MLIV C3, P1- "A New Star"

"A New Star" is the first Part of "Miracula Luxia IV" 's third Chapter.
It was released on 04.06.2022.
== Plot ==
One week after the defeat of the vile fiendish general known as Phaerzon, everything turns back to normal. The undead attacks on small settlements stop. Less people are turned into them. Some of the lucky individuals who escaped their homes, in search of safer lands, are willing to return and protect them from evil. However, this does not mean that everything is over. As long as Mordred Darkthrop and his servants continue to live, the chaos will continue spreading. And it is only a matter of time before the next attack devastates everything.
While Adam and his allies travel toward their next destination, hoping to succeed where others failed, Alcander- his brother- steps into the town of Goznor. Unaware that his brother has already left the place behind for good, he tries to search for him, only to find some old friends and discover a long-lost chance to start anew and be a true hero, just like his dear brother.
Is he ready for a new beginning?
== Story ==
A group of bandits stumbles into the town of Goznor. They stare at it from a distance and smile.
"Well. This looks promising."- One of them says- "Maybe we should give it a try?"
The bandits nod.
"I've heard a few things about this pathetic collection of houses."- Another one says- "When King Donovan came along, he tried to bring this place back to life. A lot of money went into rebuilding what those freaks had destroyed. But it was all futile. Once a town like this's crushed, there's no comin' back to its former glory. All you can do is try to keep it alive. And this is just what they're doing right now. Muddlin' along, just like everyone else."
He smiles.
"But it's no secret."- He continues- "Whoever said that the king gave them a lot of gold and precious gemstones, he wasn't lying."
Somewhere in the vicinity, a tired-looking man listens to their conversation.
"A treasure worth a fortune, huh? And it must be well guarded."- He says to himself- "That's a sign of true prosperity. I'm sure that Adam was involved in this."
He sighs.
"But my work here has only just begun."- He continues- "Learning about Adam's whereabouts was one thing. Finding him will be a much harder task. And I must hurry, since there are many villains who are trying to hunt him down for a bounty."
The bandits nod.
"But where could they be?"- One of them asks- "Barging into the town uninvited and searching every single house there will only cause us trouble."
One of the bandits nods.
"Yeah."- He says- "We don't wanna die."
The bandit sighs.
"Oh, quiet you fools. Don't you know that Goznor's not what it used to be?"- He says to them- "Nowadays, people are fearful of everything. They hide their valuables, thinkin' that we can't just take them from their cold, dead hands. Taking that treasure will be like stealing candy from a baby. Nobody will be foolish enough to fight a mighty gang like ours."
Meanwhile, the stranger, whose face seems oddly familiar, nods.
"It sounds like Darkthrop's influence has grown even farther when I last visited."- He says to himself- "Bribing rivals gangs and fooling them with a false sense of prosperity and power was quite a wise move, if quite immoral and disrespectful. I guess that his so called "religion" has grown beyond the boundaries of his fallen empire, so his servants must be around as well."
One of the bandits points at Goznor.
"Hate to stop ya, sir. But the afternoon militia will be here soon."- He says- "If we're going to take stuff from Goznor's treasury, I think that this is the best moment."
The first bandit nods.
"Alright. Then, it's decided."- He says- "We won't wait until the sun goes down. It'll be futile to waste our time like this."
He turns to a nearby... person who is noticeably taller than him.
"Everyone's ready for action."- He says to him- "Whenever you give the word, we'll be ready to make our move."
The tall person steps forward, giving the stranger a better chance to look at him.
"Excellent."- He responds, in a seemingly foreign accent- "Then let us be on our way. I've got a feeling that this will be our most profitable raid yet."
Once he hears the creature's voice, the stranger gasps quietly.
"They have a vahnatai on their side?!"- He says to himself- "The situation has gotten much worse than I had anticipated. Vahnatai are skilled warriors and talented mages. If I am to deal with them, I must do this carefully. I'm completely alone and they... they... "
He shakes his head.
"It does not matter."- He continues- "Vahnatai or not, I will not allow them to hurt innocent people."
As the bandits advance toward the unsuspecting Goznor, the stranger emerges from his hiding spot.
He lifts his hood, revealing the face of Alcander Kaos- Adam's adopted brother, who has been on the road for nearly an entire decade. Having accepted to become a vigilante and part-time mercenary, the young hero bid farewell to his family and began his first adventure.
But the years away from them have been taking a toll on him. Not long after he left, he heard that his brother and sister were forced to relocate elsewhere due to the danger of getting attacked by Lucifer Griffin's remaining people. He tried to find where they are, only to be met with the harsh reality of loneliness and despair. Years have passed since he began his expedition, but the only things that he learned are vague facts of where Adam might be heading to.
