It happened about 30 years ago.
The people of the continent ruled by the Demon King Astor decided that they had had enough and sent warriors to the central plains to try and overthrow the tyrant's rule.
There were originally 6 of them, from the 6 major kingdoms that made up the continent. They sent their best warriors and their strongest armies, praying that they would be enough to stop the Demon King, but it was only four years later that they actually saw a glimmer of hope.
He came in the form of a boy clad in golden armor.

A child of 12 years who carried a bastard sword as if it was merely a wooden toy.

He was a farmer’s son with hair of gold and honey brown eyes, and the armor he wore which was too big for him, was merely taken from fallen knights he passed along his way towards the central plains.
He had the strength of a hundred men and magic equal to none, and his arrival was the start of the Demon King's demise.

It took 5 years for the Golden Hero and his six companions to decimate the Demon King's army.

As the end of the war neared, the Golden Hero, together with Prince Jonas, his sister Ann from the kingdom of Maralict, and several other warriors, were finally able to kill the Demon King Astor.
After the battle, Prince Jonas Maralict was crowned Emperor and united the continent as the Holy Maralict Empire. His sister Princess Ann got the title of 1st Imperial Princess, and was engaged to the Golden Hero.

Simon turned the page of the book he was reading and was disappointed to see that the passage ended there. He placed the book down on the table and sipped his tea that had already turned tepid.

“Your Highness, are you still busy reading?”

Simon looked up and saw High Priest Roshan smiling down at him as he caressed his long beard.

“Your Reverence, I didn’t notice you enter the library...”

“Are you still reading about the War of Liberation?” asked the old priest as he sat on a chair beside the young prince. “May I ask what makes you so interested to know about the previous war?”

“I was hoping to read about the legendary Golden Hero, but it seems that there are hardly any written accounts about him.”

“Ahh, that is due to the royal degree from the emperor himself,” said the priest. “After that Hero’s betrayal, all mention of his name was removed from all texts and history books. It was the empire’s way to make the people forget about his traitorous acts.”

“But how could they do that to the person who single-handedly killed the Demon King? How could they just erase him from the empire’s history?!”

The priest looked at Simon, his white furry brows rising slightly as a smile played on his wrinkled lips.

“And where, pray tell, did you hear about such things? When all the empire knows that it was no other than the young Emperor Jonas and his sister Princess Ann who overthrew the Demon king’s dark reign? Some even say that Emperor Jonas himself was the Golden Hero.”

“I...” Simon was hesitant. “I heard it from my nanny!” he finally admitted. “She was the lady-in-waiting of one of the Demon King’s concubines, and she was there when the Golden Hero and his companions took siege of the Dark Realm and killed the Demon King!”

“And I am guessing that she has already told you not to tell others about such stories?”

Simon lowered his head and went silent.

“I guess you have noticed it too,” the priest continued, “the books here in the Stone Temple still have details about the Golden Hero, though it is very minimal.”

“Yes, your Reverence, these books are the only ones I’ve seen that mention of the Golden Hero at all! And like you just mentioned, some books from the capital even say that Emperor Jonas and the Golden Hero are one and the same!”

“That is because we of the Stone Temple Priests believe that truth should never be clouded by selfish desires.”

“Then, why does the history books here in your library only tell the basic of stories and end with Princess Ann’s engagement? And why is it that I haven’t seen a single one that mentions his name?”

“Because even as High Clerics of the Goddess Caelum, we are still under the Empire’s rule, and writing such histories may cost us our lives,” said the priest with a sad smile.

“But why would Emperor Jonas go to such lengths just to hide the truth?” Simon blurted out. “Does he want all the glory for himself? Or is it true that the Golden Hero made a sin so vile that he was branded as a traitor?”

“Ah... these questions are hard to answer, young prince, and even harder to understand...” the priest slowly shook his head. “You must first realize that politics runs a government, and an emperor should be inferior to none, lest others decide to take his place.”

“What do you mean, your Reverence?” asked Simon.

“It means that going against the Emperor’s orders and making him lose face, is as treacherous as plotting an assassination.”

“But... doesn’t doing so make him like the tyrant they just overthrew? What exactly did the Emperor order the Golden Hero to do?” Simon asked once more.

