Valerian, The Legendary

He sat under a tree and gazed in the distance. Sophos noticed his daze and asked, “What are you thinking about, Young Magnus.”

Valerian replied, “A few years ago, someone killed my godmother by showering her with sparks. So when I enacted revenge on this guy, just one spark was enough to make him wail as if he had been through hell.

Now that I look at Sir Gladis, this is too impressive. His blood must be boiling while coursing his body. Yet, he makes no sound. I wonder the level of tolerance he has.”

Sophos replied, “Do not think so much. The resolve of those who bring harm is weaker than those who truly wish to do good.”

Valerian looked at the old dragon and nodded. As time passed, darkness gradually faded from the sun rising on the horizon. At this moment, Gladis said, “Elder, you should take him. I am almost recovered. The time is short.”

Sophos nodded and said, “Very well. Young Magnus, hop on.”

The old dragon was allowing Valerian to ride on his back. How can this be alright? The young man bowed and replied, “Thank you for the honor, Elder. This is my trial. Fortuna told me to reach the peak on my own. I will abide by the rules.”

Sophos cast a prolonged gaze at the young man, and then, with a nod, he flew away. Gladis looked at Valerian and then at the figure vanishing in the clouds. He nodded slightly at Valerian. Finally, the young man asked, “Sir Gladis, is it really okay for us to leave you alone?”

.....

Gladis nodded and said, “You do not have to worry so much. I will see you at the summit with everyone else.”

The young man nodded and said, “See you on the summit then.”

Gladis nodded and closed his eyes to finish his last spurt to cure himself. Then, Valerian turned around and rushed through the woods. His speed was fast, and after spending a day inside the woods, he was somewhat used to the flora of the woods. The terrain changed slightly every few kilometers, but it was not hard for him to adjust.

After a few hours of hopping around, the young man found himself a few kilometers away from the foot of a gigantic mountain piercing through the clouds. He was shocked to see that the foot of the mountain was filled with dragons.

He saw a lot of them, at least a hundred, while some were resting. Some were flying away from the ground in search of food. Valerian was worried that these guys would challenge him. However, he had no other option but to step forward and cross this sea of threat.

Valerian stepped out of the woods, and all the dragons raised their heads to glance at him. Generally, if you are gazed at by an entity stronger than yourself, you will feel nervous. Valerian was confident in his strength. However, at this moment, he was not being looked down upon by just one such entity. It was the entire race. Valerian froze in his tracks, his body trembled gently, and a thin layer of sweat formed on his forehead.

He felt these creatures would tear him apart if he moved half an inch forward. He could not help but think of calling for help. At this moment, Valerian understood why the old dragon asked him to come. He revealed a bitter smile and tried to calm down his anxious mind.

The child did not take a step forward but did not back off. He was trying to find a way of brushing off the pressure from all the gazes on his body. He recalled how he was treated similarly when he entered the world of Clar-awks. Then, the guards at the Sripa Palace gates all gazed at him again.

The difference was the emotion behind the gazes. While the guards curiously watched him, the dragons were gazing at him with contempt. Thinking about the past, Valerian recalled a lot of random memories. During his training in the Clar-awk realm, he was taught by the maiden that only when the brain was left alone would the thoughts become chaotic.

True calm could only be achieved after going through a period of chaos. Thinking about this, the calmest memory in his mind emerged. Valerian recalled the clearing near the Lumen palace, where his mother rested peacefully.

Thinking about his mother, another set of thoughts was infused in the chaos, and he recalled his goals. But, at this moment, he entered a state of calmness. If he feared what lay ahead, he could never move forward. So the least he could do was step forward and see through whatever awaited him.

After taking a few deep breaths, the young man opened his eyes and stepped ahead. His gaze was firm, and his pace was calm. He gazed at the scene before him and matched eyes with the dragons.

...

Arma was surprised and said, “To think this child will be able to withstand the aura of all the dragons.”

The rest four nodded while Fortuna shook her head and said, “This is just the beginning. The real trial will begin when he enters the limits of the mountain.”

The people all nodded, and their gazes turned solemn. Finally, they could understand why Fortuna was so harsh on him. After all, Sophos had told them about the partial soul residing inside Valerian. Gale sighed and said, “I do not understand why Primus made a world where everything good comes with something bad.”

Cupido nodded, “Look at him, struggling for every shred of warmth from the day he was born, and when he could finally have it, it was all taken away. How many times has he been through this deprivation?”

Arma said, “Only when you suffer over and over again can you build up a will that can defeat and surpass any advisory you might face.”

Sophos said, “Children, you all are still a bit too young to understand the profundity of this world and the way it works. Do you think the creator will let his creation grow careless and inconsiderate with the things they were blessed with?

Did you forget what happens when some people overlook the consequences of their mistakes? Divinus Magnus may have become a legend, but how did he end? That was all because his naivety created effects he could not handle.”

The four young dragons nodded, and Sophos continued, “This is why Valerian is suffering and learning the lessons his father did not. It is for his good. He will be a legend that people will not forget and learn from him. Becoming an example is not an easy thing.”

Arma said, “He is about to meet the waves.”

The focus changed back to the foot of the mountain.

...

Valerian had been calmly walking forward, and with five more steps, he would meet what Arma called to be the waves. The waves in his mouth meant the crowd of dragons. They were all sitting in a manner that left a straight path to the cliffside. Valerian would have to follow this pathway to reach his first goal.

The dragons did nothing to him, but their battle aura and mana radiation were enough to petrify the people trying to barge inside the ranks. However, at this moment, Valerian was walking with no care in his eyes.

A dragon at the front let out a low roar. The soundwaves were aimed at Valerian. The young man took a deep breath and roared in reciprocation. Then he took a sword from his magic pouch and said, “If you wish to fight, then fight. I do not have the time to waste in your antics.”

Valerian’s words threw the entire clan into a sudden shock. They did not expect this young man to come back at them so violently. The roars became more assertive, and the dragons began to cast spells along the pathway.

Valerian did not initiate a contest too. He countered the spells till he reached the end of the trial. He was not at the foot of the Throne Mountain, and his emotions began to surge looking at the mountain. He could not help but mumble, “To think it would look even more magnificent at a closer distance.”

He placed his right hand on the cliff, hoping to feel the texture when his head started aching. The mountain utterly repelled him as if it was the most disgusting thing in the world. At this moment, a voice sounded inside his mind, “Go away, go away, go away from this shitty place, you weakling. Arghhhh, leave this place.”

Valerian understood that the remnant soul inside him was struggling, and he said, “Not until I have settled accounts with you.”