║memento mori
━━━ (CHAPTER ONE)
MEMENTO MORI TUMBLED AWAY FROM DEATH'S PARTING LIPS like a desperate prayer to god from an atheist, words melting in the ears of every human they came across and though it was not heard, the phrase was an unspoken truth to all in mankind.
Remember, you must die.
It was a sickening reminder for them but a sweet reminder for death. They bit the words on their silver tongue, oozing peach and cinnamon, then chewed and spat it out as a saccharine aroma fills the air, stinging the ears of humans with the sharp lingering sweetness of incense.
When death comes for your soul, they come within five metres away from you. Breathe in the stale air and musty scent. They take one step closer. Exhale the ashes from the lungs you set on fire when your thoughts of realisation strike a match and flame a path from alveolus to alveolus. They take one step forward. Shiver as death comes closer and the frost they carry with them kisses your dying pale skin but it believes they melt candle wax. Death will come closer again and then swoop your soul into their palms, tucking it into their pockets. Then they leave behind the cadaver for their frost to eat alive.
Death cannot feel, death cannot discriminate. But death can delay if they are afraid.
And when they were five feet close to her, they stopped. Poor infant. New born, crying, screaming, thrashing about. Out of her mother's womb was she bloody and pink, tied to the umbilical cord, but beautiful as rose and pure as jasmine. She was just a baby, just born. And yet she was in pain because her soul was yearning for death's cold touch.
So death took a step closer. Her cries were louder, screams more violent. Such was normal for a newborn to everyone, but little do they know that she was in pain. From the soul who was too weak to hold on its own.
So death took a step closer. She was pinker, cuter, purer up close. Death almost felt but they had to do their job.
So death had to take another step closer. They didn't.
Instead of the frost biting the infant's skin of rose, they bit death's. They could sense, they could see, another soul entering hers. White and blue. White and blue. White and blue. Two weak souls merging to become a single strong one able to flood tranquility within the baby's mind.
Her wailing ceased, her lungs were clean, and her complexion was far from pale. What she was to be was what death had become that day. Enveloped in fear, cased in its inexplicable rush of anxiety, of the desire to stay away from the baby.
Death took a step back. That soul was no ordinary soul. They thought they've gotten rid of all souls like that long ago, but apparently not. So death took a step back. Good baby, precious baby; cradled in her mother's arms, blessed by her tears of joy, bathing in her father's laughter of extreme happiness. Death took a step back, turned around, and never looked behind.
Anemone hated reading with a burning passion. Too many words choking her brainstem, too many words of large vocabulary for her to comprehend. It was impossible to ask of her for imagery with words as her sole resource for she could only memorise a scene playing out once she sees it, not when she's forced to imagine it so. She also hated books. Reading was a waste of her time. Strolling up and down the village for most of her life, not once did she see an adult reading a book (though perhaps this was due to most of the villagers being illiterate — she was too!)
"My mother would always read me the story of the first Wizard King before bed." Anemone said as she spotted the familiar storybook standing out in the shelves, with its royal blue hard cover amongst the dusty vintage volumes of history. "About how he defeated the demon and let our country live in peace. But you know what?"
The Master of the Grimoire Tower remained silent at first, expecting her to continue. Drouot then realised she was waiting for him to respond anyway to her rhetorical question and he hummed, "What?"
"I've never heard a single legend about the king of our kingdom. Or anything good about him at all. Does that mean he's a useless human being hiding behind the person who has the title of Wizard King?" As she said her thoughts out loud, she plopped herself on the wooden stool. "Why not make the Wizard King the actual king of our kingdom? What's the point of the king's existence?"
"The point of his existence is to rule," stated Drouot, "like how every king has done from the Kira bloodline."
"But if his existence is to rule as a king, then he's not doing a very good job at it. For starters, our village has no Magic Knights patrolling the borders." She listed down using her fingers. "Most of us know nothing about what they do except what they promote themselves to be on posters around the village. Having no Magic Knights patrolling our borders also leaves our village weak to criminal activity which in turn makes us vulnerable. Shouldn't there be enough Magic Knights in the entire kingdom to at least situate some around here? And—"
"Alright, I understand. You believe our king is useless." He wasn't in the mood to hear her rant about society's problems and the existence of classism in the world. Usually, he would be and become amused but today was not the day.
Anemone cracked a small apologetic smile. She wouldn't normally rant about such matters either, although it was important for her to bring it up to inquire about the following topics. "I wanted to ask you more about the Magic Knights. I plan to enter the entrance exam next year after I get my grimoire alongside Asta and Yuno."
