But no matter how much I sift through each paper, there was nothing.

Maybe that man was a sham? well he certainly did a great job, can't believe I absorbed all that crap.

*Thud*

I threw the book all the way to the back of my cell, thinking that it was useless.

I raised my hand face-front, staring at the palm of it.

"If only I didn't have you, then maybe he'd still be alive..." I muttered to myself.

"Maybe things would have been different." I thought.

"Should I?"

No, I didn't want to, no matter what.

The onslaught of horrible memories resurfaced, I just couldn't get the strength to use my power after all that's happened. It's better this way.

I crawled towards the center of my prison, There I laid myself to rest for another day.

As I rested on my withered blanket, I heard heavy footsteps not a few moments later. Footsteps of an armored man since I heard the clattering of steel while it moved.

The echoing grew closer, while I sat upright expecting to see the visitor.

Why was there a visitor at this time of hour?

As he slowly appeared from the corner of my cell, my conclusion was proven right.

It was a knight, in full-scale armor whose sheen was slightly glinting against the dim Corr lamps.

I wonder what scum this time had trouble with the guards. The man passed through my cell an went towards the other side.

Soon more knights followed him that I estimated to be around twenty in numbers. Must be a high class criminal for it to be responded this way.

As soon as they all left, I went right back to laying on the would-be comfortable floor.

Since this was a daily routine for me, it took me no more than a minute to finally fall asleep...

Later, the night was restless, as I tried to keep sleeping from all the ruckus that had been going on.

Sudden tremors would erupt constantly, at times voices of men could be heard.

"Ugh! when will this end?!" I muttered to myself.

Finally after a few more hours, it had stopped. There I rested happily as my night became quiet.

*Clang!*

"You! Wake up!"

My awakened and disoriented state was caused by a brazen knight that voiced out from outside my cell. His armor had added more to my confusion as it's bright sheen blinded me.

Slowly I gathered myself as I sat, directly facing towards him.

"You're free to go, grab your belongings."

My eyes widened with surprise as the man said the word "Free."

A word that I didn't think I'd hear for at least a couple of years living in this rotten hell-hole along with the other demons of society.