Ancient Gods Reboot - Prologue

A New Beginning

The exchange dragged on for like an eternity. Even though having high patience was one thing I was proud of, right now I could feel it run out like a magitrain, and the last stop wasn't far away.

"It's nothing major," I finally blurted out irritatedly. "They just finished the kid's dungeon in the Royal Road."

"What!? Why did you tell her that, you imbecile!" exploded Rine and glared at me. "We wanted Mother to guess it herself!"

"A-and what do you mean 'it's nothing major'?" said Alice with a sob, tears welling up in her eyes. "Do you have any idea how hard we worked for it!?" She covered her eyes with her hands and burst out crying, taking quick glances at me and Mother in between.

Why you little... it's plainly obvious those tears are fake! There's no way Mother, or anyone else in the world would get fooled by-

"Now now, Alice. Don't cry," Mother gently raised Alice up in her arms and hugged her.

...Oh, what a surprise. I could have never seen his coming.

"You don't need to listen to every remark you hear from random people out there," she continued. "Mother knows you worked a lot for it and is very happy for you!"

"R-really?" Alice said, rubbing off her tears. "Are you proud of us?"

"Yes, sweetie!" The mother put her down next to Rine and smiled at the two. "To be able to accomplish such a thing at the tender age of 11 and 12; it is no small task. Your achievement is worth a celebration with great grandiose!" Yeah, right. They are already reciting songs in your praise, I am sure.

"B-but Mother, when I did the same three years ago, you told me it was not a big deal at all!" I couldn't help but protest. "And I was only at the age of 9-"

"Shut up!" Mother shouted angrily. "It's not a big deal for a 'freak' like you! And instead of rejoicing in your little siblings' happiness, you only try to find excuses to belittle them? Does being a half monster make you unable to feel any shame or remorse? Disgusting. I am ashamed to call such a despicable creature my child!"

I didn't want to speak any further. I didn't even want to look at her face. And usually, I would have left quietly at this point, but what happened next made me lose control. How dare they! Alice and Rine, those brats looked at me with a sneer and an expression mocking my very existence, as if in their eyes I was nothing more than a worm they could crush whenever.

"B-but I worked harder than them and-" I shouted. At that moment I realized; I had made a huge mistake.

"Or perhaps," Mother continued with a venomous smile. "You derive some twisted pleasure in looking down on them because you of your tainted blood, you insolent brat!" She said in the harshest tone possible. "You think mere humans are beneath you, right? Of course, you are his son after all."

"... Please don't disrespect my fa-"

"He left you behind just to make me suffer, didn't he?" she continued, her voice filled with disdain. "I should have left you on your own in some corner of the world when he up and died on me!"

A deafening silence engulfed the room. I looked down, bit my lips and left the room. I entered my bedroom and buried myself in the bed, shutting the door behind me with a thud. Numerous thoughts and ideas rushed into his head, most of which I knew I would regret following through on a whim.

*

<Break... break... break... ugh.> A distant sigh echoed in the void. <Still not enough. Need... more... energy...> The voice said in a calculating tone. <At this rate, we are looking at another->

Yawnnn...

Suddenly, the sound of a person rising from slumber disrupted its train of throughs. It was a familiar presence, someone, extremely important to the voice. Realizing this, the voice promptly redirected its attention to the individual who had just awakened.

<Master... you've woken up again?>

"Yeah, it seems so," the being mumbled, somewhat disoriented. Looking around in the eternal darkness surrounding him, he tried to make sense of the situation. "So, how are you doing, Ciel? It's been far too long since we last talked, perhaps a century or more."

<I am glad you are worried about me, master.> Ciel said, blushing, then replied confidently. <But I am fine. As you know, I literally cannot get tired even if I work continuously for thousands of years. Especially if it's for your cause.> She added the last line silently.

"Right, It's good to know you are in high spirits just as usual," Rimuru said happily. "And I presume it will still take us some time to get out of here?"

<Yes, master.> Ciel affirmed in a sad voice. <We still don't have enough energy to break the seal. It would be better for you to take another nap.>

"I see," Rimuru said casually. "Can you access anything about our location and the outside area at all?" he asked curiously.

<No, master,> Ciel replied <We are still in the imaginary domain within the 'Dungeon of Fate'. As to where we are located in the real space-time continuum, I can't say anything for certain.>

"That's good enough." Rimuru thought for a moment and asked. "So, when do you suppose we can break free?" he asked.

<Master, even though this dungeon is specifically designed to gather energy to break the seal, it will still take us quite a while> said Ciel, not happy with the situation. <Unless we come across another packet of energy, we won't be getting out of here for a century or so. You should sleep. I will wake you up when the time is right.>

With that, Rimuru closed his eyes once again and let himself be engulfed by the eternal darkness. He lost consciousness but his other half didn't. And how could she? She still had a very important job to do. To simply abandon that and take rest, it was a thought that could never cross her mind. Find it, make it, create it, invent it, do whatever is needed: but by any means sever the binds that have restricted her precious master. With that goal in heart, she searched... and searched... and searched... just like she had been for the last 100,000 years. 

*

Author's note: Did you like this chapter? 

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