Heritor of Cadence

I remember the rain…

Frederick: PRINCE MARK! THIS IS NOT A BATTLE WE WILL WIN!

Blood coating the soil of Cadence…

Roy: Prince!

The sound of steel clashing.

Desperate. Futile.

Frederick: This war is one we cannot win! Please, get ahold of yourself!

I wouldn’t listen. What do they know? I had watched my future crumble. All I could cling to was the past. The memory played possibly hundreds of times. That purple scythe cleaving my ill mother in two. Her innards painting my royal uniform a sickening red. Father’s desperate pleas. Umeko…my beloved Umeko…she-

Mark: THE WITCH DIES HERE!!!!

Truth be told, I knew I had no chance of winning. Such a battle was beyond me. But the way that blade felt in my hand…had Roy not intervened this story would reach no ears. Roy, for the first time I watched the Proud Lion, spill into sorrow. A man known for spreading cheer wherever you may find him had no words of encouragement. Frederick, the Iron Wall of Cadence, didn’t dare to face that witch. Instead I was forced to listen that damnable laugh as we retreated by horseback. Cadence, with a population of 7 million, was reduced to a mere 1.

Mark: Why? Why are we fleeing?!

Roy: Prince, calm yourself.

Mark: I’ll calm myself when I see that witch’s head on a pike! You two may flee but I shall die where I was born! My loyalty to Cadence-

Frederick: MARK CADENCE! SILENCE AT ONCE!

Mark Cadence…I hadn’t heard my name called out like that since my days in the Knights Academy. Frederick, my instructor, clearly had his fill of my whining voice. But, was I in the wrong? We were running from our enemy as if cowards. She could be sitting atop my father’s throne desecrating what it means to earn such a prestigious position.

Frederick: My promise to your parents was to keep you safe. Prince Mark, you are no ordinary boy. Your father, he told me you are the key to uniting this world.

Mark: I am nothing of the sort. A coward is all my soul can claim.

Roy: Frederick and I understand your pain. But, you cannot deny that being of the Cadence lineage makes you more than ordinary.

Mark: That could be spoken for anyone born of royalty. Should I truly be special my people would not have cried out to the Goddesses for help.

That stretched moment of silence felt like forever. Perhaps they realized I was right? Who was I to hold the title of key-bearer after the events that transpired. The rain made it hard to think as it assaulted every sense.

Mark: Roy, Frederick, whatever may become of us…I promise that I will always cherish what you’ve done for me. The meals you’ve shared with one such as myself mean more than I can put into words.

Roy: You speak as if we are dying.

Frederick: There will be plenty more meals to come, Prince.

Mark: How can we be sure?

Roy: Cause I’m here.

Frederick: I believe that’s my line.

Roy: Hey! Me and you aren’t so far off when it comes to the blade!

Frederick: I beg to differ Proud Lion. Even should you possibly best me, your culinary skills are beyond lackluster.

Roy: I-fair point.

Between their bickering I had come to a realization. We lack a proper force. As of now we are merely three swordsmen. All of which lack use of potent magic. Who better to accompany us than the creators of magic?

Mark: Frederick, take us to Erengale.

Frederick: Erengale? Surely you don’t mean to make allies with elves.

Mark: Does that pose as a problem to you?

Frederick: Not to myself no. Elves haven’t been the fondest of humanity.

Roy: Elves are never fond of anyone.

Mark: Should we wish to win back our kingdom a unified force will be essential. I can reason with the queen.

Frederick: Had your father not attempted the same?

Mark: He merely failed due to outside interference. However, there will be no such interference as long as I am around.

Frederick: Right then. Let us be off!

Roy: Onward! We shall claim our kingdom once more!

Mark: The witch will be slain, our flag hung high, and the darkness dispelled. In the name of my family, I, the lone Heritor of Cadence, will see to it that peace befall this land once more!

The story that began it all.

A boy destined to change the path of reality.

What follows is as the goddesses will.

HERITOR OF CADENCE