Chapter 1: Tenebris Lux

  I am Rio Asakawa, but honestly, I don’t feel like one. Unlike my siblings—who have either become heroes or political figures—I am just… normal. Ordinary. Unremarkable.

  My brothers and sister don’t hate me, but they don’t love me either. To them, I simply exist—a shadow in their grand ambitions.

  I have always felt invisible.

  My eldest brother became a knight at just fifteen, earning the respect of our kingdom with his bravery. My other brother and my sister are locked in a fierce battle for control over our small territory, each determined to rule. Meanwhile, I stand on the sidelines, unnoticed and unimportant. They do not see me as a rival, much less a threat. I am the forgotten one.

  Our land is nothing special—a place too small for greatness. One day, my siblings will leave, chasing destinies beyond these borders. And where does that leave me? Alone, stranded in a quiet kingdom, with no talent, no ambitions, and no place in the grand design of the world.

  I have always struggled with the loss of my mother. She died when I was five, and though time has stolen the details of her face, it has never taken how she made me feel. She cherished me, made me feel special—even when no one else did. She was strong yet gentle, wise but humble, a gemstone shining in the darkness.

  And now, she is gone. The one person who saw me for who I truly was.

  But today is different.

  Today, I am thirteen years old, and today is the day that will decide my future.

  The Scroll of Destiny is an ancient tradition in our kingdom. It reveals the path each royal child is meant to walk, determining whether one will rise to greatness—or fade into insignificance. My siblings are eager, confident, certain that their fates will reflect their ambitions.

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  But I already know my truth.

  I am nothing.

  "Wish me luck," I whisper to myself, barely believing in the words as I unroll the scroll.

  The parchment shimmers, ancient magic twisting and swirling. Seven colors burst forth, each representing a path, each tied to powerful memories of the past.

  I watch in awe as the colors pulse, shifting and twisting like living fire. Any moment now, the scroll will settle on my destiny.

  But something impossible happens.

  The colors do not separate.

  They merge, twisting into a brilliant fusion of light. For a heartbeat, I see all seven colors at once, as though I am meant for all of them.

  Then, in glowing gold letters, the scroll reveals my title:

  Tenebris Lux.

  The words are foreign, unfamiliar, but they press down on my soul like a weight of untold significance.

  And then darkness.

  A wave of dizziness crashes over me. My vision blurs. My body crumbles to the ground.

  When I wake, I am not where I was before.

  My limbs feel heavy, weighed down by something powerful. My mind is clouded, filled with memories that are not mine.

  Flashes of seven different existence flood my thoughts a man from another world, a hero of light, yet bound to something dark and destructive. A god-like figure, terrifying and limitless.

  The memories pulse through me, raw and overwhelming. A beautiful and calm feel of peace A agony of a demon king or villain there are more I think there is lock of some kind

  Then soft sobbing.

  I turn my head and see my sister, the one who has always been distant, untouchable, cold.

  She is crying.

  She sits beside me, tears streaming down her face.

  I have always seen her as a rival, someone strong and unshakable. But now, she is trembling. Vulnerable.

  She is holding me.

  Cradling my head in her lap, her hands shaking. Her gaze is different, filled with something I have never seen before—fear and longing.

  "You’re okay, right?" she whispers, her voice barely steady.

  I nodded slowly, trying to reassure her even though I don’t understand what has happened.

  The power from the memories still lingers inside me—vast, unknown, but strangely comforting.

  For the first time, my sister sees me—not as an obstacle, not as nothing, but as something precious.

  "I’m okay," I whispered.

  And maybe, just maybe, I am not meant to be ordinary after all.

  Maybe my destiny is greater than I ever imagined.

  Maybe this is only the beginning.