The Beginning

It was a regular night for me and my mother with her sitting in a rocking chair by the fire with me dozing off in her lap. Today was my sixth birthday. And it wasn't until a soft knock broke me out of my dazed sleep that I realized.

I had lost my salvation.

When my mother went to open the door, she wasn't greeted by a person, but a dagger to the throat. I had to watch my mother bleed out and choke on her own blood as a man dressed in all black, with a mask that had a crudely drawn smile covering his face, casually wiped the blade on a rag before turning his masked gaze to me.

I was scared.

But more than scared, I was angry, I was filled with rage and indignation. But I was also in denial. How could my mother, the woman who seemed so strong and powerful, be reduced to a limp corpse in mere seconds? A rage I never knew I had bubbled up inside of me as I replayed her death in my head over and over until I felt like I was going insane.

Then I snapped.

The masked man stopped in his tracks as he became the target for all of my emotions. Then he spoke to me.

"You have no one, child. You're a demon to your family and a curse to your kingdom. Letting you live would be detrimental to the kingdom, but maybe you can prove me wrong." his gaze lowered to my mothers body "Unlike her you might be able to save yourself one day." Then he disappeared.

---

"-ke up!"

A sudden force jolted me from my sleep and I found myself drenched in sweat as I looked at the shabby room I was in. My gaze lowered and I saw three kids, two female and one male with the one on the left being the oldest, an Elf named Seris, at 10 years old with red hair, green eyes. The child in the middle is the only male child, also an Elf who was 8 years old, named Nathan with stark white, spiky hair and blue eyes that practically bored holes through me. The final child is a Human and the youngest at around 5 years old and her name is Rain. Her hair is a jet black with eyes to match, and I don't remember a time when anyone saw her show an actual facial expression.

I rubbed my eyes and sighed as I looked at Nathan. "Why the hell did you have to punch me so hard kid?" I guess I had a rough dream.

"You wouldn't wake you lazy butt up so I had no choice!" Nathan held his arms akimbo as he puffed his chest out in pride at being able to hurt me, but that didn't last long as Seris smacked his head before looking towards me. "Mother said to wake you up for breakfast and to remind you to stop by the market today."

Seris and her mother run the orphanage that I was currently staying in and, being the oldest present, I do the majority of the shopping and chores to ease the burden for the old lady. I groaned as I got out of bed and brushed my teeth and got dressed before heading down to fetch my breakfast.

"Yuuki! You better get it while it's hot!" I heard a familiar voice yell and I couldn't help but sigh. "I'm coming you old hag!"

As I walked down the old and broken stairs I saw everyone gathered around a large, circular table with bowls of freshly cooked ramen being passed around. As I was eating I was assaulted with questions by the younger kids, which I answered to the best of my ability. I had already survived 12 winters and I was nearing the deadline to apply for school.

Although I was adamant on staying at the orphanage to help out Old Lady Merial, I was also pressured to go to school and learn how to control my magic and become a grand Adventurer. What a load of bullshit.

As I was walking down the populated streets of Faern, a rather large city on the continent of Ralithon, I stopped by various stalls in search of food and other necessities. On the way back to the orphanage I saw a slight movement from an alleyway out of the corner of my eye.

(A/N: Pronounced Ral-Ah-Then ;))

'Don't look and you won't get into trouble' I thought to myself. I knew what would happen if I showed that I saw a potential criminal in the middle of them committing a crime, something I'll never do again. The last time something like this happened I was almost murdered in broad daylight, like my...let's not go there, ok Yuuki?

I smacked my face with my hands to clear my head of stray thought as I moved towards the orphanage with a renewed vigor, thinking of possible gifts to give the kids for the Silver Moon Festival.

However, those thoughts were interrupted when I heard a loud scream from behind me. Cursing inward, I turned around and bolted towards the alley where I saw the movement only to find two bulky guys with small daggers talking to a rather beautiful girl about my age with blonde hair and deep blue eyes. My guess was they were trying to abduct her, or worse.

I silently snuck up behind the two monstrously large dudes and locked eyes with the frightened girl for a moment before winking at her as I spun in the air, landing a solid kick to the side of the guy on the lefts face. He toppled like a log.

His friend ducked under my follow up attack and lunged at me with his dagger, a murderous intent behind the attack. I contorted my body in midair before crushing the mans left shoulder with a vicious axe kick. His face twisted in agony as he stumbled backwards, keeping his dagger up in a defensive posture.

