The Legend of the Constellar King-Chapter 1: Xerxez

To begin this story, there was a young boy, named Xerxez. For him, the constant truth was simply the world spun on. In every spin— week, month and year —a bird’s nest would be destroyed, and rebuild again in a glimpse of minute, hour, and day. On every branch, every bustling grass, and every fallen dried leaf, perhaps there were two, or three, or even four shiny eggs?

What truly captivates him was the vibrancy of the the eggshells, vivid red, pure white, deep blues and a playful mix of speckles. Each one has unique size and gentle weight. Some were smooth, others delightfully rough. He knew it all, each one was perfectly familiar in the cup of his hand.

"I’m ready now!" He inhaled courageously. ’I’m Xerxez, a twelve years old prince, born in Thallerion, at Betelgeuse district. Today, I’m going to march beneath the green, turdy oak trees like knights standing in my path side by side.’

When he moved in the earthy breath beneath the verdant canopy, each step muffled by moss-coated earth. Above his head, the cherish chorus of chirping robins, their chests bright white against striking blue feathers, echoed from the high branches of a thick, lustrous oak. His tough leather shoes, made for traversing any obstacle, crunched faintly on the fallen leaves, carrying him deeper into the woods. His simple bow made of bamboo and strong nylon, posing diagonally to his back, and the quiver of arrows at his hip hinted at his purpose, though the reason for his solitary journey remained hidden beneath his royal blue jacket and simple white t-shirt. His life seemingly simple and vibrant.

He traced each branch of trees like tracing the the crooked lines in the map. There, he spotted the blue shimmer—a robin’s nest, hidden high up in an old oak tree. His heart breathing with excitement. "This was it!"

With swift movements, Xerxez began to climb the tree, his feet gripping the rough bark tightly. Branches scratching him and the brittle twigs broke as he kept climbing carefully. Soon, the forest lay beneath him like a green ocean. When he reached the nest, his head rose like a sun as he carefully peered inside. Three shiny blue eggs lay there. "Got ya!!"

His wide smile spread across his face as he collected the two eggs and kept the smaller one to be hatched. He whispered a sound of triumph. This was pure happiness, a feeling of better than any royal decree. He stood up in the tree and sightseeing the paradise below and then he breathed.

’Hehe, I see more pale red feathers over there!’

’hm, that’s a piece of cake!

Those flamingoes parents unawares of my presence.

I’m sure I could snatch their eggs as many as possible.’

Thallerion was a forgotten land of entities, it said, the name derived from "Said by Orion" but referred to as "Teller of Orion" or sound like, "Tell’Rion". The chosen people of Orion entity.

’Well, Grandpa told me, we were famous hunters of demons and monsters back then. And he said, our ancestors had killed thousands of monsters, beasts, and those things that came from the deep sea.’

’But everything has change when the entity of Orion...disappeared. But grandpa told me, with or without Orion, true strength will come from the heart.’

Yet, after the entity Orion disappeared, other countries across the world with unique magic, power, and abilities, tried to colonize the land of Thallerion, Xerxez’ ancestors became battered. Without Orion’s presence, their fighting skills were lost too. However, most of the new generation had forgotten the hunting activities.

’Anyway, those aggressive flamingoes almost peck my butt! I snatched the flamingoes eggs in the tall grasses from the swamp but the female flamingoes were really aggressive. I am so Lucky because I still able to get their eggs—a beige light eggshell—on my pouch basket.’

*Squawk!

"Exactly," his ears gripped an adorable squawk, different from any earthly birds. "The Crane!"

When a unique Crane with a blue light feather flared like an Aurora Borealis brightly shining, when it lay eggs it sounds beautifully, then, a big nest made of cotton with two golden yellowish eggs that shines like gems, appeared.

’If I could snatch one, it will be the most victorious hunting in my youthful life. But I still haven’t get one, I wish I could trace their nest.’

’I waited it for so long, I promised to my grandpa that one day If I could snatch one I will give it to him, but.... my grandpa died a year ago.’

*He sighed.

’hmp...Don’t worry, grandpa, I promise to bring you eggs from that mysterious bird.’

As he waded through the knee-deep water, something glimmered at his feet, encrusted with sand and half-submerged. "Woah, what is this?" At first glance, he thought it was stone, but upon his closer inspection, he saw jewels embedded in its design.

"Oh, it’s a dagger," he mused, "look, it’s beautiful, like..like a treasure." He quickly slipped it into his pouch basket, "ow oh, the unique Crane squawk nearby, I must hide." He continued his watchful instinct, waiting for the bird to appear. He crept even closer to the sound of its chirping. Suddenly, he felt something trembling in his pouch. "Wait, is there egg hatched?" He stopped moving, and felt the moment. "It actually move!" It moved insistently. ’did I snatched egg, incubated over one week?’

