March 25th 2016
"Yahi, Yahi, don't hurt him—please, don't hurt my baby boy!" a woman screamed, her voice breaking into sobs.
"Mommy, what's going on?" asked a little girl with short silver hair, her wide eyes full of fear.
"Yuri, stay back! This man… he's dangerous. Very dangerous," the woman said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Hah. Listen here, bitch. This kid is essential to my pla—"
The hooded figure didn't finish. A crash thundered through the room as his body slammed into the wall.
"Baby, I'm glad you're okay!" A tall man with black hair appeared beside the woman, kissing her forehead quickly. He turned to her with urgency.
"Take Yuri and Yahi away. I'll handle this man."
Before she could respond, the black-haired man teleported his wife and children out of danger.
The hooded figure groaned, rubbing his head as he stood. "Ahh… you dumb bastard, that hurt, you know."
"Now that they're gone, I can finally let loose," the black-haired man muttered, summoning power into his hand.
"Oh? Is that right… Saint Yuta of Edin?"
BOOM!
The two clashed, weapons colliding with the sound of thunder. Sparks lit the air as their power shook the earth beneath them.
"Manifestation: Air Storm!" Yuta roared. Four colossal tornadoes ripped forward, howling toward the hooded figure.
"Manifestation: Energy Bend—Redirect!" the hooded man countered, twisting the storms back with incomprehensible speed. Yuta's body was shredded by the returning winds, blood streaking across his robes.
Panting, Yuta grinned through the pain. "Hah… that's all you've got?"
He unsheathed his sword, closing his eyes to chant:
"God's will be upon me. God, be merciful to me."
The blade flared with radiant light.
"Holy Manifestation—Thousand Hands!" Yuta's sword spun faster than sight, leaving afterimages of blinding brilliance. In a flash, he appeared before the hooded figure, striking true. The hood was torn away, revealing an all-too-familiar face.
"You're… a church elder. Sami, wasn't it?" Yuta asked, his voice heavy.
"Well, well, well." Sami's voice deepened as he dispelled his changer, an old man's tone cutting through the air. "It seems you've finally figured it out, Yuta."
"What's the meaning of this? You—you appointed me to sainthood!"
Sami chuckled darkly. "Hah. Fool. Always praised for your spiritual and battle prowess, yet blind to the truth. The Church… the entire Order is rotten. Did you really think we served God alone?"
Yuta clenched his fists, glaring. "What the hell are you talking about, old man?"
Sami began to pace slowly, eyes gleaming with madness.
"Two thousand years ago was the era of peak manifestation. Warriors like Sanctus, Lux Ferre, Electus, Himodai, Daisyn the Great. Titans who defied the world. But now? Humanity is weak—crippled by the limits that so-called God placed upon us.
Lux Ferre gave us a way out before the Battle of Theikos. He showed us how to break free, how to become what we were meant to be."
His voice grew louder, filled with venom. "We were meant to be gods, Yuta—not slaves. The age of holiness is over."
In a flash, Sami appeared before him.
"Darkness Manifestation: Cleave!"
Yuta's scream tore through the forest as his arm was severed, blood spraying.
"You… bastard!" he growled, staggering back. "We are God's children! This isn't the path to peace!"
His vision blurred, body trembling. Dammit… I have to get to Yina and the kids…
Summoning his last strength, Yuta kicked Sami away and teleported.
Edin Forest "Mom, you're bleeding! What's wrong?!" Yuri sobbed, clutching the newborn Yahi tightly.
"My sweet baby… everything will be okay." Yina forced a smile, caressing Yuri's cheek despite the wound in her side.
"WOOSH!"
"Yina! Yuri! Are you two alright?" Yuta staggered into view, clutching his bloodied shoulder. Sweat drenched his face.
"Yuta! What happened to you!?" Yina cried.
"I'll be fine… but we have to get out of here." He gathered them close and teleported again.
They landed at the border of Edin.
"Yuta, what are you doing!?" Yina demanded.
"I don't have much time," Yuta rasped. "Yahi isn't safe here. The Church—it's corrupted. If he stays, the Order will come for him. Malum is dangerous, yes… but it's the only place he can grow without being found."
