As day waned, the sun began it's descent casting a crimson glow across a vast forest of tall trees. The trees were strange, they had a deep black colour from their roots to their leaves, as night approached they loomed like gigantic dark pillars.
Within a small clearing somewhere deep in the forest, the echo of a voice could be heard.
"See what can not be seen, hear what can not be heard, feel what can not be felt."
A young boy wearing light leather armour from head to toe stood facing a tall cloaked figure who weilded a slim dagger. The boy was breathing heavily, sweat trickled down his smooth youthful face and the long spiky hair that nearly covered his eyes was disheveled.
His eyes.
That was what drew the attention of the cloaked figure. The boy's eyes were sharp, his gaze piercing, those dark eyes had depth that even those who had lived a lifetime would not have.
The simple leather armour the boy wore creaked as he took a deep breath and addressed the cloaked figure in a respectful tone.
"Master Souni, I appreciate you offering to train me, but Aspirants of the Nox Temple begin training in the Secret Arts when they pass the fifteenth life cycle."
The boy drew a similar looking slim dagger, keeping his eyes trained on the one he had addressed as his master.
"I am only at my tenth life cycle, why am I learning it now?" The boy asked calmly.
Master Souni chuckled as he raised his dagger and took a fighting stance, the boy felt a chill down his spine and gripped his dagger tightly.
"You are the child of one of the priests of Lord Hakai, our expectations for you are different compared to others Kioku."
"An Aspirant in his twenty seventh life cycle fighting a child in his tenth, isn't this comsidered bullying the weak?" Kioku asked with a small smile.
"Save me the nonsense child, we both know others your age can not hope to match you."
"And what if I beat you?" Asked Kioku confidently.
"You're welcome to try boy."
Just as Souni finished speaking, Kioku threw his dagger at him with lightning speed. Souni quickly threw his own dagger to meet it and ducked as a foot came dangerously close to his face from the side.
Souni jumped into the air and aimed a blindingly fast kick at Kioku who barely managed to raise his hands to block in time. The force of the kick sent Kioku flying into a nearby tree just as the sound of the two daggers colliding was heard.
"Cough..haaa....cough...I'm starting to reconsider this," muttered Kioku as he coughed blood, he struggled but managed to rise, the pain he felt almost made him faint but he wouldn't.
Because that would be showing weakness.
One aiming to be an Adept, an Angel of Lord Hakai, was not weak.
Kioku's eyes darted around the small clearing, Master Souni had disappeared, the attack could come at any moment. That moment, in a real battle, would determine life and death.
"A good attempt," echoed Master Souni's voice.
Two daggers aimed at the head and heart came hurtling towards Kioku. He gritted his teeth and charged at them, jumping into mid air spinning right in between them and landing with his head lowered in a dramatic pose.
Kioku grinned and raised his head, ready for the next attack but his eyes widened as a fist came straight at him stopping when it was only millimeters from his nose.
"But poorly executed."
'Oh damn me to hell,' thought Kioku.
♤♤♤
Blood dripped from Kioku's nose as he limped angrily through the dense forest with Master Souni following leisurely behind him. Night had struck but the moon was obscured by thick clouds, however, for worshipers of the Lord Hakai darkness was the same as day.
Souni lowered the hood of his cloak, revealing his majestic features. He had a handsome face with a chiseled jaw line seemingly sculpted to perfection with small traces of facial hair, his silver eyes glowed with an otherworldly feel. His black hair was cut short giving him a heroic aura.
"Feeling anger will not change the fact that you lost, though you are welcome to shed a few tears i will not judge you."
Kioku snorted angrily and continued limping ahead trying to get far away from his master. Souni had always been harsh with him but today was the first time he had beaten so mercilessly.
"You had become arrogant, unaware of the limitations of your strength hence you needed a lesson, so blame yourself," said Souni as if he had read Kioku's mind.
"Well I am glad you enjoyed beating up a child while being near thrice his age master."
