To Be Great

Years and years ago, in a lesser city somewhere beneath the eternal rain and amidst the blue plant life of Rainland, is a young man, only five years old at the time, and with Rai blood flowing through his veins. His name is Windel Rai, and his dream is to become the next General Rai. An ambitious goal for a child his age. Women thought him cute, the way he’d follow his father around, training with him as if doing so would make him a general by the time that he was a teenager. No one took him seriously, no one had to, he was just a toddler after all. He’d often complain about it, demanding that he stopped being called cute, and instead he wanted to be called a warrior. His father took him seriously enough, but then again he was just a child, he didn’t want the boy getting hurt. 

On the contrary, Windel wanted to hurt, pain was gain as far as he was concerned. He knew that much even in his early age, as he’d been looking up to the strong for quite a while now, generals, athletes, hunters, so he had the mindset of a prodigy, but still, his body limited him. Even despite his blood, he was still a child, and all storms need time to brew. Everyone knew, even he knew to some extent, so it couldn’t be helped.

One day, the boy and his father of the same name, went to Volty’s, a small convenience store run by the man himself. He is a bald, shorter man, with brown skin and a graying mustache.

“How's it been, Volty,” the boy’s father asks, placing two cans of beer, as well as a bag of chips and a sweet tea on the counter. 

“Ah well, It's been moving along. I’m getting old, so I’m definitely blessed.” the owner says with a tired, but satisfied smile. “How’ve you all been?”

“We’ve been alright, me and the ol lady just been working really, that and taking care of the kids.” 

“Hmm.” Volty utters, turning his gaze to the formally known Windel Junior, who stands beside his father, actively listening to the adults' conversation, as he is always seeking to learn. “How's it been junior, still wanna be a general one day?” and so the boy nods instantly.

“Yep. I’m gonna be the strongest!”

“Hey hey! That's what I like to hear youngin, you keep that up and you’ll be just that!” Volty encourages, perhaps he takes junior more seriously than anyone else, possibly even more so than the boy’s own father, who believes in his son’s ambitions but can’t get past the reality of the world, especially when it comes to being on the level of an Eluvian General. The fact of the matter is that the chances are slim, more than slim. Volty knows this too, but still, he believes in dreams, especially in those of children, as they are the future. Now even with all of this being said, even Volty became doubtful concerning Windel’s dream when the word pinnacle began to resurface.

Many of the world’s current Pinnacles were born around the same time as Windel. The phrase wasn’t unheard of, but it was nearly forgotten, and then one after the other, rumors of glowing babies being born started to spread. Even quicker than the rumors, was King Cyan, who sought out the children in covet of their potential, but that particular piece of the story is for a different time.

Now, when these individuals, when these inevitable prodigies were born, many were doubtful. Some hadn’t seen a glowing baby, as pictures of the infants hardly ever hit the internet, and even if they did, they’d either be taken down, lost in a sea of fakes, viewed as some sort of government conspiracy, the list goes. And so the only truth would come a few years later, that proof being the rapid growth of the children, something that no one could ignore. At age five they were more proficient with Energa than those at age twelve, what's more is that the average child can’t effectively control Energa until they’re about ten, some even twelve, and even then, there's still a very long way to go from there. A very long way. So these Pinnacles so called, they raised many eyebrows, especially as they’re feats advanced. At age six, Christine Kandy could pull her first weaponry from the Kandy Arsenal, Wade Waves could shoot water from his hands possessing a high enough pressure to cut through diamond, Ramiel Rai had already reached a Lightning Count of twelve, pushing his small body to its very limit.

Gaining significantly more fame than their bloodline specific accomplishments, were their achievements regarding the hunt. At age ten they’d be sent to take on threats of the Average Monster Hunter Level. And sometimes, with a chaperone, they could take on an intermediate level threat all alone, and with ease, something they’d accomplished at only fourteen.

Their growth was as astonishing as it was dream crushing, three of the six seats at the time, would definitely be going to all three of the prodigies, whose potential only seemed to flourish under King Cyan’s watchful eye. A fourth seat also looked to be taken, as even though the young Nefertara Nubia wasn't a Pinnacle, she was the perfect hybrid, and had been molded into a prodigy. It seems that there was already a plan for Eluvia’s future. And so Windel’s small chance, which was already close to zero, started to seem impossible. 

Now, when he’d spew out his dream, they didn’t even think that he was cute, they thought that he needed to get his head out of the clouds. His father, his mother, everyone. Although Volty would still encourage him.  “Keep working hard, hard work always pays off.” he’d say, but deep down he knew. This was beyond hard work, this was fate, these Pinnacles, they’re among that select few that come around every once in a lifetime. They’re greats, legends, and in this case, they only came around every once in three or four lifetimes. So having three of them born at once, only seeds more doubt in people's minds when it comes to matching up to them.

Even with all of this being said, Windel refused to let these things detour him. He knew what he wanted, but everyone was telling him that he was unworthy of it. So, he decided that he needed to prove himself. Patience and practice aren't options anymore, he needed results. Something to show others that his goal isn’t just a far off child’s dream, but an approaching reality.

And so, when he was only twelve years old, he put on a mask and hoodie. Disguising himself from both protection, and detection. He took up a dagger, hoping that his father wouldn’t notice that it was missing, and then he ventured to the local guild, a small guild, but a guild nonetheless. A proving ground. He expected to see more people upon entering, but there were few, and he didn’t recognize any of them. So he should be in the clear, no one should question what he was up to. Junior scans the room, searching for the guild’s commission board, hoping that it isn’t crowded, or hidden. His brown eyes light up when he finally notices the board, which two men are currently eyeing. He doesn’t want to arouse suspicion, and he’s been standing in one spot since he walked in, so he decides to move toward the board, even though it seems to be occupied.

