LOGINShare
His name was Apollyon
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56It was a full moon tonight, beautiful and breathtaking, yet so much hateful. I hate the moon, the stars, and that dark sky. I hate them with all my heart, yet I am doomed to never escape from the night. And there were also these burning torches surrounding me, torches which their intense flames seemed like they were about to devour me. But no matter how much I hated all of them, they didn't hurt me. They couldn't. Not like these dozens of contemptuous gazes around me.
"Do you have anything to say for your defense?"
Was I supposed to say something? Would they hear me out if I shouted that I was maltreated? Would they give me an answer if I asked them why I was not any more welcome here?
"This is the only chance you'll be given to redeem yourself. Are you sure you want to remain silent... You dare to laugh?"
How could I not laugh? They had condemned me even though I hadn't committed any crime, treating me like I was some kind of sinn
Related chapters
The Brightest Star The dragon's test
He saw the fiery blue flames approaching him; the raging fire was about to devour him, yet, Apollyon never tried to move. The boy stood still, determined, his face expressionless. Apollyon opened his arms, extending them as much more as he could, indicating that he wasn't afraid of the imminent catastrophe that was about to find him. He looked like he welcomed it, instead.And as if they wanted to grant his request, the flames also covered him rapidly. The boy's figure disappeared inside the vast fire. And while everything seemed to turn into ash and disappear, the fire's bright light ironically revealed the hidden by the darkness's veil majestic cave the dragon resided in."How did you know?" A deep, loud voice sounded. A voice that seemed like it was intentioned as a mutter, yet its volume rocked the cave's walls. But the giant blue dragon that was supervising the area with its sharp gaze didn't seem to care about the blunder it had almost caused. It was carryi
The Brightest Star The weight of a choice
The dragon looked with amusement at the boy whose face was filled with happiness and pride. Simultaneously, its opinion of him also somewhat rose compared to its initial evaluation of him. Dragons had always been arrogant creatures that looked down on the other races. Still, they were also beings that admired individuals with wisdom and intelligence unconditionally of their background or identity."Not bad, boy. Your answer is correct. However, your test isn't over yet. If you rest on your laurels now, your future might become foreboding. Don't forget you took part in a trial in which you might lose your life at any moment. Although you have done well until now, you are not in a position where you have the ease to feel cocky. Since you raised my expectations a little, don't disappoint me now.""I am sincerely grateful for your advice," Apollyon answered politely while lowering his head in respect. The broad hidden smile on the boy's face, though, didn't pas
The Brightest Star The outcome of the choice
"You want to destroy the paths? I don't understand what you mean," the dragon remarked while looking at the boy with a strange expression."I mean, exactly what I say. I want to destroy these paths I was supposed to choose between them. No, if I have to be more specific, I want to destroy this whole illusion in which I am trapped.""Have you gone mad from the anguish you suffered?""Not only am I confident about my words, I even feel stupid for not realizing sooner in what kind of situation I was in for so long. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense now," Apollyon replied with a sigh while shaking his head awkwardly."What a fool I was for even believing you might have wanted to help me. You even pointed it out to me, but I didn't take your words seriously. My naivety almost cost my life. Although you clearly said that there was no way you would ever care about my well being. Yet, you suddenly told me that the answer t
The Brightest Star The beginning of the trial
"Welcome, boy, to my humble accommodation, the place in which the trial of blood and fire will be held. Among the one hundred seventy-three people who have taken part in this trial, you are the third person who had managed to pass my test and arrive here," the dragon declared while its expression started to become serious. As the trial was about to begin, the creature had to show the appropriate respect towards the trial's sacredness, the holy pact between the four godly beasts of the Divine Realm."Your goal is simple, yet, the hurdles will seem unapproachable," Stormbreaker added and then fell silent as bright white light, appearing out of nowhere, started to pour on a specific spot on the other side of the room, the place where a small altar dedicated to the Four Gods was located. A small object seemed to form upon the altar, its shape resembling that of a cup. And while the light began fading, the object's features became clearer and clearer until its appearance was
The Brightest Star Conversation partners
What an incredible sight! Apollyon thought as he witnessed the miraculous spectacle of the lush vegetation filling almost the whole room. His eyes wandered excitedly around the appetizing familiar vegetables that were growing unperturbed from their natural enemies, as well as the bizarre, colorful flowers that their pleasant scent was wafting inside the room. And while he continued to explore the place, at some moments, he would stop to try out some of the delectable vivid red tomatoes which were growing inside the surprisingly well-kept soil, and at others, he would pick up any strange looking flower that caught his eye and sniff at it.He kept on examining his surroundings in this way until his leg touched some kind of solid substance hidden under the thick greenery of the plants, making him turn his attention towards the ground.A human figure was lying down on the dirt, a skeleton that had been abandoned for who knows of how many years in this room. See
