CHAPTER 1:The Awakening of Hidden secrets
The golden sun cast its last rays across the quiet town of Honjama, painting the sky with warm hues of orange and violet. The cool wind danced gently through the streets, rustling leaves and sending a calming breeze through the air. A tall teenage boy, Yuki Goru, stood at the edge of a hill overlooking the entire town. At 6'3", with striking yellow hair, sharp green eyes, and his signature red hoodie fluttering in the breeze, Yuki looked calm—but inside, his thoughts swirled like a storm.
Every evening after school, Yuki came to this place. It was where he could breathe, where he could forget about his missing father, the weird dreams he had at night, and the strange energy he sometimes felt when he was alone. His best friend, Riyu Takeno, was the only person he'd confide in—shorter than Yuki, with messy green hair and deep black eyes, Riyu always had a laid-back vibe that balanced Yuki's inner tension.
But today felt... different.
"Hey," Riyu called, walking up beside him, hands in his pockets. "You good?"
Yuki nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just thinking about him again."
Riyu sighed. "Your dad?"
Yuki didn't answer right away. He sat down on the grass and looked at the sun. "I don't know why he left. Mom never tells me anything. Just that he's 'gone.' Like he vanished."
The silence hung between them until the last bit of sunlight dipped below the horizon. They stood up, and Yuki gave one last glance at the sky before heading home.
When Yuki opened the door to their small apartment, the lights were on, and the smell of grilled fish filled the air. His mother, Amari Goru, was standing in the kitchen. Her kind eyes and long hair, streaked with hints of silver, made her look younger than her years.
"You're late again, Yuki," she said gently. "Dinner's ready."
Yuki hesitated, then stepped inside and asked, "Mom… can I ask you something?"
She looked at him and nodded.
"…Where's Dad?"
The question hit harder than he expected. Her eyes softened, and she took a slow breath. "Yuki, I was waiting for this day."
She walked to a cabinet he had never seen opened before. From the back, she pulled out a small wooden box—old and carved with strange symbols. She placed it in his hands.
"This… belonged to your father. His name is Rukiyo Goru. He wasn't just your dad, Yuki. He was… a protector."
Yuki blinked. "Protector? Of what?"
Amari didn't answer. Instead, she looked him in the eyes. "There are realms beyond this world. Ancient, powerful places. Your father was one of the warriors chosen to guard them from darkness. I couldn't tell you when you were younger… it was too dangerous."
Heart pounding, Yuki slowly opened the box. Inside was an old leather-bound book and a folded orange cloak embroidered with fire-shaped symbols. The book looked like a journal, but the pages were blank.
"I thought I'd find answers," he muttered.
"You will," his mom whispered. "Just not the way you expect."
That night, after a quiet dinner, Yuki sat on the rooftop of their building, the cloak wrapped around him like a blanket. The stars shimmered above like ancient guardians. He flipped through the blank book, frustrated and tired. Eventually, sleep crept in, and his eyes began to close.
As he drifted off, something stirred in the air around him. The book glowed faintly, and a small spiral of light swirled in the air before him. Unseen to Yuki, a portal opened in the space above the book—silent, but pulsing with energy.
Far away, in another realm bathed in crimson skies and ancient temples, a young woman felt a tremor. Suzume Raikou, with flowing red hair and eyes like polished obsidian, stood tall in her crimson armor. Her heart skipped.
"A portal…" she whispered. "Someone's opened one… from the human world?"
She grabbed her sword and without a second thought, leaped into the air as a gate of blue light opened before her.
The next morning, Yuki awoke in his bed, not remembering how he got there. But something inside him felt different—like a spark had been lit. He looked around. The cloak was still wrapped around him. The book sat on his desk.
Downstairs, his mom was already gone.
And for the first time in years, the air around him felt alive.
CHAPTER 2: The Girl From the Realms
The morning sun broke through the clouds, washing the streets of Honjama in golden light. Birds chirped, unaware of the shift that had begun during the night. In his room, Yuki Goru stared at the cloak on his desk. It no longer felt like just cloth—it felt like it pulsed with energy, reacting to something deep inside him.
He touched it gently. Warm... like a heartbeat.
"Was it all real?" he whispered. "Or just a dream?"
He remembered the glowing light, the strange pull, and the moment something had opened in the air above the book. And now, the book—still blank—was somehow heavier in his hands.
