1 Light and Darkness
What if everything was set out for you?
What if, your name and job were both decided for you before you were even born?
What if, you have no control over your own fate?
There is such a thing as existential crisis and a lot of people normally experience this on earth and…
Oh what's that?
…
Who am I exactly?
…
I can't reveal that to you yet.
…
For now. Just think of me as another being chained by both purpose and fate and, for this particular story, I am bound as your narrator. Your guide. And hopefully, the only person who can clear things up for you as things get messy later on.
So without further ado, let's begin.
The story begins in a world filled with [Spiritual Energy]. With plants and animals that could talk, and monsters that could do the same. Where the waters float above – mercifully pouring down its blessings on some while leaving other areas in drought. Where the vines crawl and form a bridge on their own accord, linking one floating island to the next. Where the sky is just beneath in eternal darkness, waiting for the next drunken victim to fall to its allure. Where it is perpetually morning, reflecting through the waters while it is also perpetually night with the moon and its starts below.
Yes, this is the world known as [Ego]. Here, people thrive and live by maintaining the balance with the [Spirits] which provide the energy for everything. Yet, even these [Spirits] have two sides to them just like the perpetual daylight above and the never-ending slumber of night below.
There are [Spirits] which are good and there are [Spirits] which are bad. But to this, I must first explain to you how the [Spirits] work.
Remember that question I gave you at the start of my narration?
Well, that is something which is somehow answered in the world of [Ego].
Every person and monster born into [Ego] are given titles and roles by the [Spirits]. These are provided from the moment of birth, with a mark presented on the hand of the infant. And throughout the long history of those who lived in [Ego], they have learned to identify what each mark meant.
…
[Farmer]
[Fisherman]
[Soldier]
[Senator]
[Cook]
…
These are only some of the roles favored by the [Spirits of Light]. Basically, every positively functioning role in society is given by this specific [Spirit]. A person born as a [Baker] can only develop skills connected to it and, developing skills which work otherwise would prove to be either ineffective if not overall futile. And if there is such a thing as good roles, there are also negative roles. These, in turn, are given by the [Spirit of Darkness] such as:
…
[Murderer]
[Slave Trader]
[Thief]
[Con Artist]
…
These are only a few of the roles provided by the [Spirit of Darkness]. The people naturally hated the thought of having to believe this. They hated that their fates were already decided from the moment of their birth and so, they tried to revolt against the will of the [Spirits]. But this only backfired as two roles were added, making the position of good and evil absolute and that is:
…
[Hero] and [Demon Lord].
…
The first [Hero] and the first [Demon Lord] went into an all-out war. With the [Hero] marching forth all those blessed by the [Spirit of Light] while the [Demon Lord] had all his troops from the [Spirit of Darkness].
What was inevitable thus came to pass on all history books of [Ego] as the [Hundred Year War]. At the last pages of this book, one would read how light triumphed over darkness and how the succeeding events came in favor of the [Spirit of Light].
A group called [Holy Order] was formed – killing every evil entity that was born into their world. Because there was a balance being maintained, there was never any excess on both sides meaning, the [Holy Order] was always on the move. And while some inevitably escaped their clutches, they have always been successful in killing the next [Demon Lord].
Each and every year, countless [Demon Lords] would be born from different families. Some affluent while some were also poor and, sometimes it would even be born of monsters. But never have the [Holy Order] failed.
Every family was thus, scared to have the [Demon Lord] as their child. This resulted in a lot of women murdering the infant in their womb before it was even born. Stabbing it to death. Punching it. Or forcing it to come out of their body whenever they excreted.
This fear was a normal thing because, there was a stigma that came form being the bearer of the [Demon Lord]. It wasn't only the infant who would be killed, but also the woman who bore the child. Society believed that, even the mother was already stained by the corruption of the [Demon Lord].
The execution always happens in the central square of the main island of [Ego]. Known as the [Burning of the Witch], everyone would gather and stone the woman half to death before putting her on a stake and lighting her up on fire. People then offer their curses, wishing that the same fate would not come to their families and that the [Spirits of Light] would be merciful to them.
This is how the world of [Ego] turned. It is a twisted and cruel society - fearful of an almost archaic [Demon Lord] whose stories were only passed down on history books. But, unlike most of the families, there were those who had no fear because of how the [Spirits of Light] blessed them without fail.
Indeed, the family of Luminos have enjoyed giving birth to the highest-ranking people in society. With countless [Heroes], [Popes] and [Holy Knights] among others which was came from their bloodline.
Never was there a record of family members giving birth to those from the [Spirits of Darkness]. And, on one faithful day, the heir to the house, Lucian Luminos, sailed the waters together with his fiance, Jeanne Arthuria. They were able to do this because, the family owned a gigantic island enclosing a large amount of water which fell generously from above.
"This is such a wonderful sight dear." Jeanne said, holding the hands of her beloved.
"Nothing is more lovely or radiant than you my dear." Was Lucian's response, caressing Jeanne's womb which bore the heir after him.
His wife was expected to give birth a few weeks from then. And, it was a custom for the house members to make their offerings to the [Spirits of Light]; wishing that their offspring would be another blessing to society.
But then, the unexpected happened. Right there and then, before they could even offer their sacrifice, Jeanne felt immeasurable pain coming form her womb. Lucian immediately went to the side of his lover and saw that her water already broke.
Unfortunately, they were in the middle of the vast waters. And there was no aide available because the custom also decreed that, the moment can only be shared by the couple. This ensured that no defilement would come and that, the offering would remain pure.
"Hang on my love. We will get through this." Was all that he said as, right there and then, the delivery took place.
There was a lot of screaming and shouting as this went on. With his skills and abilities as a [Healer of Light], Lucian was able to lessen the pain felt by his fiance who gripped on him tightly.
Blood spilled on the wooden planks where they were and, although it took them four whole hours, Lucian was able to bring out the child who was very much alive. But terror soon struck Lucian as he saw the symbol on his child's hand.
"Lucian…where's our son? Let me see him." Jeanne's voice was both week and feeble, as if life itself was already leaving her body. Lucian knew why of course. Even during the delivery, he felt that there was a slim chance for his fiance to come out of it alive and, if this was already her dying moment, the least he could do is to offer her a happy memory.
"Here he is look. He's so healthy." Lucian's tears were already falling form his eyes and he forced a smile on his face, making it look like he rejoiced as he blurred the symbol by wiping some blood on the infant's wrist.
"My boy…you came out… earlier than… we expected huh?" Jeanne tried her best to speak, smiling as she lifted her hand to touch the crying infant's cheek. As if understanding the intentions, the infant stopped crying and gripped on his mother's finger using his hand.
"Look's like we got a fighter in our family." Lucian said energetically, sitting beside his wife whose heart rate continued getting weaker by the second.
"Hey… is it okay if… I name him after me?" Jeanne's voice also got weaker but Lucian forced himself to smile because Jeanne might look his way.
"Yes, of course honey!" He answered, getting a feeble smile from his dying wife.
"Did you hear that…from now on…you are…" The infant cried once again, not getting its name which was just about to be given. It cried and it cried but the father didn't bother picking it up.
Lucian's expression darkened – hugging the lifeless body of his fiance in his arms. He wailed in agony and the infant did the same.
On that day, there was only sorrow for Lucian, the heir of the Luminos Household. The sacrifice wasn't made, the love of his life died and lastly, on the whole history of their Household, darkness finally found its way inside.
Covered in blood on the wrist of the infant was the symbol of all that was dark and evil. On that day, the Luminos created a [Demon Lord].