The Brightest Star Conversation partners(2)
"I don't blame neither of them, though. Nor do I look down on them. Even if I was in their position, I doubt I could fair better with the trial. I would probably have given up," the dragon remarked while shaking its head. Even for a creature like itself that had experienced almost everything this world had to offer, lacked the wisdom and the intelligence to find the answer to the trial that its God assigned to it with its charge. It often wondered that maybe the Gods created the trial only because they just wanted to pull pranks on the mortals. To teach them about despair, about the helplessness when acting against fate."Even my age-long life can't exist forever. Noone can't trick death forever, even if it's me. So as my end is finally coming closer, I hope I can witness a one of a kind miracle before I close my eyes for the last time."That was the deepest and only wish of the creature that had spent the biggest part of its life playing the guard's role i
The Brightest Star Conversation partners(3)
"For you right now, the present is the most important thing to you. Emotions have the biggest priority regarding the process of your actions. Acting true to your heart is not necessarily bad, but it is not necessarily a good thing either. The most important thing you should bear in mind if you survive this place is always to be aware of the consequences. You might think you are invincible because of your young age, but a person who can't restrain his rage is not strong. He is a fragile person instead."Apollyon pretended to listen to the creature's advice carefully. Its words, though, went in his one ear and out the other. He couldn't help it, though. The dragon's babbling seemed nothing more than lecturing to the boy."I was once like you," the dragon suddenly said, having realized that the boy was not paying attention to it."You? No way!" Apollyon, whose interest was sparked, shouted, surprised, not believing what he had just heard.
The Brightest Star The ending of the trial
"Your revenge was aimless and chaotic. You recklessly began murdering people, and in the end, you even lost your sole family. You and I are vastly different. You had a choice to live a peaceful life. Your mother had already taken care of your enemies, as well as the reason for your hatred. But you were arrogant. You couldn't endure that those weak humans managed to slay someone from your race. You had to teach them a lesson. Unlike you, though, my enemy is still alive. Μy parents are dead, and my few remaining relatives who are still alive, as well as my friends, all betrayed me. You had a future. You had a choice. However, I have nothing!" Apollyon fearlessly said, even raising his voice to the terrifying creature in front of him."Don't try to justify your hatred. You might think that your emotions have greater importance than mine, but like you, the same way you regard my old hatred as a joke, I also consider the reason for your revenge pointless. Ultimately, you
Latest chapter
The Brightest Star Meeting(2)
Considering that almost the whole village had assembled at one particular place, one had to imagine how especially eye-catching Sirius's and Nerida's performance truly was. And despite the various rumors that were secretly circulating among the tribe's members, not a single person wasn't caught off guard by their sudden display of affection, whether that person was someone overfamiliar with their circumstances like Anders or someone who had no idea what the hell was happening like the Tiger Tribe's Chief, Skar, whose jaw had fallen to the ground. "Oi, old hag, am I dreaming? Isn't that over there my son's bride-to-be with another kid arm in arm?" The diminutive man with the long silver hair whispered to the aged woman beside him in a low voice. The ugly expression on his face, however, betrayed the vexation he genuinely felt. "Are they trying to provoke us? They should be aware of our visit's purpose. I have a bad feeling about this," the woman muttered,
The Brightest Star Meeting(1)
"You are becoming bolder and bolder these days. Have you forgotten you are still a weakling?" Ajamu, from the very beginning, was a bad-tempered and arrogant person who wouldn't shrink off anyone's challenge, much less Sirius's, who he still looked down on. Although he had to admit that Sirius had proved to be surprisingly resourceful in a crisis and that his character had also shown a little promise, that was all, in the end. Except for his luck, his overall ability remained laughable. How could he accept such a person talking back to him like an equal? Had he not saved his life, Ajamu wouldn't just reply in the form of words. Sirius, however, ignored his rival's poisonous remarks. In the first place, the boy hadn't meant to antagonize Ajamu. He couldn't have even if he wanted to. He knew, after all, his own place. How weaker he truly was compared to his peers. This was a world with superhuman freaks that could move mountains with their hands. Sirius, in
The Brightest Star Arrival
"Do you like this book?" The woman asked teasingly as she watched with affection at the child holding a huge historical textbook in his little hands. The spectacle of the child reading attentively with a serious expression like he was some kind of scholar was such an amusing and charming image, she thought with a smile. In the end, she couldn't contain herself after being exposed to such cuteness and hugged the bewildered boy from behind before he even had the chance to give her an answer."I thought you would prefer mathematics or physics, but you were actually hooked on history," she commented with surprise as she casually took a peek at the book's contents."I like them more, but I don't have any interest in them," Sirius replied with relief when he managed to retain the book as it had almost slipped from his hands because of the woman's rapid actions."Why not? If anything else, science is the most reliable method humanity has used to