Then suddenly—BANG!
A loud crash echoed from the alley behind his apartment. Yuki's instincts flared. Grabbing the cloak and the book, he ran out the door and jumped down the stairwell two at a time.
When he rounded the corner into the alley, his breath caught.
A portal of swirling fire and smoke had opened right in the middle of the space—hovering above the ground. And standing in front of it was a girl.
She had fiery red hair, tied in a loose braid, and piercing black eyes that seemed to see through everything. She wore a sleek crimson outfit, her back turned to Yuki. A long sword was strapped to her back, and strange glowing rings floated around her wrist.
Then, she turned.
"You," she said firmly. "You opened the gate."
Yuki stepped back. "What… what are you talking about? Who are you?"
She narrowed her eyes. "You're holding the book of Rukiyo Goru. That cloak too… you're his son."
Yuki's eyes widened. "You know my dad?"
She nodded. "I'm Suzume Raikou, warrior of the Realm of Flame. I was trained by Kiyashi, your father's closest ally. When your father vanished, we feared the realms would lose balance. But now that you've awakened the book… things are about to change."
The portal behind her flickered as she took a step forward. "The Abyss has returned, and with it, the balance of the realms is falling apart. We need you."
Yuki held the book tightly. "I don't know anything about realms or balance or the Abyss. I'm just… some guy from Honjama."
Suzume studied him. Then, she reached into her pouch and threw a crystal orb onto the ground. It shattered, revealing an image—a dark creature, massive and covered in shadowy armor, tearing through a temple.
"This is Kurogane Voss. He was once one of us. Now, he's something far worse. He controls forbidden power—Abyss Energy. He's destroying the elemental realms one by one. If he reaches this world… your world…"
Yuki felt a chill go down his spine.
"But… what can I even do?"
Suzume's eyes flicked to the cloak. "You're the only one who can read the Elemental Book. It's not blank—it's sealed. Only someone with the potential of the Primordial Element can unlock it."
Yuki shook his head. "Primordial? What does that mean?"
Before she could explain, a loud roar shook the alley. The portal flickered violently.
From within, a shadow beast leaped out—covered in smoke and flame, its jaws snarling with red-hot teeth.
Suzume pushed Yuki aside. "Get back!"
She unsheathed her sword, which lit up with orange fire, and dashed forward. Her movements were graceful and fierce, her blade slicing through the air as she battled the beast. Sparks flew with every clash, and heat rippled through the alley like a furnace.
Yuki watched in awe—and fear.
The beast roared again and slammed Suzume into a wall. Her sword flew from her hand.
Yuki ran toward it without thinking, book in hand.
The beast turned to him.
"NO!" Suzume shouted. "You're not ready!"
The book in Yuki's hands flashed with golden light. A symbol—the mark of the Flame—burned onto the page. The cloak wrapped itself around him like it had a will of its own.
A voice echoed in his head:
"If you seek the truth, awaken the fire within."
Suddenly, fire burst from Yuki's hands, surrounding him like a shield. The beast lunged—but Yuki raised his arms and unleashed a massive wave of flame that blasted it back into the portal.
The portal shuddered… and then closed.
Silence.
Suzume stared at him from the ground, eyes wide with disbelief.
"You… you wielded the flame… without training."
Yuki dropped to his knees, panting. "What… what just happened?"
She stood slowly, retrieving her sword.
"You just awakened your first element," she said. "Your journey… has officially begun."
Later that day, back in his room, Yuki sat with Suzume at his side. She explained the Seven Elemental Realms: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Ice, Lightning, and Nature. Each realm had its own protectors—and now, with the Abyss returning, each realm was in danger.
Yuki looked out the window at the sunset. The peaceful world he knew was changing.
"Do I have a choice?" he asked.
Suzume looked at him gently. "You always have a choice. But if you walk away… more people will suffer. Maybe even your mother."
He clenched his fists.
"I'm in," he said.
CHAPTER 3:Through the Rift
The cold forest air wrapped around them like a silent warning.
Yuki stood still, his breath forming misty clouds as he looked around the strange forest. The trees were twisted, with glowing blue veins pulsing through their bark. Strange howls echoed faintly in the distance, like whispers from another time. The portal had dropped them here—him, Riyu, and Suzume. But where here was, none of them truly knew.
