Location: Grundia.
Time: 500,000 years before the Cataclysm.
Place: Kenya
The sky was darkening. The sun was setting, casting an orange hue across the heavens. A forested hill. At the top of the hill, a cliff. At the edge of the cliff, a cave. In front of the cave, two children were fighting. Watching them were two figures. One was a tall man with long blonde hair and a goatee. The other was slightly shorter, with brown hair, tanned skin, and a clean face. The blonde man spoke:
"This is the moment I love so much, Misosezai. The place where it all began."
The other smiled.
"Did you bring me here to reminisce about old memories, Michael?" he continued mockingly. "Didn't you hate these times? When he was in charge…"
Michael grew angry.
"Don't mention his name to me!" He cleared his throat. "These two children… The Sheep Spirit Abel and the Goat Spirit Cain. Humanity's second great sin. That's why I love this memory. The death of an angel, the beginning of the greatest pain… Or should I say the sacrifice of the first lamb?"
The other responded instinctively.
"That's exactly why I hate this moment. The reason I had to take so many souls…"
Michael continued.
"Oh, Misosezai… What a great sorrow, isn't it? I have a question for you."
Misosezai grew impatient.
"Ask it already!"
Michael smiled as widely as he could, narrowed his eyes, clasped his hands, and asked:
"What were you doing in Prugia recently?"
Though Misosezai didn't react outwardly, he felt a shiver inside. He looked straight at Michael. Michael pointed at the angel beside him and continued:
"Or do you have a secret jinn lover?" He burst into laughter.
Misosezai, relieved, responded mockingly:
"Can't I have a private life? What, just because I'm the first death angel, I can't have someone I love, huh?"
Michael laughed and slapped Misosezai's shoulder.
"If you're getting married, you'd need permission from me, the god, right?"
Michael kept laughing. This remark irritated Misosezai, but he couldn't react. He settled for a fake laugh. Pathetic.
One of the children in front of the cave picked up a stone and threw it at the other's head. The child hit by the stone passed out instantly, his head split open. Blood flowed from his tiny body. The child who threw the stone ran down the hill. A light rose from the body of the fallen child. The light took the child's shape and floated upward. As it rose, enormous wings sprouted from its back. These wings were so large and white that their brilliance made the setting sun and the stunning mountain view look like a plain sidewalk stone in comparison. This was the first innocent soul.
As this happened, Michael murmured:
"…And his wings were so beautiful, like only the absolute idea's… Despite all his beauty, he forgave him (the goat). He was the pure sheep…"
"This is why I love this event so much, these lines I wrote."
Michael raised his hand and looked directly at the setting sun.
"Farewell, the only human I respected. Farewell, my father's flawless creation!"
While this happened, Misosezai just stared at the ground. Misosezai smiled bitterly.
"Michael, flap your wings again. Let's return to our time. After all, I still have many souls to collect!"
Misosezai's eyes welled up. He remembered. When Abel died, all the realms' people were shocked. God's finest creation, humans, had killed their fourth. Panic reigned in Tenhiada. A human soul and an angel to collect it had to be chosen. God chose the most merciful among his creations, Misosezai, and gave him the "Soul King" Divanitas. Since taking Abel's soul, Misosezai felt pain with every soul he collected. And he cursed this day. Yet he never hated God or humans. He was only disappointed in humans. That is, until he met the prophet Moses. He had made a promise to him and had to keep it.
Michael spread his massive, glorious wings. Each wing had 100,000 eyes. With a single flap, they found themselves in Tenhia. Misosezai left from there and began watching Guren. He couldn't communicate with him in Prugia again. He had to think of another way.
When Misosezai arrived, he saw Guren training with Kris. Guren was holding a stick and had closed his eyes. Kris was explaining something to him. Misosezai sensed something was wrong. He began examining Guren's brainwaves. As he suspected, there was a problem. Since Guren was a reincarnated soul, his waves were excessively energetic. He looked at Kris. He could tell this man was experienced. It was already too late when he realized Kris was making Guren perform magic. Guren's split-second mana manipulation, despite being his first attempt, was on par with an experienced mage. This meant he could destroy this tiny knife in seconds, thus exposing his identity.
"I'm sorry, Guren, you'll have to suffer a bit."
He reached out and tore out Guren's soul. At the same moment, he put it back. This prevented Guren from using magic.
August 22, 12:22 – Alexandria Manor Garden
I opened my eyes in panic. I saw Kris' shocked face looking at the knife. Then my vision darkened, and I fell to the ground.
— "Guren, are you okay?"
— "I'm fine! Just got a bit dizzy."
I looked at the knife in my hand. Its edges were cracked, and its orangish color had returned to normal.
— "I must say I'm surprised, Guren. Seeing you crack the knife on your first try… You're truly talented. Your father cracked his knife in a similar way."
I was shocked by what I heard. How old was this guy?
— "Were you my father's teacher too?"
— "He was a naughty brat… Forget about your dad. It looks like controlling that much mana on your first try took a toll on you—"
I got angry and shouted:
— "I can still keep going!"
