Chapter 5: Children Of Valrick (1)
Chapter 5 - Children of Valrick (1)
"Father!" a young Valerusian teenager dashed across the garden of the castle, the majestic home of the reigning King Valrick, in the newly established kingdom known as the Vale Kingdom.
Emerging from the shade of the castle was Valrick himself, basking in the warm sun, his body seemingly radiating power. His eyes glowed with wisdom, reminiscent of the sun itself, while his red and black exoskeleton added to his majestic appearance. Spiraling horns atop his head resembled a magnificent crown, making him an imposing figure.
His gaze fell on his youngest child, Jeru, whose antler-like horns adorned his head. "Jeru," Valrick smiled warmly, his love for his son evident in his eyes.
"Your Majesty," the young prince Jeru responded respectfully.
"Najamel informed me that you've been skipping your classes," Valrick's fond expression shifted to one of stern concern. Troublemaker, Valrick thought.
"Forgive me, Father. I wanted to have some fresh air," Jeru said nervously, while the tail behind his back started to move in a fast manner, indicating his nervousness. A son is always afraid of his father.
Valrick sternly looked at his tardy son.'Talented but lazy, what's the point?' Valrick thought as he put his hands behind his back.
"You are a prince, a son of mine; you should know better that every action you take affects the image of God." Valrick said with a deep and pressuring tone.
Jeru's tail stopped moving, and he dropped his head. "I'm sorry, father." Jeru couldn't help but feel pressured by the King's majesty and his reprimands.
A sharp voice then intervened.
"Husband, I see that you are lecturing him once again." A woman with majestic purple color and white hair with her horns spiraled into a uniquely shaped unicorn horn. She patted Jeru's shoulder as she used her body to shield him from the king. Like a mother bear protecting her cub.
The king's gaze shifted and raised an eyebrow.
"Shisha, My Queen, we have talked about this countless times already. I love my children as well, but our family represents God." Valrick touched his head like he was having a headache.
His wife, Queen Shisha, often disagreed with his strict approach to raising their five children. She believed in letting the children experience a normal childhood without the burden of excessive pressure and expectations.
"God wouldn't mind if the children played, were occasionally disobedient, or even showed some disrespect. Why do you put so much pressure on them?" Shisha challenged with a sharp tone.
"Shisha..." but the Queen Mother cut him off.
"Valrick, you've been singing praise of this Elion for the past decades already. Is it not enough?"
"My queen, we are the royal family; the people chose us to represent God." Valrick shook his head, expressing his annoyance.
"Us? No, it's you they chose. You are the one who carries the Imprint that controls those terrible beasts. You are the one who carried the miracle, not me and especially not our children. It's you and only you, your Majesty!" Shisha then pointed her finger at him to emphasize her point.
"But the children are an extension of me, they are a part of me, I am their father, and their father is the representative of God. And that's why every action they take affects God's image." Valrick growled as he was slowly getting angrier by the minute. Just the thought of staining his God's image infuriates him.
"God's image? More like your image!" Shisha spat with venom.
Jeru looked at this scene with familiarity. This was not a new scene, honestly. Although he was the youngest of the five children, it didn't mean he lacked knowledge. In fact, compared to his older siblings, he was the most talented child among them. He had learned to walk the moment he was born and communicated at the age of one. As he grew older, his strengths and talents only seemed to multiply. It was quite ridiculous.
'Here we go again,' Jeru sighed internally.
Despite their differences, Valrick had fallen in love with Shisha from the beginning. Her eccentricities and strong character captivated him, and he courted her without using the gem's ability to command her affections. Despite objections from some who deemed her a disgraceful and atheistic woman, they defied the odds and got married. Their union was a testament to love's miracle, surviving despite the challenges and differences surrounding their beliefs.
"Fool!" Shisha cursed at her husband without reservation, bombarding him with criticism of his parenting skills.
Jeru was born in the Year 10 of the Eternal Calendar, established by his father and consisting of 365 days based on Emilio's memory. It provided structure in the lives of the Valerusian people. After a year, the people found it useful, and they easily implemented it into their lives. Today was the 235th day of Year 25 of the Eternal Calendar.
