The Forgotten Scion
Once upon a time, in a kingdom nestled between the mountains and the sea, there lived a humble blacksmith named Nerys. Nerys was hardworking, diligent, with detail focused hands and sweat drenched forehead, always absorbed in the art of creating magnificent masterpieces of steel. His life was simple and uneventful, yet satisfied. Unknown to him, his life was about to take a drastic turn.
One scorching afternoon, while Nerys was toiling away at his forge, a stranger appeared. His face was lined with enigmatic wrinkles and his eyes, a brilliant stormy gray, held an intriguing depth. With much effort, the stranger took off a brilliant twisted sword, the hilt adorned with precious sapphires, offering it to Nerys.
'Fix this sword, blacksmith,' he croaked, 'For it is destined to save this kingdom'.
Nerys agreed without hesitation. Over the next fortnight, he brought the sword back to its former glory. When he presented the sword to the stranger, his stormy eyes shimmered with joy and he left a hefty sum of gold for Nerys.
As weeks turned to months, the kingdom found itself under the wrath of a vicious ruler from the North, named Morcar. His forces were cruel, stronger, and merciless. One by one, the brave knights of the kingdom fell. Despair filled the air and a veil of dread covered the kingdom.
Nerys, deeply disturbed by the events, recalled the words of the old stranger. He knew in his heart what he had to do. He took the stored sword and embarked on the journey to meet the King. Seeing the magnificent sword and hearing Nerys' tale, the King declared him the champion to face Morcar.
With the prophetic sword in hand, Nerys not knowing anything about warfare, trained under the guidance of the Royal Commander. He was a quick learner, and soon his shyness was replaced with a steady confidence. Days turned into weeks, and the time to confront Morcar finally arrived. Nerys led the remaining forces into battle, and a violent clash raged between the two factions.
The prophecy turned out to be true as Nerys, with a lion's courage, felled Morcar, his sword ripping through Morcar's armor as if it were paper. With Morcar’s fall, morale soared within the kingdom's forces, and they rallied to defeat the Northern invaders. When the dust settled, the victory was clear. The Kingdom had been saved by the humble blacksmith.
Euphoria spread across the kingdom, and joyous celebrations filled the streets. King, out of immense gratitude, offered Nerys a noble title. But Nerys, humble as ever, declined. 'It was not for status or reward that I set out to protect our kingdom, my king. All I wish is to return to my anvil, and hammer, my true calling,' he replied humbly, and the king respected his wish.
Nerys returned to his village, his old life as a blacksmith, leaving the grandeur of the court behind. In his heart, he was no hero, but a simple man who did what was necessary. Albeit, his story continued to inspire generations, reminding them of the heroic spirit lingering in the depths of the ordinary.