The man slowly backed away towards the street but as he turned to run I was already in front of him. My fist trailed through the air and slammed into the mans stomach before I brought his head down as my knee connected with his nose. Soon the guards arrived in the alleyway and the girl and I explained what happened before they hauled the two men off, both were apparently low-ranking adventurers.

I began to walk back towards the orphanage but I was stopped when the girl suddenly spoke "Hey, you can at least ask for my name!" I turned back to match her gaze and replied "Why do I have to? I was just simply in the area and I noticed the two guys and wanted to collect their bounty."

That was a fat fucking lie.

The girl scoffed "Liar, there was no bounty on their heads and you know it."

"Oh yeah? How would you know if there was a bounty or not?"

A hint of pride flashed in her eyes as she puffed her negligible chest out "Because I'm the Crowned Princess, Lyra Ralithon!"

Shit, I should've been nicer. Oh well.

"Well nice meeting you but I gotta go, cya!" I bolted out from the alleyway, leaving the princess to pout, muttering "Damn, he was cute too."

---

I was walking for a little over an hour until I finally found the side street that takes me to the orphanage, which I found weird considering the orphanage was only a couple of minutes from the market place. I probably just got lost. No, wait that's impossible. I know this area like the back of my hand, I can't get lost here. Panic started to settle in my heart but I kept a calm expression as I quickened my pace. Suddenly, a loud boom came from the North part of the city.

I looked back to see the Dungeon, a massive construct that houses many different Mana Beast, that Faern was built around crumble into a massive pile of dust and rubble. It was an Invasion. This particular phenomenon has only happened one other time but it is when a Dungeon collapses and the Mana Beast flood out from the Dungeon and begin to slaughter everything around them.

I threw the bags of food and supplies down and began to run as fast as I could to the orphanage. We needed to leave before things got ugly. I heard the dying screams of innocent men, women, and children alike, the howls of beast, but none of that mattered to me. I just want to escape and live with my friends-no my family!

My legs ached and my lungs burned but I kept on running, the fear of losing everything again made gave me the power I needed to move forward despite death knocking on my door. The howls and death cries were getting closer but I was so close to the orphanage, I could see it. But as I neared I saw a pack of Raven Wolves, a sub-species of a wolf-type Mana Beast with dark black fur and enhanced sight that easily stood at 2m tall, begin to circle around the orphanage.

My blood boiled as I watched the Raven Wolves communicate. I began to look for anything to kill them with, something damnit!

I picked up a 2x4 and a random hammer lying around and I began to silently approach the nearest Raven Wolf. This one was a little smaller than the rest, easy pickings.

I swung the 2x4 and it landed with a sickening thud against the Raven Wolf's skull, splattering the beasts head like a watermelon. The others whipped their heads around and bared their fangs, ready to pounce. I ditched the splintered 2x4 and brandished my hammer, ready for an attack that never came.

They were waiting for something.

Then it clicked. The Alpha was nowhere to be seen and if they were outside of the building then that meant...

They were making sure no one escaped the building...

I felt the familiar cold sensation permeating through my body as a primal rage built up and made my head pound. I locked eyes with the nearest Raven Wolf and in the blink of an eye I was in front of it with it lying on the ground, bloodied and its head caved in.

I turned my tear stained eyes to the rest of the pack that was now huddled together.

"Heel, dogs." I spat as I exuded a bloodlust that would shake even the most veteran Adventures. The pack of Raven Wolves found that their bodies had turned limp as they lay on the cold cobblestone road with what seemed akin to a Devil approaching them to reap their life.

I wasted no time in dashing past the unconscious Mana Beasts and entering the orphanage, but instead of my worries being lifted, I found myself staring at a Raven Wolf that had a large horn on its head while its eyes were a bright red. The beast was so big that the roof would tear every time the beast even took a breath. I continued to stare at the massive 4m tall beast with fear gripping my heart.

It wasn't until I heard a soft voice call out "Yuuki, you must...go...argh leave now! I wish we could have spent more time together but know that we'll always be with you...brother."

The Alpha Raven Wolf glanced back down at the bloodied body of Nathan before looking back at me with what one could only describe as a smile as it stamped its foot, ending Nathan's life.

I thought I knew pain. I thought that I could be happy. I sincerely thought that I had found my place, my family again.

