A/N: This is prologue 4 not 3, sorry for the confusion. I'm trying to fix it but as of now, it is what it i, sorry for the inconvenience.
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Terrisa worriedly looked back as she moved; a hint of nervousness could be glimpsed from the corner of her eyes.
By some mysterious force, she could feel a faint sense of danger tingling in her head despite knowing no such danger was present.
'Is it because of Raon? No, he should be fine; that old man is surely taking care of him… Is it because of the other children? But they are with Ema… What could this possibly mean?
At her level of ascension, any premonitions are extremely aligned with reality. Very rarely would her sense grow dull or be wrong about a prediction.
'Is that old man tampering with my connection? But why?
Despite being very strong herself, Terrisa isn't invincible; if anything, she is now more vulnerable than an average human.
'It should be fine…'
She convinced herself that there shouldn't be any problem after all, as someone stronger than her was looking after her kids.
Leaving her concern at the back of her mind, she takes out a letter with a seal from the Royal family of Ignis.
The paper was intricately designed with golden leaves, giving off a peaceful yet dignified aura. Taking a look at the content, Terrisa scowled.
"Bunch of bastards."
She immediately crumpled the letter and burned it with a spark. The paper briefly shines, brightening the sewer tunnel and revealing the monstrosity hiding within the darkness.
Casting small air bubbles around her nose that filtered air, she silently chanted.
Miracle formed on the tip of her fingers, flame dancing as if woven by the hand of an artisan.
The ember of flame consumes the letter whole; before turning into dust some content remains untampered; it reads:
"-ss-Gold Rift, immediate extermination is recommen-"
The piece of paper turned to ash as-
WHOOSH!
Dazzling flame particles dance with intensity, forming a sweeping tornado made out of fire. Concentrated heat fills the tunnel, consuming massive amounts of air.
Nonchalantly, Terrisa looks at the burning monster; she has made sure to burn the creature's vocal organ first, as she does not wish to alert the other Outsiders.
After a period of time, what remained of the monster is a simple carcass of what it once was; the foul smell of the sewer has also been purified by the flame.
Releasing her air bubble, Terrisa takes in a mouthful of heated air.
"Who in their right mind would mobilize a Behemoth for an A-class Rift! These guys obviously want to work me to the bone."
Terrisa speeds up; despite having a mana core that doesn't boost physical performance, she is still much faster than a C-Status with a circuit.
After dealing with the first obstacle, a wreckage is an apt description of what she left behind.
The mangled structure of pipelines melted metal, and the toxic carcass of the monster she just killed was left as someone else's problem. Due to the secretive nature of the request and her popularity, Terrisa doesn't care if she is 'exposed' and held 'accountable.'.
Many may hate her for causing unnecessary damage, potentially endangering innocent people. But she knows that no such thing will happen.
Stuff like this gets cleaned up extremely fast; in fact, most citizens wouldn't be aware of any abnormalities at all.
"One down, three more to go."
Her hatred for the higher-ups fuels her flame; like an untamed disaster, she will burn down this Kingdom of Kobold to ash, just like she used to.
***
"-fucker, I shouldn't have left you alone with him, you psychopath! What about the promise of protecting him in case of danger?
"Well, I did; he didn't die, did he?"
"Don't play with me, old bastard; I'm going to burn you to a crisp!"
"Terrisa, calm down! He is fine; with enough divine energy, he will be back in shape before the festival starts… I think."
"Ugh! Is there any kingdom nearby? I need to let off some steam."
"The kids are right outside; I think you should calm down."
"Calm? How can I be calm? How did he even get this injured? You were supposed to protect him, weren't you?
"Huhu, I simply got careless, dear Terrisa. Besides, it was a safe test… relatively.
"That doesn't even make sense. How can it be safe if he is this injured? Any normal child would have died! I thought you were looking for a successor, not a corpse… You know what? I won't give him to you! No matter what you say, old bastard."
"At least he was in better shape than you after my test."
"That test was borderline murder. What test?!? Piece of shit, stop excusing your action!"
"Huhu, right, it seems like I have a relapse into the habit again."
My consciousness slowly woke up, and what greeted me was the same old darkness. And the heated argument between Terrisa and some old man—his voice suggested.
My head is groggy; it seemed as if I got a concussion; maybe I did. My body is still weak due to the earlier encounter, but significant improvement came to be felt as I tried to grip both my arms.
'Both my arms are healed? It shouldn't be that fast, right? Even with magical intervention, mana shouldn't be capable of this feat.'
Though it could just be that my knowledge was extremely lacking, I haven't truly discovered all the fantastical things that this world has to offer.