The Brightest Star Proposal
"Please, raise your head! It was just a dispute among children, nothing for an adult to worry about," the boy hurriedly said in shock. The image of a man bowing his head to a child was an embarrassing spectacle, a humiliation that could stain the warrior's reputation considering the importance the villagers were attaching to their honor's preservation."You are the savior of my children. Apologizing for their rude behavior is the least I can do as their father," the man stubbornly continued, as if his words were an indisputable fact.He was a person worthy of being respected, Sirius inwardly thought. Despite being a man of a high position in the village, he didn't hesitate to apologize to him in person, even though he had done nothing wrong, only because he felt he had to do so for the sake of his children. In truth, Drayce's and Melly's attitude towards him wouldn't even be considered blamable in the village's society. He only had himself to blame for not
The Brightest Star Rivas the hunter
Sirius leisurely walked around the village in thought, the Great Shaman's words still echoing inside his mind."Beasts born by magic? Isn't magic just another form of energy? How can it create new lifeforms?""I don't know the answer. There are many mysteries in the world we can't explain. Imagine this, however. Our ancestor and father, the Dragon God, is supposed to be a being that didn't come to this world naturally but was born by magic. Of course, I don't mean to tell you that all beings born by magic have equivalent power to our father's, most of them are not even intelligent creatures, but some of them can be quite terrifying. Even I might not stand a chance against them. That's why places with a lot of magic energy can be perilous if you are not familiar with them. The forest surrounding our village is also like that."'I don't understand why I am so surprised. This world already has plenty of things that could be considered
The Brightest Star Demon Species
For Sirius, the next several days had been way too exhausting. Because of his injuries, the boy had been forced to neglect his training for more than two weeks. No sooner had his body started to get used to the daily exercise than he encountered Apollyon. Sirius really wanted to express his frustration somehow. He felt as if his whole progress had regressed to zero. And the worst thing of all was the insufferable boredom of training alone. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about this. As Anders and Nerida had to prepare for the sparring competition with the Tiger Tribe, they were training these days singly. All the people who would participate in the competition were training feverishly, with Sirius being the only person at his age that didn't really have anything to do. Luckily, Sarah would sometimes join him when she finished her chores early, but as she was also busy helping the village's women organize the welcoming feast, the two barely spent any time together. At le
The Brightest Star Tiger tribe(2)
Dragon Island's forest had always been a place filled with numerous dangers. Although the area surrounding the village could be considered safe thanks to the Dragon Tribe's warriors, even someone with their strength wouldn't venture deep into the forest without making extensive preparations first. Someone had to be strong to survive in that kind of place. Plenty of formidable beasts existed on the island, some of them being so powerful that not even the Great Shaman or the Chief would dare to provoke unless they had no choice. That was why the forest had a rule that all the island's lifeforms were following regardless of their species or strength in order to cross the forest as more peacefully as they could: Move like a ghost, make as little noise as you can."This forest is annoying as always," a diminutive man with long silver hair muttered with annoyance as he pulled his sword from a wolf lying down near his feet. Since the battle's sound kept on echoing from b
The Brightest Star Buried feelings(part iii)
"That's why I want to avoid any possibility of being involved with that guy," Sarah looked with a pleading expression at the boy, knowing her request was quite excessive. Although she knew that even without the boy's help, her father would probably refuse the tiger tribe's proposal anyhow, she didn't want to take a risk. She wanted to limit the possibility of any mishap's appearance, or the anxiety wouldn't allow her to sleep peacefully in the nights.There were also some selfish desires mixed behind her request, but Sarah judged the boy didn't need to know about them. Although Sirius's words had appeased the worries in her heart about his and Nerida's close relationship, it wouldn't be a bad idea to exploit the situation to discourage any annoying insects that might have strange intentions about the boy. Not to mention that her chances of getting closer to him would greatly improve if she stabilized her position as his fiancee."We are bound to be engaged
The Brightest Star Buried feelings(part ii)
Sirius's surprise was genuine and not for an unreasonable reason. Despite meeting with the girl regularly, the boy didn't remember doing anything remarkable that could induce Sarah's romantic feelings. It wouldn't be false to say that the two of them barely chatted at all during his visits to her house. Unless it was what the people call ''love at first sight"?The boy shook his head instinctively upon thinking this. He hardly had any commendable assets compared to the boys at his age. He was weak and timid, completely different from the warrior's paragon idolized in the village. As for his external appearance... Well, after gaining some weight and muscle, his looks had visibly improved. However, if he were to stand beside someone like Ajamu or Anders that looked like the reincarnations of heroes from fairy tales, he would be glad if he would be labeled as just average.If only I were taller,he thought with a pained smile. His biggest complex regar
