In the small village of Orange Village, outside of the Kingdom of Erlösung, there lived a boy who was not yet 12 years old. He resided outside a brothel, which also served as his home. His ears were slightly pointed, but could easily be mistaken for being normal. He had emerald green eyes, black raven hair, and blond bangs that hung over his face. He still had some baby fat, evident from his slightly chubby cheeks. He was very short for his age, standing at around 4'4" tall.

He appeared to be an anomaly to the villagers. However, he never knew the reason why. Maybe because he and his mother were different, looking into their eyes, he saw envy, hatred, and even fear.

And because his mother was mute, he couldn't ask her the reason why. Even though they were accepted in the village, the son and mother experienced prejudice from some of the villagers, particularly the women and their children. It's understandable that his mother, being a desirable woman in the village due to her profession, would be the subject of envy and jealousy. But mostly, she was an outsider and considered a prostitute. At that time, he wasn't aware of her profession, not until he was much older.

He never saw his mother's face because she was always covered in bandages. He never knew why, he knew she didn't suffer from any serious injuries. All he knew about her were her Scarlet-red eyes.

She never opened her eyes around others but shared her secret with him. He always wondered why she would hide them... Is it wrong to share with the world those beautiful scarlet blood eyes?

She usually only opened her eyes wide if she was angry with him or if she was serious about something. However, she didn't need to express herself to let him know about her emotions. Her eyes conveyed everything to me as if it were a form of communication - a link that they both understood.

"Alonne! You can come in now!" said a familiar female voice. I looked towards the other side of the brothel and saw a young woman with orange hair, tan skin, and clear blue eyes. Her name was Milica, and she was a member of the Júzi rén (Tangerine People) who had welcomed both me and my mother into their community.

As I descend the stairs, I start to brush the dirt off my shorts. Even though they are hand-me-downs and worn out, I still value the little things. 

My mother and I didn't have much. However, I was naive and happy at that time, and I didn't realize how bad our situation was. As the son of a prostitute and an outsider, I was treated poorly. I couldn't afford to go to school, so my education suffered. We were probably the poorest in the village, which happened to be a slave village, although the people of Júzi rén didn't see it that way.

Several hundred years ago, a group of people known as the Júzi rén resided somewhere on the eastern continent. They were characterized by their robust physique, a mysterious energy-absorbing ability called Sen-Shēntǐ, and the absence of magical abilities. Sen-Shēntǐ is the ability to absorb the life force of living beings and utilize it as a source of energy. To me, it seemed like the ability to use Sen-Shēntǐ was exclusive to them because of their strong bodies.

However, compared to other living creatures, they had less Mana. They could enhance their bodies and use basic spells, but anything beyond that would probably be too strenuous for them. Speaking of strenuous, my body still aches from training with the chief of the village and his granddaughter.

All of the people from the Júzi rén always had blond or orange hair, and clear blue eyes.

Their bright tan skin was exotic to others... They were like trophies to other kingdoms, desiring to have these clans of warriors for themselves... How disgusting. And the only reason why I think the people haven't rebelled is because of Ashura. Ashura is one of the strongest people in the kingdom of Erlösung. He was a monster on the battlefield, Prince Arthur's favorite subject. He was a Juzi Ren and a very powerful clan member.

Entering the brothel, I head toward me, and my mother's room, passing by all the other ladies who were still engaged in various... tasks or bidding farewell to their clients. However, before I could proceed any further, I was stopped by the headmistress."

"And where are you going, boy!?" she asked. Despite being fifty, the woman could easily pass for someone in their mid-thirties. This was Mistress Rulah, the owner of this brothel in Orange Village. She had blondish orange hair, and clear blue eyes just like everyone in her tribe.

"Um, I'm going to bed, ma'am. It's already nightfall," I said hesitantly. The woman sighed before checking her watch and then looking back at me. "Yes, it is time. But before you go, I wanted to let you know that Earnbile, the junk collector and the only blacksmith in this watered-down village, has decided to take you as his apprentice," informed Madam Rulah.

I began to ask, confused, how I became an apprentice without my mother's consent. "Does my mother know about this? And how did I even become an apprentice? I thought I needed to be thirteen to be able to qualify for an apprenticeship."

 Slightly irritated, the older woman put her hand on her waist before explaining to me the reasoning and the conditions. "Yes... I'm surprised a boy your age was aware of this. Usually kids your age would dream and pretend to be about being heroes... You unluckily don't have that luxury. And I simply can't allow you to continue to mooch off me anymore, even if you are the son of my best employee, explained Madam Rulah.

At that time, my childlike mind was motivated to prove myself capable of pulling my weight and helping my mother. It's something I still regret to this day. I wish I hadn't grown up so fast. I wish I had enjoyed the simplicity of my childhood. Ignorance is truly bliss, and innocence is precious. Two things I gave up too early.

