Chapter 0:
A Promise
Hizashi No Kage
**Hizashi no Kage (Shadow of Light / Dhoop ki Chhaya)**
( Introduction First )
This is the story of another planet. Let’s call the planet **Marth**.
This planet is almost exactly like Earth, except that magic also exists here (mana, supernatural powers, quirks—call it whatever you like). The key point is that the people of Marth can use magic because the very air is filled with **mana particles**. Because of this, magical beasts and dungeons also exist on this world.
Just as on Earth some countries are extremely advanced while others are extremely backward, the same is true on Marth.
There are four continents ( +1 ) and six oceans. For our story we only need to focus on two (or maybe more..) continents, but I’ll mention just one for now: **Musasia** — the largest continent on Marth.
This continent contains many different countries, big and small. Among them, the most advanced nation is **Kamilya**.
The history of this country is quite interesting, but we’ll talk about that later.
The capital of Kamilya is **Kamil**.
This capital lies quite close to the border, with several villages and towns situated in between.
In one of these villages our male main character is born.
The child had sky-blue hair, so his parents named him **Akash**.
His family name was already **Snow**.
So — **Akash Snow** — our protagonist…
Details about his parents:
- **Mother**: Angela Snow
Magic type: Advanced Hearing
Magic level: 31
(Angela also had sky-blue hair)
- **Father**: Bron Snow
Magic type: Super Stamina
Magic level: 30
They were a woodcutter’s family. Bron would cut wood and sell it. Angela earned some money by doing wood carvings and crafting wooden items.
It was a poor family, but a happy one.
--
When Akash was eight years old, a very big event occurred in his life.
Their small village, named **Jot**, didn’t have many houses. Because of that, facilities were also very limited.
The Snow family’s house was right at the very end of the village. Beyond it stretched dense forest for hundreds of kilometers, and after the forest came the border, and then the next continent — **Tyrope**.
In that dense forest lived many monsters and beasts, and there was also a dungeon. Because of this, no one ventured deep into the forest.
In that same forest lived **Jagruti Didi** (Big Sister Jagruti).
Jagruti was a **half-demon**. No one knew who she was or where she came from, but no one would accept a half-demon anyway. It’s not hard to guess what her situation must have been like.
The people of Jot village cursed her. Children ran away from her.
No one knew her real age, but she looked about 30–35 years old. Sturdy build, one blue horn on her head, red eyes — these were some of her half-demon features.
Everyone else stayed far away from her, but the Snow family occasionally gave her shelter. Sometimes food, sometimes clothes, or other small things.
Akash became very close to Jagruti. He saw her as an elder sister. Jagruti also loved him dearly.
But one day Jagruti was bitten by a **red wolf**. Infection spread through her body. She became bedridden and couldn’t get up.
Except for the Snow family, no one came to check on her.
But when it became clear that she wouldn’t survive, even Angela and Bron stopped visiting her house out of fear that the infection might spread. They also forbade Akash from going.
Yet Akash still kept going to her house, risking everything.
As she came closer and closer to death, Akash thought and thought about what he could do. He had read that only **healers** could cure such illnesses, and healers were found in churches.
(In Kamilya, there was a law that no healer could use their magic without permission from the church.)
Akash had also heard that the next town over, **Kija city**, had a church.
Akash had only visited Kija city once or twice with his father to sell wood, so he was scared to go alone. But when no other way to save Jagruti Didi appeared, he went to Kija city anyway.
Innocent Akash thought the church priests were very kind people. He believed that as soon as they heard someone was dying, they would rush to help.
But all his illusions were shattered. They pushed him out of the church.
(Heal someone? That too a half-demon? And for free? — What a joke!)
That day Akash understood what the adult world was really like. He cried the entire way back.
When Jagruti Didi was taking her last breaths, her head rested in Akash’s lap. He had once again broken all the rules to come to her.
A warm tear fell on Jagruti’s cheek. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw Akash’s crying face.
With great effort she raised one hand near his eyes, wiped his tears, and said,
“Don’t cry, Akash. I’m happy. Look — at least I’m not dying alone. Haha… you never left me alone. How can I ever thank you for that, my little angel…”
Tears kept flowing from Akash’s eyes.
Even that small child somehow realized that Jagruti’s death was very near.
Jagruti started wiping his tears again and said,
“Okay, now stop crying—”
“Can’t I do something for you?” — Akash interrupted in a choked voice.
After thinking for a moment, Jagruti said,
“Will you fulfill one last wish of mine, Akash?
I want you to never oppress anyone weaker than you — no matter if they are demons.
Don’t ever become like these other people!! It’s very easy to be unjust to the weak and minorities, but you must never do that.
Promise me… even when you grow up, you won’t do it. Promise?”
Crying, Akash somehow managed to say,
“I promise…”
“Thank you, my little angel—”
With those words, Jagruti’s hand fell from Akash’s face.
Akash Snow is now 10 years old.
After Akash, Angela gave birth to several more children, but none of them survived beyond one or two years.
Angela’s health started deteriorating too. Eventually Bron gave up on having more children.
The wood business was going well, so Bron bought two buffaloes as well.
Akash’s childhood passed happily among the animals.
He also picked up a hobby — playing the **flute**. He learned it from his mother. Angela even made him a beautiful flute herself.
Mountain life. Simple living. Hard work. Playing with children his own age.
Yet despite all this, a sorrow had settled deep in Akash’s heart.
