Scion of Seirin, Vol. 1: Scion of Seirin, #1

By Queenie Li

Kuroshi thought she was an ordinary girl until she turned sixteen and awakened to mysterious new powers, after which she set forth on a journey of self-discovery and courage.

 

Guided by a reluctant scholar named Winston, she journeys across the rich world of Seidak and transforms from a meek girl into the world's savior. Across vast lands, while making new allies, she discovers yet more powerful magic on her quest to bring light to the world. Kuroshi's resolve will be tested as she confronts the truth about the demons that plague her world.

 

Scion of Seirin is a gripping tale of magic, friendship, and self-realization as Kuroshi faces the ultimate challenge to defy the darkness and emerge as a beacon of hope. This mesmerizing story showcases a world in which destiny and desire collide in a battle against the forces that threaten to enshroud everything in shadows.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Queenie Li
• Release date: Mar 17, 2024
• ISBN: 9798215392775

Queenie Li

Queenie Li is an American author who loves character writing. Her stories focus on character interaction and development. Her writing draws heavy influence from Japanese media such as anime and Japanese-made RPGs. This leads to stories that blend conventions of Japanese Light Novels and traditional Western Novels. Scion of Seirin is her debut novel.

Book preview

Prologue

On the deck of the Nereide, a black-haired woman in her late forties took a deep breath of the salty, summertime air and walked to the bow. She put her hand on its weathered wooden railing and stared into the horizon. The landscape of a new continent was fully in view.

Won’t be long now, eh, Wakana?

She looked over her shoulder at the younger man. Hm?

We’re almost to Wallontia. You excited?

She lowered her head. It’s not a vacation for me… Yuan isn’t very kind to widows.

The man put his hand to his chest. Sorry for your loss.

She had spent enough time grieving. Looking to the future was much more important.

I can’t really make a life for myself where I come from—not alone. I used the last of our savings to pay for this passage.

And you think things’ll be easier in a foreign land?

Maybe, maybe not, she said, but I’m doomed in Yuan. My only hope is to try this. I’ve heard society is  different in Wallontia, so who knows? I may have a chance.

Starting over in an unfamiliar place sounds daunting. I hope everything goes well for you. The man paused, scanning the nearing land. Well, it’s only the end of Quintillis, so the weather’ll be fair. Would be a lot worse if you had to figure everything out in the dead of winter, right?

Right. Wakana feigned a warm smile.

Soon the ship docked just outside the small coastal town of Penshaw. Wakana gathered her bags, joined the rest of the departing passengers, and prepared to take her first steps on Wallontian soil.

Seeing Wallontia up close, she felt overwhelmed. Even knowing the culture was different, it was as if she’d been transported to another world altogether.

Aside from the wooden docks, most of the ground was dirt. As Wakana looked at the town in the distance, she saw actual fields in line with what she had come to expect, though not as verdant as the ones in her homeland. The buildings were drab browns and grays and their roofs lacked the overhanging eaves or upturned corners of home.

The passengers fanned out and went their separate ways. Wakana too had to figure out her next step. Arriving was one thing, but finding somewhere to live and supporting herself were challenges in their own right. Suddenly the weight of everything crashed down on her. She was so burdened by it, she almost didn’t hear the sound of a baby crying from somewhere nearby.

Snapping back to reality, she followed the noise to its source. All the other passengers had left, so the idea of a child being left behind alarmed her.

About five meters from the docks’ exit, she found a baby girl lying in one of the grassy patches as if abandoned. What little hair there was upon the child’s head was a striking purple, as were its crying eyes. The child had no clothes or swaddling. Wakana figured the baby to be no more than a couple of months old at best.

Wakana scoured through her travel bags to correct the situation. She reached in, pulled out some a swatch of cloth, and wrapped the baby before bringing her close. To Wakana’s surprise, the child stopped crying as soon as they touched.

Oh? Were you just lonely, dear? Where are your parents?

She spent the next thirty minutes asking around, trying to locate the child’s guardian. Unfortunately, she could find no one claiming they were—or even recognizing the baby at all.

Looks like you’re stuck with me for now, Wakana teased. You’d think someone my age would know how to care for a child. It’s a shame dear Masao and I never had any before he passed.

