Solaris empire

The Solar Empire. The Empire of Fire. The Land of the Sun.

It had been given many names, but one thing remained certain: it was a kingdom ruled by the imperial bloodline of the Primordial Sun God, Sol'Zar. The Solaris family, the only people who could truly claim descent from the ancient war deity, were the most powerful fire-wielders in the world. Their unique Sun Body constitution granted them the rare ability to wield both divine power and mana simultaneously.

As their faith and devotion to their ancestor deepened, so too did their divine power, allowing them to master various disciplines. After the demise of the Ashen family, they seized a vast portion of their land, further cementing their dominance. Their sole religion, the Church of the Five Suns, which worshipped Sol'Zar, solidified their rule as one of the few dynasties in the world.

And this was where Baines now found himself.

The village's residents had been rounded up for questioning, and he was currently waiting in line for his turn.

'What will I say?' he wondered. Lying that he was among the villagers was out of the question. The village was small, and its people knew one another well. A stranger appearing out of nowhere with a fabricated story would only raise suspicions.

After thinking and deciding on what to say for what felt like hours, 

"Next!" a knight called out.

It was his turn.

Baines entered the interrogation room and sat before the sword master he had seen earlier.

"Mm? Five-star?" The man frowned upon seeing Baines. He was young, far too young. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Five-star at eighteen?" The sword master's face showed a mix of surprise and skepticism. "What is an eighteen-year-old five-star doing here?"

"I came to test my luck on the Tome of Ashenfall," Baines answered, gritting his teeth as if lamenting a missed opportunity.

'I hope he buys it.' Baines hoped in his heart.

"Huh? The tome?" The sword master raised an eyebrow. He, too, had heard the rumors. Many young and ambitious individuals set out to find the so-called tome, only to return empty-handed or not at all.

Then, luckily, his expression softened in understanding.

Baines was a young man with both talent and strength. It was only natural that he would chase after such a legend, driven by the prospect of fame and glory.

'It sure feels good to be young.' The sword master smiled as he thought.

"What's your name?"

After a brief hesitation, Baines lied. "Jin."

Trust was something he reserved only for his family. The rest of the world didn't deserve it.

"Jin? Unusual name. Well, it seems you can't continue your journey. What are you going to do now?"

Baines paused and thought, 'What am I going to do now?'

His original plan, to be kidnapped and learn how to kill, had been riddled with flaws, flaws so obvious. He would have been killed as he got there. Even if he had succeeded, how would he have escaped? He had never thought that far ahead at that time.

Now that he thought about it, this unplanned situation turned out to be the best for him. Now, he could stand on his own, but then he had no destination.

Seeing Baines's confusion, the sword master spoke. "You want to be famous, right? Then why don't you go to the Last Front?"

"Huh?" Baines perked up, intrigued. He had heard of the place before; however, he had no idea it was in the Solaris empire.

The Last Front. It was one of the most ruthless and battle-hardened military forces in existence. Their duty? To defend the world from the horrors beyond its borders, monsters, barbarians, demon lands, and other unspeakable threats.

Wars were fought there daily. For many, it was a place of death. But for those seeking a name for themselves, it was an opportunity.

Then, Baines remembered what Bortus had told him before he left: 'Gather achievements.'

'Wait… If the last front turned out to belong to the empire, then if I make a name for myself, it is also gathering achievements in the empire. I... can also gather information about what happened that day.'

The succession race was the least of his concerns now. His family had likely been forgotten, erased from history. But he hadn't forgotten. He never would. All that mattered was finding them and taking revenge.

"Recently, the outliers have started attacking together," the sword master continued. "The House of Darkon has been assigned to aid the Last Front. They even dispatched a team of healers from the Church of the Five Suns."

"Darkon?" Baines muttered. The warrior clan famous for training dragon-riding knights. 'If they were sent, then…'

"It must be serious."

The sword master nodded gravely. "Recruitment is underway. Good salary, a place to stay, and quality weapons to protect yourself."

'Hmm… there's no reason to refuse.' Baines mulled over his options, then consulted 'Eye.'

'Am I missing anything?'

[JOINING THE ARMY WILL RESTRICT MOVEMENT AS YOU WILL BE CONSTANTLY MONITORED. HOWEVER, IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO CHECK DISTURBANCES IN ASHENFALL.]

'You're right. The only legal way to return there is through the military.'

[IT IS ALSO ADVISABLE TO FIND A PROPER INFORMATION NETWORK.]

'That too… Searching for my family will require resources. But they'll expect something in return.'

For a while now, Baines had made 'Eye' speak more naturally, avoiding overly formal speech. He didn't realize it yet, but this was his way of maintaining his sanity.

[YOU ARE SKILLED IN PLANTS. YOU CAN OFFER THEM YOUR CREATIONS. YOU ALSO POSSESS WEAPONS AND MARTIAL TECHNIQUES.]

'Hmm... I can part with plants but not weapons or techniques. My ancestors risked their lives for those. It would be an insult to trade them away.'

He turned back to the sword master, his mind made up.

"Alright. I'll go."

"Perfect." The sword master smiled and stood. "A carriage leaves today. You can join them. I'll handle the rest."

Baines studied him for a while, then asked, "Why are you doing this for me?"

"Five-star at eighteen… I'm curious to see how far you'll go. Besides—" The sword master tilted his head. "Isn't it the right thing to do?"

"The right thing to do?" Baines murmured in surprise. The words felt foreign, as if spoken by a version of himself that had died long ago.

Was it the right thing to tear apart his family? To betray them? Yet it had happened anyway.

"People have their reasons, things that drive them," the sword master said. "But along the way, wouldn't it be right to help those we can?"

'This man…' For the first time, Baines' perception of the empire wavered. Not that he had any impression of it in the first place.

"Haha! Anyway, are you ready?"

"Yes." Baines' face hardened, his distant, angry expression returning.

The sword master grinned. "You shouldn't frown with such a face, you'll ruin it."

"Heup…" Baines flinched in horror.

"Hahaha!" The sword master's laughter echoed as he walked away.

Thirty minutes later, Baines sat in a carriage bound for the empire's heartland.

"Give this to the recruitment officer," the sword master said, handing him a sealed letter. He spoke briefly to the driver, then stepped back.

Baines leaned out the window. "I never got your name."

"I thought you'd never ask." The sword master smiled. "Vole Malakar."

"Malakar—wait, that Malakar?!" Baines' eyes widened in shock.

"Huh? I can't hear you over the distance." Vole waved cheerfully.

'He's lying.' Baines knew he had heard him clearly. But he didn't push and laid back in the carriage. 

'Haa… It's going to be a long ride. I should rest before we get there.'

Leaning back, he whispered, "Mother, Father, Cecilia, Rokin, Ralph… I've finally taken a step. Please, wait for me."

Tears slipped down his cheeks as he drifted into sleep.