Ygg, Ederwood
9:30 p.m. 19st Banem 1092.
Anya smiled warmly as she looked at the little girls, whose eyes shone with curious anticipation. Evidently, they were enraptured by her tale so far, and were quite eager for its conclusion. She then looked at Rider, who stood off to the side with a straight expression. His apathetic exterior failed to hide the coldness in his eyes. The old wisben knew she had touched a sore spot with her tale.
Rider, since Anya had known him, always carried the pain of losing Zeno close to his heart. To her surprise, the passing centuries had done nothing to ebb the sorrow in his heart. In fact, in this time, he barely spoke to anyone else, unwilling to create close bonds with any mortal, for fear of losing them to the passage of time.
Thus, why Anya was shocked to find Rider was traveling with a child. And enthusiastically at that. It almost seemed he had found a reason to live. Unfortunately, Rider was not the sharing type. She doubted he would convey his newfound resolve even if she asked.
As a result, Anya shook her head and then gently sipped from a cup of herbal tea an attendant had drawn. After moistening her throat, she turned her attention back to the children. "Now, I suppose you must be wondering what this curse I keep referring to is." Zuri and Sophie emphatically nodded, causing Anya to chuckle. "Unfortunately, before we get to the curse, we must first cover Razznik's death and subsequent rebirth..."
Following Zeno's death at his hands, Razznik once again disappeared from the public's view. Rider, however, listened for traces of massive battles, hoping to catch Razznik in one of them. Unfortunately, even after several months of searching, his efforts proved futile.
Eventually, Rider gave up and decided to seek out Zeno's father, Skyrm, to personally deliver the devastating news. Shockingly, however, upon finding Skyrm, the Lord Dragon informed Rider that he had missed Razznik by a few days. Razznik had indeed delivered the news personally.
Skyrm, as expected, was infuriated. Especially when Razznik confessed to his role in Zeno's death. He attacked Razznik, but to his shock, Razznik not only held his own, but managed to eke out a narrow, pyrrhic victory. However, perhaps out of guilt, or some other emotion, Razznik chose not to deliver the finishing blow.
"I always found it odd," Rider suddenly interrupted, his gaze heavy. "Skyrm was too calm back then. Even if he lost to Razznik, he should have hade more grief... more rage in him. But it appears I was fooled. Razznik had a way to save Zeno. He let Skyrm know but chose not to inform me... I wonder, was that how little trust he had in me? Or perhaps, it was retaliation for my not trusting him first?"
"Who knows what goes on in that madman's head?" Anya rebuked with a snort. "His motives are irrelevant. We can only judge him based on his actions."
Rider's eyes narrowed as he let out a sigh. "I suppose you are right."
Anya smiled and then looked at the girls. "Now, as I was saying..."
Rider was just about to give up his search when the goddess Aethir sent out a decree to every realm. In it, she stated that whomsoever defeated the Demon King Zethroa would receive countless rewards, and also, not only be absolved of all crimes they might have committed, but be promised a place in Elysium, the Land of the Gods, following their death.
Aethir might have said this, but we all knew the real reason she gave out this decree. For reasons unknown, Razznik had somehow struck a close relationship with the Demon King, starting from his younger days. In the world, Demon King Zethroa was most likely the only living person that could be considered Razznik's friend. Aethir clearly hoped to smoke Razznik out of hiding by placing a bounty on his friend's head.
Unfortunately, this tactic proved effective.
Razznik did exit seclusion and finally revealed himself. Unfortunately, contrary to Aethir's thoughts, he had not been hiding, but training in secret. By the time he returned to the world, he had indeed reached the pinnacle of what the mortal world could bear. If he continued to increase in strength, he would eventually tear the world apart, much like the gods are capable of.
With his newfound strength, Razznik laid waste to the armies that encroached upon the Demon King's territory. Not a single soul, regardless of strength or status, escaped the lands alive.
However, Razznik shocked the world once again when he challenged and then killed Demon King Zethora in a world-shaking battle. I still recall it to this day. We felt the aftershocks of the battle hundreds of kilometers away. Harsh winds buffeted the night sky as the thunderous peals of clashing weapons exploded in our ears.
Ah, yes. That battle cemented Razznik's position as the overlord of the mortal realm. It was on that day, that the various factions across the continent finally realized that, the only way to defeat Razznik would be together. No backstabbing. No hidden tricks. The continent had to put aside its petty differences to rid the world of this unkillable villain.
The gods, however, were quite pleased with the battle's outcome. They never cared about who won or lost. The important thing was that Razznik was once again within their sights, and they could monitor his progress.
Interestingly, enough, following Zethora's defeat, Razznik assumed the position of demon king. However, it wasn't just in name like many expected. The new Demon King sealed his territory from the rest of the world, preventing 'Holy Crusaders' from invading and killing the weak demons, undead and other 'evil' creatures that lived near the border.
Razznik not only protected the 'forsaken,' but also killed anyone who dared to cross into his territory to kill the demons. It was a strange stance, but one that gave Aethir all the justification required to have him executed. After all, the prize for killing Zethora was supposed to be the absolution of all past crimes.