Suzume moved ahead, her red hair glowing faintly under the moonlight. She stopped, pulling out a small pouch from her satchel. "These will help," she said, tossing small crystal shards to Yuki and Riyu. As soon as they touched them, the crystals dissolved into light, morphing into protective armor that wrapped snugly around their bodies.
Riyu's eyes lit up. "Whoa... I feel like some kind of knight!"
But Yuki shook his head. "I didn't ask for this," he muttered, pulling off the armor and tossing it to the ground. "I just wanted to know about my dad. I didn't sign up for... this." His voice trailed off as he looked around again. The glowing trees. The unfamiliar stars above. The silence.
Suzume's tone softened. "I know it's a lot. But this world is connected to your blood, Yuki. The moment you opened that book, the moment that portal appeared, you awakened something ancient. You're not just some kid from Honjama."
Yuki clenched his fists, his red hoodie fluttering slightly in the forest wind. "Why didn't anyone tell me? Why did my mom hide everything from me?"
"She was protecting you. You're not just any boy. Your father, Rukiyo Goru, wasn't just a protector—he was the leader of the Celestial Guard. The realm of Ignis Terra depended on him... and now it depends on you."
Riyu glanced between them, his voice low. "What if we're not ready for this?"
Suzume looked toward the horizon. "Then we'll become ready."
They continued deeper into the forest, the night growing darker. They hadn't eaten since earlier that day, and their stomachs rumbled with every step. Eventually, they came upon a small clearing with a broken stone shrine at its center. Moss-covered and ancient, it seemed untouched by time.
"We'll set camp here," Suzume announced, kneeling to check the ground for danger. "I'll take first watch."
Yuki dropped his bag and slumped onto a log, looking up at the moon. "Do you really think my dad... is alive somewhere?"
Suzume hesitated. "No one has seen him since the Battle of the Fractured Sky. That was seventeen years ago. Many believe he was consumed by the Abyss." Her voice lowered. "But I believe... he's out there. Somewhere."
Riyu sat beside Yuki. "If he's anything like you, he's too stubborn to die."
Yuki smiled faintly. "Thanks."
After a small fire was lit, they roasted some dried root vegetables Suzume had brought from her realm. It wasn't much, but it warmed them. As they sat around the fire, Suzume reached into her cloak and pulled out a glowing orb.
"This is a Realm Stone," she explained. "It will help us find the path to the other realms. But right now... it's dim. The energy in this forest is unstable."
Yuki tilted his head. "Other realms?"
Suzume nodded. "There are Seven Realms: Ignis Terra, Aquaris Vellum, Zephyra Skyhold, Gaion Depth, Frostalis Cradle, Voltra Spire, and Naturalis Vale. Your father once guarded the balance between them. But when he disappeared... the harmony began to crack."
"And now you think I'm supposed to fix that?" Yuki asked, disbelieving.
"You're his son," Suzume said. "And there's a reason the cloak accepted you. There's a fire in you—one that can't be put out."
The night stretched on. The fire crackled, filling the silence with soft warmth. Riyu drifted off first, curled against his travel bag. Suzume remained alert, sitting cross-legged with her eyes scanning the forest.
Yuki stayed awake longer, watching the flames dance. His thoughts were heavy. The box... the cloak... the blank book... and now this sword he didn't want. Was this destiny or some cruel mistake?
"I'm not like him," he whispered, unsure if Suzume could hear.
But she answered anyway. "Maybe. But you're still you. And that matters too."
Eventually, sleep took them all.
But the forest did not sleep.
From the shadows beyond the clearing, a pair of glowing purple eyes watched silently. A creature, cloaked in black mist, crouched on a branch. It tilted its head, examining Yuki as if recognizing something ancient. With a flick of its tail, it vanished into the trees, leaving behind only a chilling whisper on the wind.
The balance had begun to shift.
And the realm would never be the same again.
CHAPTER 4: Whispers of The Flame Cloak
The fire crackled softly in the heart of the makeshift camp. Sparks danced into the night air like tiny spirits escaping into the darkness. Yuki sat silently beside the flame, his back against a mossy tree trunk. The forest around them was alive with distant hoots, rustling leaves, and the low whisper of wind brushing through the towering trees. Suzume and Riyu were asleep, curled in their respective corners under thick cloaks, their new armor gleaming dully in the flickering light.
