The night sky over Tenma was unusually quiet, yet heavy with a presence unseen by mortal eyes. Within a modest home on the outskirts of a bustling village, a woman strained in labor. Aeri's cries pierced the night, her body shaking with effort, but there was only one thought in her mind: her son must survive. Nothing else mattered—not his name, not his future—only that he lived.
By her side, Nichiya, the playful elf maid with twinkling eyes, knelt, hands clasped, murmuring fervent prayers. Her voice rose and fell with the rhythm of her devotion:
"Goddess Lumira, hear me. Protect this life. Let him be safe, let him grow strong, and let him know warmth and love…"
Above, far beyond mortal sight, the divine watched. Four forms shimmered in the ethereal void, bending the unseen air with power and grace.
Shinki, the God of Creation, observed quietly. Her gaze was fixed on the child within the womb. "This one… his essence is unique. He carries a spark that could challenge even the deepest shadows. He must live."
Beside her, Lumira, Goddess of Life, radiated warmth and vitality. She fluttered anxiously, her energy stretching toward the struggling mother and unborn child. "He will survive! I'll see to it… but Selara, please stop panicking and let me work!"
Selara, Goddess of Shadows, shrank back, trembling as visions of the child's possible fates flooded her mind. "I… I see suffering, betrayal… danger… he may not survive—he may—"
Lumira snapped, her voice carrying both cheer and exasperation: "Would you shut up already, Selara?! I'm doing what I can—stop scaring the world before he's even born!"
Selara cowered, hiding behind her robes, eyes wide with fear. "B-but… the darkness… it will… I just… I just see it all!"
Shinki remained silent, her calm presence countering Lumira's flare and Selara's panic. Zephiros, God of Balance and Judgment, nodded gravely. "The threads are delicate. One misstep… and chaos may spill into the mortal realm. Watch closely."
Within the mortal world, Aeri's labor reached its climax. Nichiya held her hands, whispering constant prayers, her tears streaking her face. Aeri's focus remained singular: protect her son, bring him safely into the world.
And far above, unseen by human eyes, Shinki extended her divine grace, a subtle, quiet flow of power into the infant, embedding a spark of potential without altering the mortal perception of the birth. Lumira's life-giving presence intertwined, guiding the child's vitality and ensuring the newborn would draw his first breaths. None of it was visible, none of it tangible to the mother or maid—the divine work in shadows.
At last, the child emerged, wailing and small but alive. Aeri gasped, clutching him to her chest, relief flooding through her exhausted body. Nichiya wept quietly, pressing a hand to her lips in silent joy.
The gods lingered only for a moment more, their work done for now. Shinki whispered softly, "Grow, little one. Face the darkness… and endure."
Lumira's aura pulsed gently around the newborn, faintly, imperceptibly. "I'll be there, little spark. I'll protect and guide you… even if you do not yet know me."
Selara whimpered, shivering from the visions she could not prevent, while Zephiros kept watch, the balance of the world delicate, fragile, and yet slightly steadier for the child's survival.
And thus, Akuro entered Tenma. He was a mortal child, yet cradled in divine grace. A life to be tested, molded, and challenged by forces unseen. Outside, the night remained calm but deep in the shadows, devils stirred, sensing the birth of a spark that would one day challenge the darkness.