Prologue
Silence filled the air inside the spacious cathedral. Emptiness drifted through the domed halls, giving the building a melancholy feeling. A sense of sorrow permeated the air- the sorrow of lost opportunities; of lives cut short and dreams shattered. Of promises made but never fulfilled- of hope abandoned forever.
Yet deep within these empty halls a flicker of hope yet lived. Two figures stood, side by side, in front of a massive crystal suspended in the air. Engraved upon the walls existed large golden circles, their interior filled with intricate symbols which emitted a soft blue light; comforting- and yet disconcerting at the same time, as if the power which they contained was enough to end lives if handled incorrectly.
In the center of this room stood two figures, both shrouded in shadows. Their faces were deeply obscured by the shadows- and yet still their affection for each other shown forth as they held each other in their arms. A single, solitary tear hit the floor, resounding with all the solemnity of a funeral toll.
A voice broke the empty air.
[?] "Please- don't worry. I will come back safely. You'll only need to be alone for two, maybe three decades. Then- we will finish what we started."
A soft sob broke the air, clashing with the ironclad resolve in the words.
[?] "I know that you have to go- but still… I don't want to be left alone! Not again, not ever again! You promised!"
No words existed to answer that heartfelt plea. Instead, one of the figures pulled the other into a tight embrace. For several long minutes they stood there, savoring each other's warmth, their presence, for what might be the last time. Then they tensed, coming alert as the sound of soft, slippered footsteps echoed throughout the cathedral, the volume drawing closer with each second.
Pulling away from each other, a spark of determination was lit once again within their eyes, fighting through the ocean of weariness and sorrow which threatened to drown it in its tenebrous depths. One of the figures, the man, stepped back from the raised dais. With a swift motion, he reached out to touch the ornate crystal that hung suspended in the air- and then, in a swift motion, flung it to the ground.
As the sound of crystal shattered filled the air, it overlapped with his singular, desperate cry-
"I promise, I will return! I will save you, Satella!"
400 years later- this promise had yet to be fulfilled.
400 years later
In the country of Japan there lived a young man. By all accounts he was unremarkable. If you asked anyone who knew him, they would say that he is undoubtedly average in most respects.
However- Subaru has given up on life. Despite being born into a good family, he felt an overwhelming sense of inadequacy, a sense of never being able to measure up to those around him. Because of this, he simply stopped trying.
School became a useless burden. Friends became an unneeded luxury. Work became a distant reality. And self-gratification became his primary focus- surpassed only by his self-hatred.