The more she thought about it, this meeting felt like fate. Wakana had always wanted a child, and she certainly didn’t want to be alone now. Another mouth to feed was the last thing on her mind.

Now then…what do we call you, dear? As she glanced down in deep thought, her expression contorted. How about…Kuroshi? In the old language of my home, it means ‘a traveler who delivers messages.’

The baby looked up at her, a slight smile forming.

Oh, you like that? Kuroshi it is then!

Wakana dedicated the rest of her life to raising Kuroshi, never knowing how important her actions this day would become.

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Chapter One

Awakening

Chapter 1

Kuroshi stood in a black void on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, nothing in sight save a woman who floated in the emptiness before her. The woman had purple hair and matching eyes. She wore a flowing, pure white gown and her body gave off a soft, pale glow.

This left Kuroshi wondering where she was and how she had gotten here.

"Be the light that banishes the darkness." The woman’s voice reverberated, though it was soothing. Everything about this ethereal figure gave off a calm, gentle aura.

Kuroshi opened her mouth, but before she could utter a word, the image before her became brighter until a blinding white light dominated her vision.

The morning sun peered through the windows, its rays overpowering Kuroshi’s eyelids and causing her to stir. Groggily she lifted her head and opened her eyes. The sun had to have been up at least a few hours already, and she didn’t want to sleep the morning away.

She sat up and glanced at her broom and pail in the corner of the room. After some quick counting of her remaining funds, she decided these tools wouldn’t be necessary today. She still had enough of the money left to last a while. There was no urgent need to earn more.

While she was washing up, her mind returned to the dream. She wondered if it had some special meaning but eventually dismissed the idea. She had never known dreams to make sense before.

Kuroshi threw on a simple white dress, typical of a commoner. Over the top, she laced up a black bodice. She tried to brush her hair, but no matter what she did, a few strands ran wild. With a sigh, she blamed her misfortunes on the humidity and slid on a white hairband to make the stray hairs less obvious.

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She had just grabbed her coin purse when a knock came at the door.

Outside stood a teenage girl with light-brown hair braided into pigtails that were tied with yellow ribbons. She wore a chartreuse dress upon her body.

It was her childhood friend, Nicole.

Nicole smiled as the door opened, her brown eyes gleaming. Hey there, birthday girl!

Oh, Nicole! What a pleasant surprise.

What? Did you think I wasn’t going to drop by on your special day? How’s it feel to turn the big one six, anyway? She grinned as she fought to prevent herself from bouncing in place. Nicole always felt more excitement about these things than Kuroshi did.

Honestly? I don’t feel much different than I did before.

Nicole frowned. That’s no good! Let’s go see everyone in Penshaw and make you really feel special!

Well, I was thinking I should go to the market today.

Boooring! That’s no way to spend your birthday. C’mon, let’s have some fun!

She grabbed Kuroshi by the arm and practically dragged her out of her home.

Before they got far, they were greeted by a broad-faced young man dressed in a gray tunic. Kuroshi! Nicole! What are you girls up to today?

It was Arthur, a friend around their age. Unknown to either of the girls, he’d always had an interest in Nicole.

You do know what today is, right? Nicole shot him an intense stare.

Arthur tilted his head. Uh, Gunesdi?

Not the day of the week! Nicole’s eyes narrowed.

The thirtieth of Quintillis?

Nicole twirled her hand in short circles. And also…?

You got me, Arthur admitted, scratching his head.

Nicole angrily threw her hands at her sides. Ugh! I can’t believe you forgot Kuroshi’s birthday!

Arthur rubbed his shock of blond hair. Oh, is that today? I’m sorry! Well, happy birthday, Kuroshi.

Kuroshi shook her head. It’s not that big of a deal, but thank you. I don’t expect everyone to keep track of it.

Arthur let out a sigh of relief. It came as no surprise to him that Nicole would remember Kuroshi’s birthday.

I haven’t seen you in a while. When was the last time? Oh, yeah! It was at the funeral— The realization of what he’d just said hit him like a punch in the gut. S-sorry!

How can you be so insensitive, you jerk? Nicole glared at him. She often wondered how he could be so dense.

