The village of Varyndal, nestled at the edge of a vast forest, had always been a peaceful place. The people lived in harmony with nature, and the renowned Arashiro Clan was its proud protector. Their mastery of wind magic had earned them the respect of all who lived nearby, and the clan had long been guardians of the forest, entrusted with keeping its secrets safe.
On this day, however, the village's tranquility would be shattered forever.
Ren and his friends—a group of adventurous children—were playing by the edge of the village, their laughter echoing through the air. They were unaware of the approaching doom, their carefree spirits oblivious to the disaster about to unfold.
A sudden, distant roar sliced through the calm afternoon, followed by the rhythmic pounding of hooves on earth, growing louder with each passing moment. The ground shook beneath their feet, and the children froze, their hearts racing. They turned in unison, eyes wide, to see smoke rising from the heart of their village. The sound of screams and clashing steel pierced the air.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ren and his friends ran toward the source of the chaos.
What they found was something they would never forget.
The village of Varyndal was engulfed in flames. Armored men, their faces hidden behind menacing iron masks, stormed the streets, cutting down anyone in their path. Villagers attempted to fight back, but they were overwhelmed, their efforts futile against the cold, relentless invaders.
Ren's heart sank as he recognized the symbol on their armor—a black dragon's head encircled by thorn-like patterns. The crest stirred something deep within him, an unsettling familiarity he couldn't place. His mind raced, but there was no time to dwell on it. His clan, his home, was burning.
"Run!" someone screamed.
Panic surged through Ren as he and his friends turned and fled into the forest. The scent of smoke clung to the air as they ran, their hearts pounding in fear. Behind them, the village was consumed by destruction.
The invaders were relentless. They could sense the children, their magic emanating like a beacon in the night. One by one, Ren's friends were captured, their desperate cries fading into the distance.
But Ren managed to escape.
The forest stretched before him, a dark labyrinth of trees and shadows. His heart thundered in his chest as he ran deeper into the wilderness, driven by pure instinct. He didn't stop until he stumbled upon a small, hidden cave, its entrance nearly invisible beneath thick underbrush. It felt like salvation.
Ren crawled inside, sealing the entrance behind him. Inside, the cave was eerily quiet, the air thick with an unnatural stillness. The magic within the cave seemed to distort the mana around him, masking his presence from the outside world. It was his only refuge.
For the first time in days, Ren allowed himself to rest. His body ached from exhaustion, and hunger gnawed at him, but he had no choice but to wait.
Days passed. His strength waned as he wandered through the dark corridors of the cave, growing weaker by the hour. Eventually, he stumbled upon a small chamber deep within. There, he found a long-forgotten skeleton, its body draped in tattered robes. Clutched in its skeletal hand was a small, weathered book.
Drawn by an instinct he couldn't explain, Ren took both the robe and the book, sensing that they might be the key to his survival.
The journey to escape the cave felt like an eternity. Weakened and starved, Ren finally emerged into the open air, his legs unsteady beneath him. He staggered into the forest, disoriented and consumed by pain.
After days of wandering, Ren stumbled across a river. Parched and desperate, he drank deeply from its waters. He later caught a fish to eat, but the water was tainted. Poisoned. The fish weakened him further, leaving Ren vulnerable and disoriented.
That night, as he slept beneath the canopy of trees, a massive roar shook him awake. A bear, wild-eyed and hungry, charged toward him. Ren barely managed to evade its claws, but the creature pursued him relentlessly.
He ran. And ran.
As the bear drew closer, Ren scrambled up a tree, escaping its grasp. He remained there, trembling, until the bear gave up the chase. When the beast finally disappeared into the woods, Ren climbed down, but his body was drained.
The next day, exhausted and on the verge of collapse, Ren found a road. His feet felt like lead as he stumbled along it, unable to go any further. His body gave out, and he collapsed into the dirt.
That's when he saw them—horse-drawn carts, lumbering down the road. An old man with a weathered face drove the first cart. Seeing Ren's condition, the old man pulled the cart to a halt.
"Where are you headed, boy?" the old man asked, his voice rough but kind.
"I... I don't care where I go," Ren said weakly. "I just need to get out of here."
The old man nodded and helped him into the cart, where Ren noticed a quiet, black-haired girl sitting in the corner. Her eyes were distant, lost in thoughts Ren couldn't decipher.
"Is she your daughter?" Ren asked.
The old man shook his head. "No, lad. She's like you—lost. Found her on the streets. She's headed to the city too."
The old man assured Ren that they would reach the city by morning and that they could rest for the night. But when Ren awoke, it was not to the sight of the city. He was blindfolded and bound.
Fear surged within him as he overheard the voices of the old man and another man discussing his fate.
"We can sell him," the second man laughed darkly. "But the girl… she's still valuable. We'll keep her for now."
The realization struck like a hammer. They planned to sell him as a slave—and the girl too.
Ren's blood ran cold, but he wasn't going to let this happen. He focused, remembering a small wind spell his mother had once taught him. Desperate, he channeled all his remaining energy, using the spell over and over, until finally, the blindfold slipped from his eyes.
In the dim light of a dark, cold room, Ren saw the grim reality—children in chains, marked for sale like cattle. The true horror of his situation sank in. This wasn't just a random capture. There were dark forces at play.
With a fire igniting in his chest, Ren knew he had to escape. He'd find a way out, no matter the cost.
After a harrowing escape and narrowly avoiding recapture, Ren found himself on the cold, unforgiving streets of the city. With no money, no home, and nothing left, he became just another shadow in the slums.
For days, Ren survived like a beggar, scraping by on whatever scraps he could find. The destruction of his clan—the carnage he'd witnessed—stayed with him, fueling a burning desire for revenge. He had to uncover the truth. He had to know who was behind this nightmare.
One day, while listening in on a conversation between a group of people, Ren heard mention of a place called the Magic Academy—a renowned school for mages. But there was a price for entry: 100 gold coins. It seemed impossible, but Ren knew that entering the academy was his only chance to gain the power he needed to confront those responsible for his clan's fall.
For over a year, Ren survived by stealing from the rich, honing his magic in secret, and learning to survive the harsh realities of the wilds. His body grew stronger, his magic more refined.
Now, with enough gold to enter the academy, Ren knew it was time to take the next step on his journey for vengeance—and to unlock the secrets of the black dragon crest that haunted him.
The road ahead was uncertain, but Ren was ready to face whatever challenges lay before him.