Shattered Destiny : Fate

One evening, Ajax couldn't sleep. The guilt of leaving his previous parents behind weighed heavily on him, yet he found comfort in his new ones, which made him feel like a traitor and a selfish son. To clear his mind, he decided to go to the library for the first time. He didn't want to be caught awake, so he sneaked down the hall.

In the library, he flicked on the light and scanned the shelves, his eyes landing on a book titled Heroism. That was exactly what he needed. The book sat at the very top of the shelf, so Ajax had to stand on a chair to reach it. The chair was too big for him, but he used all his strength to push it closer to the shelf. Then, he grabbed a few heavy books from the bottom and stacked them on top of one another to give himself a boost.

With determination, he climbed the chair, using his left leg to push himself up and grab the book. Once he had it in his hands, he whispered, "Yes!" His face lit up with pride.

He settled into the chair to read, unaware that his mother, Athena, had woken up and noticed his absence. Quietly, she followed him, watching from the doorway as he sat, completely engrossed.

Clearing her throat, Athena stepped into the room. Ajax spun around, startled.

With a soft smile, Athena approached him, gently lifting him from the chair and sitting down herself. She placed Ajax on her lap and, without a word, opened the book to read it aloud.

The story was about Lady Tempus, a commoner from nearly 500 years ago. Though skilled, Lady Tempus was weaker than most, and she never had the chance to attend any academy—those were reserved for the noble and royal.

Then, a man with the ability to control shadows conquered their land and spread darkness across the nations. People were slaughtered, and there was no peace, no joy. The world needed a hero.

Lady Tempus had prayed daily to Goddess Tempus, asking for help. Years passed with no answer. But in her late 40s, still unwavering in her prayers, the Goddess finally answered. She gave Lady Tempus the power of time magic and rewound her age to her early twenties. In return, Lady Tempus would die six months after she restored peace.

She agreed.

Lady Tempus joined forces with three others from the other nations, and together they overthrew the shadow-possessed tyrant. Six months after the victory, as promised, Lady Tempus died. Her legacy lived on, and she was celebrated as the greatest hero the nations had ever known.

"She was brave," Ajax said softly, his voice full of awe.

"Yes, she was," Athena responded, her voice gentle. "She was a commoner, overlooked by the world, but she saved everyone. She thought of others, even when no one thought of her."

Athena brushed a hand through his hair. "Ajax, when you grow up, be brave like Lady Tempus, okay?"

"Okay, Mom," Ajax whispered, his eyelids heavy.

Athena carried him back to his room, tucking him into bed and watching as he drifted off to sleep, her heart full of love for her little boy.