The old priest gave a sigh and leaned back comfortably on his wooden chair.

“As it was told to me by one of my fellow Stone Temple priests from the capital, there was only one favor that the Emperor asked the Golden Hero.”

“And what could that be?” Simon asked impatiently.

“That he would stay by his side and rule the Empire together as Imperial Princess Ann’s husband.”

“And he refused that offer?” Simon frowned. “Was the Princess that ugly?”

“Hold your tongue, boy,” the priest chuckled. “It is said that the 1st Imperial Princess, Ann Maralict, was the fairest in all the Empire, even now that 20 years have already passed.”

“Then, why? He could have lived in plenty with a beautiful wife, he would still be the Golden Hero and had wanted for nothing more if he just accepted the Emperor’s offer!”

“Then perhaps, he simply did not love the princess, as well as the kind of live that they offered.”

Prince Simon frowned at the old priest.

The old man simply smiled at him, his pale gray eyes mostly covered by his fluffy white brows.

“Couldn’t he just try it out first?” Simon insisted, making the priest chuckle even more.

“Do you know what the seven warriors fought for?” he asked the prince in return.

“To be free of the tyrant’s rule!” Simon quickly replied.

“Why then, would he be willing to give up this freedom?” the priest replied. “And could one simply ‘try’ a marriage out?”

Simon’s mouth opened, but he was lost for words.

He watched as the old priest placed his hands on the table pilled up with books he had been reading all day. His Reverence pushed against the table to stand up.

“It is time for supper, your Highness,” he said as he made his way towards the library’s door. “You may leave the books on the table, some of the helpers will put them back for you.”

“Y-yes, of course...”

Simon raised himself up as well, with the help of two wooden crutches.

He limped after the old priest, out the library where two helpers stood waiting. They were dressed in the gray hooded robes of the Stone Temple priests, but had a short veil covering their faces, signifying that they haven’t given their vows yet to officially join the congregation.

They bowed low as the two of them passed by.

“Thank you for letting me use the Temple’s library, and thank you for letting me stay here to heal my injuries.”

“Think nothing of it, your Highness, for truly, we are the ones who are indebted to you.”

“S-still, I plan to send tributes to the Stone Temple as soon as get home...” Simon continued. “As soon as my father recognizes my deeds for s-slaying the monstrous behemoth.”

“Then I pray that you get home safe and look forward to any help you can send us,” said the old priest. “I heard that your two older brothers arrived in town this afternoon?”

“Yes, your Reverence, they stayed in the inn since they were tired from traveling. It’s three miles of rough terrain from their encampment to here, after all. They have been traveling for a day and a half.”

“And you will be leaving with them tomorrow morning?”

“That is also right, your Reverence.”

“Yet your injuries haven’t completely healed...” The priest turned around to face him. “I am worried that the long journey back to your kingdom may cause you a lot of discomfort.”

“Don’t worry, your Reverence, I’m sure my brothers will keep me comfortable along the way,” said Simon, smiling shyly.

“Nevertheless, I have decided to send one of our own with you to help you recover.”

The priest signaled to one of the helpers trailing behind them. One of the veiled helpers came forward and bowed at them.

“This is Nell. He is a healer. Though he haven’t made his vows yet, he is very talented and would surely be of much help to you during the journey.”

“T-thank you, your Reverence,” Simon replied. “But, isn’t it forbidden for members of the Stone Temple congregation to leave the temple before making their vows?” he asked.

“On the contrary,” replied the old priest. “Unknown to many, we let our priest candidates leave the temple a year before they take their vows, as a way to say goodbye to all earthly temptations. It acts as their final test as well. They leave the monastery as ordinary folk in peasant attire to live as common folk and taste the outside world before they give their freedom up to serve a greater purpose.”

“Then, this person, Nell...”

“He’s ripe for the final test,” the priest said with a smile. “And I believe that coming to the Twin Kingdoms with you would make him an even better priest in the future. Isn’t that right, Nell?”

The helper named Nell simply bowed lower in reply.

“Then, I would gladly take him with me, and thank you for all your kindness.”

===========

Go to Part 11

===========