The Light Guardian

"So this brings us to the end of the class," the professor announced as he packed his books and left the classroom. Joe stood up, walking majestically out of the room. He made his way down the hallway, through the garden, and toward the administration building. His destination: the founder's office.

When Joe approached the office, he was met by squads of imperial guards stationed at the door. Standing out among them was a well-built man clad in a black cape bearing the comet insignia, matching his full chest armor. A scar ran across his face, adding to his imposing presence.

"That's the royal guard insignia," Joe thought, noting the comet symbol.

"I suppose he's the leader of this squad," Joe mused, his gaze on the man with the cape.

"If he's here, does that mean the king is inside?" Joe concluded as he approached, only to be stopped by the man in the cape.

"You there. What's your name?" the man demanded, his eyes scanning Joe sharply.

"Why do you ask?" Joe replied, his tone calm yet authoritative.

The man's subordinate, standing nearby, took a step forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Didn't you hear our boss asking for your name?" the guard growled, beginning to draw his blade.

"Stand down," the man in the cape ordered, raising an arm to halt him.

"I see…" the man said, narrowing his eyes as he studied Joe. "My name is Scott," he finally introduced himself.

"The founder is inside with His Highness, the king," Scott added.

At that moment, the door to the founder's office opened, revealing another man dressed similarly to Scott.

"Captain Scott, bring the boy inside," the man ordered.

"Yes, Commander Jason," Scott replied, saluting before turning to Joe.

Joe followed Scott into the office, which was grandly furnished with shelves of books and paintings of both past and present kings. As Joe entered, his eyes were drawn to a mural of the sun painted on the ceiling.

"Over here," a deep voice commanded, pulling Joe's attention to a large table where the king, the founder, the minister of defense and warfare, and the two school concierges were gathered.

"Your Highness, I have brought him as you requested," Commander Jason announced, bowing his head. Captain Scott followed suit.

The king turned to Joe, his gaze piercing. As the weight of the king's magical aura bore down on the room, Joe held his ground. Captain Scott, however, was visibly struggling under the pressure, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

Suddenly, the pressure dissipated, and the king stood, descending from the raised platform. Joe bowed his head respectfully.

"What is your name?" the king asked, his voice laced with authority.

"My name is Joe Kaelith, Your Highness," Joe replied. "I am your humble servant. Of what use can I be to you?"

The king's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Joe's surname.

"Kaelith, you say…" the king repeated, folding his arms behind his back. He descended further, coming face to face with Joe.

Commander Jason and Captain Scott immediately knelt, unable to remain standing on the same level as the king.

"Bow to your king, boy," the minister of defense and warfare began, but the king silenced him with a raised hand.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Joe said, holding the king's gaze.

"That outfit of yours caused quite a stir in the kingdom this morning," the king remarked. "You seem quite powerful for your age."

The founder, who had been observing silently, muttered to himself, "I've never heard the king praise anyone's strength in over thirty years… This boy's power is monstrous."

In his thoughts, Joe asked Arna, "Shouldn't I be bowing like the commander and captain?"

"Only if you were an ordinary citizen," Arna replied with a chuckle.

"I heard that," Joe retorted in his mind.

The king continued, "The reason I summoned you here is that you've been seen wearing the Imperium Prince's clothes—a design lost to history—and using the Phoenix Flight to travel a distance of 30 kilometers, a feat unheard of even during the darkest times of war."

Joe remained silent, his curiosity piqued as the king added, "Hearing your name, I suspect such power runs in your blood."

"I am honored by your words, Your Majesty," Joe said with a light bow of his head.

The king chuckled, placing a hand on Joe's shoulder. "My son is about your age. I wish for him to have your boldness."

The king turned, climbing back onto the platform. "Make sure you keep those clothes out of public view," he ordered.

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Joe replied.

"I would like to see you at the palace," the king continued. "Come whenever it is convenient. You are always welcome."

"You are dismissed," the king concluded.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Joe said, bowing lightly once more before leaving the room with Captain Scott.

As the office door closed behind them, Scott stopped Joe.

