Third-person perspective
The world is divided into two parts. The first is the world of humans. The second is the world of darkness where dark monsters and demons live as well as the dark emperor the strongest evil in history which fortunately for all people is sealed in his palace in the heart of the world of darkness.
The two worlds are two sides of the same coin. And they are separated by the great mountains of the scarlet peak. Not far from the foot of the mountains where we live, there are frequent clashes with monsters, and every five or six years, there are attacks by wild dragons.
The capital of the human world, Zironthia, is surrounded by a massive wall that protects the city from monsters. In the center of the city, there is a towering tower that seems to reach into the sky, appearing taller than the clouds. This is the only truly safe place in the human world, as it is home to not only top-level knights, but also dragon riders and even the legendary "Knights of Being."
The Knights of Being are an elite order of knights who have transcended the boundaries of human existence and ascended to a higher level of life than that of humans. They maintain the balance of the world and prevent it from collapsing.
They are governed by a church that follows divine teachings and is known as the Church of Being. The Church sets a set of laws (prohibitions) that every person must follow, or they may pay the price, even with their own lives.
There are also divine gifts in the world, such as:
Divine windows are the first divine gift received from the goddess of creation.
The power and diversity of sacred arts (magic) are determined by their level. The second divine gift is received from the goddess of the sun.
The ability to lift various rare objects or artifacts beyond human control is determined by the level of object control. If this level is low, the object will feel heavy, but the higher the level, the lighter the object will feel. This is called the third and final divine gift received from the goddess of the earth.
A person can gain status or a title by entering an academy or by taking a position as a knight or a warrior, or by becoming a monster hunter in the case of a high position or by obtaining any achievement.
Weapon styles are unique techniques of using a sword, spear, bow, axe, combat gloves, whip, or daggers.
Frey Valerion's perspective
— Forty... nine... — I mumbled, exhausted. The axe hit the tree trunk and made a distinctive sound. I raised the axe in the air again and took a step back, ready to strike again.
— Fifty! — With all my remaining strength, I struck the trunk of the huge tree once more.
— Ha-ah... — With a relieved expression, I threw the axe aside and collapsed to the ground, completely sweaty, trying to catch my breath.
— Do I feel like it's even hotter than it was during the day? — I asked Julius, breathing heavily.
The same man just chuckled as he picked up my axe from the ground and then extended his free right hand to me. Without hesitation, I took it and he helped me to my feet.
— Yes, it's definitely hotter than it was during the day, — Julius chuckled as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
I sighed and took my axe back from him before slowly walking back to the village. Julius followed me, picking up his axe from the ground along the way.
It was getting late in the day. The sun had almost completely set behind the horizon, creating a beautiful sight.
— Frey, what are we going to do when we get back? — Julius asked curiously as he caught up with me.
— Let me think… we still have a couple of hours before bedtime, so as soon as we get home and have something to eat, we can continue doing this thing, — I said, turning to him with a smile.
— Hmm... really, let's do just that, Frey! — My brother exclaimed cheerfully, speeding up his pace in order to get home faster. I followed him with a warm smile, not a step behind.
•••
— We're back! — Julius and I said at the same time. After that, we put our axes in their usual place – by the bare stone wall next to the door to the street.
It took only a few seconds before we entered the kitchen, where most of our foster relatives were already waiting for us at a large table.
At the head of the table was a well-built man in his fifties with dark eyes, short gray hair, and a short beard.
Brian Valerion was our adoptive father.
Today, he was more serious than before, his face tense, but his kind smile was almost completely hidden as we approached and took our seats at the table.
Father looked around, his gaze lingering on each of us for a moment. After making a decision, he sighed and began to speak.
— Well, since everyone is here, I suggest we get started.
His voice rang out in the air, filled with strength and intensity. I had never seen my father like this before.
— Frey Julius, — my father addressed us.
At the sound of his stern voice, Julius and I both flinched, and after a moment, when the trembling subsided, we raised our heads and looked into our father's eyes.
— Yes, Father? — we asked simultaneously.
— Mmm. I see you're in good health, boys, — he said softly, rubbing his beard.
In response, Julius and I looked at each other, unable to believe what we were hearing. Our father, who rarely spoke to us, was now smiling softly at us.
— Haha, what are you two doing? Don't worry, I don't talk to you often, and it may be new to you, but I have my reasons, — he laughed, looking intently into Julius's eyes and then into mine.
— I wanted to tell you two something in front of everyone. It's time for you to get ready, I've enrolled you in school, — my father told us.
Julius and I exchanged another glance.
For the first couple of seconds, we didn't understand, but as soon as the realization hit us, we abruptly stood up and slammed our hands on the table as if we wanted to turn it over.
— Seriously? — I asked, incredibly excited.
— Father, is this true? — Julius exclaimed in the same tone as me.
— Calm down and sit down, — a voice said from our left.
Turning our heads, our eyes landed on a tall figure sitting closest to our father. He was wearing a white shirt, black pants, a black vest, a neatly tied tie around his neck, and a coat decorated with warm fur around his neck and wrists.
— Adrian! — I exclaimed as soon as I saw him. Even when I entered, I didn't see him, or he made sure we didn't see him. I rushed towards him and embraced him tightly. It had been a long time since I last saw my older brother. My own older brother. He had dark hair and black eyes, and he looked like a more mature me. I also had dark hair and black eyes.
— Frey, how long have we not seen each other? Two years? — he asked with a warm smile, hugging me tightly.
— Frey Julius. Adrian is the head professor at our school, he immediately got this position as soon as he returned from the capital after studying, — my father told us, and I turned joyfully to Julius.
He seemed as excited and joyful as I was. We nodded to each other, and I said goodbye to Adrian before we went to our room to get ready for our upcoming school day.