At this moment, playing by the field four kids were playing by the field, two boys and two girls. The sole survivor of the Sepulchral shade, as they were the only kids of their age in the village,a boy and the other girl arev of the same age, eleven, and since there were no other children their age in the village they often play with the yand became childhoodfriend, the other boy is two years younger than them being nine and the last girl only six.
[What are we going to play Today?] Asked the youngest girl, Ayane
[Let's play hide and seek in the field!] Said the boy, Belzebuth
[Then who is going to be the first to seek?] Asked the other girl, Miranda
[Of course it's Takeru!] Replied Belzebuth
[Again!?] Screamed Takeru in annoyance, thought he still began counting
He know that as the oldest of the group, he has to indulge the other.
[He is beginning to count! Let's go hide] said Belzebuth
The girl scramble to hide before Takeru were to look for them. It has to be said that Takeru really has it hard as the field is really big. By the time he found them all it was already almost noon.
[Mamaaa!!!] Ayane called out loudly to a beautiful lady, Miyuki, She is the mother of Takeru and Ayane. She had come to deliver lunch to Takeshi, her husband. Ayane began to run toward her with Takeru anxiously following behind her.
[Ayane!!! Don't run so fast, you'll fall!!!] Screamed Takeru
At this moment, Lysa the mother of Miranda had also arrived to deliver lunch to her husband, Garrick. Belzebuth also returned home after biding goodbye to his friend.
Today, the two boys were called to test their aptitude for battle as the age of ten is the age they begin training those that were going to become the futur guard of the village. That being said it isn't something too serious yet, they just do some joging and introduction to some simple martial art by the guard. Of course, they weren't obligated to join. If that were the case there wouldn't be any farmer anymore.
[Alright guys, you will try to mimic the movement I'll do, okay? And don't force yourselve if you can't or you might get hurt, also make sure to take a good distance from your neighbour so as to not hustle.] Said the guard as he began to do some warm-up.
There were also other guard here monitoring the kids, and seeking those that were talented enough to be trained. They also had come here because, there were not really anything they had to do and they were bored.
[Okay.] Responded the Two. As they began to copy his movement. Belzebuth is doing better than the guard had expected thought.
[Belzebuth! You're really good!!] Said one of the examiners his eyes brightening.
[Thanks, uncle I'm doing what I can.] Responded Belzebuth. He isn't really interested in the training, but just wanted to have the strength to protect those he loved from the wild beast in the forest surrounding the village. Besides, in this era of peace, what is the use of being strong, being a farmer is good enough. Or so he thinks.
[I'm not joking, you're doing real' great. Your movement are real' smooth.] The solider thought that Belzebuth's indiference is due to him thinking that he was joking. [So? Are you joining the group that are going to train to become guard?]
[Sorry, uncle but I'm not realy into being a guard.]
[Ha…. If that's what you want what can I do? But you'll at least take some training, right?]
[I'm not going to be forced into becoming a guard, right?]
[Hahahaha what are you imagining? No, we're not going to do that, I just think that it would be a waste not to train you with your talent, so I'll make you an exeption!]
[So that's it! Okay, I'll join you then.]
After finishing training, the two return home.
[Belzebuth, why don't you want to be a guard?] Asked his father.
[Why would I want to be a guard and go arround the village if I can farm and rest at home everyday and relax if I became a farmer?]
[Hahahaha you realy just think about relaxing huh. But that doesn't matter, whatever you want to do, know that we will always support you!]
[I know dad, that's also what mom told me.]
[Then she is right, hahahaha]
During four years after, Belzebuth continued training with the guards. His speed of learning surpassed even the guard that was treated as the most talented of the previous batch of guard. Despite that, he's still unwilling to become a guard in the village. That year, Takeru and Miranda have had their coming of age ceeremony, so now it is only Belzebuth and Ayane who were playing and venturing about.
Today, Belzebuth is venturing in the perifery of the cementery with Ayane. They were curious about the gravestone where the pulsating pearl was found thirteen years ago.
[B-Belzebuth, is…. is it realy okay for… us to be in this place? It's as if there…. Were many eyes looking at me.] Asked Ayane looking arround the cementery. The air is still, no sound could be heard exept the echoing of their footsep.
[Don't worry, even if there realy is a ghost here, I'll protect you!] Belzebuth declared confidantly. Ever since he begane training, he received the praise of the trainer that he gained confidence in his strenght.
[Look! That's the thing.] Belzebuth suddenly exclaimed. And there they saw it a gigantique tombstone, it was at least five meters of hight with a width of three or four meter. At the center of it there was a little hole the width of a palm.
[Woah, this is really huge.] Commented Ayane from the side fascinated.
[That's right! I also didn't expect it to be this big!]
[What's that hole in the middle?] Asked Ayane.
[Oh! That seems to be the place where they said that is the source of the illness that affected the village fourteen years ago!]
[Now that you mention it, momy also told me of that! The villager said that it was taken to the capital by the people who came here to save the village.]
