The underground train station was dark and damp, the sound of footsteps echoed through the tunnels. Small puddles of water caused ripples and splashes with every step. Suddenly, a sweet and caring voice broke through the eerie silence.
"Yuno, do you ever wonder where we're going?" The voice belonged to a woman, presumably Yuno's mother.
Yuno, a stoic-looking 5-year-old, replied in a flat and emotionless voice, "Yes, Mother."
The woman couldn't help but feel concerned about her child's lack of emotion. 'How can he be like this at such a young age?' she wondered, shaking her head with a sigh.
/Flashback/
"ARE YOU SERIOUS ADELE?!" An angry and raucous voice echoed through the enormous and huge blue-colored mansion. The dead bushes and trees surrounding the mansion seemed to shiver at the sound of the voice.
Inside the mansion, in the upper floors, in a large bright room filled with big electric chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, a woman with golden hair, 165cm in height, big golden eyes and wrinkle-free face was facing an old man with grey hair and wrinkled but sharp face with yellow golden eyes. They were sitting facing each other with a small rectangular table separating them, with two cups of tea on each side.
The woman, Adele, was beautiful, with an age around mid-twenties, and she seemed to radiate an aura of calmness and poise. Her father, Amos, on the other hand, looked stern and displeased, as if he was fighting an internal battle.
"Yes, I'm serious, Amos," Adele said, her tone flat and unyielding.
"He is still five years old; do you really know the consequences of what you are going to do?" Amos asked in a low but deep voice, his eyes fixed on his daughter.
Adele hesitated for a moment before responding, "Yes, I know the consequences of showing him the other side of this world." Her voice was still flat, but a slight tremor could be heard in it.
"...Sigh… Alright, do what you want…. But if something happens to him, it will be your fault," Amos said, his voice flat but with a hint of warning.
Adele's shoulders slumped in relief, and a soft smile graced her lips. "Thank you, Father. You won't regret it."
Amos grunted, but there was a flicker of warmth in his eyes. "I hope not,".
/End of flashback/
Adele and Yuno walked towards the big gate, guarded by two men equal in height standing side by side. The guards didn't initially recognize who was in front of them, but when they saw Adele's golden hair and golden eyes, they knew instantly that she was the family head of one of the legendary families: the Ambers.
The guards looked at each other and nodded, saluting Adele at the same time. "Welcome, family head of the Ambers," they said in a respectful tone.
Adele nodded in greetings and said, "Open the gates," with a small smile on her face.
"YES," the two gatekeepers said in unison.
As Adele and Yuno walked past the gate, the guards started whispering to each other.
"Hey, doesn't she look so beautiful?" one guard said in a hushed voice.
"Yeah, even more than the rumors described," the other guard replied, nodding in agreement.
"But who is that young kid with white hair beside her?" the first guard asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"I don't know... WAIT A white hair kid coming to this place, doesn't that mean he's from that family?!" the second guard said, his eyes widening with realization.
"Huh? What family?" the first guard asked, confused.
'Wait, white hair??!' the second guard thought to himself. 'Isn't that the symbol of...'
The two guards looked at each other with shocked expressions. Cold sweat began to form on their foreheads as they whispered in a low voice, "The Astaseul family."
"There's no way that family still exists, right?" the first guard said, trying to reassure himself.
"Relax, yeah, you're right. They must be long gone," the second guard replied, attempting to calm his colleague.
But then the guards looked at each other and burst out laughing at their own paranoia. "HAHAHAHAHA!" they roared with laughter, feeling foolish for their unfounded fears.
After passing through, what came into Yuno's view was a wooden door.
Yuno couldn't believe his eyes as he stood in front of the massive wooden door. It was at least four meters tall and six meters wide, and its thickness was unbelievable. He wondered how anyone could possibly open such a thick door with just a push.
But to his surprise, that's exactly what his mother, Adele, did. With a single, effortless push, the door swung open silently, revealing a hallway leading to a ballroom filled with people.
Yuno's jaw dropped in amazement. "How did you do that, Mother?" he asked, his eyes wide.
Adele just smiled mysteriously. "I have my ways," she said, and beckoned for Yuno to follow her.
Adele and Yuno slipped out of their robes to reveal their dark blue noble clothes as they walked into the ballroom. The room was alive with the chatter of people from all over the city, all dressed in their finest attire. The air was thick with the smell of food, wine, and other drinks, carried by the maids and butlers who flitted among the guests.
Yuno, feeling overwhelmed, looked around with a curious expression. He couldn't help but wonder why there were so many people gathered in this place, and what they were all here for. He scanned the crowd, taking note of the different hair and eye colors, the exquisite outfits, and the expensive jewelry adorning the guests.
As he continued to survey the scene, his eyes fell upon a certain kid. Suddenly, his expression froze, and his pupils shrank. The boy had red eyes and black hair, and was taller than Yuno despite being only eight years old. But what really caught Yuno's attention was the fire in the boy's hands, taking the shape of different animals as he played with it.
Yuno's heart started to race as he watched the boy's flames dance in his hands. He had never seen anything like it before. The flames seemed so alive and untamed, and Yuno couldn't help but feel both fascinated and intimidated.
"What the hell am I seeing?" Yuno thought, feeling completely overwhelmed. He was already exhausted from all the surprises he had experienced in the past month, and this was just too much for him to handle.
Feeling drained and unsure of what to do, Yuno let out a tired sigh. He desperately needed to rest and collect his thoughts, but he knew that he couldn't just leave Adele alone at the banquet. So he quietly followed her, trying to calm his racing thoughts and steady his shaking hands.
Yuno was completely overwhelmed by what he had just witnessed. "What the hell am I seeing?" he thought. His mind was racing, trying to make sense of it all. He had heard stories about people with extraordinary abilities, but he never thought he would see it firsthand.
Desperate for answers, Yuno turned to Adele. "What did that red-eyed boy do? How did he do it?" he asked.
Adele hesitated for a moment, studying her son's face. She knew he was not ready to hear everything just yet. But she also knew that he deserved the truth. "That was Gonos," she said softly. "It's a power that only a selected few can wield."
Yuno's eyes widened in surprise. "Gonos?" he repeated, feeling a spark of excitement.
As they made their way through the banquet, Yuno couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and excitement.
'maybe being reborn into this world wasn't a bad idea' thought Yuno.
Remembering what happened to him last month.