People Who are Rejected

(Don't hate me, this will be another story. The similarity is an illusion.)

It's just one of those minor islands on the Grand Line, called Asca Island.

The islanders are honest, kind, and hardworking people who should have lived a relatively abundant and peaceful life.

In reality, this has not happened because of a rumor that was never confirmed. The island has been visited by pirates almost frequently and has brought deep disaster to the island's people.

Although the island is covered with houses, a modification made to fend off incoming pirates at any time, from an aerial view of the island, a lone tree house can be found isolated in the forest, contrary to the overall atmosphere of the island.

Some thin figures appeared under the trees, coming together, seemingly reluctant to reach the treehouse, and finally, an older child gathered his courage and shouted :

"Aaron, the High Priest was calling for you!"

The sounds of footsteps coming from the silent forest, a handsome looking young boy poked his head out of the treehouse, and suddenly all the children were scattered, except for the frightening voices roaming the forest.

"Run! The monster is out!"

"He saw me, it's over, he must have found out about me stealing animal meat!"

"You guys, to steal the meat of a beast is ridiculous... You don't even invite me to such things!"

Aaron's young face is very calm, as if already familiar with the fear and rejection of others, but towards his treehouse, just one: "I will go out for a trip, you are to be good at home all alone!"

A pink carved little girl in the room poked her head out and said sweetly: "Nii-san, Daisy would not run around. Daisy is the most well-behaved."

Aaron calmed down, closed the doors and windows, and leaped straight down from the nearly ten-meter high treehouse.

It wasn't long before Aaron had arrived at the village temple, and the high priest on his cane showed up in perfect timing, aged-looking and ribbed.

"Aaron, I have come to you this time to ask for your help for the clan's life and death." The High Priest said with an ashamed face.

"High Priest, you should never say that. Just tell me what to do directly." Aaron's small face was filled with a serious look.

There was a moment of hesitation in High Priest's eye, but he quickly remembered something and his attention became firm again.

"It started thousands of years ago, Aaron, and you know the legend, the one about the Holy Sword that was cursed."

"I know, I heard that those pirates also keep coming to the island because of this mythological legend." Although he didn't know why the High Priest mentioned this, Aaron still replied seriously.

"Is it misty? That's not just a rumor, but it's true!"

"How...how is this possible?" Aaron's little face was filled with shock.

"It is said that thousands of years ago, a full red moon descended on our island of Asca. Our ancestors believed that the red moon, which represented blood and evil, would invite disaster and misfortune, hence that red moon was also known as the Ominous Moon!"

"So all the Gods of Asca, to guard the people against the catastrophic mutation, gave the King of Asca three precious metals as a shield and a seven-star sword as a spear."

"Unfortunately, during the long years, the Sword of the Seven Stars has gradually become tainted with darkness and ominousness, becoming a cursed holy sword. Our clan's mission is to guard and suppress it, preventing it from being used by those wicked people in the outside world, as well as preventing the darkness of this sword from invading the world."

Aaron was unsure and waited for the High Priest's explanation.

"Every hundred years, when the red moon falls, the seal will be at its weakest, and it will need to be resealed with the witch's bloodline and the three jewels. However, the next generation of witches have not grown up yet, and I am already old, no one in the clan will be able to complete the seal, and once the Seven Star Sword is born, this sea will be enveloped in darkness!"

"So, what you're saying is...," Aaron lowered his tone as if he had already guessed the High Priest's meaning.

"Only by offering the perfect sacrifice to God can we quell the wrath of the gods and strengthen the seal of the Seven Star Sword once more, and your gift... it's almost as if you're the son of a god!"

Aaron was kind, so kind that he was willing to give up his life for the villagers who rejected and feared him, but he couldn't die, and if he did, who would take care of his young sister?

Life on the island has been difficult due to the arrival of pirates, and no one would want the burden of an extra mouth to feed, and it is for this reason that the young and wise Aaron reveals his worth to win rations from the village that belong to his sister.

As if sensing Aaron's hesitation, the High Priest's pale voice came out, "Don't worry about Daisy. As compensation, I've contacted a couple of great nobles with no offspring who would be happy to adopt Daisy, and after you're gone, Daisy will live a better life than everyone else."

The words undoubtedly touched Aaron's sentiments. While he didn't mind the odd look from others, he would never want Daisy to have the same experience, and he wanted her to live her great life of eating well and sleeping warmly every day.

"High Priest, I promise I will do it!"

"Good boy, it is just hard for you!"

...

The High Priest's promise was soon fulfilled. Although Daisy's heart-broken cries stopped Aaron in one moment, he eventually took his heart and left without looking back, and Daisy was still young. In just a few years' time, she might be able to forget about his incompetent brother and live the life everyone dreamed!

...

The scarlet moonlight was about to descend over the earth, and Aaron followed the High Priest's path as he stepped into the temple, everything around him emitting a sense of antiquity as if he had stepped out of an ancient time.

The temple's bottom floor lies a primitive sarcophagus, the ground is painted with the blood drawn six stars formation. Aaron stood in the center of the six-star formation. The high priest told Aaron not to run away before fleeing like a desperate man.

Although the surroundings were bloody and creepy, Aaron didn't fear his heart but was curious to look around.

Suddenly, a gentle whistling sound rang out in the deep and spooky room, as if the mockingbird in the forest was singing happily, some black mist infiltrated into the body from the pores of the skin, and an utterly demagogic voice sounded in his mind.

"Go... open the sarcophagus and take up the sword of God, and you will have the most overwhelming power!"

Seeing that Aaron was still there, the black mist continued to increase its leverage.

"...power, wealth, fame...just pick up that sword, and everything would follow!"

However, Aaron only murmurs, "Is this the test of the gods? Doesn't seem like it would be that hard?"

The Seven Stars Sword stops trembling. It doesn't have full consciousness. It just has a vague sense of spirit like most demon blades. Indeed, it's not the same as the Sankyo Onigiri's flow, that is.

Right now, if the Seven Star Sword possessed wisdom, it would be strangely surprising. How could somebody have a pure mind and no darkness at all?

Published in Qidian, February 13, 2019