I collapsed and broke down into tears of guilt and rage. I was pissed at not being strong enough to protect my loved ones and fucking pissed that I wasn't with them when they died.

Old Lady Merial, Seris, Nathan, Rain...I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry...I'll be joining you soon.

I steeled my heart and cleared my mind, my only thought was killing this bastard!

I took up my tiny hammer once again and faced the Alpha Raven Wolf, who had a bored look in its eyes as it leaned its head down to feast on the corpse of Nathan. Wrong move bitch. The Alpha's eyes widened in surprise as I appeared next to it, my hammer inches from its face. It blocked the strike with its horn but my strike broke it in half, enraging the Alpha.

It tried to swat me with its claws but I was already on the ground and moving, fast. I broke one of its toes on its left paw before chipping a few of its teeth as it tried to bite me. The fight was getting drawn out with me having more than just a few scratches and bruises while the Alpha had taken a lot of damage with one of its eyes a bloodied mess and a rib puncturing its kidney.

Just a little more.

I needed more power.

I felt a foreign energy spread through my body but I didn't hesitate. I let it coarse through me, It made me feel stronger so I didn't care. I kicked off of the ground and created a small crater before I slammed the hammer down on top of the Alpha's head, creating a loud shockwave while the Alpha crashed through the building, collapsing most of it.

I stumbled out of the collapsed building panting and bleeding. I thought I had won but the Alpha limped out from the wreckage and howled. I heard howls from all over, getting closer and closer by the second. The coward called for back-up!

The Alpha began cackling, laughing like a maniac before saying "You fought well pup, know you will die horribly." I was shocked, a Mana Beast that could speak?

The last thing I remember seeing was hundreds of Raven Wolves slowly walking towards me with hungry gazes when a figure appeared in the sky.

---

It felt like I had been unconscious for a millennia just watching my memories play over and over with a blank expression.

I was lost.

I felt true despair and pure guilt as tiny voices berated me for living while everyone else had died.

My eyes slowly opened and I was greeted by a bright light that made me cover my eyes with my hand until I adjusted. Getting up was out of the table because even the smallest movements made me feel like throwing up from the sheer pain it brought.

I was in a lavishly decorated room with a high ceiling made of chiseled stone while the floor was made of an expensive looking marble. The room was lit up nicely with candles and magic lamps with only one large desk and a small dresser in the room next to the large bed I was resting in.

Where the hell am I?

My question was answered shortly when a woman with a shapely figure dressed in a maid outfit with short brown hair and grey eyes came in with a trey of food. I barraged her with questions regarding my location, how I got here, and how in the fuck am I alive.

Apparently I'm in the Royal Castle of Ralithon, located in the Continents capitol known as Northgate. However, I was left alone soon after my initial questions, leaving me with all the time in the world to grieve and break down like the child I was.

I had calmed down before I heard footsteps outside of the door when a soft knocking came from the door.

"You can enter."

A familiar face peeked through the door. It was Lyra. She gingerly shut the door before standing there with her head down.

My impatience got the best of me.

"Did you need something, Lyra?" There was a faint trace of annoyance in my otherwise monotone voice but she hadn't noticed.

Lyra's face held a mixture of emotions but she eventually sighed and moved towards the side of the bed I was laying on. "I just wanted to check up on you and see how you wer-"

"I'm fine, Lyra. You can leave now."

She was shocked when I interrupted her but she complied and left the room giving me the space that I so desperately needed.

I couldn't afford to get close to anyone else.

Never will I have another family. I was destined that way since birth. I am Yuuki Silver, and I'm a Demon child shunned by anyone who knows of my heritage.

I was born into the Silver Clan, a family of prodigious Mages whose defining features are their silver hair and eyes coupled with their sharp features. But I was an anomaly. I was born with midnight-blue hair that looked black if you weren't close enough. My hair combined with my dark grey eyes was something that was never recorded within the Silver Clan. I was raised shunned by everyone except for my mother. Even my own father looked at me with disgust and contempt. I was branded a Demon and my mother a traitor.

Now I have no one to hold me back. I have nothing to limit my growth and now for whatever reason I'm in the Royal Families castle. If I can get them on my side then I can get a hold of an unfathomable amount of power.

From now on I will be who I want to be and do what I want to do. I will become what I was supposed to be. And I now have an objective, a means to live.

I will find the bastard who murdered my mother and then I'll make sure he wished he was never born. Then I'll start with the extermination of the Silver Clan