𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇 | 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 ¹

𝟎. 𝕻𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

╔═══ ° ⌜ 赤い糸 ⌟ °  ═══╗
PROLOGUE

"If you don't imagine,
nothing ever happens at all."
—John Green
╚═══ ° ⌜ 赤い糸 ⌟ ° ═══╝

LEGEND once uttered a tale of the Zenko Kitsunes that fought against the evil spirits, said to prevent the world from great suffering. Their magic helped entrapped their counterpart the Yako tribe that threatened to bring Earth to its doom. And then there was peace... temporarily as the world was evolving throughout the centuries. Nevertheless, the constant wars, bitter battles, conquests, and bloodshed led the benevolent Kitsunes to hide for their protection and so they did. A hidden garden not too far from Kyoto, Japan where a magic barrier protected them, the tribe who was once known as Protectors were now hunted by humans to collect their tails.

For humans' greed overshadowed the risks the Kitsunes took to protect mankind, instead focusing on harvesting their magic for their benefit. Perhaps that's what started the war between the Yako tribe for they manipulated humans to eliminate their only rival. Revealing that their tails would grant superior intelligence, eternal youth, and unattainable magical powers— but that's just part of the truth. If a Kitsune ever did lose all their tails, it becomes useless and the said creature loses their ability before dying. Therefore, the fallen Kistunes were turned into Inari shines, a symbol to honor them for their kindness and a reminder of the creature that would be near extinction.

Newborn Kitsunes were considered a blessing to each tribe, every two hundred years or so as the elders bestow them the gifts of virtue, grace, and strength. In fact, each tribe had a unique element that would be passed down to the newer generations, becoming Keepers of their respective territories. The most prominent and powerful creatures were tasked to guard the interdimensional entity— Tartarus, Hell, Pandemonium as some cultures would call it. But for the Kitsunes it was the Void, an indestructible penitentiary for the cunning Yako foxes. Promising the Zenko Elder, Ichiro Nakagawa, that one day they'll break free and bring annihilation to the world.

Needless to say, that promise was never made as centuries passed... However, that's just the beginning of the story. There's one in particular that caught the young Seina's attention; the story of Kitsune falling in love with a human. Said to be a forbidden act that would clash between two worlds, a punishment resulted in banishment and having their powers stripped from them. However, this particular Kitsune was the daughter of the Zenko Elder, the highest form of element— Seishin or Spirit. A powerful source of magic that was inherited from the descendants of Inari, the Goddess of Fertility herself.

And so, the story continues that she saw the young man wounded after a battle, taking him to the nearest town to be saved. Afterward, the young Kitsune would visit just to see him, knowing the potential risk of falling in love. Yet her heart was already ruptured once she saw his soul held no malice but pain. Some say, it was fate that brought them together, and like fate... it works in mysterious ways. Over time, their meetings were frequent from simple glances to late-night strolls by the river, and then— tragically struck. He was overcome with a strange illness until the man was at the brink of death, the young woman preserved his soul.

In truth, her story should have ended after her father found out about their secret relationship, but with a heavy heart, he knew that he wasn't capable of banishing her. Seeing that nothing was going to stop their love, he granted her one wish after she was willing to trade her immortality for him. Taking the blessing to her dying lover, she wished for him to be immune from death and to delay his aging— at the price of part of her eternal life. Or at least... that's what legend says. Often it became nothing more than a tale her parents told at night as a child whenever she couldn't sleep.

However this was no story, but a continuing tale that was yet to be written. They would say the moral of the story was perseverance will bring blessings, except that fate will continue to influence them to shape their lives. Often Seina was fascinated with the folklore still she was living proof that gods and monsters truly reside in this world. And throughout her childhood, she became a promising pupil as the eldest in the family to one day take over their ancestral home. Eventually, those stories became just that... stories that were long forgotten to the young Seina.

But everything was about to change.

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Jess speaking!!

I really hope you like the prologue and I'm so excited about this plot! Also, I have a question, would you like me to call her Seina or Serena instead? Please comment and vote and tell me if you're excited as much as I am. Until then everyone and take care!