"Is anyone there? Where am I? How long was I passed out for?"
My voice is hoarse. I'm thirsty.
"Praise the Sun, you wake up, Raon! I was so worried!"
Terrisa's voice shows signs of genuine worry. However, I was hesitant to respond as I was unsure about my feelings.
"Ehem, Raon, you are currently in the medical ward of the church, and you haven't recovered your consciousness for an estimated day and three hours. Also here, open wide; I think you will need it."
I obediently opened my mouth. A cool stream of water flows into my body, relieving my thirst.
'She is definitely a nun, alright…'
"Thank you, Sister Ema…"
"Hahah, call me big sister next time if you are that grateful!"
Her cheerfulness reminds me of a friend I used to have; my mood became a bit better due to it.
So, I am currently lying in the church, and a day and three hours have passed since I found the Outsider, so it should be noon of Sun's day right now.
With this basic information out of the way, I frowned my brow. I need an explanation for what I have gone through. I take a deep breath.
"Terrisa, was it your intention to leave me in the sewer all alone?"
I sternly ask. I couldn't possibly keep up my childlike act after this traumatic experience. I don't think she expects me to be this cold, but it is what must be done.
"I… Um, it wasn't, I mean that… It was my fault that I abandoned you and left you to fend off that fiend all by yourself. It was my incompetence to believe in someone unreliable that that situation happened…"
Terrisa, who had been sitting beside me, gently holding my right hand, had tears dripping down my hand as she tried to explain herself.
"I hope, I hope that you forgive me for my carelessness and stupidity… and… and…"
My heart tightened, and seeing my mother cry like that, I couldn't take it without feeling guilty. Just like Terrisa said she was at fault, but I can't bring myself to blame her…
'Hah… I'm too soft with women, it's seems...
"Yahg!"
I use my left elbow to support my body; my body feels as if submerged in water. My body is aching, screaming even, telling me to stop, but I have someone to whom I owe my thanks.
"What are you doing, Raon? You need rest!"
I at least need to express some gratitude to the one who saved him, even if he's at fault or not.
"Thank you… for saving me."
I darted my eyes towards my left and moved my body accordingly, where I could hear a breathing sound belonging to a man. Which makes him stand out among Terrisa and Ema in the room, whose breathing patterns/vibrations I already remember.
"Huh? Quite perceptive, you are making me like you more and more, kiddo."
'…I will try to ignore that.'
"I heard your voice before I fully woke up, so I guess that you are my savior."
"Oh, so you don't think that it was your mother that saved you?"
Silence descended as the old man finished his sentence. For some reason, out of nowhere, pressure weighs down my being, but the feeling only lasts for less than a second.
"Huff, this lassie here does like to work these old bones of mine, huh?"
"Shut your trap, dying old man!"
The relationship between Terrisa and this mysterious old man is quite peculiar.
'There's no animosity between them.'
I'm quite adept at deciphering people's moods by their tone; that's a must-have skill when you can't see someone's expression.
"I… don't think so. Terrisa asks me to wait for someone, so Mo-Terrisa must have expected someone to guard me. She would come back so soon when she was on the job; my fight only lasted ten minutes."
"Well, that's correct, young brat; the person you were waiting for is me. I am… someone your mother called an acquaintance, a distant relative if you stretch it a bit."
"Then I have to thank you for rescuing me… Sire"
"You can call me 'old man' if you want. Besides, it was my fault that you got hurt so badly."
"I… know, but I am alive right now thanks to you, so gratitude must still be expressed."
"Hump… I see. You're more sensible than someone I know."
"What do you mean by that shitty beard-dying old bastard?"
"Now that's a colorful expression. But anyways, I do feel sorry for putting you through such an intense experience at the age where you should go outside and pick up herbs in a mountain."
The old man stayed silent as if to gauge my reaction. I asked him to continue with my eye movement the way I remembered it.
"You see, kiddo, I am a dying old man looking for a disciple. At first, I came to the sewer to do a quest; at the same time, I was interested in you, someone who awakened their archetype—your circuit—at the tender age of three. I was wholeheartedly disappointed at Terrisa for wasting such a talented lad…"
So, it was because of my 'talent' that, when everyone else was still in their Terrisa's embrace playing around their house, I alone awakened my Circuit, becoming a truly monstrous kid.
After some incidents, Terrisa taught me how to control my mana and restrict my strength so that I wouldn't hurt my siblings accidentally. After which she never mentions teaching anything ever again.
I do understand her concern due to my abnormality, but I was fine with it as I did want to have a relatively normal childhood with my new family.