Most recently, Alcander learned of his brother's influence in the Kingdom of Goznor and how he helped Donovan Gonoru take King Vehrn down from the kingdom's throne and become the king himself.
Thus, his adventures led him all the way over here. In Goznor, the backwater of this mighty kingdom that serves as its capital.
"I want to warn those people. I really do."- He mutters- "However, those fools are too many. Without stealth and trickery, I have no chance of survival."
He touches the pommel of his sheathed sword with his mailed hand.
"If only I had more help."
As the bandits continue to walk into the town, Alcander sneaks closer. Firmly behind his enemies, he holds a small bow in his hands and waits for the right moment to strike.
Suddenly, his leg is caught into a small bush. As it starts to rustle, he leaps away before alerting the bandits toward their destination.
"What was that?"- One of them says.
The vahnatai sighs.
"Don't you know about the wind in overworld? How it makes bushes like those move?"- He says- "And I thought that you were the citizens of those lands.
The bandit looks down.
"Right. Sorry for bein' so ignorant, sir."- He says- "Let's be on our way."
The bandits finally enter Goznor. They pull out their weapons and start looking around.
"Alright. We're in."- The vahnatai says- "Now, let's split up and try to find where those fools hid their precious treasure."
The bandits split up, leaving them vulnerable to the attack of, say, a lone warrior.
Seeing that everything is going just how he wanted it, Alcander smiles.
"Sometimes, you have to get a little lucky to get what you want."- He says to himself- "And now, it's my time to shine."
Just ahead of him, three bandits have cornered a young woman and are questioning her.
"Alright, missy."- One of them says- "Tell us where the money is, or there'll be trouble."
From the looks of it, they do not seem to be very bright. This is good news for our hero.
The woman shakes her head.
"I don't know what you're talking about."- She says- "I'm just a peaceful resident, living in an insignificant town. I have no knowledge of what our king, in his wisdom and glory, has been doing."
One of the bandits menacingly points his weapon at her.
"You're quite a liar, aren't ya?"- He says and chuckles- "Well, you don't leave us another chance."
He turns to the other bandits.
"Sic her, boys."
Before the bandits can get close to her, Alcander picks up a medium-sized rock from the ground, enchants it and throws it at the lead bandit's head.
Although the rock itself is not very sharp, the impact is strong enough to pierce the back of the outlaw's head, killing him instantly.
The other two bandits are, understandably, shocked. However, they continue to point their weapons at the woman, intending to kill her before she can alert the authorities.
Alcander uses the terrain to his advantage. Approaching a pile of discarded shrubbery and sticks, he uses his magic to bring life to it.
Moments later, the inanimate objects assemble into a dangerous-looking forest golem. 
Without a warning, it approaches the two remaining bandits and pounds the nearest one to a pulp. 
As the second one turns and yells out in fear, the golem grabs him by the neck and throws him into a nearby building, shattering his brain and ending his life.
Its job done, the golem turns back into its original form.
As Alcander emerges to tend to the woman's bruises, she takes a look at him.
"I don't know you. You must be new in town."- She says- "Did you do all... that?"
Alcander smiles.
"I heard that this gang has been causing trouble, so I came to assist you."- He says- "I think that I have a plan, but I want you to stay as quiet as possible. I don't want them to find where I am before I have the chance to retailiate."
The woman nods and smiles.
"Thank you, hero."- She whispers- "You remind me of a young man who came by not too long ago. Those gorgeous blue eyes that radiate hope, no one here can ever forget them."
Alcander looks at her.
"The was another hero in Goznor."- He whispers to her- "Please, tell me more. I want to know more about him."
The woman smiles.
"Oh, he was the best thing there ever was in here."- She says- "Thanks to him, the town into a metropolis of the future, even though it was just a small place when he began. Many people revere him for what he's been doing for us. His smile was always so serene, his heart- so pure. Many wannabe heroes visited our town, hoping to make a name for themselves by slaying villains and outlaws, but he was the best of them. In the eyes of Goznor's people, he's a true hero. The Phoenix reborn. Few will be able to match his strength and unwavering altruism."
Alcander nods.
"Do you know where he is right now?"
The woman raises her eyebrow.
"Why are you asking?"- She asks him- "Are you looking for, say, a new ally."
Alcander nods.
"As a matter of fact, I am."- He responds- "So. What is your answer?"
The woman smiles.
"I heard that he's still visiting this town, from time to time."- She says- "If you truly want to find him, then it's best if you visit Castle Goznor. I've heard that you can find many answers there, for all that it matters."
Alcander smiles and nods.
"I appreciate it."