"What’s moving on my basket pouch?" He immediately leaned against a moss-covered tree, widened the pouch mouth, and peeked through it. He first took the dagger by his fingers closed around the dagger’s hilt. "Oh, come on, which one of the eggs where about to hatch, there so many of them."

He stared intently at the dagger, a slight trembled coerced on his palm. "No...no...I must be dreaming , if this dagger— ouch!" Then, without warning, a powerful electric shock coursed through him, and Xerxez momentarily lost his consciousness. In his mind, he heard a man’s voice calling out to him.

"Xerxez!" His deep voice, seemingly gallant with a cold tone.

"Who are you?" He asked. ’Why I couldn’t see the man?’ his mind echoing in the calm, empty place, but with moderate light, and then, he followed up another question. "Where are you?"

But the voice paused for a few millisecond, "You will know me in due time, but I’m afraid, you will be scared of the true violence in this world." His eyes moving on every empty corner.

"I am not scared." He said with a firmed tone. "Grandpa told me everything outside of the palace. And he said, I will be the bravest boy in Thallerion." He heard the man voice was amazed, chuckling silently.

"Hm, aren’t you afraid I might be a monster?" The man’s voice grumbled.

"A monster? Haha, You really think I’m scared of monsters?" His tone sharply echoing in the vast void. "I’m not afraid of monsters." He said. ’I tried, but where is he actually hiding? Is he a ghost? I can’t see him.’ his mind mumbling in curiousity.

"Really?" The man said.

"Yes, but I don’t believe you’re a monster, your voice is too kind. You don’t roar like monsters either?"

"Well, should I act like beast? Hm, I don’t like to roar." Even though he couldn’t see the man, he felt like he was secretly laughing.

"Can I ask a question ?" Xerxez asked. ’I think he is super being.’

"Hm? Go on you can ask."

"Are you one of the entities?"The voice of a man breathed heavily and inhaled with concern. ’hehe, maybe he was belong to any powerful entity like Orion who fought together with my ancestors back then to fight against beast."

"You smart kid... I’m sorry, but I don’t want to answer your question." Xerxez eyes furrowed.

"Huh? You told me I can ask a question, how can you not answering my question?"

"Okay, but answer me first...if there is a single entity with Four-legged or a ferociously biting...destroy your land, will you hate me?"

"Why would I hate you?"

’The four legged... a beast? What kind of entity that was, hmmm? Why would I hate him if I didn’t see him doing evil?’

"Well, it seems you still a child, who doesn’t know exactly, how the cruel world ruin lives because of the trap made by the entities."

"My grandpa told me, forgiveness is a blessing to everyone... entities or human, must learn to forgive!"

"I like your grandpa, his wise and you learn from him so much...but I hope someday, when you grow up that lines will remain in your heart."

"Huh? Why you talk so emotional?"

"This is not a dream."

"Woah, are you sure? I don’t believe it!" Xerxez shocked. ’I thought it was a dream, that means I talk to a ghost?’

"Go back now!" ’Wait! Wait!’

*Flash! A blinding light suddenly struck Xerxez vision, then, on his mind it feels like he was teleported into the different dimension, but this time he was just dreaming, but not actually dreaming, he was in stuck in the nightmare. The flow of his dream swept him from a blinding light space into a terrifying scene.

"Woah, what was that light?"

He saw the light violently crashing down from the sky. He saw a wide, glowing shield affixed to the heavens like an ultimate, unbreakable barrier, and a creature trying to destroy it with a powerful mechanism. Xerxez was too young to understand such a thing, ignorantly watching the face of nightmare.

"Ah, is that a monster?"

’If this is real, then, I saw a real monster, a long-tailed creature breathing fire...His fighting...and fighting against magic and powerful weapons, and then he became a boy?

Then, I saw a vertical line rise in the sky. There...there is a black...an open field in the center.’

’Suddenly, I saw a giant tentacles resembling claws trying to widen the hole in the sky....whoah there is a celestial face made of thorny evil energy, a halo of dark purple monster, peeked out from it. Its eyes, the galaxies of malicious intent, he stared at me!’

"No, I have nothing to do with this, the man just brought me here." Xerxez felt like peeing himself in fear at the sight of the lashing monster.

"Please, no, don’t eat me!!!"

It lunged, not just grabbing, but enveloping Xerxez in its crushing grip, the air squeezed from his lungs, his bones groaning in protest. He felt himself being pulled towards its mouth, not just swallowed like an egg, but pulverized, created, absorbed into its very essence, his consciousness dissolving into a painful, eternal scream as he became one with the terrifying creature.

Xerxez woke up in his green bed made of dried leaves and grass. Soaked in sweat, his heart hammered against his ribs like a desperate drummer.

He gasped, "It ate me! Like... like a perfectly poached egg with a side of existential dread!" He scrambled up, still half-convinced he was being swallowed. He ran to the stream and drank water while the monster’s face still echoed in his mind. The water was like a mirror before him, and then he carefully examined his reflection.

