Prologue
THE DIVINE BIND
1
"Hikaru Yume"
"Here"
He answered, his face had a shred of life in it as if he was somewhat alive. But it was just part of his act, his lie. Sooooo Boring.
Hikaru's thoughts overran his mind as he slumped into his chair putting his head upon his arms that were resting on his desk.
His eyes faded once more into the pitch-black lifeless stare he knew all too well. His eyelids slowly closed as his mind slipped away from him onto another place.
I want to live. I want adventure. I want Power enough power to escape this world, or at least this classroom…
"Hikaru"
A woman's voice called from a ways off. Startled, Hikaru jolted up, his class was gone, and he was Floating in a space-like place.
"Where am I."
Hikaru wanted answers, but all he got was silence. Surrounded by black mist he suddenly felt dizzy and as he was about to doze off a sweet whisper came to him
"Upon this soul, I leave my mark, in his hand he holds the…"
His eyes jolted open with life as light enveloped him. Well, I guess I got what I asked for…
2
Hikaru Yume awoke on an unknown shore of an unknown place he sat up and looked at the ocean before him.
There was a massive island off in the distance. Hikaru stood up looking at his surroundings and searching for some indication of where he was. The resonating tone of the voice is still present in his thoughts.
"Hellooo!"
Hikaru shouted but to no avail, not a soul was in hearing range the sun was beginning to set Hikaru made the assumption he had been passed out for several hours maybe longer.
He made his way up the small shore to what seemed to be a massive forest of some sort to call it a mangrove swamp forest or jungle would be wrong it was unlike anything Hikaru had ever seen before.
100-foot trees vines hanging no light was present the shadows moved freely here. Hikaru began walking through the area for what seemed like an hour.
When the sun was fully set seeing your hand in front of your face should have been impossible yet the darkness hadn't changed too much it was as if the forest was stuck at a certain point in time.
Hikaru tired of walking sat under a tree catching his breath. How Big is this place?
Hikaru was trying to think of how to find civilization once more he needed something to eat. He didn't know if it was the teleportation or the lack of eating breakfast that caused this hunger but it didn't matter as long as he got food and soon.
Hikaru had realized not even crickets had made a noise in the forest no animal had made a noise it begged the question if there was any creatures living in here or not and if not why.
Hikaru got up but when he did he started to here a faint whistling in the distance. Great just what I need a creepy whistle in a dark forest.
He had no idea of where he was and needed answers a normal person would probably be scared out of their mind but not him.
Hikarus's one wish was to be like all the characters he read about in the light novels and mangas he had collected over the years he wanted powers friends and lovers like they had. but though he would dream of it it seemed as if it would forever just be that a dream.
Until this morning when he had mysteriously teleported to this place an unfamiliar land, this was exactly the moment he had been waiting for he wasn't gonna just let it pass by.
"Alright then if this is just like those stories then I should follow that whistle huh?"
Hikaru spoke to himself while beginning to make his way to the origin of the sound.
3
Hikaru had been walking for a while now following the whistle which echoed throughout the jungle-like forest the sound was hard to pinpoint but Hikaru knew he was on the right path when the whistling grew louder.
He came to a river that seemed to appear out of thin air from a tree stump of all places there was a massive tree that had fallen over and from the roots of the tree came flowing water. the fallen tree seemed to be hollow and led into nothingness.
Nope. Hikaru was not going in there which was fine he didn't need to the whistling wasn't emanating from the tree it came from across from the tree on an arching root going over the great river.
Upon the root was a man in a suit and top hat sitting on a stool with a lantern set on the stump right next to him he was whistling a tune that sounded familiar but Hikaru couldn't put his finger on it he knew it was a song he had heard before but at that moment he couldn't remember.
Hikaru walked closer to the stump so he could talk to the man atop the stump and as he grew closer the whistling stopped. Somethings off… Hikaru questioned. The man stood up from his stool and turned to look at his lantern but before he could the lantern light disappeared along with the man.
"What The?!?"
Hikaru confused looked around for the man in the area where he had been sitting. But he was gone
"Hello there… Invader"
The man's voice deepend on the word invader somehow the man who just seconds before was atop the giant root was now behind Hikaru.
"I was expecting you Boy ever since you entered my luxurious domain!"
Hardly Luxurious at all. Hikaru didn't turn around he was scared too the man had this feeling about him and Hikaru knew it all too well the man was putting up an act he didn't care for what the man looked like he just understood he was dangerous.
"Why neglect me boy turn and look at the one who holds the key to your life or death"
The man laughed it was a horrid laugh. Hikaru turned and when he laid eyes on the man he fell back in fear That's no man Hikaru thought to himself he had every right to believe so because what lay before him was no man, It was the eye of the forest who may have once been a man but was no longer a man.
