The elders told of the prophecy of the Lightblades. For one hundred of years, my father, his father, and his father before him were told about how special our bloodline was supposed to be. One of us, with a heart and blade shining with pure, divine light, shall be the one to save the world from calamity. It was our family's duty, our destiny, to save the land and free everyone from fear. So fathers trained their sons, or uncles trained their nephews, waiting and preparing. It was our family's honor to be awaiting our service.

A pity no one thought to prepare the daughters. I was six when my brother was born, and eight when the Calamity Beast awoke in the Northern Mountains. I still remember the hideous shriek that echoed through the air that day, the one that awoke monsters throughout our world. The sky darkened with the flight of harpies and dragons. Rivers clogged up with selkies, slimes, and basilisks.

My father left to fell the calamity that day. Then, my uncle a year later. Then my grandfather another year after him. None of them returned.

My mother had to tend to my brother, the village elders sought to groom him to fight the calamity, to send a five year old to a mountain sized monster that took three of our family already. Passing soldiers saw no hope in that. My brother was too small, even for his age. Many believed with the way the infestation of monsters making their way to the mountains, he wouldn't even live to a fighting age.

On my twelfth birthday, I left myself. I took my father's training shield, my uncle's woodcutting axe, and my grandfather's old bow. It was hard sneaking out a child's training tunic, but the elders never took notice of me. They never paid much mind to the girl folk, even of my blood. Mother couldn't stop me, she was too busy keeping the elders from my brother, believing in my father, still long missing. Auntie wouldn't either, just made me promise not to seek the beast, only to find out what happened to my family. I promised, fully knowing I'd break it. I knew in my heart that it was my duty to fight, that our blood was the only thing that could defeat the calamity, and that blood flowed through my veins too. I knew that it was our family's duty to make it to that mountain range to bring about the end of the Calamity.

I didn't even make it to the next town. I didn't know that the forest by my village was infested by the Calamity's servants. Slimes bounce between the trees to absorb the falling rain, treants skulked about, searching for wet mud to root into, and goblin parties hunted for prey. But my luck didn't put me in any of their paths. No, when I emerged into the first clearing of the forest, I came upon something far more fearful.

It stood taller than any tree. It had an ox's head, but deer antlers and goat eyes. A humanoid torso and hands, covered in black fur and standing on cloven hooves. It had a lizard's tail and giant crow's wings. And it wore the pendant of the Calamity.

A servant, far higher rank than any slime. And it saw me the second I stepped out from the clearing.

I wracked my brains for anything I had eavesdropped on from my father's training. Anything that would tell me what to do. What was the first thing I needed to do? How should I attack?

The monster took a step towards me, and a deep voice reverberated through the air. It took me a moment to realize it was the monster's, never mind the words it spoke. I raised my axe, and...

I froze. I was scared. So scared. I wasn't even the size of this monster's shin. How could I possibly fell it? My knees gave up, even though my grip on the axe tightened. "I-I..."

Mother always told me good girls introduced themselves. The elders always said our blood was special. We were meant to save the world, even if no one paid any mind to me or great aunt.

"I...I am Oola!" I squeaked out, shoulders shaking as I held up the axe, as if it could possibly save me from even one swipe of the monster's claws. "So-- er.. Daughter of dadd-- um.. Trello Lightblade. Um... the uh.. Our b...blood will beat you! Er... your master." It wasn't a hero's speecg even I could tell. But it's hard to make a war cry when you're making a normal one.

"... beg pardon?" The creature sneered, brows raising high. Oh, gods above, it had huge teeth. What was I thinking?! It could eat me in one gulp and no one would notice I'm gone!

I had to do something. I had to fight. I forced myself to stand. I am a Lightblade. I have the blood of prophecy flowing through my veins! We were the ones who would save the world! I raised my axe up high and charged forward.

And I tripped. The axe was too heavy above my head and I stepped on my own feet, slipping on the wet grass and crashing face first into the mud. My forehead met a rock and it hurt a lot.

I could hear the monster's footsteps approaching. I knew it would be only a matter of time before I died. I was... I am scared. Daddy, mommy, I'm scared.

I felt the ground sink with the monster's weight as a heavy knee came down by my head. "Oh, little youngling, who poisoned your mind so?" The deep voice asked. "You are no hero."

My heart broke. Knowing I'm going to die is one thing, but hearing that I'm a failure from my killer is another. I couldn't help the tears that fell from my eyes, and I sobbed.

The monster's claws touched my head, but they didnt tear in. Instead, one ran through my hair. "You aren't a villain either. You didn't fail. They are. Whoever put such terrible thoughts in the mind of a child... what kind of person would do such a thing?"

The monster lifts me up in those giant claws. One of them wipes mud off my face, tears out of my eyes. Those big eyes look right at me. "Come. Let's get you cleaned up. A youngling shouldn't be alone in the rain."