Tetsuya was born to the wealthy and famous Kuroriku clan. However, out of the six Houses of the Kuroriku, he was born to the infamous second branch which lacks the resources of the main, and other branches. They don't even have the privilege of having their own name to differentiate them from the main household. After living in the countryside for most of his life, this plain college boy is invited to the royal palace.Excited at first to meet the king, Tetsuya soon finds out that the kingdom will require more of him than a hand to till the soil. He is to become one of the five knights. His weapon? A shield. His duty? To protect the kingdom from the umber forces that threaten to destroy it. Yet, the more he sees and hears, the more he begins to ponder if the true darkness isn't within the castle walls themselves... A tale filled with mystery and political intrigue. Cover was put together by moboreader. All rights reserved (except for the images used for the cover).
"Kiddo, " Mother says, glancing back at me as we drive across the countryside to visit my uncle and his family. "Feeling well?"
"I'm fine, " I say, glancing at the cows chewing on grass. Their mouths move up and down, as if savoring every single bite.
"You still mad at me for what I said about Tetsuya?" Father asks.
I lean my head against the window. A moment of silence hangs over us like a dark blanket.
"Listen, Ashi."
My eyes remain on the verdant fields of grass as my hands grasp my black rosary. Daddy had given it to me when I was born. I sit up and narrow my eyes. It looked similar to the one in the story.
"Dad. Why did you call me Ashi?"
Dad stops the car and glances back. "Why do you ask that now?"
"Also, this rosary... It's the rosary of the Angel of Darkness, our ancestor. Why were you in its possession? Dad, what's your connection with the Knight of the Shield? Why name me after the kid he wanted to have?"
Dad returns his focus to the dirt road and drives on. "No reason. Ashi was a nice name. And that rosary... it's a replica."
I narrow my eyes some more. "Really? Daddy?"
He snickers. "What? Did you have delusions of being the reborn Hanketsu?"
My face warms. "I... do not! I rather not be."
"Hmm?" he asked.
My hands clasped the rosary tighter. "I like my simple life. If I were to be the reincarnation of Hanketsu, then my life will be filled with hardship."
Father nods. "And you should. Kiddo, don't you dare dream of being a hero. Don't fall for the same illusions of grandeur that so many before you have."
"But the Knight of the Shield didn't have such illusions. All he sought was to clear his name."
His golden eyes widen a little. "You sure? Don't you think that he at least had a bit of otherworldly desires?"
"No. He was all about clearing his name. At least based on the first half." My eyes shift toward mom. "Hey, can you tell me the second half? We won't arrive at uncle Taku's home for a while."
Mother looks at him.
Dad sighs. 'Alright. Tell the kids the rest of the story that he can finally stop nagging."
"Yay!" I yell.
"Yay!" sister says.
"Not you too, " Dad says, sighing.
A smile dots my face. "How about Dad tells it this time?"
He lifts his hands from the driver's wheel momentarily. "Uh, kind of driving here."
I pout. "Come on."
"You know, you're a lot like Hideo."
I bit my mouth. "Not him. He's one of my least favorite. Well, only two that I like are Tetsuya and Setsuko."
A chuckle echoed across the car. "Really? I can barely blame you. They are the better ones out of the five. But even those two weren't without their faults... Fine. I'll tell you the story."
"Yahoo!" sister says. "Papa is going to tell us a story!"
I give him all of my undivided attention.
"Before I do. Where did you leave off?"
"They were going to visit home to see if Tekeshi had returned."
Father's eyes dim. "Right. Him." He clears his throat. "Alright... let's begin."
**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed reading this chapter :D!**
*Character Section*
Ashi Kuroriku- Sex: Male Age: 9 Birthday: August 15, ????
One of the 'pillars' of Xeleria has shattered. Now, darkness threatens to consume all that is in its path. As the umber forces advance, Lei and co. are busy taking their exams to advance to the rank of Novus Magus Secundus. However, they soon find themselves dragged into the mess caused by the foolish eight and their leader, a leader who still remains at large. Lei and his friends will need all their magic to survive the shadows engulfing Kyuu-Hanabira High because if they don't then... A tale of loss, love, and hope. Cover was put together by the folks over at moboreader :)
Olivia was born with incredible powers, powers that her father saw the need to seal. Now in her junior year in high school, she seeks to awaken her sealed powers. Yet, the key to unlock them might not be as easy to obtain as she thought. All rights reserved.
Tetsuya was born to the wealthy and famous Kuroriku clan. However, out of the six Houses of the Kuroriku, he was born to the infamous second branch which lacks the resources of the main, and other branches. They don't even have the privilege of having their own name to differentiate them from the main household. After living in the countryside for most of his life, this plain college boy is invited to the royal palace.Excited at first to meet the king, Tetsuya soon finds out that the kingdom will require more of him than a hand to till the soil. He is to become one of the five knights. His weapon? A shield. His duty? To protect the kingdom from the umber forces that threaten to destroy it. Yet, the more he sees and hears, the more he begins to ponder if the true darkness isn't within the castle walls themselves... A tale filled with mystery and political intrigue."
How far would you go to achieve your dreams? Many dream of attending Nine Petal Academy, one of the most prestigious magical academies in the land. They must all leave their countries of origin and undertake the journey to Kyuu Seishin-- a nation which has long clashed wands with their own. Among those is a young man called Lei Lan-- a wind and lightning mage with a strange power of unknown origin. He aspires to become Magus Maximus, the one herald as the strongest mage in all the universe. A goal which is made difficult by what in his world is deemed as an unusual sickness. Despite this, Lei is determined to achieve it, even if it means pushing himself to the brink of death. Embark on a world unlike any other. Novus Magus is an original light novel and is the first book in the Immortal Sun Mist Emperor Saga. The cover was made by @FayfayAhmadi ^_^!
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
Natalie used to think she could melt Connor’s icy heart, but she was sorely mistaken. When at last she decided to leave, she discovered that she was pregnant. Even so, she chose to quietly leave his world, prompting Connor to mobilize all of his resources and expand his business to a global scale—all in a bid to find her. But there was no trace of Natalie. Connor slowly spiraled into madness, turning the city upside down and leaving chaos in his wake. Natalie finally surfaced years later, with wealth and power of her own, only to find herself entangled with Connor once again.
"You're pathetic!" Brenden sneered, each word cutting deep into Corinna's heart. Years of emotional wounds had drained every ounce of love she once held. "I've wasted enough time on you. If there's a next life, I hope we never meet again." Her words severed the bond between them like a blade. From that moment on, Brenden was haunted by her absence—unable to sleep, longing for the warmth he took for granted.
Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!
Lyric had spent her life being hated. Bullied for her scarred face and hated by everyone-including her own mate-she was always told she was ugly. Her mate only kept her around to gain territory, and the moment he got what he wanted, he rejected her, leaving her broken and alone. Then, she met him. The first man to call her beautiful. The first man to show her what it felt like to be loved. It was only one night, but it changed everything. For Lyric, he was a saint, a savior. For him, she was the only woman that had ever made him cum in bed-a problem he had been battling for years. Lyric thought her life would finally be different, but like everyone else in her life, he lied. And when she found out who he really was, she realized he wasn't just dangerous-he was the kind of man you don't escape from. Lyric wanted to run. She wanted freedom. But she desired to navigate her way and take back her respect, to rise above the ashes. Eventually, she was forced into a dark world she didn't wish to get involved with.