Embers of the Holy War [BEING REVISED]

The Legend of Hero Rayler

Looking at the world as it is today, no one would truly believe the legend that led up to the present was actually history. At least, not the Untarnished. To them, the Legend of Hero Rayler was simply folklore, a bedtime story, a story their parents use to teach them that good will always prevail over evil. They, who were blessed to not live through the Age of the Immortality, have the privilege to brush aside the legend of the mighty Hero who once saved their world.

This was different for the Ancients. To them, the Legend of Hero Rayler was more than folklore. It was their past, their history, and their flame of hope to the next generation, the Untarnished.

Curious, aren't you, about the Legend of Hero Rayler? About who this Hero Rayler is, and why he is so important to be denoted as a legend for future generations?

Lucky for you, young child, I shall allow you a tiny glimpse into the Holy Scripture. Behold, with your own eyes, the renowned legend of the Holy War.

Read carefully and ingrain this story into your mind. Should you be lost, this story will serve as your guiding light.

For two thousand years, humanity lived in harmony. It was the Age of Prosperity. Everyday passed in peace, with laughter and joy, with no worries nor harsh toil. Akin to a perfect dream, it was the ideal paradise that every person seeked. However, the Age of Prosperity was cut short by the arrival of the Demon King. Born from darkness, he plunged the world into chaos and despair. Terror and destruction followed in the Demon King's wake, sparing no one, causing all to quail and quake. In the era of the Holy War, the future seemed dark and bleak.

It was through the endless flames of war that a man rose from the ashes. Wielding fire as his soul, he challenged the authority of the Demon King to end this chaos once and for all. To the weak humans, that man was a shining beacon. He, with the power of fire in his veins, was humanity's final hope. Strong and valorous, that man, through his valiant deeds, would eventually be known as the Hero of humanity, Hero Rayler.

Alas, in the deciding battle against the Demon King, Hero Rayler was dealt a fatal blow. Even so, he prevailed, and ultimately slayed the Demon King and freed humanity from his evil tyranny. It was a turning point in history that opened the gates to a golden future; an impossible event that was woven through humanity's unwavering spirit, marking an end to the Holy War.

Even then, Hero Rayler's last words still lingered on people's minds. A prophecy that he uttered with his final breath.

'This is not the end. In the far future, the Demon King will reawaken from his slumber and he will raze the world once again in his undying fury. But fear not, my people. A Hero will rise once more, born from my ashes, and they will protect the world!'

Rubies embodying his powers and a prophecy - those were Hero Rayler's blessings to help humanity flourish anew. However, it wasn't long later that humanity realised that the Demon King had left his own blessing behind as well, which was more akin to a curse: the suspense of life and death. Every living being was forced to be stuck in their current state, never growing older. New life would never sprout, nor was anything allowed to die, no matter how thin of a thread their life hung on.

Not only that, but remnants of the Demon King's evil spread like an infectious disease, and humanity gradually became cracked and fragmented. Those infected with his evil would lose all common sense, reduced to demons, and become slaves to the Demon King's ideals. The demons grew in number, and they fought to gain possession of the Hero's rubies to prevent the uprising of the Hero. Humanity fought back against their corrupted counterparts, but alas, a few rubies were lost to the hands of the demons.

For the sake of harmony that Hero Rayler sacrificed his life for, humanity refused to let another war break out. Those who were unaffected by the Demon King's evil fled to a separate land with the remaining rubies, leaving behind their evil-consumed comrades, but in doing so, prevented another war.

Thus, humanity, once a united whole, was torn into two nations. Naylen, worshippers of the Demon King, and Alca, those who revered the Hero.

Till this day, we Alcaens have honoured the Hero's sacrifice, prioritising peace and humanity's advancement into a brighter future. May His Everlasting Fire burn brightly, protecting us all, until all evil is purged.