Age of Heroes

First, he feels the wind blowing on his hair, waving it. Then he hears the lapping of the waves. Slowly, his nose picks up the scent of grass.

He opens his eyes. 

He could feel the wind breeze by his cheek, the sound of the rustling of the grass, and the smell of green all round him.

A grassy plain as far as he can see. 

Up ahead, a bird is flying with its mate, chirping. The sound of the waves hitting the shores could be heard. 

However, what attracts his attention is the tree in front of him. A large tree, almost as large as a castle and height that reached the clouds.

Its leaves are golden, and the trunk gives off a feeling of power.

'Is this you, Amara?' Arial said, looking left and right. He knows he just went asleep, how could he suddenly be in the middle of plain.

Then, this must be an illusion. But who would create such an elaborate illusion? He only knows one person that can do illusion at these scales.

Amara. The Goddess of Love, the Lady of the Lake.

The air distorted, and the space ripples and in front of him, appears one of the most beautiful creatures Arial could behold.

'I only want you to be comfortable meeting me, Asrana.' Amara said, smiling with that kind smiles and eyes that shows concern

Arial just smiles.

'You didn't tell me that the Eagle imprint his consciousness inside the essence.' Arial said, remembering his difficulties because of the essence he got.

The woman floats in the air, nonchalantly, and her face always shows that gentle smiles and her moves are always graceful.

'But you overcome it, as I expected you will.' She said.

'If I don't?'

'You would.'

'What makes you so sure?'

'Maybe because I have seen your destiny?' She said mysteriously. Then she chuckles.

'Either way, you got quite the benefit didn't you?' Arial didn't say anything just nodded. He looks around him in wondrous excitement.

This illusion that Amara conjured is too….vivid. It was almost like he is in another world.

'Now what?' he said.

'What?' She said.

'How do I save you?' The Goddess chuckles and it was like music of angels, coming from her mouth. 

Arial shakes his head and tries to endure himself from the charms of Love.

'You don't need to save me just yet. But I do need you to find something for me.' She said, her eyes narrowed down on him.

'Find something?'

'Yes.'

'Find you, what?' Arial asked.

'The Seals.' She said, and her voice turns grave. 

The wind keeps blowing and the illusionary plains looks as beautiful as ever, but there is such a dissonance between the environment and the people inside it. 

'The seals. What seals?' Arial asked. He thought he has to find her, but now he is tasked with finding Seals? 

'It is not important to know what it is right now, just know that it is important.'

Arial seems to be pondering looking at the floating Goddess with wariness.

'What does it seal? If you're looking for seals, that means either you want to release the seal or you want others not to find the seal.'

'Not really' she said mischievously.

'Are you going to tell me the whole truth?' Arial said, his voice is quick to rise. It feels like the Goddess is hiding something from him. 

The Goddess smiled.

'Let me ease your worries, Asrana. I am never telling you everything. Either way, to trust me or not, has always been your decision. I could not influence you even if I want to. It didn't work on your kind before, it will not work now.'

Arial ponder this for a while. The wind blows by and the grass sways and for a moment there is silence in the plains.

The Goddess didn't say anything, nor did she try to convince Arial. She just stands there, floating like there is no care in the world…waiting for his decision.

He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath and after deciding he asked.

'What is the Seals and where can I find it?' He chose to trust her.

'The seals, huh?' she said as she reminisce about it. Then she began to explain about the seals.

'The Seals was something that was born out of creation. Each and every one of them has an essence of creation in it. Its powers are mysterious and all powerful. If there is one being in the numerous Universes that understand it fully, it will be the Supreme Being. There is six of them in this world. One in their hands, one in mine. There is another four and I want you to find it.'

Arial heard what Amara said. One in their hands? Who's hand? Who is 'their'? It must be her enemies, seeing that she said it with vehemence when she referred to their.

Arial keep listening as Amara explains about the Six Seals.

'The First Seal is the Stone of Life. It could produce the Elixir of Immortality, giving strength, curing incurable disease and elixir of youth and wealth. This is in their hands.'

Again. Their? This caught Arial attention but he did not ask. She would tell him, by the end, Arial surmises.

But Arial is also astounded with the power of the Stone of Life. Immortality is a great temptation to anyone

'The Second Seal is the Universe Necklace. It is a blue stone encased in a necklace made of the essence of a white star, capable of teleporting anything from one point in the universe to the other. The other use is, apparently, as a means to manufacture magical weapons of unparalleled destruction from its energy. It was used once during the battle of the Gods by Orhan. That day, Olds Gods and New all dies in the sky in the War of the Gods, the world rain gold from their blood, their bodies strewn above the celestial bodies.'

Teleportation! Arial mused, shock in his heart. 

This seal that Amara is talking about…aren't all of them is some kind of ancient magical relic capable of rendering the earth barren, and sundering the heavens to pieces?

'What? Are you shocked, Asrana?' Amara stopped looking at Arial face. Arial is truly shocked.

'I…didn't know such weapons exist.' Amara smiles.

'The Universe is vast, your understanding and comprehension about Worlds are limited, how could you know such weapons exist? It is understandable, understandable' she said, nodding her head.

Then she continued

'In the wrong hand, it will be the most fearsome weapons this entire Universe will ever see. In the right hands, it is an instrument of peace and abundance.'

'What about the third one?' Arial asked. 

He is excited to know about the other seals. Amara hesitate to say it but then she said it.

'The Liquid of Reality. It is a red floating liquid thing encased in a blue vials made from a dying star. It can change illusions to reality.'

'Is there such things?'

'Yes, what the mind could think of, this liquid could project no matter how outrageous. It is a fearsome relic, once destroyed a populous world in the hand of some Mad God'

Then Amara continued

'The fourth one is Purple Ring of Destruction. It gives anyone who wears it almost unlimited power in exchange of their soul burning. Normal mortal would be burned the moment they came in contact with it. If you found it, do not touch it. I will give you guidance if you ever found it.' 

Arial nodded.