Jeru stealthily walked away, letting the two parents argue about "sparing the rod." He jogged around the castle and then went to the training grounds outside, searching for his idol. 'I wonder how these two lasted this long?' Jeru wondered as he went on his merry way.
"Greetings, 5th Prince." Two servants curtsied when they saw Jeru, but he ignored them as he continued on his way.
"People claim he is the most talented prince, but he doesn't seem that impressive compared to his older brothers," a young servant whispered into the ears of a senior servant.
"He looks carefree, but don't be mistaken. I once saw him defeat the 2nd prince in a duel," the senior servant whispered back.
They continued to gossip while walking, but they didn't notice a beautiful princess looking at them from a distance.
Her white hair flickered in the wind, and her elegant horns gracefully spiraled on her head like a tiara.
"Gossipy B*tches," the beautiful 3rd Princess Najamel spat under her breath. She then went in the direction Jeru had walked, planning to punish him. 'That lazy birdf*cker, I'll use Mother's lovely stick to punish him.'
---
Bang! Bang!
Two figures around 2 meters tall were having a "duel" at the training grounds. Their punches carried heavy weight that even cracked the ground when the punch hit it, and their movements made swishing sounds, displaying speed and power.
After breaking their entanglement, it was evident that the combatants were the 1st prince, Rico, and the 2nd prince, Tragaz.
Rico was tall, just like his father, with a purple and black exoskeleton and spiraling horns resembling a crown. His eyes carried a heavy glint of pressure, daring anyone to match his gaze. He looked like a replica of his father yet he looked colder, darker, with a tail longer than most, measuring 2 and a half meters.
Facing him was another proud figure, the 2nd prince, Tragaz. His horns resembled those of a goat, with a little spiral and upward protrusion, sharp and menacing. His body was leaner compared to Valrico, with a red exoskeleton without a tinge of any other color. His smile seemed to show playfulness and cunningness.
As the duel continued, Rico's movements were fluid and precise, displaying a seasoned warrior's technique. He executed powerful strikes with an air of authority, making it clear that he was the first prince, the future king.
On the other hand, Tragaz's style was different but equally impressive. He was agile, relying on his speed, flexibility, and cunning to evade Valrico's blows and deliver calculated counterattacks. His grin only grew wider as he met each challenge, revealing his playful and daring nature.
The two brothers displayed contrasting fighting styles, reflecting their distinct personalities. Rico was disciplined, focused, and devoted, a true embodiment of their father's teachings and legacy. Tragaz, on the other hand, embodied the spirit of a free-spirited adventurer, always eager to test his limits and take on challenges with a sense of daring just like his mother.
As the onlookers watched the spectacle, they could not help but marvel at the brothers' individuality and how their strengths complemented each other. Despite their occasional sibling rivalries, there was an unspoken bond between them, born from a shared upbringing and the love and respect they held for each other.
And then, with one final blow to decisively end the match,
"AAAAAAAAH!" Someone screamed from the crowd.
Jeru was then seen running away from a certain white-haired girl who was carrying a stone stick.
The duel stopped as the two brothers looked at Jeru, who was running away from Najamel, the third princess.
Valrico frowned as he looked into the two younger siblings running around the training ground. He then looked into the watching crowd, intimidating them with his gaze.
"Oh sht, I forgot, I need to clean the restrooms." a certain servant said.
"Oh yeah. I forgot to feed my fish. Gotta go." Another servant said.
The crowd then went on their way, treating it like they didn't see anything in the first place.
"Oh, it's Jeru and Naja. I guess Jeru skipped class again." Tragaz chuckled as he watched the two "play." "I guess it's a draw, Stoic Rico." he then offered a handshake, a gesture their father taught them that showed friendliness and sportsmanship.
Valrico didn't say anything but took the hand.
"So, what do you think? Who do you think will be the person assigned to the lord of the new city?" Tragaz said with a grave tone even though his face showed a grinning expression.