As I nodded my head, no words needed to be said. I headed to my small room located in the attic of the large four-story establishment. As I entered my room, I was greeted by a familiar face. My mother was sitting on my bed, wearing a robe over her nightgown and holding a present in her hand.

Yes, today is my birthday. It was in the frosty season, on the seventh day of the month of the seven stars (December 7th in the year of Umbra 777).

I grinned, or rather, I had a huge, triumphant smile on my face. Grabbing the present from my mother, I started tearing the wrapping paper off eagerly.

I had an oracle book in my hand. At the time, I didn't realize how special and expensive it was. The book has the ability to grant a user an ability while also revealing their magical affinity, if they have one. At that time, I just saw it as a simple grimoire with basic spells.

Everyone is born with Mana. And even a hoodlum peasant like me was born with it, but unlike normal people, I was born with a lot more. Clenching the book in my hand, I turned around glaring at my mother. Her eyes were open now; revealing her ruby-red eyes, she gave me a stern look.

I never wavered, not for one second. Letting adrenaline and anger take over, I started to shout at my mother. She was trying to get rid of me so I could leave her behind, alone. The apprenticeship is for me to save up money for my tuition fee for the Academy of Magic. The academy is not in the kingdom of Erlösung, but instead located in a kingdom called Mystisches. It is a neutral kingdom. However, over the years, the kingdom of Mystisches and Erlösung have been on bad terms with each other. No one would be surprised if a war broke out. "So, this is the reason why Madam Rulah pulled some strings to get me an apprenticeship! You're trying to get rid of me so I can leave you behind and join the academy! But I won't. I will never leave you alone. If you stay, I stay!" I stubbornly said while crying.

My mother just looked at me, still glaring at me with those ruby-red eyes. I couldn't handle her glare, the glare of disappointment. After my mother left, I silently went to sleep, still having fresh tears running down my cheeks.

How naive I was, but even when I was being bratty, she still kept loving me. I was truly lucky to have a mother who sacrificed everything she had, including her life, to protect me. She was the light in my darkest times... 

The next day was very quiet. I tried to ignore my mother like the plague, still angry at her and everyone else in the house of ill repute. At that time, I was truly unaware that it was a brothel. Thinking about it now, especially in my teenage years, disgusts me, and how my mother and the other women were treated like meat. Yes, how truly naive and ungrateful I was. They had no choice, but my mother gave me an option. Maybe if I had worked hard and left, then maybe that incident wouldn't have happened.

As I was leaving the brothel to meet my new boss, I saw a girl with neck-length hair. She had the same orange hair and blue eyes as her clan members. Seeing my only friend unexpectedly turned my sour mood into joy. "Hwa?! What are you doing here? I thought the elder didn't allow you to be in this section of the village," I said with a surprised smile on my face, happy to see my friend.

Hwa stood with her hands on her hips, wearing her usual prideful and arrogant expression. She was the leader, and I was more like her sidekick. While she was always brave and daring, I was the total opposite... Maybe that's one of the reasons why I was so drawn to her. In my eyes, no one could scare her, let alone defeat her, due to her being the elder's granddaughter.

And thus, she was trained in the main family's technique, so basically, she was a princess in this small village. She is one of the reasons why I always come home sore, due to always kicking my ass in spars.

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"And have I ever listened to Gramps' orders, Alonne? No, and I ain't about to start now. I'm a princess, after all, so why shouldn't I see my subjects and be allowed to see every part of my village? As the future leader, I need to know everyone and everything that crawls in this village," Hwa said, still keeping that arrogant smile on her face.

"I was so gullible at this age and I believed everything she said. "Yeah, I guess you're right! Well, I gotta go. I need to meet with Mr. Earnbile," I said as I hurried to leave. Before I could, Hwa began to grab the collar of my neck, stopping my advances.

I tried to break away from Hwa's grip in a comical way. " And why do you need to visit that perverted old coot anyway? Why don't you just play with me instead?! We can go explore this-"

"I'm sorry, Hwa, but I can't. Mrs. Rulah and my mom persuaded Mr. Earnbile to allow me to work under him as an apprentice. By working for him, I can help my mother out. So, I'm gonna have to decline your invitation. Maybe next time," I said while giving her a sad smile.

At that time, I didn't realize how lonely she actually was. None of the other kids played with her because she was seen as royalty in the village, and her snobbish attitude would scare them off. Out of anyone in this village, she was truly lonely. Her mother died when she was three years old from an incurable disease. And her father, who was supposed to be the chief, died on the battlefield defending the northern borders of the Kingdom of Erlösung.

