Chapter 1 - The Legend of the Cursed Sword
A very, very long time ago — so long that even the oldest scrolls hesitate to mention it — there lived a man. Not just any man: the most powerful, the richest, and, incidentally, the most unbearable of his era.
He had conquered kingdom after kingdom, humiliated kings and goddesses, and had no opponent left worthy of him. At least… that’s what he thought.
Arrogant enough to gaze at his reflection in a puddle and declare, “What a magnificent god I am,” he finally shouted for all to hear:
— “I challenge the gods themselves!”
The deities, not exactly fans of their creation’s oversized ego, decided to act. No grand lightning bolts, no apocalyptic cataclysms… No. They did something far worse: they turned him into a sword.
Yes. Just a sword. Not even a shiny one, simply a blade stuck in a rock. A fitting reminder of his “true place” in the world for all eternity.
Thus was born the legend of the Cursed Sword. But since no one knew why it was there or who it had once been… the story faded, twisted, reshaped into myth.
---
Centuries later…
The world had changed.
Kingdoms had evolved, peoples too. But a new threat had emerged: the Chimeras. Monstrous beasts, part lion, part serpent, part goat (yes, a lot of “parts,” but they were creative), who reduced villages and armies to dust.
Despite the common danger, nations refused to unite. Too much pride, too many cultural differences… So each fought their own way.
And that’s where our story begins.
---
A not-so-“Valkyrian” boy
Our protagonist is named Yowai, seventeen years old, born of the Valkyrie people.
A people famed for their warrior women, blessed by the goddess: women strong enough to lift mountains with their bare hands and cleave armies in two with a single strike.
The men, however… let’s just say they didn’t get the same blessing. Their role was to learn magic, to support their sisters and mothers in battle.
Problem: Yowai… wasn’t very talented.
In fact, not talented at all.
— “Yowai! How did you manage to set a river on fire?!”
Yowai lowered his eyes, ashamed.
— “I just used the formula… the way you told me to.”
The master mage nearly tore his hair out.
— “That was a telekinesis spell! How did you turn it into… into… an aquatic wildfire?!”
— “Uh… natural talent?”
Silence. A collective sigh. Then:
— “Forget it. Go home, you’ve caused enough damage for today…”
— “…Oh… okay.”
Yowai trudged off, head down, under incredulous stares.
“It’s always the same… I never succeed at any spell. At this rate, I’ll never be a mage worthy of standing beside Dynamī…”
At home, the door slammed behind him. Inside, his younger brother Kyrios, twelve, was sharpening a wooden sword.
— “Back already? Let me guess… what did you set on fire this time?”
— “Hey! Just because I came home early doesn’t mean I—…”
Kyrios gave him a suspicious look. Yowai caved.
— “…Fine. A lake.”
Kyrios burst out laughing, nearly cutting himself.
— “PUAHAHA! A lake! Wait… how do you even set a lake on fire? Shouldn’t it have just evaporated?”
— “That’s what I’d like to know too…”
At that exact moment, the door exploded inward. Royal guards stormed in.
Kyrios, unfazed, rolled his eyes.
— “Again…”
— “Yowai! The crown summons you!”
And before he could react, a whirlwind of muscles and black hair tackled him.
— “Yowai!!”
— “GAAAH! Dynamī, let go! You’re gonna break me in half!!”
The Valkyrie princess — his childhood friend, heir to the throne, prodigy warrior — squeezed him like she was trying to rip out his skeleton with a hug.
— “Sorry! But come on, I need you, it’s super important!”
Yowai tried to protest… then met the guards’ menacing glares.
— “…Yeah yeah, I’m coming.”
---
The Sword of Legend
In the great square, a massive crowd had gathered. At the center, resting on its stone pedestal, stood the Cursed Sword.
The legend said: “Whoever pulls it free will possess the strength to save the world from the Chimeras.”
Yowai paled.
— “…Why am I here again?”
The blind high priest seemed to stare at him insistently.
— “Dynamī… why is he looking at me like that?”
— “Don’t worry, he’s blind.”
— “…Oh. (pause) WAIT, WHAT?!”
Too late. Dynamī stepped up to the sword amid thunderous cheers. She grasped it, inhaled deeply… and pulled.
The sword moved. The crowd held its breath. Dynamī gritted her teeth, muscles taut as steel cables.
Craaaack… the sword rose!
…along with the entire pedestal.
— “Uh…” Yowai muttered. “…I don’t think that’s how it’s supposed to work.”
Awkward murmurs spread through the crowd. Dynamī set the rock back down, confused. Disappointment weighed heavy.
Then, against all odds, Yowai timidly raised his hand.
— “…Um… can I try?”
Hostile silence.
— “Kid, if the princess couldn’t, why would you succeed?!”
— “Go home before you anger the gods!”
Ignoring them, Yowai took the hilt. He pulled. The sword shifted… then jammed, just like with Dynamī.
He forced harder, tilted it sideways… and CRACK.
