In the beginning, the world was fragile, teetering on the edge of chaos. Monsters, creatures born from the void, swarmed through the lands, their presence warping reality and spreading corruption like a plague. It wasn't long before humanity's survival hung by a thread. Yet, just as hope began to fade, the Celestial Beings descended, bringing with them two sacred gifts.
The first were the Towers of Ascendance, enormous, glittering spires that stretched high into the heavens, visible from every corner of the world. These towers were not just symbols of power but beacons of hope, capable of cleansing wide areas from the monsters' miasma. However, they were more than that—they were challenges. Each floor of the tower represented a trial, growing more difficult the higher one ascended. Only Espers—humans gifted with extraordinary abilities—could enter, pushing themselves to their limits to climb and grow stronger. Each floor cleansed their bodies, preventing corruption, hunger, or thirst from slowing them down, but even the strongest S-class Espers had yet to reach the top.
Yet not every Esper had access to these trials, and some lacked the guidance necessary to cleanse themselves in the face of miasma or battle. This led to the second gift from the Celestial Beings: the Temples of Purity. These sanctuaries, filled with golden light and serene energies, were scattered across the land. Guides—individuals who possessed a unique power to cleanse and heal Espers—worked within these sacred spaces, drawing their strength from the divine beings enshrined within. Espers who could not access the Towers came here, seeking restoration.
Guides were revered, though not all Espers treated them with the respect they deserved. Some thought of them as mere tools for their own advancement, a means to stave off madness or corruption. But in truth, they were equals, standing alongside Espers in the endless battle against the monsters that threatened humanity's survival.
Over time, companies arose that employed Guides, offering their services to Espers who needed regular cleansing but had no direct connection to a Guide. Strict regulations were put in place to protect Guides from exploitation, ensuring they had the right to refuse service and work only in environments that valued their safety. Still, corruption seeped into some corporations, turning what should have been sacred partnerships into cold business transactions.
The temples, however, remained untainted by greed. Under the watchful eyes of the Celestial Deities, Espers and Guides found true sanctuary. When all else failed, they came here, drawn by the warm embrace of divine energy and the hope that together, they could continue to resist the monsters that roamed beyond the walls.
This was the world Issac Stross was born into—where Espers battled, Guides healed, and every day, humanity strove to survive. But as Issac's story would soon show, the past had its own secrets, and even the towers and temples couldn't contain what was to come.