Kris shook his head.
— "You don't have the strength to stand. I'd be shocked if you did. We're done for today. Rest up, we'll go for a stroll in the city this afternoon."
Done? The city?
Honestly, I was surprised. I wasn't tired or anything (though my head was spinning a bit). Also, did I crack the knife just by imagining it? Kris was pretty shocked by that. Guess it's not an easy thing. But my father managed it before too. Was it because I'm talented, or because of that damned angel's nonsense?
It hit me then. My first mana use was a total talent show, but I failed! I was supposed to sharpen the knife, not break it. This must've been because of mana overload. I released my mana all at once, and the knife couldn't handle the energy. That's why it cracked.
I thought about the city thing. No one had ever wanted to take me outside before. I never felt the need or desire to go out either. That damned angel told me to go outside too. What's out there? When I have a home to sit in…
Kris was still giving me shocked looks. His serious expression must've given way to goofiness again because he slapped my shoulder as I got up and looked at me with his bright blue eyes.
— "Be ready at 3!"
He turned around and walked off like an idiot.
Recent events have been so confusing. I don't want to think about it. If I hadn't sworn not to cry, I'd sob for three days and three nights. How should I react? I thought this as I watched Kris' stupid walk.
By 3 o'clock, Kris was at the door.
We started talking before heading out.
— "First time going outside, right, kid?"
I answered calmly:
— "Yeah. Never needed to before. So I never went."
Kris responded like one of my peers:
— "Kids of nobles these days are all like that. You don't leave your tiny manor garden, and you become the head of the family without understanding what life is. Then you ruin the family. The Rose family is the prime example. You need experience!"
Kris was mostly right in what he said. But I disagreed where I thought he was wrong. What do the outside and experience have to do with it? To avoid hearing more of Kris' senile, outdated ideas:
— "You're right," I said and shut up.
We finally walked to the garden gate of our humble manor. The gatekeepers opened the large iron gate. Before us was a tree-lined path. It turned at a corner, so you couldn't see beyond. Next to the gate was a horse-drawn carriage. A white and yellow embroidered carriage. The horse pulling it was a northern horse, a symbol of nobility.
Northern horses: known for their white color, thick manes, and hidden wings. I really like them.
The tree-lined path was paved with stones and sloped downward. This gave the impression that our house was on high ground. As I was thinking this, Kris must've been annoyed by my lingering at the gate because he kicked my back and said:
— "Stop dawdling, kid," pushing me out of the garden gate.
This was my first step outside. I didn't want it to be this shocking, honestly. Now I was outside. My foot touched the outside for the first time. I breathed in the air. Nothing was different. Not the stone I stepped on, not the air I breathed. It was all the same. This made me realize going outside wasn't such a big deal after all.
Kris opened the carriage door. I got in. He sat next to me, and we started moving. The horse began to walk. We moved slowly. We turned the corner.
I was shocked by the view from my window. Before me was a city. I was looking down at it from a hill. Across from our hill was a taller one. On that hill was a palace. Looking toward the city, I saw thousands of buildings. Small buildings with people among them. At the city's edges were four large chimneyed structures. I was impressed.
Kris spoke cheerfully:
— "This is Sacrum, the capital of the Holy Empire. I see you like it."
I answered in awe:
— "I'm speechless."
Kris didn't break his rhythm:
— "You're mature for your age, aren't you, Guren? Another kid your age would've jumped out of the carriage in excitement."
Compliments about me always embarrassed me. I answered with a red face:
— "That's what they say."
Kris changed the subject and started explaining:
— "Below is the city's slums. The opposite hill is the king's palace. This is the High Priest's manor. You're lucky because your father is the second most powerful man in the state."
I was surprised:
— "Is my father that important!?"
— "Yes, he is. Also, in the palace, the kingdom's strongest protect the king and the faith. Your father is one of them. He's also responsible for executions and tax oversight."
— "Wow, my father is that big a deal?"
Kris kept telling me about my father while I listened in amazement. Meanwhile, we descended into the city's slums. It was full of dilapidated houses and broken people. Everyone was skinny, and the house walls had holes. I couldn't make sense of them. Were these people like this because they had no money? Then they should earn some. But how do you earn money?
By the time we got down, the sky had started to darken. The sky took on a purplish hue as I asked Kris:
— "Master, why did we come here?"
— "You'll see."
A historic moment had just occurred. For the first time, Kris brushed me off. His face was serious as he turned to me:
— "Guren, why do you want to be strong?"
I answered without thinking:
— "Like I said before. To make my father proud."
— "So that's your life's purpose, is it?"
— "Yes."
— "So your entire life's purpose is to make someone else happy? That doesn't sound convincing. Think again and give me a proper answer by the next time we meet."
By the next time we meet? I didn't understand what he meant:
— "Master, what do you—"
Kris cut me off:
— "Your new exam starts now!"
As Kris said this, I felt a pain in the back of my neck. My body went numb, my vision darkened, and I fell to the ground.