No, it’s okay. Really. Kuroshi waved her hand in an attempt to dismiss any thoughts that she was bothered. That was a good three months ago. She couldn’t dwell on Wakana’s passing forever.

Nicole put her hands on her hips. Well, it’s settled then. Arthur’s paying for today’s meal to make up for it!

Hey! He threw up his arms in objection.

Nicole headed down the dirt path toward the center of town, her thoughts filled with the idea of getting a free meal. The other two took a moment before they followed her.

Arthur decided to make small talk while they walked. So, Kuroshi, you’re sixteen now?

She nodded. That’s right.

Any thoughts about what you’re going to do with your life?

Kuroshi tilted her head. What do you mean?

I don’t know. Any dreams or plans? Arthur asked.

Nicole nudged Kuroshi with her elbow. Or a guy you want to marry~?

Kuroshi tensed up. I’ve never really thought about that sort of thing.

Arthur nodded. Yeah, I get what you mean. I just work the farm because that’s what my dad does. I’ve never given any thought to what I want to do.

Nicole skipped ahead a few steps, spun around to face the other two, and leaned forward with a playful grin. You both are hopeless—no aspirations at all! She wagged her finger at them.

Arthur couldn’t help laugh at how cute Nicole was when she was acting smug. What do you want to do then, Nicole?

She clasped her hands and batted her eyelashes. I hope to catch the eye of one of our kingdom’s brave knights. He’ll be enthralled by my beauty and want to sweep me off my feet!

You just don’t want to live a commoner’s life any longer, Arthur said with a wry smirk.

Oh, shush, you! It would be so much easier if I was gifted with magic, though. That would give me more reason to hang around the knights.

He scratched his head. Gifted with magic? You know that’s not how that works, right? It takes years of practice and devotion. That’s why they have whole schools dedicated to teaching people how to do it.

Nicole’s shoulders slumped in defeat. I know, but studying that stuff is a total bore.

While Nicole grumbled, Kuroshi gave the question some serious thought. What would she like to do? It might be nice to travel the world.

Her friends stopped and looked at her, stunned.

I know I give you a hard time for not getting out enough, but that’s a bit extreme, Nicole remarked.

Well, maybe not the whole world, since Seidak is pretty big, but it would be nice if I got to at least see Yuan someday.

Eventually they reached the old stone well near the center of town when three men came running in from the west. Each was equipped with a large backpack. The men’s eyes were wide, their faces pale.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. What do you think their deal is?

They seem terrified of something, Nicole said.

The two speculated for a moment until they realized Kuroshi was walking in the direction from where the men had come.

Hey, Kuroshi! Where are you going? It could be dangerous! Nicole called out once she saw her friend walking off.

The concern fell upon deaf ears, replaced by a different voice entirely. The same woman Kuroshi had heard in her dream  urged her onward.

Should we go after her? Arthur asked.

Nicole bit her bottom lip. What if it’s dangerous? Those were grown men running away. We should get the townsguard involved. They’d be able to help her far better than we could.

You go do that and I’ll see if I can learn what happened from those guys who just arrived.

****

Before she knew it, Kuroshi was no longer in Penshaw. Her heart racing, she thought about her dream again. Something—or rather, someone—was calling her.

The outbound road was clear, and there were no signs of a disturbance. Everything was deathly still. Normally one could hear birds chirping or see squirrels darting from the bushes up to the tree branches. Now, all that accompanied her was a gentle breeze that occasionally caressed her cheeks.

She kept looking over her shoulder as she trudged along the beaten path, searching for any signs of what had rattled the travelers. The mere rustle of leaves in the wind startled her. Kuroshi was on edge, biting her lip as she ventured farther along the path.

She walked for nearly half an hour before spotting a man on the ground. It was unlikely that he would be taking a nap in the middle of the road, so she assumed some ill fate had befallen him. It was possible that whatever had happened to him was the reason those travelers had been in such a hurry to get to town. She sprinted over to him and knelt beside him to find out if he was alive.

The man was dressed in black, except for a red cloak draped around him. His face was covered with dirt and scratches, and his eyes were closed. His clothes were slightly tattered.

The subtle sight of the man’s chest rising and falling washed away some of Kuroshi’s anxiety. Her body relaxed, and her