Chapter 1

Many, many years ago, from times when stories were still sung and these songs were persistently passed on from generations to generations, a collection of many myths and legends were celebrated by the people.

They built temples and shrines for the gods. They built tombs for their leaders to be buried beside the gods they worshipped. And in harmony, humans and spirits served the higher beings.

Selaphiel was a blessed land. Still is. The continent's people were even more blessed. Unlike other places, they were gifted the ability to bond with tamed spirits so that they can use some of nature's powers.

But over time, because of greed and ambitions, they grew to forget their purpose, and they eventually strayed from traditions.

There once lived a humble commoner family of sixteen. It was such a large family that they had to risk themselves into working for the more fortunate ones as spirit trappers.

For them, they were lucky enough to have been born and lived in Selaphiel, a world where humans and spirits co-exist.

In such a place, being poor was not a problem if you possess the skills and abilities needed for survival. There are many ways to utilize talents.

In their case, they chose to run around the fields and forests day and night catching troublesome, untamed spirits in exchange for house and lodging. They could choose to practice formally, like what the nobles usually do to educate their children, but they decided that it did not suit them.

Living a normal life where they could eat three meals a day and enjoy their occupation were enough.

It wasn't that all spirits cause trouble that they need someone to hunt them. The spirits are divided into two general groups, much like humans: bad and good.

There are just some spirits who are yet to be tamed. Or are supposed to be on the other side, but for whatever reason, are still in the mortal realm.

No matter the status, people with potential are so closely bonded with nature that even the elemental spirits stick to them. When a spirit chooses you, and you accept them, you become equals through contracts.

You would be able to wield a part of nature with the help of your spirit.

One can gain the elements of either of the four: air, water, earth, or fire. Through accepting more than one spirit equal, though may be complicated and can pose compatibility problems for all parties involved, you may also be able to wield two different elements or a mixture of both.

This is why the commoner family never runs out of odd jobs. They aren't just meant to drive away untamed and lost spirits. Sometimes, they are tasked to capture some to send to the nobles who are trying their luck as well.

However, because of ambitions of power, glory, and fame, ascension has become a mere myth for the mortals. A topic they would most likely laugh off since they have forgotten the true purpose of wielding spirits.

Selaphiel, which was once the biggest and most beautiful continent, is falling into ruins upon the hands of its selfish caretakers.

One fateful night for the commoner family came, and as the oldest of the children successfully stabbed a sneaky kid spirit who was trying to eat the soul of a noble's son, a terrifying quake shook the earth.

Glancing at one another's eyes, the group understood and immediately ran down a path home to check on their parents and their two little siblings who aren't allowed to hunt yet.

The oldest of the children, the leader and the one in charge, wildly waved his hands to signal his sisters and brothers to run faster as the rain started to pour.

They were quick runners, and average people will only feel a gust of wind when they pass by. With the downpour, the scenery was made even more blurry than normal on their peripheral.

Looking back at the trail, this eldest son saw that no one was behind and everyone finally went on ahead. He began calming down and ran a little less panicky.

But just as his worries started to subside, a thunder as bright as the sun and loud as the rumbling of the stormy ocean struck straight right to where his foot was about to land.

The boy was in a hurry, running with all his might and force that he was blown meters away because of the impact.

Groaning painfully, when he opened his eyes with a hand shielding his face from the rain, he saw a man standing righteously over the spot where the thunder landed only seconds ago.

This man was masked with a blinding light, smelled rich, and looked heavenly. The child didn't need anyone to tell him this was a god standing before him.

Shaken and baffled, he immediately straightened himself up and kowtowed in a hurry in front of the god.

"A god! A god has appeared!" he exclaimed repeatedly in his mind as he bumped his forehead to the ground. He greeted, "This lowly human child is dressed in rags and dirt. Please pardon my crudeness!"

First, there was a loud bang, a sound made by the staff the god was holding when he gently tapped it to the wet ground, then there came a thunderous voice.

"This god is wondering. How are cases involving lost spirits occurring less these days in this countryside than they did in the past decades? Tell me, young man, was it your doing?"

With trembling lips, the boy answered in stutters: "Yes! But it's not just me. I work with my siblings for the nobles to fight off and chase away bad spirits. Did we unknowingly break any..."

"Silence."

The god's voice was calm, but it possessed a commanding power as well. If the little boy was just any other ordinary human, he would already have passed out from fear and pressure

Because the boy still had his head glued to the ground even though he was cold and trembling, the god was pleased.