Souni stopped and observed his student with a troubled expression before speaking in a more serious tone.
"Arrogance gives way to delusion and delusion leads to error, how many times must i tell you before it gets passed your little ego, as the son of..."
"Yes, as the son of the priest of the Nox Temple I have many expectations and can't make any errors," interjected Kioku.
"Trust that I have heard about how great of an honour that is enough times already."
The two had reached the edge of the forest, a road made of black bricks before them, leading to a scattered collection of square black buildings.
The Village of Ju.
"I shall leave you here, it is my turn to lead the guard unit."
"Make sure to treat your wounds, I won't be as lenient as I was today."
"You call that lenient?"
"You are alive are you not?"
With that Master Souni vanished into thin air leaving Kioku alone to limp back to the village.
"By now, everyone should be at the temple," Kioku said with a sigh. He didn't want anyone seeing him in this state, especially her.
'Well the chances of meeting that annoying demon are low anyway,' thought Kioku.
He walked towards the village, most of houses and shops were built the same, square black and bland, unfeeling, like darkness itself.
The pain in his legs had subsided somewhat but he still limped slightly. For an outsider, walking alone through the looming black buildings might have them on age but for Kioku, this was home.
'Maybe I should see the Sisters for mental treatment,' thought Kioku, with a smile he continued on.
The long black path was the only major one in ju, the one that led towards the Temple Of Nox, Kioku lived in a house near the end of the village, closer to the temple.
He lived most of his life alone as his father was always at the temple. Kioku found it better this way, not that he hated father, they were not on bad terms. He had a different reason for enjoying his single living.
The pressure he felt was less evident when he was alone.
"You are late."
Kioku had become lost in his thoughts and failed to notice the person standing in front of his door. There stood Ina, dressed in long black priests robes that fit her well, gazing at him with a stern eye.
"Damn the heavens," cursed Kioku under his breath.
She was the person he had least wanted to meet at the moment. Her waist long flowing black hair danced in the wind, coupled with her cute heart shaped face and warm silver eyes that seemed to glow in place of the moon, she gave off the look of a little moon fairy, a goddess in her youth.
"I see Master Souni finally taught you a lesson," Ina's voice was calm and graceful, but Kioku could hear the smugness behind it.
"The amount of people who want to see a child beaten up is concerning to say the least," said Kioku rolling his eyes.
"I mean, the great Kioku Himira, son of the Holy One, the one most likely be an Adept, limping around with a broken nose looking as though he was hit by a hurricane."
"It's not something you see everyday so I'll savour it." Kioku blushed as a grin formed on Ina's face, he could beat up most Aspirants but this tiny little demon was the only one his age who gave him a hard time.
"As if you would have done any better," retorted Kioku.
"I wouldn't have ended up with a broken nose that's for sure."
"Here," Ina threw folded black robes similar to hers a Kioku who nearly failed to catch them making Ina smile slightly at his fumbled catch.
"The Holy One summoned you let's go."
"Huh, I just got back and in case you don't notice I'm not in the best condition here," argued Kioku, truth to be told he healed quickly thanks to the rituals they put him through, he just didn't want to go to the temple after the beating he had taken.
Ina rolled her eyes and made a waving motion with her hand. A gentle breeze picked up and converged around Kioku, the injuries he had suffered earlier healed slowly until they completely disappeared.
"There, any more excuses?"
"Or do you want a massage and meal my liege?" Asked Ina with a mocking smirk.
"Damn you to hell, let's go," responded Kioku sounding defeated.
♤♤♤
The pair walked together along the open road leaving the village behind, Kioku now wearing the long priest's robes. His appearance was now more imposing, especially for someone his age. The long spiky black hair nearly cast a shadow over his eyes, he gave off an air of arrogance, one that demanded attention.
His expression was grim as Ina rattled on, scolding him.
"I mean you're aiming to be an Adept so this kind of training shouldn't even bother you. I mean you're talented sure but just that wasn't going to take you far hard work is important too."
