Stars have already appeared in the night skies. Villagers returned to their homes and people were preparing for the night.

Tiona and Nero have finished their deals with boar and were now busy preparing for their dinner. Besides, it was a unique day for them because Tiona traded meat for some potatoes from the traveling merchant. That’s why she cooked herself today instead of exchanging her meat with villagers.

It was a rare chance here at this distant village. She just couldn’t let slip by.

“Hold the knife, properly, Nero. Can’t you see you waste too much potato?” said Tiona, as she watched how her son was trying to peel a potato. She could only shake her head, watching how her son peeled a significant portion of potato together with the peel. A bright smile was on her lips as Tiona remembered how she learned to cook herself.

After several minutes of laughing and joking with her son, Tiona approached and showed him how to peel it correctly. Of course, Nero still needed some practice, but it was better than before. At least for now, he wasn’t cutting a quarter of potato together with the peel. Nero never expected that cooking would be harder than it seemed. Today, he asked his mother if he could join and help her, and now he was carefully trying to repeat after his mother, who was easily and quickly peeling one potato after another. Watching such a skillful performance, Nero couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“Since when do you know how to cook, mother? I thought you were only good at hunting,” asked Nero as he looked at her. Tiona only smiled at his question.

“A woman should know many things. It’s part of her life arsenal,” said the mother as she winked at Nero. Nero could only sigh at his mother’s joke before taking another potato.

“Seriously, mother, can’t you tell. It’s always interesting to learn new things.”

Tiona only caressed her son, whose purple eyes were shining with curiosity.

“Fine,” said Tiona as she finished peeling her part of potatoes and moved to wash them. “Many, many, many years ago, I used to be an adventurer. Once, I and my comrades signed a contract to accompany a caravan that was traveling into the ‘Blazing Desert’ inside the ‘Chaotic lands’. I learned how to cook back then when I helped that caravan.”

Nero widened his eyes when he heard her. He never expected that his mother was an adventurer in the past.

“How is it to be an adventurer? To fight with monsters, sign contracts and research the ancient ruins?” asked Nero while his eyes shined with curiosity. Even his way of looking at his mother changed a bit because he never expected to learn that his mother was once an adventurer.

Tiona finally finished washing potatoes and started cutting them.

“Well, son, it was interesting, hard, dangerous, funny, and very memorizing. Every new day differed from the previous,” said Tiona as she cut potatoes into slices. “New adventure followed previous ones. I spent my time protecting caravans, completing missions, and even took part in the expedition to the ruins. I met many people, some of them became my friends while others were my enemies.”

“When you live such a life, you can’t stay closed behind your shell and need to learn new things. Cooking, for example, was one of such things for me, caravan’s passengers taught me when I was with them. If you ever become an adventurer, don’t concentrate solely on your mission. Stop and look around. You never know where and from whom you can learn.” Nero watched how a longing smile appeared on his mother’s face as she was memorizing her distant past.

“Where is that desert located, mother?”

“Far, far away on the southwest. Thousands of km away from here. I spent years on traveling in the fast caravan,” explained Tiona, as she finished cutting potatoes.

“You know, those regions and that dessert differed so much from here. There were huge sand storms and giant snakes and scorpions. There were big cities, founded near the rare oases, and water there was as precious as the rare metal here,” Nero listened attentively and noted every word his mother told him. He always dreamed of his adventures, and now this so-called ‘Blazing dessert,’ was added to his list of the places he wished to visit.

“How old were you when you joined that caravan?” He suddenly asked when Tiona took a new portion of potatoes.

“I was 200 years old when I joined them,” said Tiona with a smile. It surprised Nero when he heard her answer, and when he looked at his mother who was a heaven beauty now, an obvious question appeared in his mind.

“And how old are you right now?” asked the boy with clear curiosity.

When Tiona heard his question, a knife halted in the air as she turned and looked with a smile at Nero. He didn’t know why, but he felt how it suddenly became cold as goosebumps passed through his hands when he saw his mother’s kind, but strange, smile. Tiona only raised her hand and caressed his hair with the same smile on her lips.

“Son, remember, it’s not polite to ask women their age. Most women would never tell the truth, but if you ask a strong beauty this question, she might misunderstand your question as an offense. Then, bad things might happen to you. Women can be very terrifying.” explained mother with the same kind and strange smile. As Nero heard her, he didn’t know why, but he felt how much more and more goosebumps passed through his body.

“Anyway, son, I am young and would stay young and healthy for many years. There is no need for you to ask about my age. For now, you better speed up, you still have your training tomorrow,” said Tiona as she turned and returned to cooking. The boy didn’t know why, but he released a sigh of relief when his mother returned to cooking.

...

..

.

It was an ordinary morning. The sun has already appeared and villagers were active. Right now, a boy with purple eyes was busy bringing two buckets of water towards a hill. Though the weight was too much for an ordinary 5-years old boy, he slowly moved towards his goal. He was too strong for his age and even had small muscles that could be seen below his wet clothes.

Villagers were already used to him and paid almost no attention. Their kids were different. They knew a boy was almost always busy training and helping his family. Boys wanted to talk to him because he was smart and strong, while girls knew he was the most handsome boy in the village. His purple eyes were like crystals, like his handsome face, together with his strong and fit body left all-boys behind in the dust. Even elder boys sometimes joined the crowd. Besides, villagers believed he was Gustav's grandchild and some interest from them was to be expected.