“Hey, this one is crazy.” Windel hears one of the men remark as he approaches.

“Yeah, whoever takes that has a death wish, no doubt.” the other man replies. “I can’t believe they even hung it up here, nobodies gonna risk taking that nonsense.”

“Man,” the first agrees, “let's just take this one.” he says, pointing at the board and glancing toward his partner, who nods in approval. All of a sudden, the two turn around, the first accidentally bumping into Windel, whose gaze is set on the ground below, his heart throbbing, hopefully they wouldn’t question his height difference, as well as his lack of gear in comparison to them.

“Scuse us.” the man apologizes as he and his comrade walk around junior without a second thought, causing the teen to let out a faint huff, before raising his head to look at the commission board. He needed to prove himself, and so it's only right that he takes the highest paying monster. If Ramiel Rai or Wade Waves, and even a little girl could do it, why couldn’t he? So when he sees the commission concerning an intermediate level dragon, he smirks at the opportunity. Dragons are rare, and regarded as a sort of specialty in the world of monster hunting, as they’re extremely difficult to kill, and carry bounties worth significantly more than other monsters.

If they can do it. I can do it. Windel decides, further scanning the poster and successfully finding out about the dragon’s last known whereabouts. He was all set. Or so he thought. All he had to do was bring home the head of a dragon, and he’d be respected and revered. He may get into trouble, but it'd be worth it, as his glory would blot out his transgression. So now he goes on, marching toward the battle that would change the course of his life forever.

The initial journey wasn’t long since the dragon’s last position was recorded as being near a large forest not far from the city he grew up in. Still, it took him a while to get there, as he didn’t own a horse, and the bus was out of the question since roads don’t usually run close to places known for monster hunting.

Occasionally, a cool breeze manages to push through the plethora of vegetation, causing Windel to sniffle, and the blue leaves beneath his feet never crunch, they only make mushing sounds. Soon, the sun would  set, and so time is of the essence. Even more so since he didn’t want his parents to have to worry too much. Though in his mind, they wouldn’t have to worry at all were he to succeed here.

It isn’t long before he finally starts noticing signs of the dragon being in  the area. Fallen trees being the main indication, the other one being that he hasn’t seen any other monsters or animals, as the inferior species will usually become more discreet or will leave the area entirely.

Windel learned this from a geography/hunting show that his dad likes. The shows a bore to Windel, but it's been helpful so far.

“Of course.” he mutters as he comes across the entrance to a large cave. The fallen trees had led him here, and perhaps for a moment, he wished they’d lead him away. The abyss before him was still and unbothered, its silence somehow louder than the sprinkling rain and howling wind. At some point he loses control of his heartbeat, exposing to himself the fear that he feels. I… You have to do this. I have to do this. I won’t let my dreams die. I have to do this. he decides before pulling his father’s dagger from its sheath and taking a flashlight from his pocket. He’d rather use it to illuminate his path than Energa, in order to avoid detection as well as to preserve energy.

He walks for a moment, when all of a sudden, the cool breeze turns warm. Never in his life had he froze from warmth, and never in his life had he encountered a creature so large. He couldn’t see much of it, as he didn’t dare raise his light any further, but it could definitely see all of him. Massive blue eyes, illuminating with predation glared at Windel. Now his heart had suddenly stopped. He should've stayed home. No. this was his chance, but, this couldn’t be an intermediate dragon. Could it?

Without warning, the beast starts to growl, and even though Windel desperately wants to stand his ground, his body takes a step backward. Then another. And another. And before he knows it, he’s running full speed, the ground shaking beneath him as the creature pursues. When the dragon roars, streams of lightning fly past junior, who runs so fast that he hardly even notices. Then the dragon starts to swat at him, it's claws just inches away from ripping the boy apart. Boulders and other debris falls, and at some point the beast's attacks cause the terrain to crumble, propelling junior out of the cave’s entrance with an unwelcoming force. Windel tumbles, and now he finds himself lying on the ground face up. The rain is pouring now, so he shields his face. Thunder vibrates the air, but the beast’s steps seem to outmatch even the might of the sky. 

As junior rises to his feet, he notices that he’d lost both the flashlight, as well as his father’s dagger. They were right. Everyone was absolutely right. The generals, he’d never be one of them, they were on a completely different level. Now he has no choice but to face the creature, as there was no outrunning it. Its scales were like a void, as infinite as they are black. An animant blue, like unto its eyes, is visible throughout its entire form. The monster’s wingspan is suffocating, as they cast a shadow large enough to snatch hope from any prey. When it roars, thunder aids in amplifying its glory, and lightning bends to its command. This couldn’t be an intermediate level monster. 

There’s just no way. Windel tries to deny, but he knows the truth, and more than anything, more than the bruises and cuts, more than his aching body, more than all of that hard work, more than the doubters, even more than his own doubt, which he so desperately attempted to suppress, it hurts, more than anything, the truth hurts. “Screw you!” he yells, clenching his fist and shouting toward the heavens. “Screw yo-” before the boy can shout again, the dragon roars, and lightning hits junior directly. Now, everything is black, and Windel’s head rings so loud that it blots out the thunder, the pouring rain, and even the dragon’s battlecries, but oddly enough, it doesn’t blot out the words of a certain young man.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry that I didn’t get here sooner. Please, forgive me if you can.”