~Prologue~

There was a quiet village amidst the tall, foggy mountains of Japan. Black clouds hung over the heads of the tired villagers as they worked from dawn to nightfall to bring the best out of the muddy rice fields around their village – men, women, and children alike, all filthy and bent over from fatigue. Nobody smiled, nobody talked – the only sounds piercing the silence were footsteps squelching in the water and an occasional cough.

Driving them was hunger, keeping them was fear.

A gust of wind rose harshly and suddenly, kicking up clouds of dirt and disturbing the water - making the masses stop and look up at the black sky in apprehension. When it faded, they hastily returned to their current activities, hands shaking and ears keen for danger.

Suddenly, a gale so harsh it knocked the smaller children over descended onto the poor villagers, and as they threw everything away and begun to scamper in a massive panic, a great shadow fell atop some of them.

Screams of the dying echoed on the empty field as helpless, captured people were devoured by the quadruped beast. The snake forming its tail hissed as it surveyed the land in search for more prey, and the powerful chimera growled in agitation as it found none, sipping hungrily on the medulla from the bones as if it were the best sake.

Deep in the forests leading to their home village, the men were still in a running frenzy, crying and lamenting for their lost family and neighbors. A small boy was still searching for his deceased father amidst the crowd, and he cried out as one of his uncles picked him up mid-step and threw over his shoulder, shouting to hang on. Soon, they passed the old and weary gates to the village, and fell togetherinto a distressed heap, one on top of the other. Frantic calls for the family were heard – some went unanswered.

The small crowd stayed in the cold until they caught their breaths, and even then, they remained mostly motionless, hopeless and scared. Eventually, they started leaving for their homes in twos or threes, clutching one another for support as exhaustion seeped in.

Only the little boy who lost his father remained where he was.

Sniffling and trying to wipe the snot and tears off his face, the child waited in the evening, just as patiently as he worked every single day on the fields. Small lights were lit in the houses around, and whispers of prayers for the lost echoed about.

A lone figure stepped silently into the boundaries of the village, looking much like a lone villager returning home in the evening. However, as it came closer, a slender figure of an adolescent lady could be seen. Her hair was the most lovely cornflower blue, and her eyes were misty as she crouched and let the son of the blacksmith exclaim in surprise and throw himself at her in a hug.

"Levy-chaaan!"

The girl said nothing and held the boy tightly, sighing softly as he once again dissolved into tears, unable to reassure him or help him with his sorrow.

The day has marked the eightieth attack.

This place used to be so happy.


This chapter is short, but the next ones will be longer and some questions will be answered! Honestly, the idea for a fic was too tempting to abandon. It's placed in feudal Japan so I'm really, really scared I have not done enough research to write it, but I think I'll manage!

At the extreme, it should be probably less than twenty chapters, so don't fear another giant lug I'll be struggling with :)

Also, I think I should probably get a beta reader because the mistakes make me boil with annoyance. Anyone know where I could possibly get one? :/

~HeartGold12