The goddess, Aethir, thus released a new decree. One calling on every hero on the land to join forces to eliminate Razznik while he remained at Oni Hill.
The continent, long since fed up with Razznik—and also longing for the riches rumored to be in Oni Hill—readily accepted this quest. And thus, the largest coalition army was formed. Men and women from every walk of life: Summoned, Resident. Assassins, priests, shamans, thieves, druids, demons, spirits, sacred monsters, minor gods, and many more. It appeared all of creation answered Aethir's call on that day.
Through great effort, a group of adventurers managed to lure Razznik to the valley of K'iol where his legend began. Heh, one can blame the gods for many things, but their sense of irony is definitely intact.
Anyway, the Battle of K'iol commenced, wherein hundreds of thousands, if not millions of men and women threw themselves against the immovable wall that was Razznik.
In case you are wondering, no, none of the seven participated in that battle. Still, we did watch, individually, from different places. Perhaps it was because we could sense within Razznik a desire to die, but we all knew this would be his final resting place. I have never seen someone so powerful accept death so easily. So contentedly. To this day, I always wonder what must have been going through his head as he was run through.
After countless years fighting to reach the world's pinnacle, the only person to accompany Razznik in death was Skyrm. Despite being directly responsible for his daughter's death, Skyrm was the only one who stood by him as he left this world.
...What a lonely existence.
It really makes you wonder. In the end, all the fighting, the hatred, the blood we spill. What is it all worth? Listen, girls. This is a cruel world. The strong prey on the weak and the weak can only pray to not be eaten. I will not tell you to give up the pursuit of strength, for you do indeed need it to protect yourselves.
However, never forget. No amount of strength is worth losing your heart. Your heart is the reason you live. It is your lifeblood and your compass. It will make the world worthwhile and allow you to appreciate even the smallest of moments. If you lose that; If you lose your heart, no amount of gold, power or fame will fill that void.
It will suck all the life, the joy, the love out of your life. And let me tell you now, children. A life without love is no life. That is but a sentient husk. Keep in mind, I do not mean romantic love. That is a definite bonus, sure, but it's the love we have for the little things that keep us going: Zuri, Sophie, your love of running and playing with each other. Little things like that are what keeps us going.
Razznik only loved one thing. The thrill of the battle; dancing on the precarious knife-edge balance between life and death. The moment he lost that, he also lost his will to live, and thus, subsequently lost his life... Although he did take millions with him to the Circle, so I suppose it was not such a lonely journey.
Following Razznik's death, the world spent twenty-one days and nights celebrating his demise. We all foolishly thought we had banished him for good. Unfortunately, we, as well as the gods, forgot a critical clause to Aethir's promise – Any who defeats Demon King Zethora would be called into Elysium, the realm of the gods.
Now, I do not know what the realm of the god is like, nor do I dare to hazard a guess. But, what I do know, is that Razznik did indeed appear in that world following his passing. Unfortunately, it seemed he did not appear in the vicinity of any god, as none were alerted to his presence.
Razznik spent a few years training in Elysium, away from the gods' eyes. Then, when he felt he was ready, stepped out on a warpath that swept through every realm. He single-handedly hunted down and defeated gods one after another in swift succession. By the time Ferulic and Aethir were alerted, over seventy percent of the battle gods had fallen to Razznik's hands.
Ferulic, quickly sensing the danger, ordered his children to return to his personal realm for safety. However, Aethir, enraged by Razznik's attitude, actually led the children into battle against her husband's will.
Razznik's battle against Aethir's army shook the nine realms! The battle tore through the fabric of space and time, causing untold calamities throughout the realms. In this one, the lands were split asunder. Angry volcanoes raged through cities as thunder, lightning, and horrific winds decimated all of civilization. Billions died as portions of the continent either sunk into the sea, was vaporized, or was sent flying across the sky to unknown locations.
Unfortunately, despite Aethir's best efforts, her army was eventually defeated under Razznik's tyrannical strength. Ultimately, only Ferulic and Sera, the Goddess of War, remained among the battle-centric gods. Razznik thus turned his sights to these final two challenges. If he defeated them, he could finally truly consider himself to have reached the world's pinnacle.
One would have expected Ferulic to charge at Razznik to save his beloved. However, Ferulic feared the worst-case scenario and thus tasked Sera with combating Razznik while he prepared a fail-safe for the event of failure.
Yes, children. You guessed it. That failsafe was the Cursed Seven. Ferulic took the dangerous gamble of giving up his divinity to descend to the mortal realm. It was the only way to do so without completely destroying the already severely disabled world.
Upon descending, Ferulic used his power to split space and gather seven people with the strongest karmic attachment to Razznik. Once he gathered us, Ferulic explained the truth of what was happening in Elysium. He then went on to further clarify that Razznik's actions had doomed this world.
The planet we live on was created by the gods and needs the gods' power to function. Now that Razznik had defeated the gods and locked them up, the world was cut off from that power. As a direct result, essential functions would begin shutting off within centuries if that power was not restored.
