The air in the village of Mayra carried the scent of pine trees and the fragrant dampness of wet soil — a small, tranquil village nestled in the shadow of the vast Glimmerwood forest. 🌲 It was a part of the Eldoria Kingdom — a forgotten realm, where the King was merely a "King in Name Only" among the ten great rulers. 👑
In a small house in the village, a different scent mingled with the flickering flame of the hearth — the metallic smell of blood, mixed with the sweet, yet sharp, fragrance of childbirth. 🩸
A gasp escaped Ayumi's lips — a final, immensely painful push. Her husband, Kenji — normally a fearless hunter gripping his bow — was trembling at that moment. His gaze darted constantly between his wife's strained face and the worried eyes of the midwife. 👀
"One more push, Ayumi!" the midwife screamed, her voice a little hoarse.
With a sharp cry, Ayumi exerted her last bit of strength — and then, sudden silence fell. It was a silence the entire house had been waiting for. 🤫
Then, a tiny wail —
A newborn's vibrant cry — tore through the stillness. 🔊
Kenji held his breath. His eyes widened with excitement. The midwife lifted the baby, but a shadow of doubt and fear crossed her face. 😟
"What happened?" Kenji asked in a low, urgent whisper.
The midwife's face paled. She held the baby forward —
The child was healthy, his skin pink, and his hair deep black. But...
There was something on the baby's hand that made Kenji's heart pound in his ears. 🥁
In this world full of magical powers, every mage is born with a Red Magical Mark on their hand — a representation of their power, a vibrant, glowing sigil. 🔥 Ayumi, an accomplished mage, had a delicate red mark on her left hand. Kenji, though a hunter, also knew the importance of these Marks.
But there was no red Mark on the baby's hand.
On his tiny palm was a Black Symbol — an extremely complex mark, like a serpent consuming its own tail, which cast a dark, cold luminescence. 🐍 It seemed to absorb shadows rather than emit light.
Ayumi, in her exhaustion, looked at the baby's hand — and let out a frightening gasp, "No... it's not possible..." 😱
Suddenly, the entire house trembled slightly. Clay pots rattled, and dust motes danced in the flame of the hearth. The depths of the Earth — where warm lava and shadows dwell — four Demon Kings stirred. 😈
"A ripple?" one spoke in a low, rocky voice.
"Only a minor shift," the second hissed. "The world is always moving."
And they slept again. 💤
But in distant fortresses, in ministries veiled in starlight, and in forgotten libraries — certain secret human societies felt the change. Their crystal orbs glowed, and ancient symbols flickered. ✨ They knew — the balance was broken. Something new, unknown, has entered the world.
Ayumi looked at her child, and slowly spoke —
"Shinra... Shinra Tsukiro..."
That name — which should have sounded like a blessing — now resonated like a dark prophecy. 🔮