But now, I feel like I was very foolish before; I should have pestered Terrisa more to teach me more about Mana and Magic.
"… Also, it is because I was enthralled by your talent in attracting and channeling. That was why they let a lone kobold—the monster that attacks you—to test your attitude in life and death situations. It is because of my selfish desire for a disciple that you incurred those life-threatening injuries."
…
'…'
"That was a simple character test, not to downplay the dangerousness of your predicament back then, but if you were to cry and beg someone for help, I would have come out and saved you immediately. How you did on this test just means I have to create a training schedule to improve your mind if you happen to become my disciple; it's an unseemly habit I developed. And… Huhu, never mind; old habits die hard. I am just making excuses. Still, it was my negligence, and for that, I am sorry, young Raon."
The vibrations suggested that the old man bend down, presumably bowing and apologizing to me. There is sincerity put into his words, though his tone also suggests that my situation wasn't out of his expectations.
'Does he believe that this event is not life-threatening or dangerous for me? What life did he live to believe this ridiculous notion?
I could tell that this old man isn't a bad person, but his morals are a bit twisted. Unlike Terrisa, who is worried sick about my condition.
"…"
"I always tell you that this guy is crazy; even the paladin test would be this strict."
"Don't butt in, Ema."
'Hah… I want to sleep; this old man, even though he has saved me, at the same time has a ridiculous notion about testing. I wasn't even informed about any test, he just tested me on the spur of the moment.'
It's a shitty feeling of powerlessness; I was dancing on that old man's hand just because he wants it…
'This is infuriating."
"I want to be alone… please."
"Eh… Would you like to meet your siblings first, Raon? I am sure they are also very concerned about your well-being."
Emma suggested. I would want to meet them now, but I need to sort out my feelings first… to meet or not to meet…
"Yes... I would like to see them before resting."
"Then we'll take our leave, Ema, the old man. Let's go. We shouldn't bother Raon anymore; also, old man, we need to talk."
The voice grew distant, and my temper slowly cooled down; despite the subsiding anger, I was still mad about the whole ordeal.
Although mad at the old man's lack of empathy, I was impressed by my decision back then to brazenly do something I had never done before: kill a monster. Was my character a courageous knight or something?
'But why does he need to test my character? Is he intent on taking me as his disciple?'
'… I do need a master to teach me how to fight or at least self-defense, especially knowing that I could get ambushed by a monster out of nowhere… Does it have to be that old fart though?
Before my thought trailed off, the innocent and cute voice of Stella accompanied a slam of an opened door, waking me up from my stupor.
"BROTHER RAON! ARE YOU ALRIGHT? I HEAR YOU AND MOTHER MEET BAD GUYS!"
Stella screamed… screeched, her voice trying to burst open my eardrum.
"Quiet down, Stella. I'm fine… relatively."
"Raon, are you okay?" x2
Slower than Stella by a beat, Ethan and Ruben say in unison. Sometimes I wonder if they are twins, though Dain denied that notion due to their differences in physique. Spiritually, at least I think they are twins.
"Raon's body should be alright; Sister Ema said that she uses a lot of her mana to heal you to a semi-perfect condition."
"Thanks, that's reassuring to hear, Dain."
I thanked Dain; it was truly magic that made me heal my grievous wounds this fast. I wonder if I could learn this kind of magic too.
Surrounded by my siblings, my heart eases up; no longer does the tension of battle strain my heart. Like this, the time moves like a flash: one hour, two hours, and three hours…
***
The nightfall erased the presence of the imperious sun. The Trial of Sun is now over, and a new day will soon commence.
A young woman in her mid-twenties wearing haggard clothes befitting of a beggar with burning red hair cascading down past her knee. Her azure eyes are distant, looking at the heaven above.
Terrisa looks outside the window, gazing at the beautiful moonlight.
The moon, despite being proven as a subsidiary of the Sun, steals the radiance of the day by Wizard King Merlin. Many churches of the Moon are still present on this land, and many more on other continents due to the Moon's fundamental symbolism.
Terrisa manages to pull her gaze away from the inciting celestial bodies; her contemplation leads her to look at Raon's healing visage. His amber eyes remain closed, yet he is spiritually looking at the distant nothingness.
Her heart tightens, and she has done many wrongs in her short yet eventful life. Many times she would simply shrug away all the responsibility, but this time she has to take accountability.
She is, after all, Raon's mother.
"How many children have died due to my actions…?"
Terrisa whispered to the wind, reflecting on her mistake. She has burned down cities, destroyed villages, and killed innocents, all in the name of war and loyalty. How many? How many innocent lives have suffered due to her blindness?
