A long time ago, six gods went down upon a continent, each one bringing a part of your divine essence to shape the world. Iris, With a touch of life, gives origins to all creatures, great and small. Uris, with your infinite wisdom, brought knowledge and reason. Lume, the lord of the elements, was the one who created the water that flows through the rivers, the fire that warms the nights, the wind that dances among the mountains and the skies that embrace us. Marcille, the goddess of the heart, blessed us with love, compassion, mercy, and justice. Finally, there's Darius, whose strength and discipline shaped combat and survival.
And above all of them reigned Talos, the majestic dragon god. After the creation of the entire world, Talos decided to leave this world in complete freedom, leaving all of them free of sovereignty. But Darius didn't approve that, and then, taken by the greed for sovereignty, Darius insisted on commanding this world. But the other gods didn't approve, for being against Talos' ideas, so a war among the gods began. All the gods gathered against Darius, while he used his divinity to create a great army completely full of monstrous creatures...
After centuries of war, Darius was finally sealed, but his powers remained, preventing his monsters from being sealed. So Talos decided to create the "Abyss World" where these monsters would be, but this world can't seal them completely.
— Okay, Taky, enough for today — An mother said, sitting down under a shadow of a tree. Your voice was sweet, and a smile plays in she's lips while she caressed she's son hair in her lap
— But mom! There's still so many stories in the book... - Taky protested, raising his head with eyes shining with curiosity
— We'll continue tomorrow. And the imperium has a lot of history in books, my little one. They're won't disappear, just because you didn't finished this book
— Are you sure? - He frowned his eyebrows in curiosity, as if doubting that statement— Yes, I'm sure — she responded, laughing softly — I have some of them here and the library it's full of them too. You have a lot of time to read many of them, i promis
— Many?! - He jumped to his feet, running towards the house. - Then I'll read them all!
— But don't forget to do your daily tasks! — she screamed, with a voice full of laughter, while observe her son disappear at the door
Sometimes, I look at the past, maybe thinking I wish I could read that book again. Or maybe the book isn't the reason. But seeing her again…
Usually everything that I saw in those books always made me believe it wasn't true, that it was just a fairy tale, but on that night... was the last time I saw my mother.
Me and my mom were at home when everything started, I was sleeping when I heard the screams and the fire snaps. My mom run's to my room, holds my hand and even i sleepwalker we tried to run, leaving home and going as far as possible. When we left we realized that's lot of warriors fighting and even villagers trying to protect themselves…
In the dead of the night, monsters attacked, killing and burning everything and everyone. I saw places that I used to visit, talk with other persons,, that I bought harvests and food, being completely destroyed with screams everywhere. Dark ogres are everywhere, in streets, in houses, stores, devastating everything, being led and guided just by one man. A demon in human form, a knight with black armor looking like the night, and white hair like snow. They called him " General Kise Ryokin" but he was well known as "Kise Ryokin, the dark general". That stood in the highest tower in town. moutend in his red dragon, whose scales seemed to glow like live coals.
They seemed to search for something... or someone. But what? In such a small town, what can bring such a terrifying army?
All the warriors able to fight tried to stop him, many of them were seriously injured, and others met a tragic end…
In the end, warriors and villagers tried to resist. Swords across swords, arrows flying in the skies, but it was like to stop the storm with a wooden shield.
Blood stained the streets, and the fire consumed everything
— Look at mim, Taky! Only for me! — my mom screamed, holding my hand with force and a desperate look, as if this will protect me from the reality around us. Behind us, the chaos continues: hurt screams, the sound of houses collapsing, and the dragon roars.
Suddenly, a hiss cut through the air. Before I could understand what was happening, a black arrow pierced her thigh.
— Mom! — I screamed, while she fell to her knees, with a scream of pain escaping in your lips.
The blood dripped in her leg, staining the ground
— Kairen! — a man screamed from afar.
— Jinke! — my mom screamed, with the voice carrying an urgency — Please, save Taky!—No Karien, you two will leave from here! I will hold them.
— Take him... Please.
— Karien... I'm the warrior who protects you, I shouldn't run!
— Once this time! Once this time, forget that false warrior pride.
— Kar-
— Please, promise to me that you will take care of Taky. I don't have time.
At that time, orc arrows were known as "Snake arrows" because their arrows was poisoned with a strong poison. So strong that no healing magic could heal.
— Mom? — I said, trembling and frightened — What is happening... I can only shake, and I can't move...
— It's okay, Taky — She said, putting her hands on my cheek —This is all normal.
On that night, I discovered that my mother, even though she seemed like someone who would never get into a fight, was at least an A-Rank mage. With the palm shining in green tones, she cast "Iris Heal" and sealed the wound, expelling the arrow. But the orc poison was too strong and the effect hadn't faded yet.
— Jinke... — She said — I will be good, for now.
— But you need care and fast
— There is no healing spell capable of saving me from this poison now... quickly you don't have much time, take him. You can relax, the veteran here, promised to take care of yours back, remember?
— Yes... — And he walked towards me, dispirited, reluctant and faltering.