"Joe, right?" Scott asked. "You're strong enough to withstand the king's Eldrath pressure. I'd like to invite you to join the Comet Strike Force."

Directly into the Comet Strike Force? Joe's heart leaped with excitement, but he quickly composed himself.

"No, I humbly refuse your offer," Joe said, turning to leave.

Scott's voice stopped him once again.

"Alright, let's be friends," Captain Scott proposed, his arm still extended.

Joe glanced at the outstretched hand, closed his eyes briefly to regain his composure, and then stepped closer. With an elegant shake, he clasped Scott's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Captain Scott," Joe said, locking eyes with him.

The closing bell rang, pulling Joe's attention. He turned swiftly.

"Oh my goodness, I said I wanted to join the trainees today…" Joe muttered, his voice tinged with panic. In a flash, he darted outside and activated the Phoenix Flight. He soared into the sky, heading for the trainee grounds. However, upon arrival, he found the day's recruitment had already ended.

---

Back at the Founder's Office

"My king," Founder Alex said, bowing deeply to the monarch.

"Alex," the king began, his tone inquisitive. "You attempted to measure him, didn't you?"

The founder froze for a moment, startled by the direct question. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty," he admitted, his fingers trembling as they rested on the table. His voice wavered as he continued, "I… I felt an endless light."

The king nodded, his expression thoughtful. "That's a good sign. We'll need more like him for the challenges ahead."

He straightened, his hands braced against the table as he scanned the room. "I've been receiving reports from the frontlines," he said, gesturing for Commander Jason to step forward.

Commander Jason saluted the gathered officials before producing a map, spreading it across the table. "It all began at the border of the Comet Spire," he explained, pointing to the marked location.

"The locals near the borders have reported strange occurrences—land corruption and blackened terrain. They couldn't describe it clearly, but their lands are dying."

He placed photographs on the table, showing ominous blackened ground creeping over once-fertile soil.

"Corrupted lands?" Alex asked, leaning closer to examine the images.

"Yes," Commander Jason confirmed. "That's why I requested this meeting here. You are the most accomplished scientist in the kingdom."

The king added, "We need your expertise, Alex."

The founder stretched his hand toward the bookshelf, and a book flew into his grasp. Placing it on the table, its pages began flipping rapidly until they stopped at a specific entry. Alex scanned the words, his lips moving silently as he read. His expression darkened, and he stood, clearing his throat.

"Your Majesty," Alex began, his voice grave. "This… this is no ordinary phenomenon. It appears we are facing a truly dire situation."

He raised his hand, projecting an image from the book into the air for all to see. "This corruption is known as the Demon's Spite."

"What do you mean by that?" the minister of defense asked, his voice tense.

Alex continued, "According to ancient records, long since forgotten, this phenomenon heralds an invasion by demons. The legends speak of a time when the Guardian purified dying lands."

The king interrupted, finishing the phrase: "The Guardian purifies the dying lands…"

"But isn't that just folklore?" one of the concierges interjected, his voice laced with disbelief.

"We can't afford to dismiss this," the minister of defense countered. "If the legends are true, this could spell disaster."

The king, deep in thought, was roused by the minister. "Your Majesty?"

The king looked up, his decision firm. "Commander Jason, assemble a battalion—half Eldrath soldiers and half mages. Send them to the Comet Spire border immediately. We need to confirm the validity of these claims firsthand."

Commander Jason bowed, acknowledging the order, then left the room to carry it out.

The king turned back to Alex. "Founder, I need you to select a group of students from your college to train alongside the soldiers. Their basic defense training won't suffice for what lies ahead."

He paused, his gaze sharpening. "Specifically, I want Joe Kaelith included in the first batch."

Alex nodded. "It will be done, Your Majesty."

The king's voice softened as he glanced at the room's ornate decor. "It's heartbreaking. This kingdom, once thriving on commerce and prosperity, is now preparing for war."

Tears welled in his eyes as he spoke, his tone carrying a mix of sorrow and resolve. "I thought I had left this life behind… but it seems you can't escape who you are."

A solemn silence fell over the room as the weight of his words lingered. The mystery deepened, and the looming shadow of evil grew closer.