"Roro, you don't know your own clan's rituals?"
Zenith asked, her tone a mix of surprise and disbelief.
"No… was I supposed to?"
He had heard whispers of rituals within his clan, but he was never allowed to learn about them, much less participate.
"How old are you, anyway?"
"I turned eight just two months ago,"
"Really? I would've guessed you were closer to ten. You seem… mature for your age, but maybe that's just the demon clan blood in you."
Hiro didn't think of himself as older or younger than his age—he was simply himself. But perhaps that was because he had lived a sheltered life, rarely interacting with anyone besides Rin.
The thought of Rin sent a sharp ache through his heart, so he pushed it aside, grateful Zenith decided to speak again.
"Maybe that's why you don't know, I'll have to explain it to you—at least what I can. I don't know all the details of your clan's age rituals, but I can tell you about mine. They might have some similarities."
Hiro nodded, ready to listen intently to whatever Zenith had to say.
"In the first ritual, you learn about fate and the origins of the universe,"
Zenith began.
"It's a long story, so pay attention."
"Okay!"
"A long time ago, there was nothing—an endless void. But then, a wish was born, and that wish gave rise to Titan, the creator of the universe. Titan shaped the earth and the stars, and upon the world, he placed two beings: Adam and Eve. They were the first humans, and for a time, they lived peacefully on earth.
"However, their peace was shattered when they discovered the Corrupted Tree—the first gate to evil creatures. At first, this gate was small, no larger than a seed. But the seed sprouted, and the tree grew, bearing the fruit of defilement. Eve, against her better judgment, plucked one of the fruits and took a bite. Then she offered it to Adam. Reluctantly, but under her persuasion, he took a small bite as well.
"The fruit, however, was an opening for corruption. It seeped into Eve completely, turning her into its vessel. Adam, having only taken a small bite, was spared from being fully consumed, but it didn't matter. Corruption spread through Eve and, ultimately, reached Titan himself.
"Even the creator could not resist its power. Titan fell to corruption, and his madness threatened to destroy everything he had made. The gods, who were born from his mind, killed titan from his own self. As Titan fell to the earth, his body broke apart, and from his remains, new creatures were born.
"Dragons emerged from his lungs, giants from his heart, and daemons from his stomach. The gods succeeded in killing the corruption, but the world was forever changed. This is how both creation and chaos entered our world."
Hiro listened intently to the story, intrigued by how even the creator of the world, Titan, had succumbed to corruption.
"And fate?" Hiro asked, his curiosity piqued.
Zenith continued, "After Titan fell, the world became stagnant. Nothing moved, nothing changed. So the Goddess of Humanity, along with the other gods, created fate. They wove it into the fabric of existence, establishing the laws of the world. Fate set everything into motion—it created time itself.
"Fate is the force that keeps the world functioning. Every living being is connected to it. Some, with enough training, can harness fate to a small degree. They can use it to strengthen their bodies, wield authorities, charms, and enchantments. The last one—enchantments—was a skill unique to your family."
Hiro's eyes widened as he absorbed the information. Pieces of his world finally began to click into place. He had always wondered how warriors in his clan could fight for hours on end or perform feats of unimaginable strength.
Now, he realized it was all thanks to their ability to manipulate fate.
"So, can I use fate?"
Hiro asked eagerly.
"Well, sure, but you're not old enough nor strong enough to use it just yet."
"Oh… I see."
Hiro's excitement dimmed, and his shoulders sagged.
"Don't look so down in the dumps! It's only three more years until you're of age to start learning."
Hiro's expression brightened a little at her words.
"There are two more pieces of knowledge you'll gain from the last two rituals, but those come later. For now, I've told you all you need to know."
Hiro tilted his head, curiosity rekindled.
"So… Can you control fate?"
"Well, yes, I can, why do you ask?"
"I was just wondering if you could demonstrate it,"
Zenith tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm, let me think… I don't have anything prepared for a detailed example right now. But you saw the fight between me and the knight, didn't you? Or were you unconscious by then?"
"I was conscious, but I couldn't see much"
Zenith studied Hiro for a moment, her sharp green eyes seeming to weigh his potential.
"Hey, why don't you become my student? What do you think?"