— Mom? How come? — In the middle of despair, I felt alone.
Jinke ran towards me and carried me, running into the forest without stopping. Seeing how far we had run, my mother finally turned her back and looked at the orcs around, before starting to attack them with her spell. "Lume Great Fire" after "Lume Great Fire" non-stop.
Far away, I just see the great flames emerging from my mom's direction, illuminating the darkness in this narrow path. Jinke ran enough that only can see the great flames consuming everything, and illuminating the sky in orange and red, beyond this the big and dark smoke.
Jinke entered in the forest and hide me between the tree's
— Taky... No matter what happens, don't leave until dawn — he said.
After saying that, he follows the road and continues round the path to the village. Leaving me completely alone.
I was shaking... crying and I couldn't speak. The fear completely consumed me, and I could only stand still. Scared, I put my hands on my head, and I shrank. I felt alone, with a heavy weight on my shoulders, hatred, fear, anger, all at the same time and I couldn't do anything because I was weak. My mother was going to die, my friends must have died, my entire home was destroyed, and all my memories were completely erased.
I was thinking about that all, until the sun rose... till footsteps were heard, beyond this dirt road. Hours have passed away and no one has found me...
— Ellen, did you heard that whimpering
— No. You must be hearing things, it's common that spirits who don't want to leave stay crying around.
— No... this is from a real person, a child.
— Wait Yuki! Didn't hear what I said?!
A mage entered the florest, following the whimpering, growing louder. Until behind a tree, she found a child, completely shrunk and hiding. Then, timidly, she approached, lowered her staff, and took off her big hat…
I stayed shrunk between the trees, trying to be invisible. I heard very soft footsteps, but I didn't stand up, until I saw a small sunlight fading in front of me, and a shadow taking form beside me.
— Boy? Can you talk? — she asked, with a soft voice like a whisper.
I raise up my head and a young lady with blue hair knelt before me, the face partially illuminated by the sunrise. Her smiles was gently, and her eyes looking sad.
— Y-yes... — I responded.
She is wearing a gray clout, and a blue shirt. With a beauty almost comparable to a goddess, she found me in the middle of this freezing darkness and loneliness.
— Tell me, what is your name? — She continued
— Taky… Taky Saezuke.
— Saezuke?! – She exclaimed, surprised, but soon softened her tone. — I see... Can you get up? I'll take you with me.
— Miss... do you know where my mom is? — I said it with a trembling voice.
She shook her head while denying, and took off a gray cloak from her bag.
Hours passed, I was brought to a survival shelter in the big city of Kanta, in the village surroundings. With time people were being funded and added to a list of survivors, so days passed away and no signal from my mom. Until they finally make a definitive list with all the survivors. It didn't matter where I looked, I couldn't find my mom, nor Jinke. I Asked the imperials, and they said that they hadn't found the bodies of either of them...
I was completely stunned, and I went to a corner of the shelter, staying there. With time, everyone had to stay in Kanta, trying to find jobs. Mas i... was adopted by a couple of a blacksmith and a mage that appears to pick up me, saying they came because of the witch who saved me.
I was five years old, when everything happens, now in the year of 444, five years have passed since that night
Nowadays I live with a dwarf and mage couple. The Dwarf is Dedelor Forelban, a great blacksmith that work's on the house's basement; The mage is Linda Forelban, a florist mage. both are too gentle and humble...
— Dedelor, do you know where my books are? — I ask, going stairs down to the forge in the basement.
— Your books? I think they're at the dinner table. — He said taking the glasses off and releasing the hammer.
— Thanks
The Forelban house is small but cozy. The smell of heated metal and fresh flowers always filling the air, creating a strange combination that somehow became familiar to me.
I finally went upstairs and headed to the dining room in the house. On the way I passed through the kitchen, meeting Linda.
— Taky? How is your studying with the books going? — She asked.
— Going well, by the way, are there any books on the table?
— Yes. She smiled slightly. — You slept in them yesterday
— Really? — I asked, surprised. — Makes sense that I don't remind sleeping in bed yesterday...— Don't take too much than you can, Taky.
— Okay I'll... wait, did you see the books?
— No, I know how much that you like to surprise us, so I'll only know when you want to tell me.
— Thanks, Linda.
I reached the dining room and found the books that I was looking for, and took them to an old house office, which I cleaned and restored. The books are about the basics of water magic. I've been studying for about a year and writing everything down in a journal. I don't know how far I can get on my own, but I've made a lot of progress.
So far, I can create a ball of water in my hand, but I can't throw it. Every time I try, the ball bursts. Sometimes I can make a waterfall, but it's still complicated for me. Maybe I should ask Linda for help, since she's a mage, even at Rank C she's still good.
Until then I only had one book, but by helping Linda sell the flowers, I earned some money and bought a second book that seems to teach much better, since the first one was something more intermediate.
To be honest, this book was quite cheap, for all that it teaches, although cheap is still a bit expensive here in Kanta, but I think the library gives prices based on the author's popularity, and this one was on the list of the cheapest.
The author's name is Violet Chain. Maybe it's just my delusion, but... I feel like I've heard that name before...