"Hey, Maa!! Tell us the story again! I want my little sister to hear this too!!" Looking up at his mother, who was holding a picture book in her hands, was a four-year-old boy with jet black hair that framed his round face and striking red eyes that sparkled like stars in the sky. Dressed in a tiny navy velvet suit with a crisp white shirt and a teal bow tie that matched his eyes, he looked every bit the little gentleman. With a shy smile and hands folded neatly, he was simply irresistible-adorable, well-dressed, and unforgettable.
Hearing her son's request, a smile came onto the mother's face as she looked down at the little angel she was holding in her arms. The baby she was holding seemed to have the cutest smile and eyes that were overly curious about anything and everything, and kept darting around the room from her mother's face to her brother, to the ceiling, and to the toys.
"You want to hear the story again? Very well then. Just because your sister is also here, you know, this is the last time, okay?" Seeing her son nod, she started telling the story.
"So long, long ago, there was a big world out there. It was called the Universe. Filled up with the stars and planets and all sorts of wondrous things that looked very beautiful. But all things grow old with time, the same thing happened with our handsome young man universe; he slowly started ageing and one day became a long-bearded grandpa universe. One day, the grandpa universe grew weary and said he wanted to take a rest now. So, he kicked everyone out and went to take a nap forever."
"How fun! I also want to take an eternal nap like him! What happened next?!" Hearing her son say this, a chuckle escaped the mother's lips.
"Only old people can take a long nap like that, you know. Your time will not come for a long, long time."
"Next, all the people went out and started searching for a new home before they found our planet."
"All the elves came together and created a new nation. Together, they found a place rich in nature and with the forests spanning as far as the eye could see. They called it the 'Waldenreich Frontier'. They say there is a big tree at the centre of their nation, bigger than anything else on this planet, with its crown sheltering all the elves under its protection." Even after hearing for the nth time, Rudra was in awe of the amazing tree his mother described.
"Next, came the Dwarfs. Small as they may be in height, they more than made up for it in their strength and courage. Skilled in crafting and creating new things, they found a really big mountain and created a wall that was 3 km tall and endlessly wide. Under its protection, they created the dwarven nation, 'Braegard Frontier'. Now they say the best weapons and armours in the world come from the nation of Dwarves. But beware, for every single equipment comes with a big cost." Rudra gulped audibly while looking at his mother's serious and scary face.
"What kind of cost, Maa? Is it really scary?" Looking at her son's scared face, she started laughing.
"Well, it depends on the cost. It may be big for someone, while it may be really small for others. Each weapon is unique in that regard. You will know more when you get yours in the future." Hearing his mother's words, the sense of fear was replaced with a sense of curiosity as all thoughts of things started popping up in his head.
"Next, all sorts of amazing beasts came together and tried to find a place where they could live in harmony. But soon, they faced a big problem: there was no place on the planet that could fit everyone together. So all the elders of various races put their power together and created a big island that floated in the sky. It was filled with all sorts of places, ranging from the lakes to volcanoes and mountains and big forests. It was a wonderful nation flying in the sky, where all the mythical beasts could live peacefully. They called it the 'Celesterra Frontier'."
"Awesome!! Is there really a nation floating in the sky?" Rudra wondered with a blank look on his face, imagining what it would look like. Mother just nodded to his question with a smile before moving on with a chuckle.
"Yes, really. Next came our home, the nation of humans where we are currently living, the 'Avalis Frontier'. Created by your forefathers on the vast plains, it housed millions of people together. With multiple cities joining together, the nation with the most people in the world is Avalis Frontier.
The next and last nation is—"
"The nation of Asuras, Mahasura, your home!! Am I right, Maa?" Rudra said while bouncing around in excitement, seeking praise from his mother. Looking at her overexcited son, a smile crawled onto her lips.
"That's correct, good job. The nations of all the Asuras, 'Mahasura Frontier'. Seated on the highest peak of mountains and volcanoes in the world, the divine race of Asuras live there. They are also known for their strength and bravery. They are currently known as the strongest nation in the world!!" She told her son with some pride in her voice.
"Really? The strongest?" The boy asked in a dubious voice.
"Yes, it is called the strongest nation. Mother also used to live there since I was a teeny tiny kid, ya know, just like you. Maybe I'll take you and your sister there to visit your grandparents soon. You will love your grandpa, he is a very big and strong man, just like your dad."
"Really? Promise?"
"Yes, it's a promise. Soon we all will visit Mahasura, all 4 of us." Rudra extended his hands towards his mother, asking her for confirmation. His mother told him that promises are a sacred ritual, and nobody in the world can break them. He wanted her to make a promise so that she won't go back on her word. She smiled at his antics while guessing what was going on in his mind before taking his chibi paws and shaking them with hers, making the promise official.
"Alright!! You promised, no taksies backsies. A good person never breaks their promise, you know." The baby in the hands of the mother also started stirring up and began to clap and make noises as if she were agreeing with her brother.
"Alright, never breaking a promise. Let's get back to the story now. Shall we?" Seeing her son express his agreement, she continued.
"So, after all 5 nations were established, they started living together in peaceful harmony, and things were looking really good for them."
"But suddenly, out of nowhere came those mysterious creatures. Numbering in trillions, they invaded our planet like an unstoppable tide, and a dark presence overshadowed the world." Despite having heard this story multiple times, when his mother's voice took a sombre and dark turn, an unsettling feeling started to take hold of his heart.
"The mightiest warriors and heroes from all the nations tried to fight back together, but they were no match for their numbers and sheer power and the war was lost. After that, they started enslaving our people and did some really brutal things to us. When all hope seemed to fade away, and we were about to lose our freedom forever, she came forth. Like a beacon of light inside the darkness, the invincible warrior goddess-"
"Lady Siva!!!" Rudra shouted while throwing his hands up in the air.
"Yes, the Lady Siva. She rose to the challenge alone and single-handedly drove back all dark beings to their world. She went to each nation alone and killed every single one of them. She purged all the invaders from the planet 14 times, making all the rivers in the world run black with their blood." There was a trace of respect in mother's voice when she was talking about her.
"But even after doing all this, there seemed no end to their numbers, and they kept coming out of various portals from throughout the world. So, she went around every race, gathered the brightest and best minds and power of the world together, and did something amazing. Due to their combined feats, they were able to make the bad guys go away from our home."
"To protect us, all the kings and queens came together and created a big castle and wall to surround the bad guys, so big and long that it seemed eternal. They named it, 'Eternal Frontier'."
"Now all the bravest people in the world go there to guard the place so we can live in peace. They say that Lady Siva is still there, fighting to protect us since a thousand years ago so that we can have peace in our homes. She is our supreme protector."
"Wow, she is so strong. When I grow up, I also want to be like her and protect you, maa! And dad! And sister!! I am going to protect everyone!!" Hearing her son's thoughts, a smile came onto the mother's face. She looked at her daughter, who was smiling and looking at her brother while clapping her hands and making baby noises.
"You hear that, sweetheart? Your big brother will be there to protect you from everything forever. Isn't he a great big brother? He Is! Isn't he? He is the greatest big brother forever." Mother teased the daughter with her finger, who kept laughing, while Rudra stood by his mother's bedside, blushing and rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
Amidst the joy and laughter that surrounded the house, Rudra spent his last happy days with his family.