Absolute silence.
The sword had broken.
Horrified, Yowai stared at the fragment in his hand.
— “…Well, shit.”
The crowd roared.
— “HE HAS DOOMED US!!”
— “STONE HIM!!”
Guards intervened just in time. Dynamī shouted firmly:
— “Enough! That sword was just a hollow legend. I, Dynamī, will save our people, with or without it!”
The crowd, fired up, calmed down. Yowai sighed in relief… unaware this was only the beginning of his troubles.
That night, in his room, Yowai stared at the broken sword piece he’d been allowed to keep. Lying on his bed, he muttered to the ceiling:
— “Maybe I should tell her that… that I haven’t made any progress in magic. I can only use the protection spell… it’s kind of…”
??? : “Pathetic.”
— “…Yeah, exactly…”
…
He blinked.
— “…Wait a second. Who just said that?”
He jumped out of bed like a frog had been dropped in his pajamas. His eyes landed on… the sword.
??? : “Hahaha! What, scared, little runt?”
Yowai : “Oh crap… what did I drink?!”
??? : “Nothing, mortal! Stop daydreaming and free me from this prison!”
Yowai (panicking): “W-what the hell ARE you?!”
The sword vibrated slightly, as if puffing its nonexistent chest.
??? : “Such insolence! I am the greatest man and warrior of humanity! And you DARE… you DARE ask who I am?!”
Without thinking, Yowai hurled the sword out the window into the river.
— “There. And now… I’ll just pretend that never happened.”
He sighed in relief… until a familiar voice boomed behind him.
??? : “How DARE you THROW me into the water, mortal?!”
The sword was back. Sitting calmly in the middle of his room.
Yowai : “…How is that even possible?!”
??? : “Listen well! I am the great Hokori Meobe!”
A heavy silence.
— “…Meobe? From the legend?”
Meobe (swelling with pride): “Exactly!”
— “The arrogant jerk?”
Meobe : “…Huh? Who said that?!”
— “Well, it’s written everywhere… that you were unbearable, prideful, narcissistic, obnoxious—”
Meobe : “AAAH! I should never have let my army write my legend!!”
He sighed loudly.
Meobe: — Never mind. I heard you’re a magician, right? Then free me from my curse!
Yowai: — Huh? Uh… I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to cast any spells. Except… the shield.
Meobe (horrified): — WHAT?! How… HOW can you be a magician and not know anything else?! You’re just… an upgraded villager!!
Yowai: — Hey! I didn’t ask for this, okay?! You can leave if I’m not the person you’re looking for!
Meobe: — As if I could move, idiot…
A silence passed. Yowai frowned.
Yowai: — But… I threw you into the river, and you came back. So you can move?
Meobe: — Of course not! The gods bound me. They granted me the ability to return to my… master.
Yowai: — Wait. Master? You mean me?!
Meobe: — Exactly. As the gods promised me millennia ago: one day, a man will lift my curse, and our fates will be bound. But… honestly, I was hoping for someone more… muscular.
He appraised Yowai from head to toe with a disdainful look.
Yowai (unimpressed): — Thanks… for the compliment.
The door suddenly opened. His little brother entered, eyes half-closed.
Kyrios: — Aaeh… is it just me, or are you talking to yourself, Yowai?
Yowai: — Uh… yesss?
Kyrios: — …Alright. I won’t try to understand. But if you could avoid chatting with… yourself at this hour, it’d help me sleep.
Yowai: — Yeah, yeah… I’ll sleep.
Kyrios yawned, wished him good night, and left.
Meobe: — I guess I would have preferred staying in my pedestal, after all…
Exhausted, Yowai collapsed onto his bed. “It’s just lack of sleep… it’s all just lack of sleep…” he thought before drifting off.
But the next morning…
Meobe: — What?! You thought I was going to disappear, mortal?! Hahaha! Unfortunately for you, our fates are linked. Until my curse is lifted.
Yowai (sighing): — Great…
He got ready. Today was a big day.
Yowai sighed deeply, trying to push the memories of the previous night out of his mind. Today was a big day. He adjusted his outfit, not really convinced about his appearance, then prepared to leave.
Meobe, still standing in the corner, chuckled:
— Hey! You’re not leaving me here alone, right?
Yowai rolled his eyes, exasperated.
— …Seriously? You want to come?
— Are you planning to abandon me? Me? The strongest man in the world?! Even reduced to half a sword, I remain a legend!
The apprentice mage shook his head, tired, then grabbed the old dented sword.
— You tire me… But fine, come along.
Arriving at the castle, Yowai was immediately swept through the corridors, guards almost running to take him to the great hall where everything was being prepared. The place buzzed with activity: servants running with fabrics, soldiers checking their armor, advisors whispering among themselves.
Queen Fos, radiant despite her worried expression, turned to him with a smile.
— Oh! Yowai, you arrived earlier than expected today.
— Uh… yes. But… it was you who asked me last time, right?