I was too young to remember the battle against the Ruffet people, a group of anthropomorphic, also known as beastmen, or individuals who mostly live in the southern region. Some have migrated to the north in search of better opportunities. The kingdom of Erlösung was radical, believing that humanity was the superior race. Anything non-human was considered an abomination and either chased out of the region or, worse, executed.

Leaving a now upset Hwa, I continued toward the blacksmith in the village, on the western side. Some people greeted me as I arrived, while others glared at me, possibly because I was considered an outsider, even though I was born and raised here.

Finally arriving in a run-down excused workplace. I begin to head inside, to meet my new boss... To my surprise, the inside of the shop was very clean. The shops were covered with weapons and strange inventions. 

On the counter was a golden service bell. When I pressed it, I heard a melodic sound. Then a voice asked, "Who's there?" A chubby man with orange hair and beard, slightly tanished skin, and an iron mask over his head. The mask was probably to protect his face from sparks when he was welding, and forgings.

The man looked me over, his face scrunched with disappointment when he saw me. "When Rulah told me she found someone to be my apprentice, I didn't expect it would be some brat," said the blacksmith before scoffing, removing his mask, and placing it on the counter. 

Going over to his counter, he pulled a bottle of alcohol, before taking a quick swig of it. I just stood there silent, waiting for the man to finish. Seeing that I was watching him, he scratched the back of his head before sighing. "You gotta name, Kid?" Said the blacksmith before taking another quick sip of his alcoholic beverage.

"It's Alonne, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Earnbile," I said while taking a slight bow to show my respect.

Good. You already know my name, so let's skip the introductions then laddy. This is my shop called Iron Fist. We make swords, shields, gauntlets; you name it, I make it. I'm also a scrap collector and somewhat archeologist for the kingdom and the village. And to be frank that is what you going to be doing; to find and collect interesting things by Między cave, stated Mr. Earnbile. By his stern look, I knew even if I protested, he wouldn't hear it, nor care.

Nodding my head. "Understood, Mr. Earnbile? But what is Między cave, I asked. At that time, I was quite curious. This was my first time hearing anything about this.

"Hmph! It's just an ancient cave that the people of the kingdom worship. Legend says that whoever goes through the mountain will end up in the realm of the dead. Some even tell darker tales, but I don't want to frighten a kid like you, especially since you're my first employee. All you need to know is not to enter the cave and simply observe for anything unusual. It could be any random item or a weapon – it doesn't matter as long as you deem it valuable," explained Mr. Earnbile.

I was extremely anxious at the time, and who wouldn't be? To be completely honest, I was terrified when I first heard about the mountain's history... And for good reason, especially when I discovered the truth about it.

"So, are you ready to begin, or are you too afraid?" Mr. Earnbile said with a smirk on his face. Like every eleven-year-old, I did kid-like things, meaning proving myself. "N-No! Not at all, I could do that. I'm not afraid," I stuttered out.

He still had a smirk on his face as he began to head towards the back room, gesturing for me to follow him. Following Mr. Earnbile's instructions, I followed him and arrived in a large room where he stored his things. Using simple fire magic, the man began to light up the torches on the wall, revealing the treasure and belongings he held.

Picking up a bag with a few mining tools, Mr. Earnbile handed it to me. "Here! This kit has everything you need. And remember, mine is outside of the mine, not inside. I don't want to hear the royal Knight or the king's complaints... But I feel like you're too spineless even to attempt that," explained Mr. Earnbile as he returned to the shop's main room.

As I followed the portly man, Mr. Earnbile, I arrived at the cash register where he took out a map and explained the directions. "If you head north of the village, you will reach a forest. Keep following the path until you reach a point with two paths. Take the path to your right. And don't worry about monsters and wild animals; they are too chicken to come close to the cave," he explained with a chuckle.

After hearing this, my worries about being attacked by wild creatures were slightly eased. I slung the heavy bag over my back, grabbed the map, and headed to my destination. As I was about to leave, I stopped when I heard Mr. Earnbile say, "Be careful, kid. This world is strange, and the craziest and most unpredictable things can happen." Nodding my head, I heeded his warning before heading out.

Upon reaching the forest, I couldn't help but admire its beauty. It was so serene and calm that I believe even the most melancholic person's mood would be changed. I felt replenished and warm as I bathed in the sun's rays. The creatures here were peaceful, and no monster was in sight. Remembering Mr. Earnbile's assurance that there was nothing to worry about, I spotted a peach tree and climbed up to grab one of the juicy fruits. I hadn't eaten anything all morning, hoping this would keep me pleased once I finished my job. Sitting down in the shade, I bit into the juicy fruit.

