Chapter 1: The Twist Of Fate
"I feel it. The one who will destroy the kingdom is here. Find them."
"I told you that preventing a vision from happening will only exacerbate it. Why risk it?"
"You saw what will happen to the world if we allow the vision to happen. Even if we are seers that were not supposed to care about anything, that still doesn't stop us from taking responsibility of our visions. If you won't help me, stay out of my way. If you won't, you know what will happen."
"I won't stop you... I'm merely... informing. I hope you don't regret this, Mal."
"I won't, and I'll never will."
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*drip* *drop* *drip* *drop*
The sound of the rain never bothered Eleanor as she pass through the crowd to reach her home. It was one of those days where she feels quite unlike herself, which caused her to brave the rain to seek shelter on her home. Beside her is her younger sister, Elaine, who is dripping with water in an effort to keep up with her speed.
"Nor, slow down." Elaine said, slightly annoyed by her sister's speed. Eleanor only ignored her, however, which made her sigh.
Soon, they reached their home and was greeted by their mother, Eliza, whose eyes brimmed with a mixture of fondness and worry.
"Goodness, you two. You did not need to return home so fast under this heavy rain." The mother said, which made the two girls grin.
"What can I say, mother? We really really miss you." Eleanor answered, which made Elaine scoff. That scoff caught the mother's attention but she did not comment on it, thinking that it was just one of those days where Elaine is annoyed of just about everything.
"Don't butter me up." The mother said before urging them to come in and dry up.
"Now then, why don't you two tell me the truth? Why were you so early today?" The mother asked when the two has finally settled down, which made Eleanor answer, "Would you believe me if I say my mark of Recognition warned me of something really problematic?", referring on the mark under the God of Light.
"I would, if you say what exactly the 'problematic' thing is." The mother said.
"It's problematic enough to leave me in the rain, that's for sure." Elaine said in annoyance, which made Eleanor's eyes widen.
"I... did?" The realization that Eleanor did not even notice leaving her younger sister behind made Elaine roll her eyes.
'Classic Nor.' Elaine thought as the Mark of Protection under the God of Warriors kept throbbing behind her shoulder.
As the three prepare the house, the house's protector, their father, came back with a big smile on his lips. Apparently, he managed to catch a very big deer that made their dinner more bountiful than it normally is.
"Don't tell me we ran home like we're about to be killed for this." Elaine murmured, which made Eleanor answer, "Then, I won't tell you".
"How was your training?" The father asked, which made Eleanor and Elaine glance at each other for a second as if to gauge who will be going to talk first.
"It was horrible. That teacher teaches horribly like a newborn baby." Elaine answered.
This confused the father before he answer, "That's odd. I heard he was once the captain of the Knight's Order. I guess being a good Knight doesn't mean they are a good teacher".
"Clearly. It took everything just for us to understand him." Eleanor said, which made her father ask, "Do you want me to help you?".
"Oh, no need, father. We'll only hold you back with your job that way." Eleanor said, which made her father laugh and answer, "Anything for my little kids."
[It's here! I can feel the energy here!]
"What was that?" Eleanor asked as the mark on her hip throb painfully. Elaine, too, is at a loss as she prevent herself from wincing in pain from the call of her own mark.
And then, their door opened, revealing the three soldiers standing behind it alongside two male seer whose eyes twinkle... one of pity and another with confliction.
"Take him." One of the seers said as he points at Eleanor and Elaine's father.
"G-Great Seers! W-What are you doing in our humble home?" The father asked as he stands up to bow down at the two seers. His wife stood beside him, worried of what she just heard from the stranger's mouth.
"I'm sure you are aware why exactly we are standing here. You can either come with us willingly, or have everyone here witness your death ahead of schedule." The seer answerer, which made Eleanor and Elaine stand up hastily to protect their father.
Sending his family's agitation, the father waved his hand to his family to calm them down. And then, he agreed to be taken by the knights, not wanting to distress his family longer than he already had.
"Looks like we made an agreement." With that, they, alongside the father, left, leaving behind his family that is completely stunned of what they just saw.
"... Father!" Eleanor exclaimed when she finally went out of her stupor. She rushed towards the sword to protect her father, which was only stopped when her mother blocked her.
"Mother, why---" Eleanor stopped talking the moment she saw her mother in tears.
"It's time for you two to know the truth."
That day, when Eleanor and Elaine's mark throbbed of an incoming event that requires immediate recognition and protection to those subjected to it, was the day the found out about the secret their father has been holding for years.
Their father, who taught them everything about what they know in life, once carried the Mark of Wisdom under the God of Light that made him a potential leader of the knights. This mark, however, suddenly twisted on the day their father's father - their grandfather - died. From wisdom, the mark become the mark of misfortune under the God of Mischief, which forced the father to leave his post and hide from authorities.
And now, those moments of hiding is at its end.
"No... not our father!" Eleanor said, her mature stature now breaking down to her real age. She is now having the realization that at the young age of twelve, she is about to lose her father.
Elaine, too, is breaking down in a similar state as her sister, her ten-year old self now making itself known.
Without waiting for their mother, the two rushed out to the plaza - completely aware that the execution of their father was going to happen there just like the others whose mark has been known to be from the God of Mischief.
"Papa!"
"Papa, no!"
'Papa', the nickname used to him by his children before they started acting like adults, startled the father so much that he ended up whipping his head towards his daughters.
And then, he shook his head, telling them to stay put. When he did, the twos friends went out to stop them from reaching their father per the father's request - an act that gave them a number of bruises from the two.
Words were spoken...
Insults were thrown out...
That day, two children suddenly lost a father along with their respective marks. Also, in that day, a mother lost her children and his husband to the curse of the Dark Gods.
From the Mark of Recognition, it became the mark of Disavowal under the God of Mischief, and from the Mark of Protection, it became the mark of Danger under the God of Warriors.
The throb of the marks made them look at the knights in anger... and to the statue of the king who made it all happen.
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In the realm of Gods...
"Again.... we lost our children to the Dark Gods... again." - God of Warriors (Good)
"As long as the cursed heir is at the throne, we won't be able to stop their return from happening." - Goddess of Life and Healing
"... What should we do, then? We keep weakening the longer we lose all these battles with them." - God of Arts and Music
"We need to go with his majesty's plan. We have no choice but to go through it." - Goddess of Life and Healing
"... Get started with the preparations. We're going to make a deal with the Goddess of Death and Destruction who remained neutral of our fights with the other party. While I'm at it, see through that the God of Trial who has been holding the title of God as Mischief of the mortals will be consoled of the loss of his child. We can't have him wavering before we even started." - God of Light
"I shall do that." - Goddess of Life and Healing
"This is so risky but we really have no choice. I just hope that our children will be ready from all these coming battles they have no choice but to face. I really hope they do." - God of Arts and Music