The creature was covered in a dripping shadow all that remained untouched were his eyes and mouth which were grinning ear to ear his eyes full of pain and signs of a broken mind.
"What are you!"
Hikaru looked right at the creature's eyes unable to look away in fear of that thing coming at him.
"The name is Crux I am The current Lord of this land also known as… The Eye"
The man leaned in on Hikaru.
"no need to introduce yourself I do not care because… Judging by your reaction you have seen it."
"Seen what"
"The Dark Mana Gathered around my body unless I am in the light this Mana covers me head to toe giving off this frightening appearance but not many can see it. At least not many from this world, Narcantia."
So I guess my hypothesis was right I am in a different world. Mana and the eyes of forests are not something you would hear in Japan. Hikaru understood this man saw that he was from a different world.
"So what if I am?"
Putting on an act of his own an act of courage which he had none of at that moment.
"Then there is only one reason for you being here. I usually end up just killing whatever poor soul finds their way into my domain but… Invaders are different."
The man was still holding that erie grin which had to hurt after holding it for such a long period of time.
"What do you mean Invaders?"
after hearing he had a chance of not dying he suddenly felt relieved as if all the weight that creature had put on him suddenly lifted.
"We don't receive many Invaders and by that, I of course do mean other worlders like yourself"
He looks Hikaru up and down
"Matter of fact the last one we had was…"
He stopped as did his smile and looked up in the sky which could not be seen the canopy of the forest was too dense
"I see."
The Creature turned back towards Hikaru with a more normal look the act he put up faded he seemed somewhat sane.
"Boy, I would like to grant you a once-in-a-lifetime deal."
He walked closer to Hikaru getting way to close for comfort.
"What is it."
"I suppose you aren't aware of Divine Binds are you now?"
Crux asked Hikaru his eyes sharpened on Hikarus looking for any slight deviation of his character.
"No, sir"
"No, I thought not."
Crux stood up straight and took full grasp of the situation at hand a Divine Bind was no Laughing matter.
"It is a vow between two people Binding their mana and souls for a time granting them a portion of each other's power.
But it comes with a pact usually something extreme like an eye, arm, or, the Bindee's very soul. You of course being the bindee. But I have no interest in body parts or souls. I want you to do something for me and in exchange you will receive One of the 36 Divine Binds to ever exist."
A Divine Bind was just like he explained a pact formed between two people allowing them to share power in exchange for something.
There were only 36 beings throughout the history of the world of Narcantia all current and former eyes of the forest of despair had the ability to make Divine Binds.
"What is this ask that will save my soul"
The creature's voice turned into a voice emanating great despair and hate.
"There will be a woman you cross, you will want to kill her but you won't you will send her… to me."
Crux fixed his eyes on the canopy above as suddenly a lantern appeared in his hand igniting as he raised it. As the light touched his shadow it vanished revealing a rather handsome man who seemed to be 20 to 30 years of age.
The man was wearing the top hat and suit that Hikaru had previously seen on him atop the root.
"I do apologize if I realized I would be making a Bind today I would have dressed for the occasion."
His voice sounded normal like a completely different person.
"The woman's name… is Echidna The Deceiver. No one on this continent will know that name but you. and I and you will meet her one day that I know."
He had remorse and regret in his voice.
"So what, you want me to drag her all the way back here."
"Of course not that will be one of the abilities I shall grant you. It is called The Elder Calling. It will allow you and anyone touching you to go from the forest to wherever you were last as many times as you would have it."
"You said that was one, is there more…"
Hikaru would regret asking that question as when he did the mans ear to ear smile came back at the thought of the power he would put into Hikaru's Possession.
"So, are you in or not."
Crux asked refusing to answer the question yet smiling revealing a shard of the monster he was in the dark.
"What if I say no"
"Then This lamp will extinguish and you will see the power you had just asked about in its strongest in its masters hand."
"Death… I See…"
Hikaru looked at the man smiling before him though he may be a murderous psycho Hikaru had a feeling that this Echidna meant more than the sum of every soul in this world. Hikaru stood up and went face to face with the man.
If I want power and this guy's offering I guess there's no helping it.
"I Accept"
The man stepped back and extended his hand to Hikaru who hesitated for a moment before grabbing it.
As he grabbed it the lantern light went out and the shadow of the eye of the forest came back the hand he was holding previously had vanished and only a cold shadow remained in its stead.
"What is this!"
Hikaru shouted as a sharp pain unlike anything he had felt before surged through the arm he had extended and all throughout his body a black shadow seeped into his bloodstream and eventually into his very being. Overrun with pain Hikaru Collapsed unconscious.
"The Bind is complete,"
said the man walking back to his seat atop the root.