Broken World's Chance of Salvation

Prologue

___________

In the quiet garden of the Henituse estate, a man with hair as red as blood sat, his back leaned onto a tree.

As the orange and golden sheen of the setting sun casted upon the red head, the man gazed hazily into the distance.

Despite the joyful atmosphere of the festival outside, the man was surrounded by a somber aura.

A small mocking laugh escaped the man as he brought his knees to his head and curled into a ball.

The laugh got louder and louder and louder as the man's eyes started to be filled with tears.

Yet as minutes passed, those tears did not fall. Eventually, all sounds ceased coming from the man.

With his face buried in his knees and his hands tightly hugging his legs, the man painted a pitiful picture.

*chirp*

A black bird chirped as it approached the man. The man only looked up at the bird silently, stretching out his hand.

Joyfully and almost practicedly, the bird perched itself on the man's extended hand. Or more specifically the ring finger.

*chirp*
*chirp*

The bird's chirps conveyed it's happiness towards the man, who responded by showing a faint smile.

The man brought the bird closer to himself, caressing and patting the bird lightly while ruffling it's feather.

A sigh escaped the man's lips as his eyes became hooded. Patting the bird,the man spoke softly.

"Hey, you won't leave me, right?"

"I don't think I can bear it anymore. Not alone, at least"

The bird only chirped in response to the man. A mocking smile graced the man's features at that.

"Why am I even talking to a bird anyway"

"Was I so lonely and hateful that my only solace and comfort come from a bird?"

Despite the words uttered from the man, his hands never stopped gently patting the bird.

A disdainful look made it's way to the man's features as he perched the bird on his shoulders.

His hand covered his eyes as his head tilted to face the ground. The bird rubbed it's head on the man's cheek in comfort.

As the gloomy mood surrounding the man worsened, a voice echoed inside the man's head.

Poor you.

Shuddering, the man glanced around as he tried to look for the owner of the voice. His panic and anxiety reflected in his eyes.

The bird flapped it's wings then, leaving the man's shoulders and flying in front of the man.

"Onyx?"

The man called out the bird's name that he'd given few months prior when they had first met.

A gold light engulfed the bird, as it's form got bigger and more humanoid than ever. The man watched in awe and worry.

As the gold light eventually faded, gone was the black bird, replaced with a young man with gleaming gold eyes.

"Cale"

A beautiful voice flowed out from the bird, however the man only focused on the fact that he heard the same voice echo in his head just minutes before.

With curious eyes, the man questioned the bird, his head tilting to the side cutely.

"You were a beastman?"

Seeing the man's appearance, the gold eyed teen chuckled. His eyes held fondness and softness as he stared at the man.

"Not quite"

As the reply left the teen's mouth, the red haired man frowned in frustration, his lips contorting downwards.

"I'm a divine beast. Or a trial challenger, either one works"

The man only looked on in curiosity at the teen's remarks. He didn't know what the teen was, his knowledge is lacking.

The teen crouched down in front of the man, his soft expression gone. In place of it was a serious gaze.

"Cale, this world is headed for destruction"

At the teen's proclamation, the man felt he scalp tingle in fear. He looked at the teen seriously.

"What are you talking about, the heroes are there, aren't they?"

"They will lose, Cale. The enemy is more cunning and powerful. The heroes stand no chance as they are now"

The man felt anxiety rose in him drastically as he found out that the heroes will lose.

He could have just chosen to not believe the teen. However, he placed importance on the teen's supposed race.

Divine beast.

He didn't know what the teen was, however he at least knew that 'Divine' was not something he could take lightly.

As he reviewed the teen's words however, he found an oddity. He wasn't one to beat around the bush, so he questioned the teen

"As they are now?"

The teen only smiled at the man as the man pointed out his words. The man was sharp, the teen knew.

"Yes, as they are now"

"I could help by having them see the revelation of another world, however I needed permission"

"What revelation does the other world have? And whose permission do you require?"

"The other world will reveal a way for them to overcome the enemy, as well as what plans the enemy had"

"As for the permission... I need a resident of this realm's permission that are involved in defeating the enemy"

The man, Cale's eyes widened as he heard the words coming out the teen's mouth. He was involved in defeating the enemy?

"Will you permit me to help this world, Cale?"

As Cale watched the teen's serious yet anxious eyes, he couldn't help but let out a small laugh as he agreed.

"I permit you to help this world, Onyx"

A smile adorned the golden eyed teen's face as he took the hands of the man into his own. Softly, he whispered.

"You won't regret it, my savior"