Vanguard: Black Hole

Age: 5 days

In the middle of the dense forest, a mother ran, breathless and frantic. Holding a runestone, she fled with the boy, pursued by a dozen ruthless soldiers, and only fragments of moonlight guided them. Their only opportunity to break free from their imprisoned destiny was through the enchantment of the formidable ancient rune stone.

"A little bit more, my child," her voice bristling with nervousness. The rune stone served as a conduit for memory teleportation, a rare resource that few individuals possessed. However, she noticed that the stone's energy was dwindling and that there was only enough strength for one soul to pass through.

She placed the stone to the child's forehead with tears, and despite the chaos around them, her hands remained motionless as she poured his blood into the stone, sealing their fate and producing a dazzling flash of light. The boy was swallowed up in a flurry of white light and disappeared into the night, only the howl of the wind whistling through the trees, which broke the silence moments later with metal gathering flesh as weapons rang out on her lifeless body.

Age: 5 days

In the small rural village of Eldoria, in the Yami no Kuni state, the village leader Aidan and his wife Lina were suddenly awakened by a loud knock on the door. Their maid stood in the doorway, shivering with a basket—an unexpected child, covered in a soft blanket that was still dry despite the heavy rain, crying beside a mysterious wooden box with a nametag attached to it.

"Whose child is this?" With concern in his voice, Aidan narrowed his eyes and fixed them on the infant.

The maid said, "There it was, sir," pointing to the chamber door. "There was no one else around, and the guards didn't see anyone."

Aidan's expression softened as he took in the circumstances. "Make a guard call. We must do a comprehensive search of the region. We have to ascertain this child's identity and origins."

Aidan felt overwhelmed by the feeling that, despite the unexpected visitor upending the entire order of the house, this strange visit had a deeper importance. A child's arrival marked the beginning of a tale connecting their lives to an enigmatic future destiny.

Despite a relentless search throughout the night, the child's whereabouts remained unknown. The baby seemed to turn out of thin air. The boy had now sealed the fate of the family.

Age: 6 months

Lina sat by the fireplace, holding the infant in her arms. When the boy arrived, their home was surprisingly full of love and excitement; he had entered their lives. "Why don't we adopt Dajit?"

As his wife watched the fire dance in the fireplace, Aidan turned to face her. Her gaze then shifted to the infant dozing in her arms. He said, "We will," after giving it some thought. "Our seven-month-old daughter Luna is going to have a brother now."

The choice appeared appropriate and purposeful. Once the home of a mystery youngster racked with dread, it was now a celebration of an unanticipated transformation in their family. Even in their bliss, however, the cycles and vagaries of fate remained unknowable, and the future remained a mystery.

Age: 5 years old

Now a bright and curious youngster with messy purple hair and radiant golden eyes, Dajit was reading an old book while sitting at his mother's feet. His voice full of inquiry, "Mom, why don't we have two names like King in the book?"

With a gentle tousle of his hair, Lina grinned broadly. She said in a kind and calm voice, "Because normal people don't have surnames, Dajit."

"So, mom, when I grow up, can I be a mage?" Dajit's delight was palpable as his thoughts were buzzing with possibilities.

Lina smiled tentatively, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Yes, my son, if our fate allows it," she answered.

"But Mom, what about fate?" Dajit asked, his young mind eager to understand the world around him.

Before Lina could react, the door opened, and a figure entered the room. The man, aged and frail but with a presence that commands respect. He had a familiar face, a close family friend, and a twinkle in his eye that eased the tension in the room.

"Dajit, would you like to come to my house and help me make a katana? I'll give you sweets," the old man offered with a smile.

Dajit's face glowed with amusement at the well-known voice. His tiny feet striking the wood floor, he sprung to his feet and ran towards the man. "Yes, Grandfather!" He excitedly grabbed the elderly man's hand and said, "I want a candy."

The room was filled with warmth as the old guy laughed heartily and profoundly. "Obviously, young man."

"And now let us head out the door," guiding Dajit out.

Together, they proceeded to the old man's home, where the walls reverberated with the sound of metal and the scent of burnt coal.