Before we continue on the adventure Erebus, Tear, and Vyne are about to embark on, a bit of clarification is due. After all, Vyne would preach about how ignorance is unsightly.

High Humans were a race hated by the elven race and the human race.

To explain this would have to go back to the very beginnings of the elven race. A time when humans didn’t exist.

The elven race were created shortly after the angelic and demonic race came to be. They were the fourth race to be established in the world of Eirlok.

The elves were known for their high magical affinity, an affinity only rivaled by the dragon race. This was because they were born inside of the forest, where some of the highest mana channels existed.

But among their race there some disgraces.

Disgraces who were unable to properly use mana.

Those disgraces were shunned by the elves, so they eventually broke off and moved away from their homeland. After thousands of years the race, we know as humans were developed because of this. Humans were elves who experienced devolution and became completely incapable of using mana directly with their body.

So, with that being said, High Humans were the previously mentioned disgraces of the elven race. The High Humans were the ones that didn’t experience the same devolution rate due to the fact that some members of the ‘pure’ elven race came along with them during the mass exodus. The members of the ‘pure’ race came because they felt as if it was unfair to persecute them.

This state of being in between the two caused the High Humans to receive scorn from both ends. The elves hated them for being disgraces and the humans hated them for being better than them. The two focused their unfair hatred onto the small High Human population.

During the Second Great War that occurred a little over five hundred years, the High Human race was killed off. It wasn’t the main focus of the war at all, rather it was something that happened and the other races chose to ignore it. The genocide was brushed under the rug.

Tear was born around 620 years ago, during the nearing end of the Secret Great War. Her clan had managed to stay under the radar of the vicious humans and elves.

Since every race on this planet but one was immortal, they tended to hold grudges. And the one that wasn’t immortal managed to pass on their hatred throughout the generations.

When Tear of the Moon Goddess was born, the war had been going on for three hundred years. Tear gained her name due to the drop of water that fell on her cheek after she had been delivered.

Her parents names were Flower of the Moon Goddess and Blade of the Moon God.

The Moon Goddess and Moon God clan’s bloodline was the top among the High Humans.

This was because the clan tried its best to prevent the devolution from happening too rapidly. They did this by restricting how many children a family could have, and how old the members of the family had to be to have a child.

Still, Tear being a member of the later generation, was not able to harness a very large amount of mana in her body. Nonetheless, her family loved their beautiful child with all of their heart.

They had no concerns over the bloodthirsty humans and elves coming to kill their clan. This was because the Moon Goddess and Moon God clan existed in the Lower Continent, within a forest dubbed the [Murderous Forest], due to the overwhelming amount of Demon ranked monsters there that would kill any existence there.

The only reason the clan wasn’t killed is because they, too, acted as the guardians of the forest. The forest had a very powerful mana channel, and this was due to the [Stone of the Moon Goddess and Moon God].

At least, that’s what the clan called it. You can’t help but admire their naming skills.

The stone was located deep within the ground and was formed of pure mana and magic. The stone was about five meters in diameter.

The mana from the stone was ‘melting’ so to say, and the ‘water’ that came out of it formed a spring.

This spring had amazing magical properties, so they called it the [Moon Goddess’ Blood], and would bathe their newborn children in the spring and this would enhance their tiny bodies.

The clan was creating superhuman High Humans, basically.

Tear was born and raised to the tender age of one hundred and ten inside of this clan.

But, as I said before, the humans and elves were thirsty for blood and the High Humans would satisfy their taste.

The [Murderous Forest] was lit on fire the day Tear turned one hundred and ten. It had been a joyous occasion in their clan, the daughter of their most skilled archer had reached the stage where she could be married (but not have children)!

Flower, Tear’s mother, made sure that Tear knew ceremonial dance that she would perform, this dance would signify her coming-of-age. Blade wasn’t all too happy that his beautiful daughter could be snatched away from him, though. So, like a stereotypical dad, he protected her chastity like it was the [Stone of the Moon Goddess and Moon God].

Tear had just finished her dance when the trees lit and fire began to devour the entire forest.

It was [Myth Magic: Inferno]. A fire impossible to put out and that would burn forever until the spell was canceled.