He asks where she lives and takes her to her house.
Once there, he looks around and sees that the rest of the bandits are still here, seemingly unaware of what he has done.
"Can you protect yourself while I'm gone?"- He asks the woman.
She nods.
"I may look like I'm weak, but that's just because they took me by surprise."- She says- "I won't let them play me for a fool again."
Alcander smiles.
"Of course, lady. I never would have thought otherwise."- He responds- "Good luck to you."
The woman nods.
"Save travels, stranger."- She says- "Thanks for keeping our town safe."
She waves at Alcander as he leaves and hides behind a nearby tree.
"Alright. Everything is going well so far."- He says to himself- "But I know that things will get worse soon. It's best if I go into battle tired and prepared than rested and unaware."
As he finds another group of bandits, one of them separates from its allies and sneaks behind the seemingly unsuspecting Alcander.
Just as he is about to strike him down, he feels a sharp blow in the back of his head. He looks up and sees blood.
He tries to reach for his weapon, only to collapse moments later.
Alcander looks back, surprised. He sees that his savior is a fellow human.
"Thank you for saving me?"- He mutters- "So, umm. To whom do I owe my utmost gratitude?"
The man smiles.
"It's best if I am the only one who asks the questions now. Sorry for being rude, but I have to do my job."- He says- "So. You seem to know more about those brigands that I do. Are they different from what we've already seen?"
Alcander nods.
"Those fools are accomplices of Mordred Darkthrop."- He says- "Ever since his revival happened, all kinds of opportunistic individuals have jumped out of their hiding holes to assist him. It's been quite an annoyance."
The man nods.
"Tell me more about it."- He says- "I want to know if there's anything to take back to Castle Goznor."
Alcander takes a closer look at his savior and notices his long, brown hair. Realizing who he might be, he raises his eyebrow.
"Are you... King Donovan Gonoru, by any chance?"
The man nods and smiles.
"I've never hidden it from anyone, stranger or not."- He says- "Yes, I'm him. However, let's just say that I'm not... quite what I used to be when I stepped up. A lot of things happened since then and I changed into a different man. Life has been difficult for us."
He stares into Alcander's eyes.
"I heard a rumor that you're looking for someone."- He continues- "Does it have something to do with me?"
Alcander shakes his head.
"I'm afraid not. I came all the way here, because I am looking for someone else."- He replies- "However, I appreciate your company. Sometimes, it gets rather... lonely, you know."
Donovan nods.
"And who might that be, if you don't mind me asking?"- He says- "Is it a long-lost friend? An old employer? We've had a lot of different cases in the last few years."
Alcander shakes his head.
"Friends and employers don't matter to me. Not right now."- He says- "I'm looking for my family, plain and simple. No strings attached."
Donovan remembers how someone dear to him told him the same thing years ago.
"When he said that he had a brother who went into the outside world to be a hero, I thought that he was already gone and that he just... wanted to find his remnants and move on. I never anticipated that he could still be alive."- He says to himself- "Could this person be the one?"
Seeing that Alcander is watching him suspiciously, he sighs and nods.
"I might know something about them."- He says- "However, this is not the right time to have small talk."
Alcander nods.
"Certainly."- He says- "Save Goznor first, ask questions later."
He turns to the remaining bandits and pulls out his sword. While it looked rather small while sheathed, it became quite long and vicious in just a few moments.
"Back me up, your majesty."- Alcander says to Donovan- "I can't do this without your help."
Donovan nods.
"You've got my word."
One of the bandits enters a nearby house and kicks the door to a nearby abandoned house open. The rest of them go inside and start breaking things at random.
"Ugh. What a bunch of vandals."- Donovan says- "We've always had people like them around here."
Alcander nods.
"I've dealt with mindless destroyers like those in the past."- He says- "Bringing them to their knees will be child's play for me."
Just as the bandits start to wonder whether they're being watched or not, Alcander sneaks behind a nearby barrel. Using a rock that he found nearby, he throws it at the light switch that they just used, turning down the lights and terrifying some of the bandits.
"W-what was that?"- One of them says- "Is someone there?"
Alcander nods to Donovan.
"It's your turn."
Protected by the darkness around them, the young king sneaks elsewhere.
Somewhere nearby, a creepy sonata plays.
"Okay. This is no joke anymore."- One of the bandits says- "Show yourself. We ain't afraid."
Just as some of the bandits firing wildly, they scream and fall to the ground.
"There's someone in here."- One of the surviving bandits says- "Turn on the lights! We must expose their position!
A bandit tries to approach the light switch. Just as he is about to pull it, he hears the sound of a blade unsheathing and is soon stabbed in the back.