He pulled out a sealing tool, pressing it to the infant's chest. "I'm sealing away his manifestation. It's the only way he'll survive."
"No! Don't do this—"
"I'm sorry."
Yuta's voice shook now. "I'm teleporting you and Yuri back to the Church. Father Pharo is already expecting you both—he'll make sure you're safe."
"And what about you, Yuta!? And Yahi!?" Yina shouted, her voice trembling with fury.
"I'm dropping Yahi into Malum. I know you're angry, but… this was the only outcome."
Before Yina could respond, Yuta knocked her and Yuri unconscious, sending them to the Church in a flash of white light. Alone, he teleported into the shadows of Malum.
Holding his crying son, Yuta's tears fell freely. "My boy… forgive me. This was never the life I wanted for you."
He laid Yahi gently in an alleyway, then teleported away—only to collapse moments later, his life ending beneath the foreign sky.
The ChurchTwo figures appeared in a burst of holy light.
"Yina! Yuri! Thank God you're safe!" cried Father Pharo. Relief swept over his face—until his eyes caught the blood soaking through Yina's clothes.
"Dear Lord… she's bleeding out!" He rushed them into his arms, terror gripping him.
March 25th, 2016
"Yahi, Yahi, don't hurt him—please, don't hurt my baby boy!" a woman screamed, her voice breaking into sobs.
"Mommy, what's going on?" asked a little girl with short silver hair, her wide eyes full of fear.
"Yuri, stay back! This man… he's dangerous. Very dangerous." The woman wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Hah. Listen here, bitch. This kid is essential to my pla—"
The hooded figure never finished. A crash thundered through the room as his body slammed into the wall.
"Baby, I'm glad you're okay!" A tall man with black hair appeared beside the woman, kissing her forehead quickly. He turned to her with urgency.
"Take Yuri and Yahi away. I'll handle this man."
Before she could respond, the black-haired man teleported his wife and children out of danger.
The hooded figure groaned, rubbing his head as he stood. "Ahh… you dumb bastard, that hurt, you know."
"Now that they're gone, I can finally let loose," the black-haired man muttered, summoning power into his hand.
"Oh? Is that right… Saint Yuta of Edin?"
BOOM!
The two clashed, weapons colliding with the sound of thunder. Sparks lit the air as their power shook the earth beneath them.
"Manifestation: Air Storm!" Yuta roared. Four colossal tornadoes ripped forward, howling toward the hooded figure.
"Manifestation: Energy Bend—Redirect!" the hooded man countered, twisting the storms back with incomprehensible speed. Yuta's body was shredded by the returning winds, blood streaking across his robes.
Panting, Yuta grinned through the pain. "Hah… that's all you've got?"
He unsheathed his sword, closing his eyes to chant:
"God's will be upon me. God, be merciful to me."
The blade flared with radiant light.
"Holy Manifestation—Thousand Hands!"
Yuta's sword spun faster than sight, leaving afterimages of blinding brilliance. In a flash, he appeared before the hooded figure, striking true. The hood was torn away, revealing an all-too-familiar face.
"You're… a church elder. Sami, wasn't it?" Yuta asked, his voice heavy.
"Well, well, well." Sami's voice deepened as he dispelled his changer, an old man's tone cutting through the air. "It seems you've finally figured it out, Yuta."
"What's the meaning of this? You—you appointed me to sainthood!"
Sami chuckled darkly. "Hah. Fool. Always praised for your spiritual and battle prowess, yet blind to the truth. The Church… the entire Order is rotten. Did you really think we served God alone?"
Yuta clenched his fists, glaring. "What the hell are you talking about, old man?"
Sami began to pace slowly, eyes gleaming with madness.
"Two thousand years ago was the era of peak manifestation. Warriors like Sanctus, Lux Ferre, Electus, Himodai, Daisyn the Great. Titans who defied the world. But now? Humanity is weak—crippled by the limits that so-called God placed upon us.
Lux Ferre gave us a way out before the Battle of Theikos. He showed us how to break free, how to become what we were meant to be."
His voice grew louder, filled with venom. "We were meant to be gods, Yuta—not slaves. The age of holiness is over."
