1 Arc 0 - Chapter 1 (The Sword in the Stone)

Millions of years before our story takes place, four friends complete their quest to unite the people of villages into a new country. These four heroes had incredible powers, they dwarfed even the strength of the gods, each specialising in a different type of ability. Argus: The Saint of Swordsmanship- it's said that he could slice a planet in two with a single swing of his sword. Helus: The Saint of Mana- He once absorbed an entire thunderstorm's worth of energy and released it: vaporising 70,000 soldiers in the process. Neus: The Saint of Creation- who built an entire city capable of housing a million within a matter of minutes and finally Xenus: The Saint of Projectiles- who could fire an arrow so fast it would go into orbit around the sun. They all ruled the country collaboratively, being loved and idolised by the general population.

When these four Saints eventually passed, they handed their abilities to the people, being spread across everyone alive, some people even got combinations of different abilities. Though, as the years went on: people were selective on who they wanted to have children with: ruining the Saints' equality, making the powerful more powerful and making the weak weaker.

'The Kingdom' is a large landmass: it has no coasts, nor does it have much in the way of different climates. The weather was often temperate, raining reasonably frequently. Where there weren't medieval villages, there was forests, a lot of them. Mountains enclosed the country on all sides, unsurmountable climbs prevented anyone from passing over to get out. The capital of the country, often referred to as Neus' Perch due to the cliff it is located on, is where a overwhelming 98% of the population lives. Neus' Perch is where all the public facilities are based, including where the nations' schools are located; children are taught how to use their abilities and how to do skills important to life. In order to get an army for the country, the schools are watched over by talent scouts who identify any possible candidates for the military program. Despite being called an Army, they are mostly just law enforcement agencies, crime rates are incredibly low in the capital due to the rigorous tests for candidates. South of the capital lies a huge forest, where nobody lives. Suitably named The Expanse, there are rarely any living creatures: of which the reason is unknown. It would seem stupid to want to go here, though... The Expanse was known for causing miracles for those in need.

Hai Petelunica wandered through The Expanse, he was following a vague hunch he had that he would find food down this small dirt pathway. He was wearing a smart long sleeved button shirt that was coloured white, and he wore dress trousers: this was clearly his school uniform. It opened into a clearing where a bright, blue pillar of light somewhere in the clearing shimmered against the emerald shade of the grass underfoot. Hai himself was about 6' tall, slim structure and had completely white hair. His hair would usually be considered extremely unique, but it tended to run dominantly on his fathers side, who had gone missing several years back. His hair was about average length for a guy, all ruffled up on top of his head. His eyes were a brilliant blue, as blue as the most azure of oceans. Hai, despite his appearance, was painfully mediocre in everything. From sports to ability strength, from intelligence to charisma- he was not atrocious and not stunning. He was not a prodigy.

This really started to annoy the boy. Everyone in his friend group had an expertise in at least one of the four abilities, Hai had all four and struggled to do basic things with any one of them. The classmates who were exceeding at most areas were picked up by a talent scout to be attending the Kingdom Knight General Examination. All his friends had either shunned him to the point of ignoring him or had gone to attempt the exam.

But none of this was important to Hai any more, he was out looking in this forest for his reason to live. Getting a closer look, in the middle of the clearing, there was a boulder and sticking out of it was what looked like a hilt for a sword: this explained the blue pillar as the sword radiated a blue aura. It was mysterious, feeling like it was attracting Hai towards it as he walked closer in a trance-like state. A voice shocked him into consciousness, a voice of an old man. "You must be worthy if you are here", the old man spoke with his voice worn away from age. "Worthy for what?", Hai should have been more startled naturally, but being around this sword somehow counteracted this. It's almost as if the power of the sword was flooding off it and into Hai's very soul. Its light blue energy powering every fibre of his body. It was calming yet invigorating, tingling cold yet warm and embracing. Oddly, the old man was nowhere in sight. Hai didn't register that there was no old man there physically, he felt that there was one there despite the lack of physical presence, an aura of sorts.

"Worthy for wielding that sword. Ganymede is it's name, though to wield this sword, the strongest sword in the kingdom, a payment will be necessary", "How much?", Hai directly asked the old man. Again, the sword had changed his personality. Usually he would act more reserved, much more politely than this. But this overflowing energy from the sword made him upfront and speak his true mind.

"Your ability to speak"

The old man spoke clearly. The silence of The Expanse cut deeper into the air; the blank expression of Hai became that of a shocked one, a indecisive one. The sword changed his personality, but not to the extent it would adjust decision making. If he took the sword, he would be strong. He felt it, even the aura of the sword gave him that impression even before the old man told him it was. Even though Hai didn't want to lose the ability to speak, as he was, he was a nobody. With the sword he could become a knight, he could be worth a damn.

"I accept", the boy said, determined on his decision. "Then go, do not look back on your decision", the old man replied with.

Hai turned around slowly and went up to the sword's hilt. He grabbed it, a two handed sword: it fitted perfectly for his fingers, almost like it was made for him. He was expecting it to be hard to pull the sword out of the rock, but it flowed over the rock like a boat through water. Now emerging from the liquid stone, the sword had a blue crystal on it and the blade had a slight trench in it.

As the sword was completely free from the stone, the crystal glowed an incredible shade of blue, akin to the hue of Hai's eyes, the burrow of the sword was filled up with light blue pure energy. His eyes then lit up in a blue colour, with blue flames around his eyes. He felt light on his feet, almost as if he was floating slightly.

In school they had always taught that those with powerful ability power that they couldn't control would feel slightly lighter, maybe by a couple hundred grams, but this... It was almost his half his weight. He was still attracted to the floor but only by a bit. The blue energy completely overflooded his body, making him feel an odd calming sensation. When he went to say anything, this wave of calm prevented his mouth from making the words. So he wasn't lying... After finishing watching, the old man's aura faded away and disappeared into thin air while Hai was busy inspecting the sword.

Hai put the sword into the sheath that appeared on his belt and took to the capital.