Canceled Paladin

Pablo, the renowned paladin and son of Maquis Gaius, was undefeated in every war he fought. But the truth was, the real Pablo had died before he could don his armor. The current Pablo was a slave, purchased and raised by Maquis Gaius and his wife, the Marchioness, who couldn't bear the loss of their son. Out of love for his wife, Maquis Gaius adopted the slave as their own. Despite his dark origins, Pablo rose to become a legendary paladin.

However, his ascent was tainted by a curse. A jealous aristocrat had swapped his king-bestowed sword with a cursed blade, Nilrend. During a sparring match, the golden alloy coating on the blade shattered, revealing its true nature. This revelation threatened the execution of Pablo and the Gaius family. While Pablo could have fled alone, he couldn't abandon his benefactors.

As chaos ensued, time suddenly froze for everyone but Pablo. An omnipresent being spoke to him, its voice echoing in his mind.

"That sword, Nilrend, was given to you by destiny," it said. "Though it appears demonic, it has a greater purpose. It was forged to protect, albeit through dark means."

Pablo's mind raced. "Why me?"

"Nilrend chose you because only one with a pure heart and unwavering resolve can harness its power for good. It is the only force capable of stopping the Immortal of Destruction, who seeks to purge all existence."

"Save Gaius, and I'll do it," Pablo responded, desperate to protect his family.

The omnipresent being turned to the king, who alone could resist the time freeze. "You heard him?"

"You have my word," the king replied. "You'll be marked as a devil and can't return here, but Gaius will be spared. Good luck."

Pablo set out to confront the Immortal of Destruction, guided by Nilrend. Along the way, he battled monsters and beasts, each more formidable than the last, realizing the gravity of his mission.

After months of travel, he reached Skyrain Mountain in the far east and confronted the Immortal of Destruction—a serene and stunning sage named Tianqi.

"Impossible," Pablo exclaimed, expecting a monstrous creature, not a serene sage.

"She's Tianqi, the Immortal of Destruction. Finish her and fulfill your destiny," Nilrend whispered.

But Pablo couldn't do it. He found himself captivated by her beauty, yet he knew that wasn't the only reason.

*WHOOSH!*

"I meant no harm to anyone. But if you don't do the same here, then destruction shall reach you," Tianqi said, her bamboo staff swinging, deleting the landscape before her.

Pablo pleaded to be her disciple instead. Years of practicing with Tianqi, seeking an opening to defeat her, made Pablo realize she wasn't evil. Yet her power was growing, threatening to spiral out of control.

"I would like you to end me when that time comes. But I hope you don't have to," Tianqi told Pablo, promising to hold on as long as she could.

But a few years later, Tianqi went on a rampage. Pablo, trained and familiar with her, knew how to finish her with Nilrend, but he wasn't strong enough. Reluctantly, he made a contract with the devil in Nilrend, granting him the power he needed.

"Good. Be my loyal servant in your afterlife," the devil said.

"Fine. I'm born a slave anyway. As long as I fulfill my promise and Gaius is saved," Pablo responded.

Empowered, Pablo faced off with Tianqi. Each clash shook the world, teetering on the verge of destruction. The battlefield was a surreal dance of chaos and beauty. Each swing of Pablo's cursed blade sent shockwaves through the air, while Tianqi's demonic red bamboo staff pulsed with dark energy, reshaping the very ground they stood on. Mountains crumbled and reformed, forests burned and regrew, and the sky above them swirled with ominous clouds and blinding light.

"Tianqi!" Pablo shouted between blows, his voice raw with emotion. "You've always been kind to me, treated me with such warmth and patience. I can't bring myself to harm you."

Tianqi's eyes, once calm and wise, now burned with a mixture of sorrow and resolve. "Pablo, the devil of destruction has sustained my immortality, but now, it consumes me. I'm hitting my limit and can no longer prolong it. I've been waiting for my promised true love in the coming of ages. So sadly, that's not you."

Their weapons clashed again, sending a ripple through the earth. "Even if I accepted your feelings, I must be defeated. The world cannot withstand my power unleashed."

Pablo's heart ached. "Why can't I be around those who care for me? Why must I destroy the one person who showed me kindness?"

Tianqi's face softened, even as her staff met his blade with a resounding crash. "It's not who you were, Pablo. It's what you do and how you end that matters. You've saved your family, you've faced me with unwavering courage. You've already achieved greatness."

Tears mingled with sweat on Pablo's face. "I just want to be useful to those I care about. I want to be the one you wait for."

As their powers continued to cancel each other out, the landscape around them began to stabilize. The destruction ceased, and a strange calm settled over the battlefield. Pablo could feel Tianqi's strength waning.

Tianqi, fading and weakened, gently touched Pablo's head. "You've already proven your worth. This is your destiny."

Tianqi's energy flickered, her form beginning to fade. She reached out and gently rubbed Pablo's head, a gesture of comfort. "Thank you, Pablo. You've given me peace. I hope you'll find yours."

With a final explosion, their combined powers erupted, covering the land in blinding light.

With a final, resounding explosion, the destructive power dissipated. Tianqi's form faded away, leaving a peaceful smile as she vanished. Pablo stood amidst the ruins, the world saved but his heart heavy with loss.

In the aftermath, Pablo wandered as a vagabond, avoiding places he once knew, seeking solace in unfamiliar lands. One day, a magical bird delivered a picture to him. It showed Tianqi with the one she had waited for, a scene from a time not his own.

"Thank Omni, you survived," Pablo whispered, tears welling up in his eyes, but a smile forming on his lips.

"I don't understand your foolish selflessness. Why would you waste my power so much to pull off that feat?" Nilrend, the sword on Pablo's back, glowed with an angry devilish aura.

"My bad. I meant to thank you, Nilrend. You really did great that time."

"You too. Ahem... I mean, I'll make sure you serve me well when the time comes, canceled paladin."

Pablo chuckled softly, a wave of bittersweet contentment washing over him as he pressed on with his journey.