A servant's, no, a slave's child was all he was. Born a slave, forever a slave was the saying back then. With his disheveled black hair and pretty face, one would not have thought he was a slave, but rather, a fine prince, save for the grime, dust and dirt that always seem to be smeared all over him. His mother taught him of the god of wind and freedom, to which he immediately became a follower. He wished for freedom—he yearned for it.
Daily he would watch the clear blue sky, the gathering and dispersion of the clouds, the flocks of birds effortlessly and freely soaring the skies. How he longed for freedom in this era of peace. He knew it was but fruitless wishing, yet he continued to wish and dream. From these clouds gazed at the God of wind and freedom, Aeolus Liberia. He pitied the child and would send a cool breeze to numb his wound whenever he was beaten by his cruel masters.
This era of peace was not to last, as soon a war had begun. In all the commotion, his father had been killed and his mother sacrificed herself to set him free from the chains of slavery at last. He ran past the fields, the forest, the hills. He found berries, fruits and rivers to live off of. How he managed to elude the mercenaries was a miracle, caused by the God of wind.
Aeolus thought to himself, "this child, he is determined, a fitting apostle to stand and watch the world in my place."
And so he summoned his winds to guide the child and fool the mercenaries. Eventually the child reached an old shrine between the forgotten valleys of a great mountain range. There, the god descended for the first time in 2000 years.
With the appearance of a young boy with glowing green hair and emerald eyes, he spoke, "boy, I am Aeolus Liberia, the god of freedom, what is your name? You have wished and prayed for freedom for so long despite my lack of answer, not even my most devout followers would last so long. It is commendable, tell me, what kept you going?"
The boy of 10 years was stunned, though he smiled and answered simply, "I don't have a name. You were never absent, your cool winds comforted me and never others while they were hurt. It happens all the time, not just by chance."
"You noticed? Perceptive child. Do you still wish for freedom?"
"Yes, but I won't ask you for it."
"Why is that? I could give you my blessing and you will never be touched by those in control ever again."
Again, the boy smiled. "My mother always told me that the god of wind and freedom praised those who work hard for what they want. I don't want to be given something out of pity, even if it's from God himself," he answered. The boy bowed, "may I continue in search of my freedom?"
Aeolus gave a hearty laugh, "you are a good child, I will give you my blessing, no, I shall make you my apostle." The boy smiled apologetically, as if to refuse. Aeolus continued, "oh do not be mistaken, this is not out of pity, it is praise, you have suffered and searched enough, and thus earned my respect. This is my offering to you."
"You are now Kaze, apostle of the great winds, make sure you become worthy of this name and title."
And so for seven days and seven nights, the boy meditated in a cocoon of eternal winds, his body reformed and strengthened. By the end, he had become strong, his black eyes now with the glint of emeralds and his black disheveled hair slightly neater with bright teal tips, though still messy by nature.
All the while, chaos plagued the war ridden land. Kaze's previous masters had gone to the battlefield to fight against the invading nation. It was their turn to suffer. The feisty young lord that often beat Kaze lost his wife while saving his child, and he mourned, for his and his newborn's loss. An enemy infantry loomed over them preparing to strike.
Kaze saw this, and asked Aeolus for permission to intervene. "Do as you wish, you are no longer mortal yet not a god, I trust your judgment," the god said, continuing to slumber in his shrine as a fletching.
As the enemy soldier brought down his blade, a blast of wind lifted him a hundred feet in the air. The young lord looked for the source. It was a boy, no, it was the child slave he had often beaten. Instantly, the foolish lord dreaded the boy had come back for revenge with new found power. Cowering at the feet of the former child slave, who looked like he had ascended to heaven, the man begged for forgiveness and mercy.
"Get up," Kaze spat distastefully for the first time since he had been born, "I didn't come here to hurt you, or save you, I came to save the child. In my years serving your pathetic family, all I’ve seen is violence and abuse. For all those who were lost by your hand, I should end you on the spot, but I will give you a chance to repent"
Kaze turned to face the man fully, "From whatever slaves are left, either free them, or employ them. I will leave you with the influence you have over this village. Raise your child well, raise him to be the person you never were. " With his new power, Kaze blew back the raiding enemies and created a barrier around the villa and the village and with a gust of wind, he vanished, as if no one had been there at all.
Soon after, a shrine was built, not to a god, but to the humble Kaze, a former child slave, and by his former master no less. Kaze has never been seen in the centuries, for there was nothing left for him in the human world. Over time he grew into a fine young gentleman. Rarely he would adopt an orphaned child like him, and even rarer would he make them his disciple, granting them a partial blessing from the god of wind and freedom.
They assist him in protecting those in need. Since then he has become the lord overseeing the protection of those in need, those in neglect. While it has been long since he has left the shrine in the hidden valley, it has been long since he has taught, while it has been long since he last protected in the god's stead. Kaze continues to oversee the world.
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