Tear dropped the golden disc she held in her hand. The clansmen stopped clapping excitedly and turned to stare at the blazing forest.

“What... is this,” the clan leader said, his voice full of horror.

The scouts of the clan came running back at full speed. “It’s the elf and human armies, Sir! They cast a spell and lit the entire forest on fire. They’re coming for us.”

The clan leader’s face hardened. “Prepare your arrows, my people! Fire, kill those bloodthirsty animals!”

““““Yes, Sir!””””

Bows and arrows made purely out of mana appeared in the High Human’s hands, they all released thousands of arrows at the same time.

But there were only fifty or so High Humans in that village. They were not strong enough to fight against the thousands of humans and elves that were coming for their lives.

They all knew this, and they still fought.

Tear was one of those valiant warriors, even though she was still in her beautiful ceremony attire. Her face was impassive and focused on protecting this village.

“Tear,” Flower said, grabbing her arm. “You need to leave.”

“What! Mother, I am strong enough to--”

“That isn’t it!” Flower’s sapphire eyes were full of fear. “You need to survive, carry on the High Human bloodline.”

“Then, what about the others?”

Her mother didn’t hesitate, “We’re going to die.”

“Moth--”

“Let me speak, child. You need to leave because we can’t all go with you. Do not worry, other young people like you are trying to escape, also. But you’re not going in the same direction as them, it’s easier to move as a single person.

“The continuation of the Moon Goddess and Moon God’s bloodline depends on whether you all survive. I pray that you all are not killed.”

Tear fought back her own tears. What was her mother saying? She wanted to her daughter to leave her to die? For what, the sake of continuing their bloodline? She wouldn’t leave, she couldn’t leave. Her family was more important than that.

“Go. Tear. We clansmen already discussed this in the small chance that humans and elves came to destroy us. You all are to escape.”

Tear wanted to fight back, she wanted to yell no. But looking at her mother’s determined face for undoubtedly the last time stopped her.

Her mother was able to be so strong even with knowing that her death was coming.

“Please.”

Tear bowed her head and lowered her bow. “Yes, Mother.”

She turned and ran with no destination in sight. She moved as fast as she possible could, ignoring the branches that cut her skin and how the rocks dug into her bare feet.

Yes, she would do as her mother asked her to. Even if that meant becoming a slave, even if that meant selling her body and everything that she owned.

She would do as her mother asked, no, she would do what her clan wanted. That was her only atonement for abandoning them.

Tear traveled around the Lower Continent for seven years, she had no money, and the clothing she wore was apparently ‘common material’

. There were a few settlements scattered here and there that allowed Tear to stay for no money, they all had an inkling to what she was.

But she wandered aimlessly until she met him.

Yes, it was a certain night that she met him.

Tear had just finished fighting a massive scorpion and was now laying flat on her back, breathing heavily.

“Um~” a male voice. “Are you okay?”

Tear instantly jumped back up and readied her bow, despite the fact she was ready to pass out.

“Who you!” she asked in broken human language. The Moon Goddess and Moon God clan all had their own language.

She glared at the young man standing a meter or so away from her. In his hands he had a canteen of water and some food.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, holding out the goods. “Thirsty?”

“Who you!” she shouted again. “Danger? Poison? I kill!”

“Er, I’d rather if you didn’t try to kill me.”

“Enemy, I kill!”

“No, no, I’m really not your enemy.”

“Then give me name.”

“Isn’t it polite to give your name first?” He laughed and scratched his head.

“Polite? Useless man! Give me name.”

He frowned. “What’s your name?”

“Tear of the Moon Goddess!”

“Can I just call you Tear? That’s a really long name.”

“Give me name.”

“Sorry, sorry. My name’s Erebus.” He laughed again. “I’m here because I just came back from home. I went to go visit an old buddy.”

“Don’t care! What your purpose, Erebus?” She prepped her arrow.

“I’m not gonna attack you so you can put down your bow...”

“Purpose!”

“Um~ to help you? I guess...” He held out his free hand. “Want to become my subordinate?”

Please tell me of any mistakes that might contradict what I said earlier I made, I don't notice these things.