Every day, the Guardians' castle in Erestia echoed with the sounds of training, laughter, and occasional arguments. It was here that Saki, rescued as a baby from the sea, grew up under the protection and guidance of the three Guardians: Latia, Enma, and White.
From an early age, he understood he was different. Unlike other children, he possessed no Kiritz that omnipresent energy that granted living beings their powers. Though Erestia officially recognized the Kiritzless thanks to past heroes, doubtful glances still lingered.
But Saki refused to be seen as an exception. He wanted to prove he could become a warrior, even without Kiritz.
A Childhood Under Close Watch
As soon as he could walk, Latia took him everywhere, sometimes carrying him on her shoulders as they crossed the city. Loved by the people, Saki adored watching her greet merchants and chat with townsfolk.
— "Look, it's Latia's little whirlwind!" an old man once called out, laughing.
— "He's already got her energy that's a good sign!"
Latia burst into laughter, lifting Saki into the air.
— "Hear that, kid? Soon, they'll be calling you Guardian!"
Saki smiled, but a question burned in his mind.
— "Latia… Does everyone like me?"
She raised an eyebrow before resting a hand on his head.
— "Many do, but some will always doubt you. That's normal. It'll be up to you to prove them wrong."
Those words stayed with him.
A Different Kind of Training
By age five, Saki was determined to train like the Guardians.
— "I want to learn how to fight!" he declared proudly before Enma and White.
Enma laughed.
— "Kid, you don't even have muscles yet. How do you expect to fight?"
— "I'll get strong!" Saki shot back, clenching his fists.
White, silent, studied him before nodding.
— "Very well. But your training will be different from ours."
Since he couldn't wield Kiritz like them, Latia taught him hand-to-hand combathow to dodge and use his agility to his advantage. Enma drilled him in defending against elemental attacks, forcing him to evade flames and predict movements. White focused on strategy and observation, teaching him to analyze terrain and spot weaknesses.
The first weeks were brutal.
— "Latiaaa, my legs hurt!"
— "Good! That means you're improving!" she replied, tossing him a staff.
He was constantly thrown by Enma, outsmarted by White's puzzles, and knocked down repeatedly by Latia.
But he never gave up.
Facing the Outside World
While the Guardians adored him inside the castle, outside was another story.
As he grew, he noticed the whispers in Erestia's streets.
— "That's the foundling…"
— "No Kiritz? How will he defend himself?"
— "Even with the Guardians' protection, he'll always be weak."
At first, the words stung. But one day, as he lowered his head after hearing taunts, Latia knelt before him.
— "Saki, look at me."
He raised his eyes hesitantly.
— "Why are you listening to them?"
— "Because… they say I'll never be a real warrior."
Latia smiled softly and flicked his forehead.
— "So? Since when do they decide what you become?"
He blinked.
— "They don't…"
— "Then keep your head up and move forward. Let your actions speak not their words."
From that day on, he never looked away from criticism again.
A Turning Point
The year he turned six, everything changed.
One night, a band of thieves infiltrated Erestia, exploiting the darkness to evade the Guardians. Latia, Enma, and White swiftly scattered them but in the chaos, one brute of a man cornered Saki in an alley.
The thief smirked.
— "A brat? Tch… scram before I hurt you."
Saki's heart pounded. He tried recalling Latia and White's lessons: Stay calm. Observe. Don't show fear.
But his body froze.
The man struck without hesitation, slamming Saki backward.
— "Pathetic."
Saki hit the ground, breathless. He expected agony, bruises… yet there were none. Only racing fear.
Before the thief could strike again, a roar split the night.
— "YOU BASTARD!"
Enma erupted in flames, hurling the man into a wall. Latia sprinted to Saki, clutching him tightly.
— "Are you okay?!"
Trembling, he nodded but then felt Latia shudder.
She was… scared?
— "You idiot…" she whispered into his hair, voice unsteady.
Saki clenched his fists.
He hated feeling helpless.
That day, he vowed to grow stronger.