Light in the darkest of times

Long ago, there were two brothers: one who sought peace and prosperity, and the other who craved war and chaos. The former was my father, Albert Beckett. He witnessed a meteor on the verge of wreaking havoc upon a desert. When he approached the impact site to check for casualties, he found himself enveloped in magical energy that infused his walking stick, transforming it into the Staff of Light. Every fiber of the staff pulsated with magic, leading Albert to believe it was a gift from god. He wielded the staff’s power to transform the barren land into a thriving nation called Lithvaria.

Meanwhile, on the other side of America, my uncle gained control of a ship and became Captain Oliver Beckett, the most feared pirate alive. Oliver conquered the seven seas, and one fateful day, he encountered Lithvaria. My father, filled with warmth and love, welcomed him with open arms, though Oliver wanted nothing to do with him. Nevertheless, Oliver pretended to be delighted to see his brother, hoping that Albert would be deceived into believing his sincerity. Oliver aimed to convince Albert to provide a reliable source of food and water for him and his army, as that is what good brothers do. He succeeded in persuading Albert to support him, and from that day, Oliver never returned to Lithvaria. Instead, one of his minions came each month to collect the surplus. Despite Oliver’s absence, Albert remained blinded by love, hoping for his brother’s eventual return.

Several years passed, and Albert fell in love with a woman named Evelyn Smith. They married, and I, named after my grandfather Abe Beckett, was born. These were truly the happiest moments of my father’s life, but the joy was short-lived. Albert succumbed to cancer, but before his passing, he concealed the Staff of Light. He understood the catastrophic consequences if the staff were to fall into the wrong hands, placing countless lives at risk. Albert’s final words revealed that I, Abe, held the key to finding the staff of light. Like him, in the darkest of times, I would bring forth the light.

Since that day, I was treated as royalty, and regrettably, it fostered arrogance and boastfulness within me. However, a sense of responsibility struck me when a drought befell Lithvaria, causing time to seemingly reverse. Everyone proclaimed that I held the key to finding the staff, which burdened me with immense stress. To worsen matters, we lacked the resources to provide for my uncle and his army. His minion warned me that there would be dire consequences, and he was not exaggerating. In response, my uncle waged war on Lithvaria, resulting in the deaths of many innocent people. He vowed to return the following month for another raid.

I couldn’t understand the depths of my uncle’s cruelty. The only way to protect our nation was to find the staff. I tirelessly searched my father’s study day and night for clues, but to no avail. Fueled by desperation and a willingness to do anything to halt the chaos, I embarked on an expedition to the site where the meteorite had struck. At that point, I was desperate and would go to any lengths to bring an end to the mayhem. However, my expedition proved futile, with no sign of the staff or any leads. To make matters worse, my uncle returned.

Oliver unleashed war once again, and this time, I dreaded what he was capable of. He issued an order for his men to shoot the children, an act that revealed the devil within him. I rushed to shield the innocent, but in doing so, I was shot. As I drew my last breath of fresh air, I received a vision of my father. He declared me worthy of the staff, and streaks of magic emanated from within me, coalescing into the Staff of Light. Albert had concealed the staff’s magic within me, activating it only when I proved worthy. With the staff in hand, I brought an end to the madness that had consumed us. All the pirates, including my uncle, were imprisoned, and Lithvaria was restored to its former glory. Finally, in the darkest of times, light prevailed.