Meeting The First Wielder

Reinhart's eyes widened with shock as Lian's words reached his ears. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Layla and Riley fought valiantly to resist Kai's mind control, refusing to budge from their spots. Lian also managed to suppress her body's urge to obey Kai's command.

But it was all in vain. Reinhart felt his legs give way and he collapsed to his knees. The strength and resolve that had fueled him until now drained from his eyes. He looked up at the dark sky, where thick smoke obscured the stars.

"I see..." he muttered softly, his voice barely a whisper.

"So this is my judgement." He said, as if talking to himself.

"I took away his loved ones."

"I failed to protect those I was supposed to." He choked out, his voice breaking.

"And now, my punishment has finally come." He sighed, his shoulders sagging with defeat.

"It's over. There's no point in fighting anymore." He declared, his voice hollow and hopeless.

Reinhart closed his eyes. He let go of his guard and waited for his judgement. He expected to feel Kai's blade pierce his heart any moment. But instead, he heard a familiar voice. The voice of a boy.

Ryder burst out of the barrier that shielded him and his friends. Silver and Violet tried to stop him. They grabbed his arm but he jerked it away, breaking their hold.

He didn't look back at his friends as he made this decision. He didn't hesitate or doubt his actions. His eyes blazed with fury and determination.

The moment he left the barrier, he felt a sharp pain shoot through his head. The effects of Kai's technique hit him hard. But he didn't give in. He gritted his teeth and stayed on his feet.

"Don't you dare give up!" Ryder shouted, his voice ringing out loud and clear.

The words from the young boy pierced through Reinhart's ears. He turned his head and saw Ryder, his face contorted with pain and anger, and his eyes shining with justice.

"I don't know what he's talking about," he continued, his voice steady and confident.

"But you're not a monster. You're a hero!" He exclaimed, his voice full of admiration.

"I watched you all along."

"No matter the situation, you always prioritized our well-being."

"When we first got to the island, you made sure we got food, you built us cozy beds to sleep on, while you stayed awake watching over us." He recalled, his voice warm and nostalgic.

"When you finally powered up, the first thing you did was gather all the students around the island."

"You didn't prioritize the enemy!" He argued, his voice defiant and indignant.

"No matter what he threw at you, you found a way to counter it, just to protect us."

"I don't know what he's saying, but I do know one thing..."

"Anyone who puts his life on the line and goes against multiple hell guardians just to protect someone, is no monster!" He affirmed, his voice passionate and emphatic.

"I don't care what anyone says Mr Reinhart, you're my hero!"

"So please... Please... Don't give up!" He pleaded, his voice desperate and hopeful.

Reinhart watched, his eyes wide open. He felt a surge of emotion in his chest. He laughed softly, as he shifted his gaze back to the sky.

"Starfall..."

He saw himself standing in a world filled with white light. He felt a sense of wonder and curiosity. "What is this place?" He asked himself as he looked around.

"This is a part of your mental space," he heard a calm and gentle voice behind him. He turned around and saw a beautiful woman with long white hair.

"Who are you?" Reinhart asked, with a look of confusion on his face.

"So you're the one who possesses my power now," the woman replied, ignoring Reinhart's question.

"Wait, are you—" Reinhart tried to ask her.

She began to walk around him, examining him from every angle. She looked at him with a mix of interest and scrutiny, like a scientist studying her subject.

"I've been watching you for a while," she said

"You're strong and talented."

"Yet for some reason, you're failing in the same aspect the rest of your predecessors did."

"Your awakening..."

She stopped in front of Reinhart and looked him in the eyes.

"After me, no one has ever been able to truly utilize sun god slaying magic." She said, with a serious tone.

Reinhart's expression changed. He looked at her with surprise written all over his face. "What do you mean?" He asked.

She smiled faintly and shook her head.

"What exactly do you think the nature of my power is?" She asked Reinhart.

"What the rest thought they were using was just powerful fire magic."

"Even you... Do you think you awakened it when you fought the dark Lord?" She asked.

Reinhart looked at her. He didn't know what to say. He was at a loss for words.

She sat on the floor, which was also white, like the rest of the space.

"Sit down," she commanded.

"Let me tell you a story about a girl."

"I don't have time for this," Reinhart said, while remaining on his feet.

She released a heavy sigh and looked at him. "It's okay. Think of this as a dream. When we're done here, only a second or two would have passed there."

"Besides, if you really want to save them that much, then you need this," she added.

"Now sit down," she said, with a commanding deep tone.

Reinhart sat down, locking eyes with the woman. With her index finger, she drew a circle on the platform they were sitting on. Images began to form within the circle. Reinhart looked down at the circle and saw the images.

It was like he was watching a movie and the movie was the story she wanted to tell him. As they both stared at the circle, they began to take a trip down the memory lane.

The images in the circle showed a young girl, no older than ten, living in a small and poor house. She had long black hair and bright blue eyes, and she wore a simple white dress. She was smiling and laughing, playing with her family. She seemed happy and carefree.

****

Lila was born with a dark mark shaped like the sun on her forehead. It was a hereditary birthmark in her family. She was born into a poor family, but despite their hardship, they were happy.

One day, Lila's mother wrote a list of ingredients they needed. "I'll go get these later. We need them to make dinner." She told Lila.

"Can you hold on to this for me?" She gave Lila the list.

After taking care of their house chores, Lila's mother went to sleep, before going out to the market to get the things she listed. In order to surprise her, Lila decided to go get them herself.

On getting to town, as she made her way to the market, Lila began to hear people whisper as she passed by.

"Isn't that the sun god's sacrifice?"

"I thought they were supposed to keep her from going outside."

"Poor child, she doesn't even know her doom."

They all whispered as she passed and greeted them.

When she got home, Lila saw her mother outside their house, her eyes filled with tears. Upon seeing her daughter, Lila's mother ran to hug her tight. Lila was surprised at her mother's display.

"You didn't have to go yourself. I was just resting a bit," Her mother said, while trying to stop her tears.

"I just wanted to help mummy," Lila replied, still looking confused.

"I know baby, I know."

"Thank you."

After that day, the supervision on Lila became very strict. Her parents monitored all of her movements and made sure she did not get close to the town.

Years passed, and Lila continued to live her life confined to her home. Sometimes she would wonder if she had a disease. Whenever she asked her parents, they would just smile and change the topic. Sometimes they would ignore her.

Lila had been counting the days until her thirteenth birthday. It was the day she had chosen to execute her daring plan: to slip away from her parents' watchful eyes and explore the town for herself.

Her father was a carpenter who worked long hours at his workshop, returning home only when the sun had set. Her mother was a trader who sold fruits and vegetables at the market, leaving early in the morning and coming back late in the afternoon. They both worked hard to provide for her.

"Remember to do your chores and stay inside," her mother would always remind her before she left, giving her a tight hug and a peck on the cheek. "Don't go wandering around, you hear me?"

On this particular day, her father had already left for work, and her mother was about to follow. She stood at the doorstep and called out to Lila, who came running from her room.

"I'm off, sweetheart," she said, embracing her. "Don't forget to wash the dishes and do your laundry."

"And get some rest, too," she added, kissing her on the forehead and hurrying away.

Lila closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a deep breath. She slid down to the floor and smiled to herself.

"Finally," she whispered, feeling a surge of relief.

"Today's the day..."

She clenched her fist and grinned, barely containing her excitement. "I'm going!"