Ever since the age of nine, Anemone relied on Drouot for knowledge of the Noble Realm and of legends and the myths. The elderly didn't mind, in fact, he was quite fond of inquisitive young minds and praised seeking knowledge like religion. Besides, he always had to look out for the girl whenever her mother was busy visiting the other villages and towns in attempts to grow her business. Such as the current moment where fourteen-year-old Anemone Coralis was stuck hanging out with him in the grimoire tower (she could go outside if she so desired to but her mother advised it was safer staying inside with Drouot just in case something happens).
"Why didn't you just say so?" He let out a chuckle and flattened the creases of his wizard-like robe. "As you must know, there are nine brigades in total. To summarise it simply, the most popular of them all is the Golden Dawn and the least popular of them all is the Black Bulls."
"That's all you're going to tell me?" Anemone's eyes sunk in disappointment.
"If you and your friends are going to try and join a brigade, it's best to aim to join the best one, no? Although it's very rare for a peasant to join the Golden Dawn, or the Magic Knights in general..." He muttered the last part to himself, "And there's never been a peasant Wizard King before..."
"Rest assured, Gramps." She said with hope in her eyes, faith in her smile and love in her voice. "Either Asta or Yuno will become the first."
The three of them were two peas in a pod (technically three peas in a large pod but you understand the reference). Asta was a ball of sunshine if sunshine constantly munched on an energy bar for breakfast. Never seen with a frown and always presenting a determined aura occasionally screaming not yet! The devil himself might as well bang his forehead against the wall with the amount of yelling he did. According to Anemone, his voice was loud enough to reach hell and the heavens. He refused to believe her.
Yuno was once a quiet boy who teared up at the littlest of things. Accidentally scraping his knee across the ground? There goes a tear. Seeing a lizard on the ceiling? There goes another tear. Unable to stop his siblings from wailing their lungs out? Oops, and there goes another. He only stopped crying so often ever since that incident and became a completely different person. From sensitive and emotional Yuno to cool and composed Yuno — it's okay, Anemone loved him either way.
She can recall the day they met as if it were yesterday. The rusting bell ringing to announce the arrival of a visitor to their floral shop, instead of there being two adults there were a pair of doe-eyed children informing her mother that they were there to pick up a bouquet of flowers the nun at Hage church ordered the other day—a beautiful nun who went by Sister Lily, originally from the Noble Realm though she migrated to Hage village for a peaceful, fulfilling life—and while they spoke, little Anemone was hiding behind her mother's legs. She had been too timid back then to introduce herself but when her mother left her alone with the boys her age to fetch the flowers, the one with spirited eyes did the hard job for her and claimed himself to be Asta, while also introducing the boy beside him to be Yuno.
They were different. Different than the other boys in the village who pinned her down with strange stares and permanent scowls on their chapped lips, different than the men whose gazes lingered on her figure and reduced her to feel so small and petite like a 19th century doll, different than the girls her age who whispered behind her back thinking they were clever enough to make their voices quite quiet (what a bunch of dumbasses, she hated them all and continued to hate them 'til this day).
Asta shined so fucking bright, Anemone swore the sun became quiet when he was birthed into this godforsaken world. Sun Eater — outshining the starless night and tracing the skins of angelic mortals with soft sun rays, constantly blossoming honey buttercups beneath bare feet and healing callouses, cosmic smile bright white like the core of a milky way cracking ivory skulls open to unveil a cornucopia of blooming lilies of the valleys, eliciting unheard sighs of love from the ones who fell for his charismatic charm, blood of a golden heart running through his hollow veins in rivulets.
Yuno was a lover of the sky and so was she. They liked each other immediately. Sky Saviour — summer wind tousled hair kinda boy, crackling leaves falling on his hair (spring and autumn leaves alike) kinda boy, speaking to the stars and befriending them at ungodly hours of the night kinda boy. Amber molten eyes capable of drowning those who make eye contact with him, knees scrapped against asphalt and dirt most likely results from the number of times he had fallen on the way to the floral shop. That was okay, she didn't mind clumsy people as long as they don't hurt her. Bonus! His eyes lit up when she said she liked the sky too the same way his eyes would light up when he looks out the window to the star-populated sky and wave high to one of them to which they would shine brighter in return to give back the greeting.
Right then and there, she declared the three of them to be friends. Best part was when they accepted with genuine smiles looking forward to spending more time with the florist's daughter.
"...nemone. Anemone!"
She had only just stepped out of her train of thought to the train station of reality, turning her head to face the exhausted Drouot exhaling a relieved sigh after finally gaining her attention. "It's getting late. Your mother should be back home right now."
"Actually, I'm having dinner at the church." She said as she recalled agreeing to Asta's invite earlier today. "We'll just be eating tatoes but the company would be nice. I'll be back home after that, though."