In a flash, Sami appeared before him.
"Darkness Manifestation: Cleave!"
Yuta's scream tore through the forest as his arm was severed, blood spraying.
"You… bastard!" he growled, staggering back. "We are God's children! This isn't the path to peace!"
His vision blurred, body trembling. Dammit… I have to get to Yina and the kids…
Summoning his last strength, Yuta kicked Sami away and teleported.
Edin Forest
"Mom, you're bleeding! What's wrong?!" Yuri sobbed, clutching the newborn Yahi tightly.
"My sweet baby… everything will be okay." Yina forced a smile, caressing Yuri's cheek despite the wound in her side.
WOOSH!
"Yina! Yuri! Are you two alright?" Yuta staggered into view, clutching his bloodied shoulder. Sweat drenched his face.
"Yuta! What happened to you!?" Yina cried.
"I'll be fine… but we have to get out of here." He gathered them close and teleported again.
They landed at the border of Edin.
"Yuta, what are you doing!?" Yina demanded.
"I don't have much time," Yuta rasped. "Yahi isn't safe here. The Church—it's corrupted. If he stays, the Order will come for him. Malum is dangerous, yes… but it's the only place he can grow without being found."
He pulled out a sealing tool, pressing it to the infant's chest. "I'm sealing away his manifestation. It's the only way he'll survive."
"No! Don't do this—"
"I'm sorry." Yuta's voice shook now. "I'm teleporting you and Yuri back to the Church. Father Pharo is already expecting you both—he'll make sure you're safe."
"And what about you, Yuta!? And Yahi!?" Yina shouted, her voice trembling with fury.
"I'm dropping Yahi into Malum. I know you're angry, but… this was the only outcome."
Before Yina could respond, Yuta knocked her and Yuri unconscious, sending them to the Church in a flash of white light. Alone, he teleported into the shadows of Malum.
Holding his crying son, Yuta's tears fell freely. "My boy… forgive me. This was never the life I wanted for you."
He laid Yahi gently in an alleyway, then teleported away—only to collapse moments later, his life ending beneath the foreign sky.
The Church
Two figures appeared in a burst of holy light.
"Yina! Yuri! Thank God you're safe!" cried Father Pharo. Relief swept over his face—until his eyes caught the blood soaking through Yina's clothes.
"Dear Lord… she's bleeding out!" He rushed them into his arms, terror gripping him.
Edin Hospital
"Help! I need medical attention—Yina is dying!" Pharo's desperate cry echoed down the halls as nurses swarmed them.
Hours passed. Yuri stirred awake in her bed, but her mother remained unconscious.
"Grandpa Pharo… will Mommy wake up?" she whimpered.
Pharo pulled her close, his face etched with sorrow. "…I hope so, dear. I truly hope so."
One Week Later — Land of Sanctus, Grand Church
"We are here to remember Saint Yuta, and now… Saint Yina," Father Pharo's voice rang solemnly through the hall. "Two brave souls who served God with diligence and faith. Heaven has gained two shining lights."
He stepped down from the podium, moving toward Yuri.
"Yuri, are you alright?" Pharo asked softly.
The girl's small fists clenched. "I just miss them so much… and Yahi too. But I promise—I'll be the greatest Saint ever. I'll avenge them. I swear it!" Tears streaked her cheeks.
Pharo rested a gentle hand on her back. "I believe you, child. And I'll stand by you every step of the way."
Twelve Years Later — Malum
November 2030
"Come here, you little brat!"
"Haha! Catch me if you can, old man!" A boy with jet-black hair and ocean-green eyes sprinted through the alleyways, ducking under a wild swing.
"I swear, I'll have your head!" the middle-aged man roared.
"Woah… that was close, right, Sora?" the boy grinned at the small cat crawling out of his shirt.
"Meow."
"Here ya go, buddy." He tore off a piece of food and placed it in front of the cat.
"Yooo, Yahi, you around?" a voice called. A short blonde boy with sharp green eyes appeared.
"Yeah, what's up, Koji?"
"The old man's looking for you. Says you owe him something."
"Aw, crap… totally forgot." Yahi smacked his forehead.
To be continued…