2 CHAPTER 1: FALLING STARS

"Wann! Wann!"

Baby's cries could be heard throughout the mansion.

"Bring another towel! Hurry up!"

"Yes, right away!"

Maids are running in and out of the room. Meanwhile, standing with the crying baby in his arms, is a bulky and tall man who is looking at the woman who just gave birth with a wry smile:

"Thank you, dear, our baby is so beautiful."

The village chief of Tatradum, William KOERSOMBRE, spoke to his wife, Rebecca KOERSOMBRE.

Sweating all over and still heavily breathing, she could only return a distorted smile to him with her eyes mid opened. Her silky brown hair was dispersed on the pillow of the bed. Her light brown skin was somewhat glowing because of the sweat, emphasizing her beautiful red eyes as well as her small nose and cherry-like lips. A white wet cloth was covering her slender neck. The bedsheet was covering her body, and only her arms could be seen.

William is a big man, strong arms, tall, white skin, a somehow squared and scary face, blue eyes, silver hair, and slightly bigger ears than average. Looking at the baby, he said with a lovely voice that you wouldn't think of hearing seeing such a scary-looking man:

"Welcome to this world, my boy, KEVIN KOERSOMBRE."

The child wrapped in a white towel had already stopped crying and was now breathing slowly. The little silver hair that he had on his head were still a little wet, and his light brown skin looked so delicate. Truly a newborn baby.

"May I take the young master for now?"

Behind William, a stern and calm voice resounds, a maid, Tatiana FLOLERL, asks with a gentle smile.

Her black hair tied beautifully behind her head with the shape of a cross, her neck was completely exposed, and a burn scar could be seen on its rear side. Her dark blue eyes and white skin give her a dignified and fierce look, like a Valkyrie. Her curves are, however, not so great to be spoken of. Although she is not very curvy, she does not lack either—all of those covered by a blue and white maid outfit.

Giving the baby to Tatiana, William looks at his wife once again, with her eyes now fully closed, she was breathing normally and her face had been wiped, giving her a very peaceful look.

"I swear on this day that I will make you two happy. May MEETIA protects us."

While saying so, he kisses a pendant shaped like a bow with three gemstones placed on the center and the corners and an eye above the center gemstone—the symbol of the goddess MEETIA.

***

Shcamerin is divided into eight kingdoms: Syldavie, Nivanheilm, Floras, Titanium, Yris, Wendhalm, Saxocs, and Ioll1. Among those eight, Nivaneilm, Wendalhm, and Yris are the most developed and prosper. Syldavie could be considered a strong kingdom due to the strong influence of the church of MEETIA.

In the far east of Syldavie, Tatradum is a vast village. But, It lacks big cemented houses, so people tend to view it as the countryside. The major activity here is farming and breeding. It is directly located on the border with the Nivaneilm kingdom. William is a very passionate and hardworking man. Even though he is a village chief, he is going every day to the fields to help the other villagers. Retired warrior, William KOERSOMBRE was a captain of a squad in Syldavie's army. Rebecca herself was a proficient mix type fighter as she could use both physical and elemental attributes of ANGAS.

***

KEVIN KOERSOMBRE POV:

Four years later, in the Koersombre mansion.

"Take care, dear, do come back for lunch."

As Father is preparing to leave for his usual round in the village, I hear mom speaking. "Kevin, dear, come and bid farewell to your father; he is leaving."

I already knew she would call me and went to hide near the big flower pot at the entrance. As soon as she finished speaking, I emerged behind the pot. I calculated precisely so I am sure Father will be right before the pot. But I am greeted with two gigantic arms that raised me all of a sudden, making me shudder from surprise.

"I see my boy is quite the prankster, ah ah ah!!!! But you still too short to surprise your old man, you know."

Father starts gently shaking me around like I am a simple feather, "And too light. I will have your mom make you eat more meat and fat. You need to be big like your dad. Women like strong men."

But after saying that, Father suddenly closes his mouth in a hurry. He felt the pressure emitted by mom's intimidating aura behind him:

"Dear, he is still four years old, and also he is already eating plenty enough meat. You should tell him to eat more vegetables instead." Mom has a very menacing face and smile. She got clearly pissed off by Father's remark.

"Well, you heard her. I will be going. Take care!"

Almost like fire caught him, father springs out of the house.

"This guy, I swear….. Anyway, my little dragon, what do you want to do today?" Mom asks while holding her cheek with hand gently.

Because I have the same red eyes as her, mom tends to call me little dragon; I don't really understand why.

"I want to collect eggs with Tatiana." Well, not that it matters a lot, I suppose.

"Hm... Well, today the hens don't seem to have produced much eggs, and winter is coming. I would not want you to catch a cold."