"It is uncountable…"
The weight of such atrocities is weightless, as there is no amount of weight that could account for human lives.
Now she truly felt the heaviness of having a life almost taken away due to her actions or inaction. The life of someone she cared about. Now she ponders the feelings of the mothers and children she has inadvertently killed, caused by her indiscriminate destruction.
"Thinking about life, Terrisa?"
An old man appeared beside Terrisa, escaping her notice, wearing a classic gentleman look, his grayish-silver hair shining brightly as if the moon above gave him its blessing.
His voice is gentle and crisp.
"Fancy a sip?"
His hand holds out a teacup, gesturing for Terrisa to take the cup from his hand.
"Thank… gramps…"
She hesitantly took the cup and sipped lightly; the tea's aroma caused her mind to ease up somewhat. The delicate flavor gives her soul a refreshment, waning her piling guilt by a little.
"Hoho, finally recognized me? I thought you had memory loss or something because you keep calling me 'old bastard.'"
"Tsk, don't you know how to read the mood, old bastard?"
"Hoho, let me tell you I'm excellent at reading the mood."
"What were you thinking anyways, putting Raon through such an experience… He is not even related to you… unlike me."
Terrisa wasn't exactly unfamiliar with her grandfather's ruthlessness in his training or 'testing.'.
"It is for his own good… though I do regret the outcome as it will be significantly harder to make him my disciple."
"You haven't changed much, I see. I thought you would be gentler after you had a great-granddaughter."
"Hoho, in this perilous period, ruthlessness is a necessity, my dear. Though Raon may not be very exceptional, my attraction force is quite fond of him. You know well that Fate is an irresistible force; even if you master the Attraction, that doesn't mean you master Fate."
"… What about other children? What does Attraction say about them?"
"They have their own fate, my dear, though treacherousness is fond of all of your children; this is perhaps karma."
"I see, so it was my fault at the end of the day, isn't it?"
"Don't be so pessimistic, Terrisa; only through repeated hammering would a sword take form. Their future is still ambiguous, as even I don't dare to gaze at the cosmos for too long."
The old man tried to reassure Terrisa through his sincerity. In spite of his efforts, Terrisa still has a downcast expression; her thoughts are still stuck in the darkness of the night.
"The night is quite dark tonight, isn't it?"
The constellations, which were numerous a few days ago, have now hidden away from the brilliant light of the moon.
The moon is domineering, borrowing power and authority from the sun.
"The Moon God isn't kind to intruders after all."
The old man closes his eyes; his right hand touches his cane. He muses the lunar shine tried to occupy the darkness, overpowering the faint stars from far away.
"…"
He muttered something under his breath.
The old man changes his posture to the drawing position, his left hand holding a nonexistent scabbard. He takes a deep breath, gripping the cane's fantastical aura, coating the stick and giving it a hue of gold; his demeanor turns serene.
Distant constellations shine down light pouring towards the old man.
"Tsk, close your eyes, Terrisa; [They] are acting up again."
Terrisa carefully closed all of her eyes, cutting off her connection to the universe for a second; for a few moments, the world went mute.
SHINK!
CRACK.
Terrisa's right shoulder was tapped, and she opened her eyes.
Her heart skips a beat.
She looks beside her, her grandfather grooming his beard, ponders.
"Hu, I guess I should be more amicable to young Raon if I want to take him as my successor… What do you think? You have some experience with kids, right? Or should I ask your brother, or maybe I should ask your mother?"
"Insane old man. Besides… this time I failed as a mother. I need to visit my children now; you—this time, please keep watch over him."
"Sure, I may be insane, but I am not that heartless. Beside."
Not fancying hearing the old man remark, Terrisa burst into a myriad of colors. She disappeared from the balcony as if she had never even been there.
"So hasty, tsk tsk, such is youth…"
The old man commented before looking down at the vast landscape of Ragon, the capital of Ignis. The festival commemorates the passing of the Trial of Sun, which began shortly after Raon fell asleep.
Light sparkling brightly represents life; vibrations filled with joyfulness fill the capital, glittering fireworks brighten the night, and myriads of colors dance, weaving themselves into the cosmos for a fraction of a second.
"How unlucky. It is indeed a shame that your family can only look at this site from a distance."
It was a pity that his granddaughter didn't have the upbringing she deserved. It was a pity that her children suffered the same fate until their adult years. It was a pity that Raon may not consider becoming his disciple. It was truly a pity.
Pity, that was all he had left to offer for those he had wronged.
Yet there was no regret in his voice; even if he had been given hundreds more chances, the result wouldn't change.
Above, the vast cosmos, a dozen constellations shine their light toward the earth once again.