50 Story of Star Berries; Tale of Friendship, Love, and War

Story of Star Berries; Tale of Friendship, Love, and War

Estoff Wraith

Kyle is right. We were best friends, at some point in our lives.

When I was eight, we used to live in a small village near Twilight City. The Heaven's Village. As much as it sounds like, the village can be considered heavenly for people who have crimson eyes. Unlike any other places in Alterra, the village is filled with angel-type dragons which excel in healing and protection magic. Most dragonoids there avoid contact with humans who live in the vicinity, except for the house of Leviticus.

Duke Roswald Leviticus, who is Kyle's father, is a kind man. His sympathy to dragonoids are as well can be competed to the Corasells benevolence. He is the primary investor of the village, building shrines, hospitals, museums and even the village hall. The Leviticus family even has the only garden of star berries, which is the most delicious berry in the whole world and is considered luxurious. Their facilities gave a lot of jobs for the dragonoids. He was praise by the elders of the Heaven's Village for his chivalry and gentleness.

Kyle's father is the sole reason why we stayed in the village, even though we think the whole village is afraid of our family just because we're humans. Apparently, my father and his father went to college together. My father's life didn't go so successful, so his friend Duke Leviticus offered us a simple house in the village. He even gave jobs to my parents, which is certainly angelic of him.

This is how I met Kyle Leviticus, who is upbeat and full of energy. He has a dream of becoming the strongest dragon knight. He was the one who taught me to skip classes and steal some star berries on his father's vineyard. He even pushed me to drink wine even though we're still in grade school. Maybe I can blame my alcoholism to him, since he's the one who taught me how to party at a very young age.

There was a time when we skipped classes to snatch another set of star berries. In the process of collecting, we spotted a pretty dragonoid girl who was doing the same act as ours; stealing the fruits and putting it on a plastic bag. Because of the competition, we chased down the girl until we finally pinned her down, making the berries squash to the ground in the process.

The girl revealed herself as Elumina Cryst, the daughter of the chief of the village. She was just curious on what the star berries taste like, so she decided to take a bunch and make it into a fruit shake later. We were both fancied by the idea so we decided to release her, and make a star berry shake with the berries we gathered altogether.

And that is how we three became best of friends.

Elumina is the same as she was now; shy, approachable and sweet. Because of her personality and looks, falling in love with her is just a matter of months. Kyle and I waged a friendly war against each other. Whoever Elumina chooses will be his groom. May the best man win.

Our rivalry continued when we were in high school. Kyle slightly focused more on his studying and training to be admitted to the Dragon Knights Academy, so Elumina and I had plenty of time together. Every time we meet, I would give her a paper crane that has some cheesy romantic poems I wrote. After my class, I would wait in front of the classroom to escort her back to her home safe and sound. We managed to pull off uncountable number of dates.

There was one time when we were sitting in a grass, watching the orange sunset while talking about our dreams.

"I wanted to perform Vesryn Pulse with you. Even just once. But I heard that dragon knights are the only ones who can do that." Elumina muttered.

"Then I'll become a knight!" I jokingly smiled. "We'll perform Vesryn Pulse so that I can see your beautiful dragon form."

Because of these happenings, I know that I have won Elumina's heart. Everyday is filled with love.

Until the Second Dragonoid War broke out.

Elumina's rogue brother, Eliseo Cryst is one of the commanders of the Dragonoid Liberation Army. He was the one responsible for massacring humans in the village. My family fled at that time to the floating city of Guardian's Haven, together with Elumina and other dragonoids. But Kyle's family is not so lucky.

Duke Leviticus got beheaded, which was displayed in the central square until the war subsided. His mother was beaten, raped, and butchered by Eliseo's unit. Kyle's two younger sisters also suffered the same fate as her mother.

Kyle Leviticus was enraged into the deepest part of his soul. He wanted all dragonoids to suffer, to pay for what they have done to his family. He studied hard in order to get admitted to the Dragon Knight Academy. He also got this trauma of having nightmares since he witnessed the dark fate of his family. His personality immediately changed, and his crazy gaze in his eye speaks everything for him. He totally lost his mind.

The elder chief of the village felt guilty of what had happened, even though he didn't do anything wrong. Elumina's father wanted forgiveness, so he proposed his own daughter to be in Kyle's care for the rest of her life. Elumina will serve Kyle until death do they part. Kyle accepted the proposal and let the sin of the chief's terrorist son slide…at that time.

"I wanted to say that I…I love you…Estoff Wraith… And I'm so sorry. We can't be together from now on…Goodbye…" That was Elumina's parting words to me before she left with Kyle to the academy.

I tried talking Elumina out from her shackles, but Kyle turned a deaf ear to me. I didn't know the full extent of Kyle's anger, so I fear that he might do inhumane things to her. So I also decided to enter the Dragon Knight Academy to ensure that Elumina's safe. I entered with Gilliard, my local drinking buddy back when I lived in a dorm in Goldcliffe City when I was in senior high school.

I didn't like what I saw everyday. If not bruises, Elumina will have those black eyes or cuts on her cheeks, lips, arms or legs. There was a time when I spied on their room and I heard screams. When I opened the door, I saw my love tied up, and her shoulder back being whipped by the abusive cunt. Anger swelled up on my veins and proceeded to punch Kyle. I made that douchebag's face wet with his own blood, but when I'm about to strangle him, Elumina stopped me.

We had a quarrel because of that. I asked why she keeps standing by Kyle's side, but she keeps reasoning out that she must repent from her family's sins. I could not agree in her logic. Does she mean she would endure being tortured and raped by this retarded prick!?

I can't grab Elumina out since she's the one who chose to stay by Kyle's side. I will never understand that. Years have passed until the Third Dragonoid War broke out, which is led by Elumina's brother. All dragon knights went to war at that time.

Thanks to that particular war, Kyle's dreams and revenge was fulfilled. Kyle has been dubbed as the hero of the Third Dragonoid War because of his performance in the battlefield. He had Elumina watch his brother's execution in public. I also gathered some news that Kyle tormented almost tens of thousands of dragonoids before killing them. Kyle became the public icon of the dragon knights.

I made the same good performance during the war, making me a Pentagram Knight. But unlike Kyle Leviticus, I preferred not to kill dragonoids. I met a lot of them who possessed goodwill. I managed to convince some dragonoids to stop the liberation army.

That was the time where I first met Duke Zac Schneider, who wanted to liberate all dragonoids. He made a fine hell of points making me convince to join his ideals. We both have the same goal; to free all the abused by reuniting all dragonoids all over the world to join our cause.

We created a scene; the Crimson Dragonfly Incident in order to destroy the government's image and to enrage all free-willed dragonoids. It surprisingly got well even though Zac Schneider was sacrificed himself.

And thus the formation of Arcadia.