"Good job, my friend."- Donovan whispers- "Only two more to go."
The remaining bandits try to run for the door, but do not make it far. Alcander and Donovan catch up to them, using a combination of blades and magic to illuminate the room and finish them off for good.
As the last of the enemies falls in battle, the two men congratulate each other for a job well done.
"I know a good soldier when I see one."- Donovan says as he turns the lights back on- "You know how to take advantage of a situation. That's for sure."
Alcander smiles.
"Do not be fooled by my untrustworthy methods."- He says to him- "Even though I use trickery to defeat my enemies, I am still a law-abiding warrior who answers to the Order."
Donovan grins.
"Ahh! So, you're just like me!"- He exclaims- "Come on then, Warrior of the Order. Let's keep the law alive. Together."
The way Donovan uses the word "together" pleases Alcander. He knows that he has found a good friend in him and he is ready to strengthen their newfound bond even further.
"So, this is what it feels like to have true friends."- He notes to himself- "It is such a... wonderful experience."
As the two leave the abandoned house and close the door, they are stopped by the same vahnatai that Alcander saw not too long ago.
"I should have known that there's some little weasels trifling with our affairs."- He says and smiles as he points his twisted-looking sword at them- "Good to see you, your majesty. I knew that you'd have a hand in this."
Donovan clenches his fists.
"Your thieving days are over, creature of the underworld!"- He yells- "Abandon your wicked ways at once or face the consequences of our wrath!"
The vahnatai chuckles.
"Your threats don't scare me, omnipotent one."- He says- "I've seen petty goblins fight better than your lot."
Uninterested, he turns his eyes away from him and looks at Alcander.
"Well, would you look at that. A new morsel for the dark one."- He says- "But you seem rather... familiar. Who are you?"
Alcander smiles.
"Does the surname Kaos remind you of someone?"
Donovan tilts his head to him, surprised.
"The Kaos Family?"- He says to himself- "He's one of them?"
The vahnatai takes a closer look at him. When he realizes who he is, he gasps and takes a step back.
"No. It can't be."- He says- "We thought you were dead!"
Alcander smiles.
"My death was... greatly exaggerated."
He cracks his knuckles menacingly.
"So."- He continues- "Do you want to know how I deal with creatures like you?"
Suddenly, the Vahnatai becomes terrified. He waves his blade at him as he nervously steps back.
"Stay away, hero!"- He yells- "I know your kind! You'll never defeat us!"
As Alcander approaches him, he glares at him.
"Stop it!"- He yells- "I'll never surrender!"
He steps back one more time. Little does he know that it will be his last.
Just as he prepares to attack, he gasps. Someone who has sneaked behind him plunges their daggers into both sides of his neck, ending his life.
"Kaos. You fool."- The creature gasps as he falls on his knees- "You're going to... pay... for... this."
Having said that, he collapses on the ground and bleeds out.
Alcander sheathes his sword and shrugs.
"Well."- He says- "That wasn't very nice."
Donovan nods.
"Bandits will never be nice to you."- He says to him- "Trust me. I've dealt with their kind many times before. The only thing that they respect is one's unquestioned power."
Alcander looks at him.
"Is that why this vahnatai was so scared of me?"
Donovan nods.
"There's a good chance for that."- He replies- "However, we'll never know until we see the rest of their leaders."
He looks up and sees the person who saved them. He nods and smiles.
"Took your time, didn't you."- He says- "Welcome back, Amelia."
Amelia nods and looks at Alcander.
"There's no time to talk. Whoever sent those miscreants is probably still around."- She says- "Let's go to the castle. We can evaluate this situation further once we get over there."
The three of them sneak away from the scene, but not before Donovan bends and picks up a small scroll from the bandit's pocket.
"Every single one of their leaders had one."- He says to Alcander as he watches him- "It's one of the clues that have been helping us locate their hideouts."
Alcander nods.
"I understand."- He says- "If that is everything, I suggest that we move on."
The three of them soon reach Castle Goznor. 
As the guards escort them inside, Donovan looks at Alcander and smiles.
"By the way, young hero."- He says to him- "We've been so engrossed in this battle that I didn't catch your name."
Alcander smiles back.
"Ah. You want to know... my name?"- He says as he stares ahead- "It is Alcander. Alcander Kaos."
== Trivia ==
* The name of this Part is a reference to the popular belief that the most heroic members of the Kaos family are like shining stars in the midnight sky, Alcander being one of the newest and brightest of them.
*The words that Alcander says to the vahnatai bandit ("My death was... greatly exaggerated") are the same that Metro Man said to a villain known as Titan when the latter exclaimed that he is alive. Those events happened shortly after his return in the movie "Megamind".