"Hi! How are you? Where did you come from? You seem strange... But in a good way. Teehee!" I jumped to my feet and began to look around. There was no one there, except for the leaves slowly falling off the trees. A gust of wind created a mini tornado, causing the leaves to dance in the sky. The wind began to make sounds as if it were singing. I wasn't afraid but intrigued. "Who's there?" I called out.

"Tehee! Follow the wind, then your question will be answered," said the cheerful but mysterious voice. A gentle breeze blew further north in the forest. Following the direction of the wind, I began to uncover the identity of that mysterious voice.

I continued to follow the wind until I reached a grotto. Confused, a voice told me to explore whatever lay on the side of the cavern. "Go on now! Don't be afraid. My sisters and I have been lonely. We've waited a very long time for someone like you to come," begged the voice in desperation.

Feeling uneasy, I decided to explore whatever mysteries lay ahead. Hesitantly, I began to enter the grotto. What I saw left me speechless. There, in front of me, was some kind of shrine, surrounded by a beautiful lake. On that shrine was an altar that held a beautiful medallion adorned with every single type of gemstone, creating a rainbow-like effect.

"Crossed the river and awakened me and my sisters. We reside in the medallion," ordered the friendly voice.

"Why me? Why haven't you called anyone else to free you from your prison? What makes me so special?" I curiously ask.

"Your heart is pure, kind, and innocent. You have the same aura as my previous master. I trust you, as I'm good at judging people's characters. The medallion isn't a prison, but a place to keep us safe from the wrong people. That's why my sister and I were sealed in the medallion" explained the gentle, and friendly voice.

I crossed the river and arrived at the altar where the Medallion lies. I was slightly disappointed to hear that I wasn't some golden child destined to save the world. Yeah right, that was just wishful thinking on my part.

Picking up the golden medallion covered with gemstones, I stood there, confused. "Um, what am I supposed to do now? Do I need to say a magic word or something?" I said, feeling puzzled as a sweatdrop rolled off my forehead.

"Toss the medallion in the spring. That's all you need to do," explained the friendly in a kind voice. 

As the expensive jewelry was tossed into the spring, the gems of the Golden Medallion began to glow. Nine gemstones shot into the sky: Ruby, Diamond, Sapphire, Pearl, Onyx, Emerald, Amethyst, Topaz, and Jade. The Gem began to crack, revealing eight mythical fairies. Some of them smiled at me before flying towards me. The first fairy to appear had white hair and icy blue eyes, with skin paler than her sister's. "Thank you very much, Alonne. My name is Glacia; I was the voice that was calling you," said the fairy now named glacia. She had butterfly wings, that were a powder blue color, and falling off her wings were dust-like particles that took the appearance of snow.

"Nice to meet you, but how do you know my name, I asked curiously. The cheeky fairy just stuck out her tongue, she wasn't insulting me, but joking around. "It's my secret teehee," said the fairy.

The other fairies look impatient, especially the fiery one with short red hair. "Glacia! What's taking you so long hurry up!" Shouted the fiery fairy.

"Coming Igna!!!" said Glacia before turning back to face me. "Well, thanks for everything, Alonne! Before I go, I would reward you if I had anything to give... I feel truly terrible," said the fairy honestly. Alonne just smiled and picked up the Medallion from the spring. "There! I'll keep this, that's how you will repay me," I said with a smile before putting the Medallion in my pocket.

"Tehee! My sister and I don't mind. Well, see ya!" she smiled before joining her sisters. As they zoomed off in the air, they formed a rainbow in the sky. I frowned; there was something special about Glacia like I had known her for a very long time. Unknowingly, a light blue rune appeared on the palm of my hand before fading.

Flying in the sky was a fairy known as a Glacia, she was heading back to her home, which was in the snowy tundra. She had a smile on her face. " So you are my new master... Alonne, said Glacia giggling before making her home to her frozen kingdom.

After spending five hours of my precious day, I concluded that I couldn't find anything around the Miedzy cave. It was nothing special, just some rusty weapons and armor. Deciding to head home for the day, I stopped when I heard a noise by the cave's entrance. Puzzled, I began to peek to see what the ruckus was slowly. I was within eyesight distance to see who was coming out of it.

We saw an old man, most likely in his early fifties, wearing a black cloak covering his foreign armor. He had a sword on his hip that looked more like a long knife than the swords the kingdom's knights of Erlösung were armed with.

The man was likely collapsing due to his injuries or lack of food. I approached him cautiously and removed his hood, revealing his unusual hairstyle. He had a section of hair in the middle that was shaved, while the back had a short ponytail pointing upward instead of downward.

This is where my story begins. It's where I met a strange man who would become my inspiration. He was like a father figure to me and taught me so much. He was one of my cherished people, but like all good things, he was also taken from me.

Next Chapter: "The strange man named Haukan."