But Yuki couldn't sleep.
His hand drifted over the orange cloak laid across his lap — the one his mother had given him before disappearing. Fire symbols glowed faintly on its fabric, almost like they were breathing. The same cloak his father, Rukiyo Goru, once wore as a legendary protector.
Yuki tightened his grip on it.
"Why didn't she tell me?" he whispered to himself, gazing up at the fragmented sky through the tree canopy. "Why now?"
Earlier that evening had been a blur — from learning that Suzume wasn't just a mysterious girl but a protector of realms, to her sudden declaration of his full name: Yuki Goru. And then the moment they arrived home, only to find it completely silent. His mother gone.
Then came the portal, the forest, the strange weapons... It was too much.
He opened the old book again, flipping through its blank pages. But now, some strange symbols had begun to appear faintly on the surface. Ancient runes, maybe? They shimmered like heat waves, rearranging themselves slightly every time he blinked.
"Suzume," Yuki called softly, glancing toward her.
She stirred awake immediately, as if expecting it. "Can't sleep?" she asked, sitting up with a yawn.
"Not with all of this on my mind," he admitted. "Why did you come after me? Who even are you really?"
Suzume stood up, dusting herself off. Her red hair shimmered in the firelight as she joined him beside the fire. "I was trained as a realm guardian since I was a child. I sensed the portal open — your portal — and I knew something had awakened. When I followed it, I didn't expect to meet the son of Rukiyo Goru."
"So… my dad really did protect these realms?"
"He didn't just protect them," Suzume said seriously, "he held back the Abyss. The darkness that nearly swallowed our world. He was a hero, Yuki. But one day, he vanished during a battle beyond the elemental gates. Some said he died… others think he was taken."
Yuki's heart thudded in his chest.
"I never even knew him," he whispered. "Only stories from Mom when I was little. I used to dream about him coming back through the door, smiling like it was just a long trip."
Suzume placed a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe this journey is how you'll find him. Or at least the truth."
The wind shifted. A faint growl echoed from deeper in the woods.
Both of them stood up.
"Did you hear that?" Yuki asked.
Suzume nodded and quickly moved toward Riyu, shaking him awake. He groaned, muttering something about meatballs, before snapping to attention when he saw her serious expression.
From the darkness, a pair of glowing eyes appeared.
Then another.
And another.
"Wolves," Suzume said, drawing her sword. "But these aren't normal."
The creatures stepped into the firelight. They were larger than natural wolves, with glowing red veins running through their obsidian-black fur. Their eyes burned with an unnatural light — and they didn't look hungry.
They looked possessed.
"What the hell are those?" Riyu said, backing up quickly.
"Shadow beasts," Suzume said grimly. "Creatures infected by the Abyss. They must've sensed the portal."
Yuki instinctively raised the cloak like a shield, unsure what to do. The sword Suzume had given him lay by his pack. He hadn't even touched it.
The wolves snarled and leapt.
Suzume dashed forward, her blade glowing with bright flame as she slashed through the first beast mid-air. Riyu stumbled toward his weapon and swung it just in time to knock another creature aside. But there were too many.
Yuki finally grabbed his sword. It felt heavy. Unfamiliar. Wrong.
"Come on, Yuki, do something!" Riyu yelled, ducking another wolf swipe.
He hesitated — then remembered the cloak.
With a swift motion, Yuki flung the orange cloak around his shoulders. The fire signs along its edges pulsed, and suddenly, the blade in his hand began to glow with a deep crimson hue. His heart surged with heat, like fire itself had entered his veins.
He stepped forward, lifting the sword — and time slowed.
The wolves lunged.
Yuki shouted instinctively, swinging the blade in an arc of fire. A shockwave exploded outward, engulfing the beasts in flame. They howled, disintegrating into smoke before they could touch him.
Silence fell over the forest.
Riyu's jaw dropped. "Okay... that was new."
Yuki panted, falling to one knee. The sword clattered beside him.
Suzume approached carefully, staring at him. "You awakened it. The cloak responded to you."
"I—I didn't mean to—"
"No," she said softly, "you're finally becoming what you were born to be."
Yuki looked down at his hands, the firelight flickering across his skin. The fear he had earlier was still there — but beneath it, a spark had been lit.