Jagruti’s death had left a profound impact on him. The boy’s mind had matured far too early.
Days passed like that..........
( Introduction First )
This is the story of another planet. Let’s call the planet **Marth**.
This planet is almost exactly like Earth, except that magic also exists here (mana, supernatural powers, quirks—call it whatever you like). The key point is that the people of Marth can use magic because the very air is filled with **mana particles**. Because of this, magical beasts and dungeons also exist on this world.
Just as on Earth some countries are extremely advanced while others are extremely backward, the same is true on Marth.
There are four continents ( +1 ) and six oceans. For our story we only need to focus on two (or maybe more..) continents, but I’ll mention just one for now: **Musasia** — the largest continent on Marth.
This continent contains many different countries, big and small. Among them, the most advanced nation is **Kamilya**.
The history of this country is quite interesting, but we’ll talk about that later.
The capital of Kamilya is **Kamil**.
This capital lies quite close to the border, with several villages and towns situated in between.
In one of these villages our male main character is born.
The child had sky-blue hair, so his parents named him **Akash**.
His family name was already **Snow**.
So — **Akash Snow** — our protagonist…
Details about his parents:
- **Mother**: Angela Snow
Magic type: Advanced Hearing
Magic level: 31
(Angela also had sky-blue hair)
- **Father**: Bron Snow
Magic type: Super Stamina
Magic level: 30
They were a woodcutter’s family. Bron would cut wood and sell it. Angela earned some money by doing wood carvings and crafting wooden items.
It was a poor family, but a happy one.
--
When Akash was eight years old, a very big event occurred in his life.
Their small village, named **Jot**, didn’t have many houses. Because of that, facilities were also very limited.
The Snow family’s house was right at the very end of the village. Beyond it stretched dense forest for hundreds of kilometers, and after the forest came the border, and then the next continent — **Tyrope**.
In that dense forest lived many monsters and beasts, and there was also a dungeon. Because of this, no one ventured deep into the forest.
In that same forest lived **Jagruti Didi** (Big Sister Jagruti).
Jagruti was a **half-demon**. No one knew who she was or where she came from, but no one would accept a half-demon anyway. It’s not hard to guess what her situation must have been like.
The people of Jot village cursed her. Children ran away from her.
No one knew her real age, but she looked about 30–35 years old. Sturdy build, one blue horn on her head, red eyes — these were some of her half-demon features.
Everyone else stayed far away from her, but the Snow family occasionally gave her shelter. Sometimes food, sometimes clothes, or other small things.
Akash became very close to Jagruti. He saw her as an elder sister. Jagruti also loved him dearly.
But one day Jagruti was bitten by a **red wolf**. Infection spread through her body. She became bedridden and couldn’t get up.
Except for the Snow family, no one came to check on her.
But when it became clear that she wouldn’t survive, even Angela and Bron stopped visiting her house out of fear that the infection might spread. They also forbade Akash from going.
Yet Akash still kept going to her house, risking everything.
As she came closer and closer to death, Akash thought and thought about what he could do. He had read that only **healers** could cure such illnesses, and healers were found in churches.
(In Kamilya, there was a law that no healer could use their magic without permission from the church.)
Akash had also heard that the next town over, **Kija city**, had a church.
Akash had only visited Kija city once or twice with his father to sell wood, so he was scared to go alone. But when no other way to save Jagruti Didi appeared, he went to Kija city anyway.
Innocent Akash thought the church priests were very kind people. He believed that as soon as they heard someone was dying, they would rush to help.
But all his illusions were shattered. They pushed him out of the church.
(Heal someone? That too a half-demon? And for free? — What a joke!)
That day Akash understood what the adult world was really like. He cried the entire way back.
When Jagruti Didi was taking her last breaths, her head rested in Akash’s lap. He had once again broken all the rules to come to her.
A warm tear fell on Jagruti’s cheek. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw Akash’s crying face.
With great effort she raised one hand near his eyes, wiped his tears, and said,
“Don’t cry, Akash. I’m happy. Look — at least I’m not dying alone. Haha… you never left me alone. How can I ever thank you for that, my little angel…”
Tears kept flowing from Akash’s eyes.
Even that small child somehow realized that Jagruti’s death was very near.
Jagruti started wiping his tears again and said,
“Okay, now stop crying—”
“Can’t I do something for you?” — Akash interrupted in a choked voice.
After thinking for a moment, Jagruti said,
“Will you fulfill one last wish of mine, Akash?
I want you to never oppress anyone weaker than you — no matter if they are demons.
Don’t ever become like these other people!! It’s very easy to be unjust to the weak and minorities, but you must never do that.
Promise me… even when you grow up, you won’t do it. Promise?”
Crying, Akash somehow managed to say,
“I promise…”
“Thank you, my little angel—”
With those words, Jagruti’s hand fell from Akash’s face.
Akash Snow is now 10 years old.
After Akash, Angela gave birth to several more children, but none of them survived beyond one or two years.
Angela’s health started deteriorating too. Eventually Bron gave up on having more children.
The wood business was going well, so Bron bought two buffaloes as well.
Akash’s childhood passed happily among the animals.
He also picked up a hobby — playing the **flute**. He learned it from his mother. Angela even made him a beautiful flute herself.
Mountain life. Simple living. Hard work. Playing with children his own age.
Yet despite all this, a sorrow had settled deep in Akash’s heart.
Jagruti’s death had left a profound impact on him. The boy’s mind had matured far too early.
Days passed like that..........
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