The Luminous Fragment of Light

As its form took shape, the darkness slowly dissipated. The pain gradually receded, leaving an unsettling numbness that enveloped my body, rendering me motionless and devoid of sensation. The Soul Eater froze to the ground, shaking.

In a weak whisper, I instinctively called out, "Dadd..." My voice trembled with longing as I strained every ounce of strength to move my lips.

No matter what was around him, he crawled with all his might. He hugged me with all his heart, then firmly thrust his sword into the ground, using it as support to steady himself.

"My dear, I am here. Everything will be fine." said softly.

Ah, is this how it felt to be protected? It's not bad.

The Soul Eater let out a thunderous roar, thrusting forward in a blind frenzy. Powerful acid sprayed, and torrents of dark spells were unleashed, all aimed directly at our vulnerable position.

Depleted of all strength, both my father and I stood defenseless. In a final act of desperation, he turned around, shielding me with his body.

"Noo, not my Elinaa!!" He screamed with desperation.

The Fragment of Light shines brightly, disrupting the scene. The time froze, and everything that was happening stopped. I was fully conscious, yet I remained utterly immobile, unable to twitch a muscle or part my lips.

"Brave man, do thou seek power?" sound resounding from the light. A resonant sound emanated from the brilliant radiance, echoing through the surroundings.

I cried out, "No! Don't!!" in the depths of my heart, a defiant scream against the unfolding tragedy. There's a saying that goes, "With great power comes great responsibility." I don't want him to bear the same burden I carried in the past.

"Oh, Brave Man. Let the world witness your resolve." sound resounding from the light. The light started to fade away.

Dad gently placed me in the corner, and suddenly, the cracks in time began to appear, restoring the flow of time to its normal state.

"Wait a bit, my dear Elina." He kissed my forehead, driving me nuts.

Suddenly, I feel an enormous amount of mana reside in him as he stands like an Archmage.

"I shall not allow you, a vile creature, to roam freely and bring harm upon my people!!"

He skillfully covered his sword with the Radiant, swiftly slashing through the monster's attack with precision and finesse.

"Let's End this! and get you out of my home!"

His stance shifted in an instant, unleashing a swift and precise strike that sliced through the air with immense force. The sheer pressure behind the attack seemed capable of splitting the very fabric of reality itself. With a swift motion, he dragged the monstrous opponent into a swirling vortex, a dimensional hole that devoured everything in its path.

"HHHARRRGHHHHH," The deafening roar of the monster echoed.

A powerful vortex of nothingness consumed everything in its path, leaving only an eerie emptiness. It was astonishing to witness the extent of my dad's magical prowess, reaching a level on par with world-class mages. I had no idea he possessed such advanced mastery of magic.

After the situation was under control, he dropped his sword and rushed to my side.

"Elinaa!!"

I could no longer hold on, and my consciousness faded away.

-------------

"Where am I? Is this a dream? I can't see anything."

I see the light and witness the warm memories of Elina and her family. However, I also see her unpleasant memories. Turns out she knows that her father is being cursed by an unknown man.

"Blade, now you can't protect your family. Let's make a deal then."

"Urgghh!!" Blade groaned in pain.

"Give me your daughter so we will not touch your loved one. Sounds good, right?!"

Blade smirked, showing that he didn't care about all the nonsense he was spouting.

"Well, how about I take care of the small ones who are eavesdropping on our conversation?"

Blade's heart filled with sheer panic and despair as the Unknown Man ruthlessly sealed Elina's lips, silencing her cries, and unleashed a curse upon her, sealing her tragic fate.

"Nooo!!!" Blade desperately tried to harness his mana to summon his sword, but his attempts were in vain.

"Hahaha!! When the time comes, this child shall serve as the sacrificial offering, and the mighty demon shall descend upon this realm. There is nothing you can do, Blade. But watch helplessly as your daughter's very soul is devoured before your eyes."

Seconds later, the Unknown Man vanished into thin air, dissipating like scattered dust particles.

Blade hugged his daughter, tears streaming, and whispered tearfully, "Forgive me, Elina..." This tragedy happened in the year 1095 when She was 6 years old.

Before that tragedy, Blade Aslan had been a highly respected Duke. Held the prestigious title of being the top-ranked individual among the six invincible warriors in the Kingdom of Valhalla. Known as "The Rainbow Six," his name resonated throughout the entire kingdom as Magic Swordmasters. Through a successful combination of mana and body aura, he attained an invincible level of power. Normally, mages cannot learn Aura after creating a mana heart, and swordsmen cannot create a mana heart after acquiring aura. The clash between the two forces within the body would result in a catastrophic explosion that would consume its host.

Thousand Years ago, I developed the theory to fuse mana heart and aura with Arlan. It was successful but required an extraordinary host like Arlan if you didn't want your body to explode.

As a terrible curse took hold, Blade Aslan found himself unable to wield his mana, resulting in him losing his position as the kingdom's strongest. Consequently, his position as a Duke came to an end.

Blade dedicated himself tirelessly to surpassing the limitations of ordinary human prowess, diligently sharpening his swordsmanship and developing various techniques. He dreamed of the moment when the dreaded Demon Soul Eater would inevitably appear, aspiring to be the savior who could protect his people.

Five years had passed when the devastating tragedy finally struck. The Soul Eater descended upon the town, wreaking havoc and inflicting unimaginable damage.

"That was when I descended, but strange enough. How does the portal open again? Is it the curse He Possessed?"

"How come he endured the curse and was still able to fight. So That's why the fragment of light attracted to him."

Strangely, I began to hear the tender voices of children. She pleaded gently, saying, "Please take care of Dad and Mama." The sadness in her innocent voice was palpable, evoking a profound sense of longing and heartache.

I'm confused about what happened.

Suddenly, a blinding light enveloped the surroundings, and amidst the brilliance, I heard someone crying out desperately, calling my name.

"Elinaa, Elinaa!! Wake up! Don't leave me alone.." I saw Dad vividly, his tears flowing as he embraced me tightly.

My body remained frail, but with the last ounce of strength I possessed, I struggled to move my lips. "D...ad," I managed to utter, my voice barely a whisper.

As I looked at Dad and Alessia, I could see a wave of relief across their faces.

Alessia continuously healed my wound with her magic.

"Don't move just yet. You're experiencing side effects from running out of mana."

"I am filled with relief. I had feared I had lost my first-ever disciple," Alessia whined, her voice heavy with sorrow and a profound sense of loss.