— Ah… yes, of course. Haha…
Her laugh sounded false, a little forced. Then, lowering her voice slightly, she added:
— I had a favor to ask of you.
But before he could learn more, the growing clamor of the crowd drowned out their words. The royal event was beginning.
Yowai found Dynamī, twirling in a dazzling dress.
— So? How do I look? she asked proudly.
Yowai grimaced, embarrassed:
— Hm… it suits you. But you’re not really used to wearing a dress, are you?
— Exactly! For the coronation, I couldn’t come dressed as usual. And you too, I see you made an effort…
— Not really. You’re the one who gave me these clothes.
— Pfff, can’t you just accept a compliment for once?
Yowai wanted to reply, but a royal guard interrupted them:
— Princess Dynamī, the ceremony is about to begin.
The young woman took a deep breath and walked gracefully. Yowai, uncomfortable in this role, followed behind her with forced respect.
The hall filled with solemn silence. Guests whispered among themselves as the high priest, guided by a young acolyte, advanced on the red carpet. In his hands rested the sacred sword, meant for Queen Fos to officially designate her daughter as heir.
Yowai, standing back, sighed inwardly.
What am I even doing here? I’m just an apprentice mage, barely able to cast a spark. Even with the castle’s special training, I accomplish nothing. How could I ever…
The high priest bowed and presented the sword. The queen reached out…
A suspended moment. Then the metal pierced her chest.
The hall erupted into chaos and screams. The guards immediately struck down the insane priest, but before he even touched the ground, a horrible transformation occurred: his body twisted, bones cracked, flesh deformed. Before them emerged an abomination: a chimera, with a roaring lion’s head, a malformed goat body, and a venomous serpent tail.
With a fiery breath, the monster spewed flames. The walls shook, the ceiling cracked, the columns collapsed. The soldiers, brave but powerless, were swept away by its attacks.
Yowai, caught off guard, desperately searched for Dynamī. But his eyes first fell on the queen, collapsed on the floor, the sword still lodged in her belly.
— Queen Fos! Hold on, we can still… if I remove the sword—
— Don’t… don’t do that, Yowai… she gasped. This sacred weapon can only be removed once the enemy is defeated.
— But… what kind of stupid rule is that?! he shouted, tears in his eyes.
To him, she wasn’t just the sovereign. Since childhood, thanks to Dynamī, she had been like a second mother. And seeing her like this tore his heart apart.
— Don’t worry about me… murmured the queen, her voice already weak. Just remember… what I told you…
Her eyes closed.
Yowai, heartbroken, clenched his fists.
Amid flames and dust, he finally found Dynamī. The princess, armed, was already fighting the chimera. Her anger drove her to attack relentlessly, and her sword managed to slash the beast. But with a brutal swing of its venomous tail, it sent her flying into a wall. She collapsed, unconscious.
— Dynamī!!!
Yowai, trembling, felt panic wash over him. He couldn’t lose her. Not after the promise he had made to the queen.
He grabbed an abandoned sword and lunged at the creature. But his strike was swatted away. The tail came down violently on him. Thrown to the ground, he spat blood. The serpent’s venom burned through his veins. His legs refused to move, his vision blurred.
— Yowai…!
Dynamī’s desperate voice echoed in his mind. But he already felt death approaching.
So… I’m going to die… I see. My whole life, I’ve achieved nothing extraordinary. I’m not a hero. I’m just a weakling among the Valkyries…
Then a memory returned, clear as day.
— Yowai… Queen Fos had said to him just before the ceremony. After all these years… I consider you my son.
— R… really?
— Yes. And that’s why I must ask you something difficult. Dynamī is impulsive, always too lively… But it is you she chose as her personal mage. So please… protect her.
Back in the present, Yowai smiled sadly.
— Hehe… what a ridiculous alignment…
Moebe vibrated in his hand.
— Hey, did you forget me or what?!
— You’re just half a sword…
— Tch! I am the strongest man in the world, I mean! Doesn’t matter my appearance!
Yowai hesitated… then gripped the broken sword’s hilt.
— …I’m not skilled. That’s true. But I refuse to betray my promises… Not on my grave!
The chimera roared and charged at him. Yowai, blinded by poison, could see nothing. His body no longer responded. But in a final effort, he raised Moebe and struck at the same time as the beast.
— I will protect Dynamī, even if I have to give my life!!!
A lightning bolt tore through the air. A titanic power, emanating from the sword, reduced the chimera to dust.
— Hahaha! Look, mortal! This is proof of my power! shouted Moebe, triumphant.
But Yowai, already exhausted, collapsed. The poison had won.
— Yowai!!!
Dynamī, regaining her strength, rushed to him, cradled him in her arms. Only one sense remained to him: touch. But Dynamī’s, he would recognize among a thousand.
In a broken whisper, he murmured:
— Don’t worry… everything… will be… alright…
His eyes closed.
End of Chapter 1.