’Wait a minute,’ he mumbled, tickling his stomach. ’I don’t feel like I was eaten by a cosmic horror. I actually feel... a little hungry. You know, for a cosmic horror-sized breakfast. Maybe some eggs, but definitely not poached. Scrambled. Yeah, scrambled would be good. Less chance of triggering terrifying dream memories.’ He paused, then whispered to his reflection, ’Though, I have to admit, that monster had good taste. I’m a delicious person.’

’This dagger, almost pee me on my dream.’

Xerxez tied it on his hip and immediately returned home with a bag full of colorful egg collection—blue, maroon, and speckled—a unique gift for his parents. Despite his youth, he wasn’t afraid to venture deeper into the forest, often escaping his personal guards just to collect eggs. To calm his parents’ inevitable worries, these precious eggs were his peace offering.

At the palace, Xerxez was at the dinner table with his Royal parents. Xerxez thought he would be scolded, but when the eggs he brought as gifts were served, a steaming bowl full of eggs was placed between them. His king and queen parents, who had initially frowned, suddenly brightened.

"Mmmm, these eggs... where did you get them? They’re absolutely delicious!" The Queen didn’t just fill her plate; she almost emptied the bowl, her eyes wide with pleasure, almost ecstasy. "Especially this blue one! I’ve never tasted anything like it!" Crack!

’My mom’s name was Xurien Wrez, she loves poetry, and singing was her hobby. I just smiled at her as she served more on her bowl.’

"Next time you escape your guards, perhaps bring more eggs home, my son." The King’s tone had a hint of teasing, but Xerxez just smiled, watching his parents eat their meal.

’And presenting to you, my father, Cerceux, king of Thallerion. Sometimes, he accompany me to teach me the lesson of archery.’

"My King, don’t encourage him!" The Queen’s face, however, was transformed by pure joy, her words barely audible due to her mouth full of food. "But Xerxez, my son... don’t try to escape without our permission. It’s dangerous out there."

"That only proves my son is brave; he inherited it from me," the King laughed, rubbing his side where the Queen had elbowed him. "But perhaps his gift-bringing and intelligence he inherited from you, my dear Queen."

"Speaking of daring, do you remember your Grandfather’s stories, my dear?" The Queen said, picking up a red egg the size of a quail’s. "He always said the forest had eyes watching over the forest when he was young. Different eyes than the birds Xerxez sees now." Crack!

The King nodded, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "Indeed. He swore he once saw the shadow of a terrifying Hawk, though those haven’t been seen for generations. He said their feathers were as black as the deepest abyss." He glanced at Xerxez, who was still smiling at the praise for his eggs. "Even for a young prince, a robin’s nest is enough adventure."

"Remember, Xerxez, our world is dangerous, even with the palace walls," the Queen added, a slightly serious look returning to her eyes as she finished her red egg. "There are stories... and not all of them are just stories for children."

Nevertheless, Xerxez came back in the mountains, once again, disregarding his parents’ warnings. He watched the green grass, the birds chirping above like swift comets. He held his found treasure and scrutinized it’s relic design, the gems was no value to Xerxez eyes, the gems are made of valuable treasure like the amethyst, Topaz, emerald, and pearl at the center. He try to shake it to create a spark of electric but nothing’s happens. ’why it doesn’t work? It should electrocute me.’

* Squawk!!!

Xerxez snapped up on the grass bed, he heard a beautiful bird’s squawk, up from the bushes on the stream, its feathers wonderfully pearly with a hint of blue tortoiseshell. It was indeed lustrous blue like a Borealis, its eyes lit a beautiful amethyst.

’Aha! The bird finally came. Whoa, look at that sound seems telling me there’s a hidden treasure there. A Crane’s nest! I wish this time , no one will interrupt my hunting.’

He traced the sound while carefully hiding in the thick bushes. The squawk continue echoing in the forest, it sound beautifully pitching one another. Xerxez saw the graceful glide of their wings from one branch to another. ’Almost there!’ He giggled in excitement. ’It must be scary, I must be prepared! This arrow might not be enough, but all I wanted is just to get the Crane’s eggs. Perhaps, two eggs, or four eggs will be enough.’

’the Crane stood in the thick branch, maybe it eggs somewhere nearby. I must step a little closer to make sure I could trace its nest.’

*Hoooooonk!!!! Hooooooooonk!

Suddenly, a trumpet sound was heard sharply echoing throughout the Thallerion Lands. The birds flew in different directions, and Xerxez found it difficult to trace the nests of those birds. The trumpet was loud, as if a storm loudly approaching in the Thallerion.

’Such a bad timing... I’m almost there though.. just a few step, I could almost trace their nest.’ So, Xerxez took his small pouch full of eggs and went home. ’what exactly happening in the palace?’