18 Chapter 18. King Sora of Griamore

About 1000 years before the current fight at Griamore was a young Sora Egalhearth. He was the youngest son of King Ninken Egalhearth and was the third in line for the throne. Sora walked the halls of the palace practicing his magic and playing with the creatures that frolicked near the palace. Sora had overheard a conversation with the current king Ninken and one of his advisors.

"Sire, if we don't retaliate against the Giants and the Dwarves we will be captured and enslaved. We stand no chance against the combined forces of both the giants and dwarves. We must strike first before they can gather all of their soldiers and march them to the gates of Gafalda."

"I will not put my people at unnecessary risk. If we attack and lose the upper hand we will be slaughtered. We aren't as powerful as them combined but we are more talented when it comes to magical control. Fortify the barriers and rally only when necessary. The lives of our people are our top priority even if we lose I'd rather we be alive."

"Very well, However, Your majesty with all due respect you are being a naive fool about this."

The advisor leaves and the king looks over.

"I can see you young Sora come here."

Sora walking inside the throne room with his father.

"Father, why don't you attack the Giants and Dwarves?"

"Listen young Sora. Fighting isn't something you look for. You do it when you have to and only to protect what is most important to you. If we attack then they will retaliate and we will have a circle of fighting until everything we cherish is gone. The strongest isn't the one with the most power and uses it. It's the one with the most power and seeks peace, not war."

A few hours after that conversation a fire breaks out. Sora rushes to his sibling's room finding them all slaughtered. Sora is sickened to his stomach but then rushes to his parent's room to find them both with their necks cut. Sora escapes into the forest. He sees a white deer with gold antlers drinking water from a stream. The sight of his deers calms his heart and he walks over to it. He uses his magic to grow apples and berries. He comforts the deer, petting its soft clean fur and gives it food.

"I suppose we're the same now all alone."

The deer looks into Sora's eyes and he begins to hear the voice of a woman.

"I have seen your suffering young elf. I cannot fathom the disarray in your heart. Even so, you have treated my emissary with such kindness. "

"Emissary? What do you mean?"

"This deer is one of the precious animals I use to test the hearts of beings like yourself. If y ou I were to see its magnificence and be overtaken by greed and kill it you would have nothing. But if you were to treat it with kindness you would be rewarded. "

"I don't understand."

"I am the goddess Athena. Ask for whatever your heart desires and I will grant it if it is within my power."

"Can you bring back my family?"

"I cannot. Once a soul has passed on into Underworld only Hades or Thanatos can retrieve them. However, if power is what you desire that can be granted to you."

Sora thought back to his father's conversation and about the upcoming conflict.

"If I asked for the power to protect Gafalda could you grant me that?"

"Yes, I can grant you more power than you can fathom but what you choose to do with such power is for you to decide."

"That is what I want. Enough power to stop all of the fighting and create peace."

"Very well."

Sora began to float and glow his magic increased by the thousands and he could feel his power feeling like it was trying to break free from his body but then calmed.

"I must warn you young sora the path you seek could lead to the destruction of everything you wish to protect. Power in the wrong hands leads to nothing but suffering and chaos."

"May I come to you for guidance once more?"

"Build me a temple and a statue befitting me and I will come. May you find peace in your heart."

The deer vanished and sora was left with power coursing through him like an overflowing waterfall just wanting to be let out. He takes a deep breath and grips his fist.

"With this power, I can change everything."

Sora began moving faster than any elf ever has and appears back in his room and waits for the murderer of his family to attempt to take his life. The moment came and from the shadows came an assassin to claim his life. With a single finger, he pushed back the assassin.

"Bind!"

The assassin was stuck to the walls as Sora's spell had such overwhelming magic the assassin couldn't move.

"Who sent you?"

The assassin stays quiet. Sora increases the bind to the point it caused the assassin incredible pain.

"I ask again who sent you?"

The assassin lets out a scream of agony.

"I'd rather die than break my code."

"Very well"

Sora grabbed the assassin and could feel himself slowly reaching into his mind. He could see the assassin's memories and honed in on the one for the job to assassinate the royal family. He saw the face of the man and it was Davos the king's royal advisor. The memory became clearer and he could hear what Davos had said.

"The king is a fool. If he is allowed to go any further all of Gafalda would be destroyed and us along with it. Kill the entire royal family. The kingdom will be in disarray and they will look toward the king's trusted advisor for help. "Oh with a heavy heart I accept the burden of king but only until you can find a more fit replacement. " The kingdom will make me the new king and we will conquer those wretched demihumans. Kill them quickly and cleanly I abhor the fool but I don't wish for them to suffer got it."

Sora was back in his body.

"I see. So it was Davos."

Sora broke the assassin's neck and contemplated on what he should do next. After surviving the night the former prince now king called for a meeting to address his kingdom. The royal guard showed up as did a confused Davos.

"Your royal highness I'm grateful for your health in this unforeseen circumstances but I hope that you will lean on me for guidance as did the late King Ninken."

Sora walked passed Davos without saying a word or even making eye contact. He steps onto the balcony of the palace to address the citizens.

"My fellow elven brothers and sisters last night the unthinkable happened. Whilst my family slumbered an assassin came in the dead of night and slaughtered the royal family, my family. It was orchestrated by none other than the king's advisor Davos Harmakadon."

Shocked Davos stumbles backward.

"Sire I.....only wanted what was best for the kingdom!"

"Enough out of you. Reaper's Law!"

Sora raised his hand focusing magic in his hand and wiped out Davos from his presence leaving nothing behind.

"The actions taken to are unforgivable and I have dealt with these traitorous actions accordingly. However, Davos and I did agree about the state of affairs with the other demihumans. We cannot be complacent and let ourselves be destroyed. I will follow in my father's example but I will rule with power to create peace. We cannot allow for the discrimination of the powerful upon the weak and create suffering in turn. The old way of thinking is destroyed. No longer will we be Gafalda, we are now Griamore for the rebirth of our kingdom. I will create an elite team to deal with our enemies and create peace from a position of strength!"

The crowd erupted in cheers in front of the new king of Griamore King Sora Egalhearth. In the following days, he and his newly created silver blade brokered a treaty between all demihumans to live in cohesion. His new advisor was someone he trusted and shared values with and his name was Nasir Ta'fferel.