You see, in the Vale Kingdom, It is led by a council of elder priests with the High Elder being the Leader of this council. To be qualified for the council, one must have enough achievements, significant contributions to society, and most importantly, sing the praise of Elion. His father didn't intend to play favorites and is currently in the process of selecting candidates in the council for the position of Duke of New City.
Rico himself is a member of the council and is actually a good candidate, the most qualified out of all the children, but compared to other older members of the council, he lacks the contribution and experience to fight for the position. This is exactly why he desperately needs this position to rack up his contributions and expand his experience to become the God-king he was meant to be.
"The task will be assigned to the worthy one." Rico said with a cold tone. He then walked away. 'Rico, you are getting colder as times go by.' Tragaz thought passingly and he then shifted his attention to the younger siblings.
"Naja, Jeru, come here." Jeru's eyes lit up, and he went running towards his idol. Naja then stopped running and just observed Tragaz.
"Why did you skip class again, Jeru?" Tragaz asked. 'This brat really loves to laze; wonder who he took after. Father is a workaholic, and Mother is an energetic woman who likes to run around' Tragaz couldn't help but be amused.
"Why should I read books when I can directly talk with the author of those scrolls?" Jeru asked. 'Father is such a genius; it's not like God will care if I just laze around.' Jeru is not really devout. Most of the siblings aren't devout except for Rico.
"Father can't teach you every day; that's why I am teaching you, little lazy sh*t." Najamel cussed out to Jeru.
"Oh, thank you. Teacher Naja, I learned sh*t." Jeru said sarcastically and cussed back. He couldn't help but be pissed with Najamel's tone and her smacking with the stone stick.
Now the two started cussing out each other.
"Jeru, Naja, go on. I'll leave; I have other matters to attend to." Tragaz then excused himself. He didn't have the time to entertain these two lovely bickering idiots.
Jeru looked at him, wanted to actually talk and learn from him, but it seemed Tragaz ignored him. The energy was seen sapped out of him, and Naja took the opportunity to grab his tail and pull him.
"For today, we are going to learn about God Elion." Najamel started talking while Jeru lay down on the floor, his face being ground into the floor, like a lifeless prey.
If one looked to the side, they might misunderstand a predator just catching its prey.
----
Jeru looked out the window while daydreaming, so Najamel smacked him, causing him to focus his attention once again on the lecture.
"Your mind is somewhere else again." Najamel said.
"Where was I? Nevermind, I'll start again with Genesis." Najamel then shifted her tone into serious and sacred, like a priest telling the most sacred scripture.
"In the beginning, there was only emptiness, so God said let there be Light, and with this light, life flourished on Earth. Valrick, the son of God, was born after the light shone upon him. Then God touched Valrick's head and bestowed upon him wisdom. And from the shadow of God, the Leviathan was born. To eternally follow the light, to follow his will,
Valrick, in his show of gratefulness and devotion, created the Palace of God together with the Leviathan to house his holy presence.
"When disaster struck our people, Valrick then ascended the sacred pyramid with the fish of devotion. Valrick kneeled and pleaded."
"Eternal Star, Glorious light of the Universe, and the warm darkness of the cosmos, listen to my humble prayer. Guide me so I might show the world your greatness. I plead this of you as your humble servant, O almighty God. Sustain me with your eternal light."
Then God changed the fish in Valrick's hand into the starry fish, allowing our people to have food, then God was moved with Valrick's devotion so he gave him the 9 mythical beasts to aid him in his goal."
An idea struck Jeru while he listened to Najamel's lesson.
Jeru cut her off, "And now we are here. Let's make it interesting. How about we sneak into the pyramid of God to see if he really does exist?" Jeru then mischievously grinned while pointing to the window, where the gigantic pyramid seemed to reach the heavens.
"Meet Elion."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
LonelyChili
LonelyChili Hey hey, I apologize if this chapter seems expository, it's because I am introducing important characters of this arc. I hope you stay tune, and always, have a nice day.
(Comment, share your thoughts, It would be highly appreciated and it will be helpful to my growth as a writer.)
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