"That's good." His eyes continued twinkling with relief. She didn't understand why. "I don't believe you've visited them in awhile. And the eating would be good for you, considering you skipped your meals yesterday."
Ah.
"I didn't skip my meals." Anemone stated firmly, crossing one leg over the other and shifting in her seat. "I just let my mother eat what we had left at home and didn't find anything left for me to eat. You know we can barely afford decent meals everyday. Don't make it sound like I'm purposely starving myself, old man."
Drouot chuckled at her abrupt hostility in her undertone as he expected it. She remained stone-faced. She knew he only tittered to lighten the mood. Still, she felt insulted.
"I'm sorry I sounded like that. Just take care of yourself, Anemone."
Suddenly she felt shy, but elated, but confused. Take care of yourself, Anemone. How long had it been since she's heard those words? Asta and Yuno constantly say that to her too. Although this was the first she had heard those words this week.
Anemone stood up from the wooden stool and allowed a half-smile to stick to her lips, "Will try my best to. See ya next time, Gramps."
And so, she left for dinner at the church.
There were four children at the church excluding the eldest, Asta and Yuno. They're the closest she had to family aside from her mother. There's Recca, twelve-years-old taking a nap under the sycamore tree just outside the church. She tended to doze off like that after trying to read two chapters from a children's book to practice her reading skills. Anemone admired her resolution. Then there's Nash. He's nine with freckles dotted across his sunburned cheeks, busy helping Sister Lily light a fire for boiling water. He always complains to Anemone about his loudmouth of a brother (Asta) and often argues with him or teases him. The boy may be young but he had attitude. Asta once joked about his attitude being influenced by Anemone. She denied his claims. Lastly, running around the catholic building playing tag were the youngest orphans, Aruru and Hollo. Aruru was five and Hollo was three. Both instantly latched themselves on her legs as soon as they saw her and beamed up at her.
"Nemy's back!"
"Nemy is here!"
The ends of her lips curve upward. Her hand moved to pat their heads. "It's great to see you two, too! How have you been?"
"We've been great, Nemy!"
"Pretty great!"
"You're here early," Nash grumbled as he dragged his feet to where they were standing.
"But dinner's almost ready!" Aruru squealed, letting go as Hollo followed her actions. "We're having tatoes again!"
"Tatoes!" Hollo giggled, his hands flying into the air.
"Sounds delicious." Anemone commented, tempting to drool at the thought of eating dinner already. Tatoes were all they ever ate in this poor village anyway. It was far from the tastiest meal in the world but their tongues have grown accustomed to the taste. As the youngest children ran into the church first, she spared a glance at the freckled boy. "You miss me?"
"Psh- 'course not." He blew raspberries but turned his flustered face away from her view. "It hasn't even been that long since you last visited. You went to the old man's place earlier?"
"Yeah, just came back," She paused to take a look around. "Where's Asta and Yuno?"
He shrugged. "Maybe they're training in the woods again. Isn't it weird that Asta hasn't shown any signs of magic, yet? I'm nine but I can light stuff on fire with a snap of my fingers."
To demonstrate, he snapped his fingers and a flicker of fire dances at his fingertips. Anemone admired his magic with curiosity. "Are you telling me you might commit arson in the future? If so, I'm in."
"What?" For a brief moment, Nash appeared alarmed. "You're setting a terrible example. Encouraging a nine year old to commit arson and offering to be their partner in crime?"
"Isn't that a tempting offer? I'd love a partner in crime who has the ability to roast rotisserie chicken for me and burn royal mansions down at the same time. Wouldn't you like a friend who can tone down the flames whenever and make smoothies while you roast chicken?"
"Not if they're annoying, no."
"Ouch." Anemone gasped and feigned sadness upon hearing his comment. "With that attitude, I worry what you're gonna be like in the future."
"Hopefully not like you." Nash snorted at his own retort and taking revenge, Anemone loosely caught him in a headlock to ruffle his cinnamon brown hair. "Hey— no! Argh! Anemone!!"
"Dinner's ready!"
Anemone let go as soon as Sister Lily announced dinner and Nash stumbled forward into church, not without giving her the stink eye over his shoulders. She merely chuckled.
"Gosh, where are those two this time?" Sister Lily mumbled to herself as she stepped out of church not only to wake Recca up, but to search for the eldest children of the church.
The sun coyly descended behind the curtain of forestry, the heavens rising to pour a deep indigo into the sky. Stars began to peer out through the ashy clouds. The moon was not seen. Like it was embarrassed to not be able to shine as bright tonight as usual throughout other nights so it napped behind the twinkling stars; the twinkling stars which always made Anemone believe the gods were winking at her from above.