Right now, a blonde-looking boy was busy preparing his horse when he saw Nero’s figure in the distance. The boy quickly took an apple as his lunch and a small book and moved out towards that boy together with his horse. Of course, when he approached him and the small crowd that poured so many questions at the smiling Nero, he made a serious and the most terrifying expression as he could and prepared his small stick.

“You, small-ones, get out of here, play somewhere else. Can’t you see Nero needs to hurry home? Don’t force me to use my wooden friend,” said Collins with his serious expression and a stick raised above his head. Children could only show their tongues and start leaving when Collins turned and looked at Nero. He raised his hand for a handshake. Even though it felt a bit off when a much elder and a taller boy raised his hand first to greet a younger boy, Collins didn’t care about it. For him, Nero was much more interesting and stronger than his peers.

“You got stronger, once again,” said the boy as soon as they finished handshaking. Nero only smiled at his words.

“As usual? The same book?” asked Nero as he threw his glance at it while Collins was busy tying those buckets on his horse.

“Yes, I still don’t understand some words and phrases. Here, look at this one at this tale,” said Collins, pointing at the certain paragraph. “I don’t get what the author meant by ‘Meteorite’ and how a wave of flame appeared in there if enemies created fog and it was too wet,"

Nero quickly threw his glance at that part and turned to his friend with a smile on his lips.

“Meteorite, it’s a falling object from the skies. I don’t know where it came from, but in this tale, a mage used all his powers and made that object fall on the enemy’s head. When that object collided with the earth, fog, and wet ground couldn’t stop it and waves of flames appeared on that battlefield.” explained Nero as he gestured to make it easier for Collins to understand him. Collins widened his eyes when a realization struck him.

“So, you mean a meteorite burned everyone on that battlefield. Now, I see why I never read about that mage again in other tales. He most likely died because of that,” said Collins with an understanding expression on his face.

The company of boys continued their journey. Collins continued to ask different questions while Nero answered and explained when necessary. In such a manner, they soon reached the top of the hill, Nero’s home, where Gustav was already waiting for him.

Collins also realized that when he saw a smiling old man. So, he quickly helped his friend.

“See you in the evening, Nero, I and my horse will be ready. I hope, today you will finally succeed and learn how to ride a horse,” said the blonde boy as he jumped on his horse. “See you at our lesson,”

Nero only nodded and followed him with his glance. When he turned, he saw Gustav was approving his choice of friends.

“He is one of the best friends, you could find here. He is smart, hard-working, and responsible. I am glad that you became friends with him. Good job!” said Gustav as he gave Nero his training sword, “You can start your training.”

...

..

.

Far away from the Mount East Spear, there was a stone manor near a pond. The manor was located some distance away from the near city that was filled with life and activity. Merchants were busy trading, adventurers completing missions, knights and archers patrolled the streets while ordinary people lived their lives below banners of the wing and sword.

Right now, an old man with gray hair in armor was busy reading documents. For onlookers, he might look like a man at the end of his prime, but that could be their last mistake in life. Strength and will filled his every move and a battle sword placed nearby to him was proof. Besides, decisiveness and will were clear inside his gaze.

He was reading last reports that arrived today when another man, dressed as a housekeeper, entered the room.

“My Lord,” said the servant, as he bowed.

At first, nothing happened, and that man continued to write on his document before he raised his glance and looked at the guest.

“What happened?” He asked, understanding well that new bad news has arrived.

“My Lord, your plan has failed. We couldn’t persuade them. No money or resources changed the situation,” reported the servant under Lord’s scrutinizing gaze. As soon as he said his words, he felt how goosebumps started moving across his body.

“Doggone!” said Lord as he hit the table with his fist. Cracks appeared around the area he hit with his fist, “What happened, tell me.”

The servant only swallowed his saliva when he saw how his always calm Lord lost composure before gathering his courage and reporting. As soon as he finished, Lord calmed down and started thinking.

“Looks like I don’t have choices anymore. If they want war, they will get it," said the man as he clenched his sword when he noticed his servant wanted to propose something.

“Primus, if you want to say something, don’t act like a breaking virgin.” The servant nodded and cleared his throat.

“My Lord, this situation can be solved if you get an heir and show your distant relatives that they can’t compete against him, “said Primus as halted for a moment. “You still have an heir, my Lord.”

“But she abdicated when she left behind her family,” growled the old man. “She is no longer my heir,”

“My Lord, she has your blood flowing inside you, it’s much more important than a document that can be destroyed at any moment for a certain sum of money. I think it’s better than risking a war with your distant relatives,” The lord only shook his head at his words.

“It has already been 150 years. I doubt she would return and she might be anywhere. It’s not worth wasting resources on her searches.”

“But a small hope is still better than an imminent war and thousand of the dead. Please let us look for her.” The Lord only waved his hand.

“Fine, tell Grievous that a squad of Sky lizards can try to look for her, but they should return in 10 years back home. This is the smallest time period I will hold those bastards from starting a war.” Primus only saluted to him with a fist on his heart.

“I promise, my Lord, I will return your daughter,” said the servant as he bowed to baron Claus.