"My mother is always saying you became too arrogant after the baptism and she might be right. You recieved the blessing and favour of Lord Hakai and started think you were better than the rest of us."
"You're only human, a clumsy one at that."
"I know." Replied Kioku through gritted teeth.
"I say you're dreaming too big with a goal like that, do you even know how powerful Adepts have to be?" She had asked this numerous times but she still did not understand why Kioku was adamant about it.
Kioku sighed angrily and walked ahead, he was growing tired of people always asking him the same question. In fact, everything Ina had said he heard from everyone else.
Even his father.
"Annals Of the Great Historian, the first scripture. During the First Period, Lord Hakai with his forces alone, battled the entirely of the Divinum Sedes," began Kioku.
"I already know all that..."
"No you don't know." Kioku stopped and turned back to look at Ina, the look in his eyes deathly serious.
"For one being to stand against all that is divine, to stand against authority incarnate, the will and strength required to even have the thought of doing something like that is unprecedent."
"Even the Great Historian spoke of the immensity of Lord Hakai's will at numerous points."
'Damn, I got too passionate,' thought Kioku.
Kioku looked ahead and continued walking, the air he gave off and the image of his back left a deep impression on Ina.
'You walk so far ahead of others and become more lonely with each step.' Thought Ina with a concerned expression.
"That's the kind of person I aim to be."
'And i won't rest till i accomplish that aim,' thought Kioku.
Kioku stopped again this time sensing something off. The atmosphere around them had changed, it felt wrong, unnatural, as if something was out of place.
"Huh? Don't tell me you're about to give another excuse to avoid missing the teachings."
Kioku paid no mind to Ina, the strange feeling felt was coming from the path ahead, and it seemed to be growing stronger. The path ahead only lead to one place.
"The temple." Kioku sprinted forward at great speed, he had a very bad feeling, he had only felt like this once before and that was day the village was attacked.
The day his mother died.
"Huh, wait you idiot!" Shouted Ina after recovering from her initial shock.
Kioku only managed to sprint for a few meters before he felt an enormous presence that paralysed him in place.
And then he heard a cold booming voice.
"THE DIVINE DECREE HAS BEEN ISSUED, FOLLOWERS OF THE ACCURSED...."
Kioku heard a soul shattering shriek behind him, he turned and watched in horror as he saw Ina bleeding from eyes. She clawed at her face, tearing into her skin as the blood flowed from her eyes.
Her screams filled the area growing louder until eventually she couldn't bare the pain, she raised her hands and dug them deep into her eyes, blood flew everywhere dying her black robes in red.
"YOU SHALL PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES."
Kioku started to feel a mind numbing pain in his eyes as they started to bleed, the world went dark as his screams echoed into the night.
♤♤♤
A lone figure wrapped in a dark purple long hooded cloak walked through the forest near the Village of Ju. His steps were slow as if time barely moved in his presence, the air around him was peaceful yet mysterious. At times he would pause briefly to ponder and continue his slowed steps.
"Who goes there?"
Souni appeared atop the large branch of a nearby tree, gazing suspiciously at the intruder. He felt uneasy, no one ventured this deeply into the forest from the other side or rather they couldn't, if they could, they were either guided by a powerful creature.
Or were powerful themselves.
The cloaked man raised his head to gaze in Souni's direction. Souni saw two glowing purple eyes rest upon him and suddenly broke into a cold sweat.
'A divine being,' he thought with alarm.
"The Age Of Seekers, it's story begins here," the man's voice was slow and loud, Souni heard it with his ears but swore he also heard it in his mind.
"What is your purpose here?" Souni wanted to make his voice imposing but the fear he felt made it seem feeble.
'I have to warn the High One immediately.'
"Within that story..." the figure looked ahead and continued walking, Souni made to escape but watched in shock and horror as he started to slowly fade away.
"Your name is not written."