Year 501,
The dawn of the era of destruction
Upper World
.....
A moment ago in the upper world, before the birth of the Demon King. The atmosphere was very calm accompanied by the chirping of birds in the trees. Children were running here and there very joyfully. Adults, both women and men, filled the market as sellers and buyers. Noble carriages could be seen passing back and forth there. The world here was very peaceful and full of laughter.
However, among all that, a very handsome man from the Elf tribe really. attracted attention. That man was a descendant of the royal bloodline who had eradicated thousands of demons that rose to the surface. The people loved him. The radiance of mana that opposed darkness, namely light mana, felt warm to the point that it made the heart unable to emit dark energy.
Light, fire, water, wind, earth, among the five magical elements, light occupies the legendary rank that only one in a thousand possesses. Usually, a being who possesses light mana will be considered an incarnation of a god who brings peace and victory, a human capable of defeating the darkness of demons that are considered vile.
Bruk!
"Ouch."
A sound of pained groaning was heard from two people in the middle of the bustling market. A small-bodied person with double braided hair rubbed their hip that had made contact with the ground. Meanwhile, the handsome Elf man whose view was blocked by sunlight bowed his head while tucking a strand of his long hair, blown by the wind, behind his ear.
"Are you alright?"
The child who had fallen after the collision froze when the person they bumped into opened the hood of their cloak and extended a hand toward them. "L-lord Aethoniel!" they shrieked.
Aethoniel. A long-lived Elf who had been blessed with light mana since birth. Moreover, his lineage was very noble for having royal blood. Because of that, everyone respected him and revered him as a hero in the upper world.
"I'm sorry for my rudeness, Sir." The little girl said while bowing deeply in regret.
Aethoniel reached out his hand to gently pat the girl's head while smiling. "It's fine as long as you're not hurt." he replied.
The girl froze. The pat from the man in front of her was so warm. And she looked up. "Are you an angel who fell because you slipped?"
The little girl's innocent question made Aethoniel laugh lightly. "If that were the case, I wouldn't be a hero because of a sore back after falling from the sky."
The girl's face flushed with embarrassment. Aethoniel, who noticed, immediately stopped laughing. "Go back to playing. But, this time be more careful."
"Y-yes, Sir."
The little girl ran off again with her friend who had been waiting for her. Aethoniel watched the joy they radiated. Pleasant. The wind blowing around drew his attention to look up, gazing at the beautiful painting of nature in the sky. His smile bloomed perfectly among his beautiful hair that swayed gently.
Slowly, he began to walk again. Firmly, his feet stepped through the crowded streets toward the palace to meet his friend and the King of this land. However, that was the original goal before a tremendous tremor shattered the calm. Without thinking, he turned around, running toward the boundary of darkness and light after leaving a note on a dove for Kerthos, his friend.
"What is this...? Don't tell me... No! I hope it's not that bad possibility." he muttered inwardly while cursing softly.
While flying with wind magic, Aethoniel extended his hand forward with his eyes closed and focused. The summoning spell would soon be uttered after light mana flowed through his entire body in an orderly manner. Then, his eyes opened and—
"Noble spirit, i sommon you, come to me, with light that illuminates the heart, guide me, and grant me strength."
Whoos
A large Eagle came after the magic spell was finished. Its feathers were golden brown, blending beautifully with the appearance of its master, an Elf with long bright blonde hair that flowed down to below the shoulders and emerald eyes. He used his spirit to detect foreign mana mixed with the air.
"Kyeaa! Kyeaa...!" The bird flapped its wings hysterically with a loud, wild, and noisy sound, indicating that something strange was happening.
"Below! Over there is a crack." He quickly dove down when he saw much cracked earth. Then upon arriving, a thick scent of darkness was strongly smelled. "What kind of mana is this? It feels stifling like being choked by despair."
"Khekk!! Khek!!" The bird instantly became wild because it smelled the mana mingling with the surroundings.
"You should return first." Aethoniel canceled his summoning magic. "Is Kerthos still long?" He walked around the area, checking if there was anything else strange.
"Niel!" Kerthos called, a man in his thirties who held the status of King, jumped down from Aethoniel's magic staff that had carried him flying. "How is it? Did you find something?" he asked.
"No. But, this thick scent is really disturbing because it can pressure someone to submit." Aethoniel answered.
Kerthos struck a thinking pose. "Panic is happening not only in my kingdom, but also across all these upper continents. Even though the war between gods ended a hundred years ago, why can a tremendous tremor still occur?"
Aethoniel also thought before an aura of presence that was very strong shook the flow of his mana, and made him submit to something whose form he did not know. "Kerthos. Can you feel what I just felt?"
Kerthos, who had been calm even though the foreign mana disturbed him, his face turned pale and tense. "Why does this magical element... feel this dense? Weren't the demon race weakened since the end of the war between gods?"
Aethoniel tried to focus, his hand extended forward and his mouth recited an ancient magic spell, "Per veritatem et lucem, inveni quod quaero!"
Light shone around his body. His eyes were closed, sensing something strange that was happening. For a moment, his body rejected that feeling because of the overwhelming pressure. It felt like he saw a fear that would devour the world. A terrible destruction, as if the world had surrendered its end to him.
"What is it, Niel?" Kerthos asked.
Aethoniel opened his eyes, "A threat has been born in the lower world. The black mana we feel comes from a being that has just been born." His serious gaze was straight ahead. "Apparently, the world is once again giving a chance for darkness to balance the light."
"An upper-rank demon, huh..."
"...Seems that way." Aethoniel clenched his hand, "Gods, and now demons? This world really can't stay peaceful for too long."
"We have to return to the capital immediately to discuss it further with the tower mages." Kerthos suggested.
"You're right. For now, perhaps the creature down there is... feasting?"
"Who knows. What's important is, this is not a situation we can ignore."
"Well." Aethoniel handed over a twig in the middle of their serious conversation, which made Kerthos gape because he couldn't understand his action. "Why? Are you already bored doing it?"
"No. It's just... couldn't you stay serious when it's time?" Kerthos accepted the twig Aetholio gave, then drew a teleportation magic circle on the ground.
"Use Rune." Aetholio commanded.
"Done."
Aethoniel stood in the middle of the magic circle with Kerthos. "Per vias aetheris, nos ad regnum luminaria vehe!"
The magic circle shone brightly. Each Rune written spun in the air very beautifully. The atmosphere around became calm, making the fear that had haunted them disappear. That calm swallowed them, leaving that place.
After they left, the place became quiet. They had truly gone, without knowing that the demon race was planning something big. In a short time, war might occur. This will be the beginning of the opening of the door to the story of the past.