Age of Heroes

'He survived of course. After all you met him didn't you? The ending is easy to guess.' Arial said. 

Mikael smiles mysteriously and then he said

'No…he wakes up. Upon waking up he realized he was at the same spot where the horse has thrown him down. He dreams all of it. The Fountain, the war and the killing. When he realized he was paralyzed, The Sage then requests his father to make him a hut on the top of the mountain. Since then, he sits there and gives advice to his family on spiritual matters.'

'What about the Fountain? What about the Fountain of Youth?' Arial asked. Mikael is silent so Arial asked again

'Does it exist?' Arial asked again seeing Mikael said nothing.

'Does it matter?' Mikael answer. Then he said with a smile on his face

'That day, something happens to that Sage, something he could not explain. Though I must tell you, that the Sage told me a secret' Mikael said smiling

'What is the secret?' Arial reply

'That every day while he reads and contemplates on the matters of the world, his eyes is always looking at a very tiny hole just outside the left corner of his hut. Probably his dream was not a dream at all but a Divine dream meant to tell him the truth. He offered me to look through the hole'

Did you see it? Arial asked. Shaking his head and smiling bitterly Mikael said

'I never dared to peer though the hole, friend' 

Mikael said as Arial looking at Mikael intently. Then Mikael explained it to him

'I fear I would make the same mistake the Young Sage has done. Could you imagine that? The temptation to go see that hole and satisfy his curiosity and maybe even cure him of his ailment. Life is but a dream, he says. If we can see how dreams can seem completely real, then we can also see how reality can be just like a dream. Has he dreamed of all of it? Is nothing real in his dream? Or was it a glimpse of a future? Or maybe a glimpse of path taken? Life is but a dream. Is the man dreaming being a butterfly or is the butterfly dreaming becoming a man? What is real? It was him that gives me one of the copies of Laila book that tells the story of the blood debt of Habel and Kane. And why I tell you this story to you Arial if you could guess?'

'Why? I could not hazard a guess' Arial said.

'Awakening. Transformation. Oneness. All of this is present in the story.'

'I don't understand.' Arial said this time he feels like the fool.

'Not now, Arial. Not now. Everything has its time. The time will come when one day this story makes sense. But not now. Anyway Maharai Vasir right?' 

Mikael suddenly changed the subject. Arial doesn't know this yet but someday this story will help him greatly.

Arial nodded.

'Maharai Vasir. The Vanquisher of Light. Or the Great Vanquisher of Light' Mikael said. Then he began relaying the story

'In the book of prophecy it is said that Habel and Kane has a father named Adam and mother named Eve.

'Kane was the firstborn and Habel was the Second. Both of them were twin brothers. A few years after they were born, Eve birthed a twin sister, Azura and Delilah. 

'And years and years passed and Kane and Habel become a man of extraordinary strength, and Delilah and Azura becomes a woman of unearthly beauty. But there is no other Humans on the World and Adam pray for his sons and daughter to be given progeny. So on an auspicious day Light send a dream to married his sons to his daughters. 

'Adam then decided by the virtue of the character of his sons. Kane is impulsive and have great tempers so he needs Delilah which is sweet and kind. Habel is calm and kind, his character is good and virtuous, filial and full of love. 

'But it is also because of love that Adam is worried of Habel for he can be controlled by love. The greater the love, the greater the hate. So Adam decided that Habel will marry Azura. 

'Azura is passionate and can rouse Habel passions, Azura is smart and levelheaded which can help Habel in his life. So it is then announced to the sons and daughters, Kane will marry Delilah, and Habel will marry Azura. '

'That sounds like a good deal. This Adam clearly has got it all planned out' Arial said.

'It is, isn't it? Only if it happens.'

'You see, between Azura and Delilah, Azura is more beautiful while Delilah, while not plain looking comparing the two of them, one could see the victor would be Azura. Kane has always lusted for Azura. Hearing his father verdict Kane become dissatisfied. He then asked his Father for God to judge him.'

'And God judged Habel right. I see where this is going.' Arial said smiling.

'Yes, to make story short after a little test, God chose the original arrangement that Adam has chosen.'

'And that is why Kane kill Habel!' Arial said in excitement

'Yes, but what people don't seem to know is that by the time Habel was killed by his older brother, Azura was already pregnant with his child. Knowing what Kane has done because of his lust for her, Azura seek refuge with her father. Adam was furious hearing of the truth. He prayed to God and God mark the descendant of Kane with evil. But Kane also pray to God. Merciful He is he grant a reprieve. That all the blood debt between Kane and Habel will be decided by their descendant. And this is where Asrana and Vasir come into the story. Asrana will come from the bloodline of Habel, the virtuous one, and Vasir-' And Arial cut Mikael words.

'From Kane' Arial nodded in understanding.

'Yes, if the story is to be believed.'

'What do you mean, Mikael?'

'Like I said, there is many versions of that story. Who's to say this story is the right one? However, I want you to read this particular passage my friend.'

Arial get up and approached the the book and read.

>>>>>>>

Sorry for the mistake. I try to delete it in the 100 increments but it still didn't work. But I have deleted most of it only some of it still remains.

I hope they should improve on this.

Why was it so hard to edit chapter. There is a reason I am writing this author note. It is because as I write this and increase some of the word count, it would help me delete the mistaken chapter above.

Of course maybe after I finished writing this author note, reader would not be able to see the mistaken chapter anymore. What a stupid way of trying to edit a chapter.

By now, I managed to delete a few hundred chapters already but it is still not enough so I have to keep writing to fulfill some kind of invisible hand of word count

Anyway, since I already in author note mode, anyone have thoughts about the story. I am trying to end this story in a year. though I don't know if that is possible. I write five stories right now. None of them are high ranked. Maybe I should write childish story.

The kind of face slapping story is more popular. Ther eis that kind of feeling when seeing how popular they are. But maybe it is just because it is my story that is just boring.

Anyway, whatever the case is, I will try to finish the story. I know I hate an unfinished story. 

As such I would try to end the story without it feeling being rushed.

And as someone may already know, Arial made an appearance in Lord Shadow, ocne as himself and once as.....I would not spoil it for those who didn't read Lord Shadow.