Prologue

A Historical Past

"This can't be happening…"

He was standing there, surrounded by cloaked creatures that were sending off vibes that they were beyond human. Beads of sweat was dropping from his temples to his naked torso. He was the best warrior. He was the foretold warrior that will save the world. So why was here? Why did everything felt as if it's the end? How could this happen to him? He still had a mission to finish, damn it! Maybe Fate was playing another rough game. Better yet else if he found out she was just messing up with him, he swore to kill her one day. But of course that would never happen.

The place was really eerie enough to make the hair stood on its ends. To add to that, it was very stinky as if it was a garbage storeroom that was neglected for decades. He was at the dangerous edge of unconsciousness. What could he do? Lie down and keep quiet? No way. But it was the sad truth. He couldn't get out of the chains he was bound to, let alone get out of the area itself. Damn right he's going to sue Lady Fate after this ordeal. But first, he must find a way to get out. If only she…

"What are we to do with this imbecile?" One of them asked out loud to no one, probably voicing out the thoughts of the others. He stepped forward and harshly kicked the chained man on his torso, sending him rolling towards the end of his prison cell.

"Umpf!" The pain almost knocked out the oxygen from his lungs plus the bone cracking connection of his back to the wall greatly contributed to the success of his unconsciousness. "If this keeps up…I'll…" This were his last words before completely succumbing to the warm and promising embrace of oblivion.

The clanking of metal to metal was the noisiest sound that could be heard from a certain village. But instead of being a nuisance, it actually sounded a little too cheery. It was as if it enjoyed being clashed with another metal – a hot one on top of that. Of course there were others who were using their voice to create a noise but it didn't seem to bother the others. It was as if they were immune. But of course that was one hypothesis. However, being immune was not really the issue that these noise were telling. But one thing was for sure: No one could ever disrupt the peace they had. Or so they thought.

The thumping of horse hooves reached the sensitive ears of the village dwellers. They raised their heads and stopped what they were doing almost simultaneously. The hooves were getting louder and heavier and they realized that it was no ordinary stranger. The bright red uniform of the man mounted on a raging black horse was enough for the people to recognize him. He's the king's squire. They immediately lined up, dropping what they were holding at the very instant and bowed waist level when the squire's horse galloped past them. When he's finally out of sight, they returned to what they were doing and proceeded to assume the intentions of the squire.

"This must be a very important day. The squire himself went to our village!" The fish vendor exclaimed dramatically as she grabbed a salmon and dropped it on the weighing scale.

"It's the time of the year." An old hermit-looking man came out of the mining cave with a peaceful expression.

"What do you mean?" His companion asked, curious.

"It's the time when the king would choose a fine young man from every village and give them tests to assess the status of a village in certain areas. If he passed the test, he's really lucky for he will be able to marry a noble from the king's hierarchy. Of course the man will be trained well in different aspects before he can marry." The old man coughed, clearly exhausted after narrating the story.

"Only one?" The miner asked with a hint of disappointment in his tone.

"Before, yes. Now, it depends on the king. There are thousands of other villages all around the kingdom aside from our own Thundersmith Village. There is the Roseburn, the Aquamirth, the Stonestorm and many other prominent and unknown villages. These villages have their own specialties just like ours, The Art of the Smiths." The old man finished his explanation with a slight cough.

"But it seemed the squire already knew his destination. Why is that?" The fish vendor became curious as well, hoping for his son to be the chosen one.

"That's because our blacksmith, Noda, is a good friend of the king's father. How? It was several years before you people, the inhabitants of Sanders Village came here to stay in our own village." Everyone stared at the old man with awe in their eyes. Every word that came out of his mouth sang a lullaby of long forgotten events. It was as if they were listening to the echoes of the past being weaved back to tell its secrets to the present.

