Long ago, before the kingdoms of Thyrian and Valrok existed, the world was engulfed in chaos. Demons and warlords ruled the lands, spreading suffering and destruction. In this age of darkness, the celestial Goddess Seraphis, guardian of balance, descended to protect humanity. She wielded immense divine power but realized that her strength alone could not end the ceaseless wars.
In a desperate act, she sacrificed her divinity to forge a blade imbued with her very essence: Aetherblade, the Sword of Eternity. This weapon could vanquish even the most powerful evils. With the Aetherblade, the forces of good triumphed and sealed the Demon Lord, and peace was restored.
Centuries later, in the northern region of Thyrian, the village of Elderwyn lay cradled in the emerald embrace of the Eldenwood Forest. Birds sang in the trees, the forge's hammer rang out, and life thrived peacefully—a peace that masked the shadows of a looming threat. In this serene village, two boys were born into a blacksmith family: Asahi, the older brother, and Michio, the younger. Their parents, Garrick and Liana Forgehart, were overjoyed by their arrival. Growing up in a blacksmith's household, it was only natural that both brothers developed a keen interest in swords and combat.
Elderwyn was also home to a former knight, Cedric Valorin, who lived with his wife Elena and their daughter Erynn. Though retired, Cedric continued to train rigorously every day in the yard of his home. Asahi and Michio often watched him with wide-eyed curiosity. One day, noticing their interest, Cedric approached the brothers and asked if they wanted to learn swordsmanship. Overcome with excitement, they eagerly accepted his offer, thus becoming Cedric's apprentices.
The next morning, Cedric introduced Asahi and Michio to his family over breakfast. Both boys greeted the Valorins warmly, but Asahi's gaze lingered on Erynn a moment too long. His cheeks flushed as he took in her soft smile and emerald eyes, which seemed to shimmer in the morning light. Erynn, noticing his stare, felt her heart quicken and shyly turned away, her face reddening as well. It was a fleeting moment, yet one that left both of them feeling a strange, unfamiliar warmth.
Years passed, and under Cedric's tutelage, the brothers became skilled swordsmen. During this time, Asahi and Erynn developed unspoken feelings for each other, though neither confessed their emotions. On the day of their training's completion, Cedric organized a small celebration at his home. The evening was filled with laughter, joy, and hearty meals. After the festivities, Asahi and Michio bid farewell to Cedric and his family, heading back home as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the peaceful village.
However, the tranquility was short-lived. As the brothers walked through the streets of Elderwyn, the metallic scent of blood hung heavy in the air, mingling with the acrid smoke rising from charred homes. The once lively cobblestone paths were strewn with lifeless bodies, and the distant cries of survivors pierced the eerie silence. The flickering glow of fires illuminated the devastation, casting ominous shadows that seemed to dance with the chaos. Asahi and Michio froze, their breaths hitching as the weight of the scene before them sank in. The demon army had invaded, leaving destruction in its wake.
Fear gripped their hearts as they rushed towards their home, desperate to check on their parents. When they arrived, they found their house in ruins. Their parents, Garrick and Liana, lay gravely injured. Garrick's right hand had been severed, and both parents were on the brink of death. Asahi and Michio knelt beside them, pleading for them to hold on. With their final breaths, Garrick and Liana urged their sons to take care of each other before passing away. Overcome with grief, the brothers cried out, their world shattered.
The air was thick with terror as demons captured humans for a sinister ritual—a dark plan to unseal their demon lord, a being of immense power sealed away centuries ago by the realm's greatest heroes. The ritual demanded not just sacrifice but the blood of the strongest and most resilient, ensuring only those deemed "worthy" would fuel the unholy resurrection. Fear spread like wildfire, for the stakes were nothing less than the survival of the mortal world. Those deemed unfit for sacrifice were slaughtered mercilessly. Amid the chaos, Asahi noticed a familiar thread—his father's bracelet—dangling from the armor of a demon general Vexor Soulrend. Rage consumed him as he turned to Michio, offering a reassuring smile, and told him to hide. Asahi picked up a discarded sword, his hands trembling but determined, and confronted the general.
"Did you kill my parents?" he demanded, his voice cracking with emotion.
The demon general sneered. "And what if we did? What can you possibly do? Kill me?"
Tears streaming down his face, Asahi attacked with all his might. His blade grazed the general, leaving a bleeding scratch. Startled by Asahi's skill, the general decided to capture him, seeing potential to control and use him. Before Michio's tear-filled eyes, the demons bound Asahi with dark magic and took him, along with other captives, back to Varlok, their territory.
Michio remained hidden, silent as tears rolled down his cheeks. Once the demons were gone, he screamed in anguish. Cedric, alerted by the commotion, rushed to the Forgehart home. Finding Michio alone and distraught, he embraced the boy tightly, vowing to protect him. Cedric took Michio back to his home, offering food and a place to sleep. But Michio lay awake, crying for his brother.
Meanwhile, in Varlok, Asahi awoke in a cold, dark cell. His head throbbed from the blow he had received during his capture. Struggling against his restraints, he glared at the demon general, who mocked him from outside the cell.
"You'll spend the rest of your life serving our lord and the demons," the general sneered.
Asahi's eyes burned with defiance, a tempest of grief and rage swirling within him. "I will kill every last one of you," he growled, his voice trembling with raw emotion yet steeled with unrelenting fury. Each word dripped with the weight of his anguish, a promise forged in the crucible of his loss and suffering.
The general smirked, sensing the unyielding hatred radiating from Asahi. "Let's see if you live long enough to try."
As the general left, Asahi's thoughts turned to Michio and the village. His heart ached with worry, but his resolve hardened. Both brothers, though separated, silently vowed to grow stronger and avenge their parents, their village, and all those who had suffered at the hands of the demons.