[That aside, what's with this huge tombstone that resemble a door?]
[That's a little weird indeed.]
[Let's go there and see how it is at it's base!]
[You…. you want to go there?]
[Ow, come on, it doesn't seem to be that dangerous!]
[W-what if there is gh-ghost there?]
[What are you talking about? Ghost doesn't exist!] Belzebuth said as he approaches the gravestone.
Seeing this, Ayane didn't know what to do for a moment. Then she began following Belzebuth carefully. Arriving at the foot of the monument they saw many engravings depicting a woman with spider-like lower body and dragon engaging in what seem like a dance entertwinging their body. The dance emanates a regal and enchanting allure to it, as if to ask the entry universe to look at them.
Unknowingly, Belzebuth began to follow the engraving with his hand. Then as if waiting for Belzebuth's hand to do just that, a needle that was placed in betwing the figure of the two creatures pierced him, letting some drop of his blood taint a little part of the two creatures. An unbelievable thing happened.
CRREEEAAAAAKKK
GRRRIIND
THUD
[Aahh] The two were in surprise.
The huge tombstone opened in the two sides revealing a staircase leading down. Although surprised, Belzebuth soon was excited, at the thought of being in an adventure. He is not afraid, he is expecting the thrill from this, he is very confident mainly after training.
[B-Belzebuth, let's go home] Stuttered Ayane, her body trembling incontrolably.
[It's okay, it's okay. You don't have to be scared, I'm here. You know that I've been training right? So, I'm going to protect you!] Said Belzebuth, puffing his chest.
[B-But I…I'm scared of g-ghost!]
[Here, I'll be holding your hand so that you aren't scared anymore!] Said Belzebuth as he reached his hand out.
[O-Okay, b-but promise that you won't let go]
[Sure! Why would I let go? I'm the one who is taking you there after all!]
And so, they began descending the stair, who seems to be endless. But after some minutes, they encountered some slime, but they were taken care of by Belzebuth. It has to be said that Belzebuth is a prodigy, even among the older trainee, he is very remarkable. After the stair, they entered what seemed to be a long straight corridor. What is surpriseing is that there were torch alight in the wall illuminating the long passage.
[This corridor sure is long!] Exclaimed Belzebuth.
[B-Belzebuth, th-there seems to be something there, i-it look like we are at the end of the passage,]
[You are right, and there is what appears to be a door.] Said Belzebuth as he was about to open the door.
[Wait! A-Are we really going to enter there?]
[Don't worry, I'll hold your hand.]
[B-But!]
[We're just going to take a look]
[O-okay, but just taking a peek]
As Ayane finished speaking, Belzebuth has already reached out his hand to open the door. And inside there, was a room, it was decorated moderately, there was no musty smell at all, and the air is very fresh, as if it was always in the open. The room was approximatively four to five square meter, filled with many bookshelve and a desktop in the center.
[Young one, time really favor you] Suddenly, they heared an old voice, it was very weary, as if tired of many things.
[Whaa…!? Who is there!?] Belzebuth asked aggressively
[Hahaha, young one, I don't have the time to chat with you, my time is coming to an end. So you have to remember what I'm going to say.] Said the old voice, as the bookshelve began to move making way for Belzebuth and Ayane, Showing them the desktop, and a very old man siting before it. He had long white hair and beard, and wore a purple clothing, embroidered with dragon and a woman with the lower body of a spider, just like in the giant door. His limbs are very thins as if he was starved here and hasn't eaten anything in age. His eyes are a little dull, and looked as if he was in the verge of sleeping.
And without giving anyone the chance to answer him, he began to speak again.
[Age ago, I received a revelation from the star. In this place, is where I've been guided to wait, and when he arrives this is what he should know :
"Bound by blood and locked in fate,
The Alvarya's rise lies sealed in state.
In the light of Lunaris, a shroud descends,
The flame withheld till the dark age ends.
In line unbroken, the throne shall fall,
As children rise, heirs heed the call.
Yet none shall reign, none shall rise,
Till shadows consume what light denies.
The last-born child, bound by wrath,
Carries the weight of his forebears' path.
By fallen kin and silenced cry,
The bloodline wakes where ashes lie.
In ruin's wake, the flame will stir,
And shadows rise as dawn fades sure.
For only in fall shall light renew,
When wrath awakens, fierce and true."
I've studied this revelation for a millenia to no avail, just some part that might mean "Only in the ashes of kin shall the flame find breath. And that it is the last child that is bound to shoulder the weight of preserving the last bloodline."] After saying this the old man seems to sight with a desolate face, but there appears to still be hope in his eyes. Then his body started to turn into light particle and disintegrated step by step. It seems that this old man was really at his wrist hand.
[… Belzebuth, what should we do now?] Asked Ayane after some time.
[I-I don't know, maybe we should tell this to the adult, I don't really know who or what that old man was, and I just remember some of what he just said before disappearing.]