"Don't worry! I'll go and find Asta and Yuno for you, Sister!" She proclaimed and immediately started running to search.
Sister Lily sent her a grateful look, calling after the running girl, "Thank you, Anemone!"
They almost always train nearby the gushing river a little away from the church. Plenty of space, a clearing with no trees as obscuration for spells, and the sweet south wind constantly blowing; it was impossible to not hear the musical psithurism of the feathered foliage. As she grew closer to the area, she can hear panting, a cry of exhaustion, then a body hit the ground.
"Argh! Not yet! I'm not done yet!"
"I think you are."
Peeking behind the larch, Anemone spotted Yuno standing before a fallen Asta helplessly staring at the starry sky, a mix of frustration and determination pooling in his eyes. Unlike his 'brother', some scratches were visible on his cheek and the soles of his cheap, worn-out shoes were covered in mud and dirt.
"You two should be back by now," Anemone decided to intervene before Asta could get up and yell to wake the birds. "Sister Lily is starting to get worried."
Immediately, all attention is on her as a smile broke out on Asta's face of exhaustion. "Hey, Nemy! You wouldn't believe that Yuno managed to beat me today! I was supposed to bonk him on the head with this stick but I... well, I failed."
"Oh, I believe that." Anemone chuckled as she noticed the ash blond pouting. "You'll get him next time—" she's interrupted as the back of her feet hit against a pebble, falling onto the ground as her forearms received the brunt of the destruction. Her chuckles from earlier evolved into laughter stinging the cold night air. Asta laughed with her now that they're both on the ground. "Shit, why the hell was there a pebble?!"
"That's my bad." Yuno winced with guilt. "When I was training with Asta earlier, I used my magic to throw pebbles at his feet as a distraction. Are you okay, Anna?"
Anemone sat up on her knees, her figure shaking with mirth in spite of the pain entering her psyche. "I think I ruptured something, but I'm A-Okay."
This time, Yuno laughed with his friends and they all strolled through the forest to return to the church together. Asta complained the entire way back about how he was so, so close to beating Yuno but Yuno denied his exaggerative claims and said how he was nowhere close to have beaten him just now. Of course, that riled up Asta.
"Sounds like the two of you had a blast." Anemone said with a smile revealing her one dimple.
"Oh...! I won't lose to you tomorrow, Yuno!" Asta brushed off his friend's comment, clenching his fists. "Just you wait! When I get my grimoire next year, I'll definitely beat you!"
"I'd like to see you try." Yuno responded to his mild irritation with a smirk, turning to Anemone to ask a question. "What did you do earlier today, Anna?"
"Nothing much," she shrugged, shoulders rising and falling to a simple rhythm. "Just stayed with the old man again and tried to fetch some info out of him about the Magic Knights. All he said was that the best squad is called the Golden Dawn and the least successful squad is known as the Black Bulls. Wish he'd have told me more, though."
"Golden Dawn..." Yuno repeated under his breath, making sure to keep that name in the back of his mind.
"Ooh, they both sound great!" Asta beamed, his vexation from earlier wearing off. "To be honest, I just really want to get into any squad. I heard the exam's pretty difficult since you have to impress the leaders."
"I have no doubt that you guys will pass with flying colours." Anemone encouraged as they near the church. "Your hard work will pay off and after you two get in, you can continue to work your way up to become the Wizard King. And of course, I'll be right beside you guys to make sure nothing terrible happens to you two. I'll be the sword that cuts away the path for you two to walk on, remember?"
Instantly, the memory of the promise they made when they were younger slipped into their heads like a thin piece of film being replayed. They remembered it all too well as if it were yesterday and they exchanged smiles.
Of course, the three fourteen-year-olds could never anticipate what the future holds for them. Hard work will pay off but at what cost? Sun Eater, Sky Saviour, God Eater, best be prepared to blow the world away with your brilliance or baffle them with your bullshit. Perhaps a mixture of both would do the trick in leaving the nobles speechless aside from shoving a fat middle finger in front of their faces because...
...who ever said chasing your dreams was going to be easy? And it certainly wasn't going to be easy for Anemone Coralis, who wasn't chasing a dream but chasing liberty while paving away the paths for her childhood friends' dreams like the sword she promised to be.
A/N: if there's one thing i'm terrible at, it's ending a chapter lol. i'm hoping to get better at that in the future and hoping that my writing will flow better because i can't help but feel that my writing is stiff in this chapter, oh well. i'm glad that I finally finished this first filler-ish introductory chapter and i promise next chapter will become intertwined with canon. don't forget to vote and comment, love y'all <3
- coral