"The road ahead will depend on you alone. I cannot see clearly what lies before you, but I do not believe in fate, nor will I place my hopes in some illusory prophecy. I have always believed that man can conquer heaven! Not even gods can overturn the will of mankind!" Sernal said calmly yet domineeringly.
"I understand!" Wes nodded sadly. He knew that he would most likely never see Sernal again. As Sernal's final wisp of soul faded away, Middle-earth would no longer have a Holy Hero named Sernal.
"I once followed Sauron's orders to search for the legendary Child of Prophecy, but I do not believe in fate! Compared to him, I think you are more qualified to wield my holy sword! The kingdom belongs to the Dúnedain, not to the king! I have no obligation to cling to those rotten old beliefs and serve a royal family that cannot even protect its own nation!" Sernal snorted coldly.
"..." Wes was stunned by Sernal's shocking words and did not know what to say for a moment.
"Do not let external things sway you. If one day a young man comes to summon you with Isildur's holy sword, you need not heed him. Your King is very good!" Sernal said meaningfully. He truly feared that the heir he had chosen would foolishly go and make someone else's dreams come true. Though Sernal could not be certain who the Child of Prophecy was, years of investigation had given him some clues. That "Strider" wandering the northern wilderness had some of the potential of the Child of Prophecy, so Sernal had always openly and secretly sheltered that Dúnedain.
Otherwise, did anyone really think Aragorn had been able to roam freely through the Northern Territory for no reason? Aside from the protection