"Noda was once a royal guard of the palace. But for some unknown reasons even I don't know, he was thrown out of the palace. I thought it looked that way because the guards were pushing him out and he got a wagon of things behind him. I was watching him in my early years as he stopped at a certain spot and put his wagon down. I was curious to what he was going to do so I approached him and asked him of his intentions..."

-flashbacks-

"The king was doubtful of my loyalty to him. So he told me to build a village as a proof of my unfaltering allegiance." A fair-skinned man with a snow white hair replied while hauling the loads of tools he was going to use. His body was really skinny but the leaner man was surprised when he saw what he was carrying on his shoulder. A wagon full of tools made of metal.

"That is strange." A man of a younger and skinnier built stated as he peered into the inside of the former's wagon.

"He has been acting strange lately actually. Not that I care that much for he'll definitely tell me to piss off and bother someone else." He dropped a huge rock which shattered into pieces. He took the smithereens and put them inside his wagon. Then, a gust of wind blew past the skinny man. He shivered a bit at the sudden change of atmosphere. Not that he cared much.

"So how are you going to build that village all by yourself?" The latter asked, curiosity pouring out of his bright, gray eyes.

"Magic, of course."

"Magic?! But you're a...and..." He was unable to finish his sentence when the taller man laughed.

"The king found out about my abilities. I didn't know how did he find out but that was pretty good...and annoying as well. You see, magic users are a rarity among the kingdom. Aside from the king himself, there are others - but not that many - who knew the Way of Magic. Few people learn it and even fewer are born with it. That aside, he found out and immediately labeled me as a threat." Sarcasm was pouring out of the man's words, the other man was shivering from every drop of it.

"Why would they label you like that?"

"As a royal guard, we are assumed that we have no connections with magic or whatsoever. Once proven you are a magic user, they will banish you from your post and have you face the wrath of the king. But of course old buddy is a very nice king so he let me build my own village for the sake of having new homes for the new inhabitants. Population is growing. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" The man assumed a pose and bright circles appeared under him with strange markings.

"But I thought you were doubted of your loyalty..."

"That's a bluff of course! I'm yer old king's bestie and he would neva' doubt me. Those idiot guards were guarding me, suspicious of my every action and their idiot leader is trying hard to find mistakes from to so he can report it to the king an' get his ass promoted. Those guards only knew that the king doubted me so I have to build a village but the real reason I'm out here to build a village is because it's a request from the king." He assumed another pose, the light became brighter and brighter. More circles appeared on the ground, equidistant from each other.

"Aren't you worried that those guards might come and get your ass kicked?"

"You're a magic user, boy. I knew that ever since I came at this spot. You felt it, didn't you? You felt the impact of the barrier I put up when I work. That gust of wind, it signified the completion of the barrier. Now I have nothing to fear except if you break it of course! Those idiots will only see a Noda working like a carpenter. And I bet they are laughing their asses off at the sight. Oh by the way, get back a little and see if you can shield yourself. Be prepared!"

-end of flashback-

"...And that's why the squire knew where he is to go. Few years later after the village was filled with people, Noda married a beautiful woman named Misaki. But Misaki died after giving birth to the twins. Since the king knew him well, he let Noda's elder son partake in the test. Now the twins were grown up and married two noble women who were surprisingly twins as well. And then, Noda found this peculiar boy and raised him as his own." The old man turned his back to proceed to the mining cave.

"So that would mean Natsume is the chosen one of the current king?" One of the vendors voiced out his assumption and the old man turned his head over his shoulder.

"Exactly. And every children that went under him may or may not have a chance. The rules actually changed now." The old man walked forward.

"The current king did not stick to one. He chooses as many as he wanted. But there is a twist." Even if his back was facing them, the people shivered especially on the last note that dropped his lips. He disappeared from their sight and the people continued their tasks. Even so, they were bothered by the end of the old man's narration. It was as if there was something more to this old man, Noda, the squire, the king and the event itself. The hot topic of the village gossip was the old man's narration.

End of Prologue