"So, I can't?..." I looked at her with favorite technique: the baby eyes.

"Oh, my sweet little…. Of course, you can. Just make sure to cover yourself properly and don't dirty yourself too much, will you? "

"Yes, mom. "

"Then let's go, young master. "

"Hiiiii!!!!" I am so surprised to hear Tatiana's voice that I jump. Is she a ghost or something? An irritating fufufu escaped from her mouth as she turns around. I will show you Tatiana. One of these days; I will show you.

***

Three weeks later. It is winter. Every winter in Tatradum, father and the villagers organize a festival to make sure that everybody can enjoy himself one last time before the severe winter. For me, however, it was my first festival. I am so excited that I practically jump from our bed. I went to sleep with Father and Mother for no good reason, but seeing Father somewhat annoyed face was quite the pleasure. I don't understand why he was angry, but I should do it more often seeing how mom cuddles me throughout the night.

"Good morning, my little dragon. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, mom!" I answer while opening the door to go. Behind the door, a shape appears, or is it more accurate to say that it was there all along.

"Hiiii!!" I jump back in surprise.

"I see that young master is quite energetic and early to wake up this morning. Did you sleep well? Oh please, I am sorry for surprising you. "

As Tatiana is looking at my angry face, she keeps talking like usual. Does she sleep in front of the door?

"Yes, I slept well, and I want to go to the festival early with da… I mean Father".

"Very well, please follow me, we will prepare your clothes and bathe you."

Tatiana is my wet nurse. But she must also accomplish the other tasks in the house with the other fourteen maids. How she has the energy to look after me when the house is this big, and there are so many things to do is out of my understanding. She must be a higher existence or something.

"Tatiana, please do look after him properly; I feel like today is exceptional. "

"What? You think it might happen today. "

"I don't know, dear. Maybe. My mind is restless, and my power is acting a bit. "

Mom and dad are speaking about something, but I don't understand, so I go my way, followed by Tatiana.

***

The festival is quite the sight. There are stalls and people everywhere to be seen, food and toys and kids like me running around and playing. I am so excited I am sure I could eat all the stall's food if only there was not this nuisance...

"Tatiana, you can go back, you know. I am sure you have more important things to do at the mansion. "

"Fufufu, don't worry young master. This maid only joy is to take care of you. Also, it would not be good to let you eat like a piglet, or you might get a stomach ache."

I was seen through so easily!

"Oi, miss Tatiana, the village chief is calling for you, he said to bring back Kevin."

A fat, bald man with a dirty yellow shirt and black trousers came and spoke to Tatiana.

"I understand. Also please do note that it is YOUNG MASTER for you." She glares at him so intensely that he freezes still. "Let's go, young master. "

"Y-yes." I am also scared even though I did nothing. Really, who is that woman? Is she really a higher existence after all?

In less than five minutes, we went through the whole village and reached the hill of the mansion. The festival was on the other side of the village, from the church which is at the center of the village, you already can't see the mansion very well. Tatiana is crazy fast, maybe more than a gragora.

When we reach the hill of the mansion, dad took me in his arms, looked at the sky, and said: "My son, do you know? In SHCAMERIN, there are evil and dark creatures, so evil that they will destroy and devour everything in their sight. In fact, a kingdom has already fallen to them long ago."

"Why do they devour things? Are they hungry?"

"Ah ah ah! Well, that is an interesting question, but sadly your father does not know the answer. I do know that to protect us, the ruler of our world, the goddess MEETIA, sends great beings, powerful and courageous, to help us fight against them. And when she does, they come like shooting stars from the sky and land into the world to be educated, becoming our pillars of light."

"Just like you, my little dragon," mom then speaks as well.

"Today is one of those days, and we want you to witness the miracle the goddess sends to us."

"Is it going to rain shooting stars? Will the stars stay in the sky? What are their colors?" As I was asking her a lot of questions, mom just smiles and touches my cheek.

"You will see, my dear, be patient."

When she says that, the bell of the church of the village starts ringing so loudly that we hear it here. Mom and dad start looking towards the sky, and so does Tatiana. But I forgot to ask something.

"Dad, what is the name of those things that devour everything?"

But no answer came back. I heard then a loud noise from the sky, and everything became somewhat red around us. When I look up, WOW! WOW! WOW! Three big and bright balls of fire were in the sky, like arrows, they were piercing the sky with tremendous speed.

They pass above our head and continue toward the west.

"the time to counterattack again is near. "

Mom is mumbling to herself while still looking. In less than thirty seconds, the three stars touch the ground, and a big explosion resounds all the way up to us even though we seem pretty far away from their landing site. That was my first time seeing the arrival of the heroes.