Eureka, a small realm filled with life had become one of the worlds that targeted by the demon. After centuries of hiding in the dark realm, one of the Demon King set his sights on claiming Eureka, bringing chaos and destruction with him.
As the threat grew, gods and goddesses from various realms gathered to find a way to save this world. Among them, the goddess Athena volunteered to become Eureka's deity. At first, she only offered wisdom and prosperity to guide the mortals. But as the demon forces ravaged the land, devouring everything in their path, she made a desperate choice.
To protect the world, Athena infused her divine blood with a baby mortal, creating a new race, the Aspida.
This act shocked the other gods. Many were furious, as she had broken the god rule. Moreover, many of the god believed that the demon threat would never grow so dire while they still watched over the realms. But they had underestimated this Demon King's ambition. His goal was not just conquest but expand and strengthen his power and his foe by consuming all life in Eureka. In the end, the gods finally agreed with Athena speculation.
The Aspidans, born of divine and mortal blood, were far stronger than ordinary humans. Their most fearsome trait was their ability to absorb demon cores, the heart of a demon. With each core they consumed, they grew stronger. Unlike mortals, demons would regenerate unless their cores were destroyed or absorbed.
The Demon King grew so powerful that he could endlessly raise an army of undead, spreading destruction faster than it could be contained. Faced with a crisis, the gods and mortals came to a desperate conclusion: the only way to stop him was to create a gate, this time within Eureka itself, and force the Demon King through it, sealing him and his armies away for good.
As the demon king did not expect that a mortal would beat him, one Aspidan who known to be the hero, fought and consume many demons across the world before facing with the demon king.
To his surprise, that mortal who fought alongside the gods, was able to wound the Demon King and push him through the gate, along with the rest of his army. That victory marked the end of the war. The mortal, hailed as a hero, became the first king of Aspida, and from that moment, the Kingdom of Aspida was born, established to guard the Oracle Gate for generations to come.
Over time, the truth behind the Aspidan's power was obscured. History was rewritten, twisted. The tale of the Battle of the Oracle began to speak only of a human hero blessed with a divine class, hiding the fact that he was born of divine blood himself.
Even after the demons were sealed, their destruction left behind chaos. Strange beasts and non-demonic monsters, born from the remnants of corrupted magic, began to roam the world. Though they were not as dangerous as the demons, they still posed a great threat to humanity.
In response, the goddess Athena granted humanity a new gift, Classes bestowed upon those who reached the age of fifteen. These classes allowed mortals to grow stronger and defend themselves in a changing world.
Time passed and the Aspidan people began to hide the fact that they had divine blood. They kept their true powers a secret and quietly removed parts of their history. Instead of showing their strength, they chose to help other kingdoms from behind the scenes. Using their knowledge and wisdom, they helped build a large and peaceful empire, one that grew strong under their quiet protection.
Only a few people in the world knew the truth about the Aspida. Most believed they were just strong because of their class, while others assumed they were powerful sorcerers guarding the Oracle Gate.
One of the few who knew even a little about the real Aspida was Father Alfrey.
"Father Alfrey, where are we going?" Lux asked, confused as the priest led him to the centre of the church—where a large statue of the goddess Athena stood.
Without answering, Father Alfrey reached behind the statue and pulled a small hidden lever. To Lux's surprise, a staircase appeared, leading down into a secret basement.
Lux stood frozen in shock. He had lived in this church all his life, but he had never seen this before.
"…Father Alfrey, what is this?"
"Come down first," Alfrey replied, picking up a nearby lamp and lighting the way as he descended into the dark passage below.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Father Alfrey lit up the basement and pulled another lever, closing the entrance behind them.
Lux looked around, still confused. But as the room brightened, his eyes widened in surprise.
Books, old maps, paintings, and strange artifacts were scattered across the room. Ancient scrolls and scriptures lined the dusty shelves, most of which Lux had never seen before in his life.
"…Father Alfrey, did you steal all of this?"
"Eh?! What kind of question is that?!"
The priest nearly tripped over a box in shock, clearly offended.
Lux scratched the back of his head and gave a sheepish smile.
"Just asking…"
Alfrey cleared his throat before speaking, his voice calm but serious.
"Seventeen years ago, I found you outside the church," he said.
He walked over to a shelf, pulled out a small letter, and handed it to Lux.
"This letter was inside the crate you were left in. It's written in the Aspidan language."
Lux took the letter, his hands slightly trembling.
"I… I can't read this," he admitted.
Alfrey nodded.
"It says that you are the last descendant of the Aspidan royal family… before the fall of their kingdom."
Lux stood frozen, shocked by the announcement.
"At first, I thought it was a joke," Alfrey continued, chuckling softly. "But I kept the letter. I've always been fascinated by the Aspida, ever since I was a boy."
"But why… What am I?"
Lux asked, his voice filled with frustration and confusion.
"You're the last of the Aspidan race,"
Alfrey replied gently, his tone calm and reassuring.
"If you truly saw the goddess… then that explains everything."
Lux stared at him, still trying to process the truth.
"But you must not reveal this to anyone,"
Alfrey added firmly.
"Why not?!"
Lux demanded, his voice rising.
"Then tell me—what is my power?"
Alfrey looked at him, then sighed and shook his head.
"I wish I could tell you… but I don't know the full truth."
He scratched his chin thoughtfully, eyes drifting toward the dusty scrolls and old books on the shelves.
"The Aspidans… they erased much of their history. They didn't want the world to remember who they really were. Maybe it was to protect themselves or to protect something greater."
Lux clenched his fists.
"Father Alfrey… do you have any idea where I can learn more about who I really am?"
Alfrey fell silent, his eyes drifting in thought. Then, after a long pause, he finally spoke.
"There might be one person who can help. An old friend of mine, her name is Lyra."
"Where is she?" Lux asked, a sudden hope in his voice.
Alfrey hesitated.
"…The Forest of the Forbidden."
"What?!" Lux stepped back in shock.
"She's an elf," Alfrey added quietly.
"I met her a long time ago while researching the Aspida. We shared knowledge, stories… She knew things even the books didn't."
He paused, his expression distant with memory.
"But after the fall of the Aspidan Empire, we went our separate ways. Before we parted, she told me she was returning to her homeland, the Forest of the Forbidden."
"…."
Alfrey was surprised when Lux went quiet.
"…What's wrong?" he asked gently.
Lux looked down; his voice soft.
"Then… I have to leave this village. Leave everyone behind?"
Alfrey's expression softened. He could feel the weight in Lux's words. Slowly, he placed a hand on Lux's shoulder and offered a reassuring smile.
"You've grown into a fine young man, Lux. It's time for you to leave the nest. That's what growing up is."
"…But who's going to take care of everyone?"
Lux's voice cracked as tears welled up in his eyes.
"You've already done more than enough," Alfrey said warmly. "And don't forget, you can visit us whenever you miss us."
Then, without another word, Alfrey pulled him into a warm, fatherly hug. Lux, overwhelmed, let the tears fall silently.