Ferulic told us he could use the last of his divinity to transport the gods from Razznik's dungeon to the mortal plane. But, much like Aethir's mark, Razznik had personally branded each god he defeated. As a result, only a Summoned could break the gods from bondage.
Unfortunately, Ferulic himself had no idea when the Summoned would return and thus had to charge someone with passing on the truth and certain... abilities. Abilities to equip a chosen person with the power to finally defeat Razznik.
But to accomplish that, Ferulic could not leave things to chance by having generations pass on this task. Humes are foolish, corrupt creatures. The first generation might indeed be devout. But what about the second, or third, or fourth? Who was to say this task would not be forgotten to time or mishandled? Thus, Ferulic needed people who would forever remain loyal to the mission and never forget the truth surrounding Razznik.
And so, upon our agreement, he placed a powerful hex on us, tied to Razznik's own life force.
Time froze for us. As long as Razznik lived, it would remain that way. Unfortunately, it had its downsides. Time did indeed freeze for us, but that meant we could never grow stronger. We could not bear children and were forced to watch those we grew to love pass on with age.
Perhaps, there is nothing worse than the feeling of stagnation. That no matter how hard you try, you could never advance forward. Furthermore, the curse dictated that we do not interfere with the world unnecessarily. That part was a bit vague, but over the years, through countless painful lessons, we finally figured out how much was allowed and what would cross the line.
And so, here we are: The Cursed Seven. Doomed to live on forever until someone finally defeats Razznik and frees us from the bondage of life. Many do not realize it, but time... death, is what makes each moment meaningful, worthwhile. The thought that each second wasted is one second closer to death makes each moment impactful.
But, when you are like me and do not fear death, time begins to seem meaningless. Seconds bleed into minutes, into hours, into years. Sometimes, it felt like I blinked, and a whole new generation took over from the last. Such misery and pain, I would not wish upon anyone."
Anya smiled as she observed the shocked children. She then opened her palm, revealing a small, unassuming branch. "Guess what this is? It is a branch of Yggdrasil. I do not know how, but this branch is needed to fulfill Ferulic's wish. He said once all branches are gathered in one body, and every god freed from bondage, the chance to defeat Razznik will appear before us." She revealed a bitter smile as she then said, "Unfortunately, I cannot just give this branch out. The curse commands that the recipient must truly pass all my tests and earn my respect before I give it out. If not, the branch will just return to me, no matter how many times I hand it out."
Anya glanced at Rider and then asked, "You haven't given yours out, have you?"
"No," replied Rider with a shake of his head. "The child is yet to earn my full respect. But I do agree with Zeing and Marusa—sorry, Fladnag's assessments. The child indeed shows promise."
"So, two out of seven within a year," Anya commented with a slight smile. "That's better than I would have thought."
"Wait! Anya-obaasan!" Zuri exclaimed as she shot her hand up. "What happened to Ferulic in the end?"
Anya shared a look with Rider, who hesitated but then nodded in consent.
Anya let out a breath, and then said, "After handing out these to us, he channeled what was left of his divinity to summon the gods into the mortal plane, albeit in their trapped states. Following this, his body cracked and then shattered into pieces of light. In the end, he gave up his own life in hopes of securing a future for the world."
Sophie raised a brow in question as she thought of a severe problem. "Then, why is the creation story so different? The versions I've heard are nothing like this."
"A thousand years can do wonders to a story," Rider answered with a curt nod. "Also, we had to embellish the tale a bit, to retain the gods' dignity. Or else, when the Summoned returned, they would hesitate to restore the gods."
"Why not tell the truth?"
"To what end?" Rider replied with a shrug. "The new version still kept Razznik as the ultimate villain to be defeated, if a little embellished in places. In fact, the only reason Anya is telling you the truth right now is because Razznik's return is looming closer with each passing day. It is finally time to illuminate the world with the truth. The Summoned have already been hooked by the benefits of freeing gods. Even with the risk of being oppressed once more, the greedy ones would still release them."
Sophie's brows knitted in appalled anger. "Isn't that deceit? Manipulation? What makes you any different from the gods that pushed Razznik to that state?"
Rider revealed a bitter smile. "You are right. We are willing to manipulate the Summoned and the world. But where we differ from the gods is our purpose. We do this to save the world, not for any personal gain. This will not make us any richer, nor will it add any more years to our lives. But we must do what is necessary to restore balance. That is the sole task of the Cursed Seven. The only reason we still draw breath."
Zuri looked at Rider and then at Anya, her expression subdued and in pain. She thumbed the floor as she muttered, "Zuri doesn't like lying."
"And that is why you are the future," Rider stated as he bent down and patted the girls' heads. "We old-timers have messed up the world with our greed, anger, and sin. We will try our best to put it back together, but we will need you all, with your pure hearts, to move it forward when we're done. You both are more powerful than you can ever dream. So, I believe with all my heart that the future will be safe in your hands. Do you?"
Zuri and Sophie shared a look and then turned to Rider with confident gazes and smiles. "Of course!"