In a remote village, far from any great city, I lived a quiet life. My name is Marco. I was an orphan, raised by my caretaker in a corner of the world where nothing much ever happened. Most days, I wandered the forests nearby, chasing the kind of adventures I'd only ever read about in old, worn books. I was always dreaming, curious about the world's forgotten past about what might be hidden just beyond what everyone else could see.
Then came that stormy evening. The rain fell in heavy sheets, the wind howling through the trees like the sky itself had split open. It should have been enough to keep me home, but something called to me, tugging at my mind, pulling me deeper into the forest than I had ever dared to go. I couldn't explain it, but I couldn't resist it either. There was a feeling in the air, thick and heavy, like a promise waiting to be fulfilled.
The lightning cracked overhead as I stumbled through the underbrush, soaked to the bone. I should've turned back. I knew that. But something drove me onward. And then, under the towering ancient oaks, half-hidden beneath tangled roots and vines, I found it a dark opening in the earth, like the mouth of the world itself. I hesitated at first, feeling the oppressive energy seeping from the cave, but that strange pull only grew stronger. I couldn't turn back now. I lit a torch and stepped inside, my footsteps echoing against the stone. The air was heavy, thick with an odd, low hum that seemed to resonate from the very walls. Deeper and deeper I went, the flicker of my torch barely cutting through the gloom. And then, in the heart of the cave, I saw it a faint glow illuminating the darkness ahead. My breath caught in my throat. There, embedded in stone like something out of legend, was a blade. It was black, darker than the night itself, its edges veined with glowing red lines that pulsed faintly, almost as if the sword were alive. I couldn't tear my eyes away.
I stepped closer, my heart pounding. The sword—*Devil's Edge*—was unmistakable in its power, though I had never seen anything like it before. It radiated an aura that was both mesmerizing and terrifying. I could feel it even from where I stood, a weight in the air that pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
The hilt was beautifully intricate, engraved with strange symbols I didn't understand. As I stared at them, they seemed to shift and twist, whispering secrets, forgotten truths just beyond my comprehension.
I reached out, my hand trembling. The sword it was watching me, waiting for something. I could feel it. And in that moment, I realized that it had been waiting for me.