"I don't know what I am," he admitted, "but I want to find out. And I'm not stopping until I do."
Suzume nodded.
Riyu wiped dirt off his hoodie and grinned. "Guess we're in this together, huh?"
As the fire crackled once more, the three of them sat close again — tired, but alive.
Little did they know, deep in another realm cloaked in shadows, a figure watched them through a dark mirror. His eyes glowing purple. A familiar mark across his chest — the same fire symbol burned onto Yuki's cloak.
With a whisper, he said:
"Soon… the boy will awaken the gate. And when he does... I'll be waiting."
CHAPTER 5: Blades of the Forest Heart.
The fire crackled softly in the heart of the makeshift camp. Sparks danced into the night air like tiny spirits escaping into the darkness. Yuki sat silently beside the flame, his back against a mossy tree trunk. The forest around them was alive with distant hoots, rustling leaves, and the low whisper of wind brushing through the towering trees. Suzume and Riyu were asleep, curled in their respective corners under thick cloaks, their new armor gleaming dully in the flickering light.
But Yuki couldn't sleep.
His hand drifted over the orange cloak laid across his lap — the one his mother had given him before disappearing. Fire symbols glowed faintly on its fabric, almost like they were breathing. The same cloak his father, Rukiyo Goru, once wore as a legendary protector.
Yuki tightened his grip on it.
"Why didn't she tell me?" he whispered to himself, gazing up at the fragmented sky through the tree canopy. "Why now?"
Earlier that evening had been a blur — from learning that Suzume wasn't just a mysterious girl but a protector of realms, to her sudden declaration of his full name: Yuki Goru. And then the moment they arrived home, only to find it completely silent. His mother gone.
Then came the portal, the forest, the strange weapons... It was too much.
He opened the old book again, flipping through its blank pages. But now, some strange symbols had begun to appear faintly on the surface. Ancient runes, maybe? They shimmered like heat waves, rearranging themselves slightly every time he blinked.
"Suzume," Yuki called softly, glancing toward her.
She stirred awake immediately, as if expecting it. "Can't sleep?" she asked, sitting up with a yawn.
"Not with all of this on my mind," he admitted. "Why did you come after me? Who even are you really?"
Suzume stood up, dusting herself off. Her red hair shimmered in the firelight as she joined him beside the fire. "I was trained as a realm guardian since I was a child. I sensed the portal open — your portal — and I knew something had awakened. When I followed it, I didn't expect to meet the son of Rukiyo Goru."
"So… my dad really did protect these realms?"
"He didn't just protect them," Suzume said seriously, "he held back the Abyss. The darkness that nearly swallowed our world. He was a hero, Yuki. But one day, he vanished during a battle beyond the elemental gates. Some said he died… others think he was taken."
Yuki's heart thudded in his chest.
"I never even knew him," he whispered. "Only stories from Mom when I was little. I used to dream about him coming back through the door, smiling like it was just a long trip."
Suzume placed a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe this journey is how you'll find him. Or at least the truth."
The wind shifted. A faint growl echoed from deeper in the woods.
Both of them stood up.
"Did you hear that?" Yuki asked.
Suzume nodded and quickly moved toward Riyu, shaking him awake. He groaned, muttering something about meatballs, before snapping to attention when he saw her serious expression.
From the darkness, a pair of glowing eyes appeared.
Then another.
And another.
"Wolves," Suzume said, drawing her sword. "But these aren't normal."
The creatures stepped into the firelight. They were larger than natural wolves, with glowing red veins running through their obsidian-black fur. Their eyes burned with an unnatural light — and they didn't look hungry.
They looked possessed.
"What the hell are those?" Riyu said, backing up quickly.
"Shadow beasts," Suzume said grimly. "Creatures infected by the Abyss. They must've sensed the portal."
Yuki instinctively raised the cloak like a shield, unsure what to do. The sword Suzume had given him lay by his pack. He hadn't even touched it.
The wolves snarled and leapt.
Suzume dashed forward, her blade glowing with bright flame as she slashed through the first beast mid-air. Riyu stumbled toward his weapon and swung it just in time to knock another creature aside. But there were too many.
Yuki finally grabbed his sword. It felt heavy. Unfamiliar. Wrong.
"Come on, Yuki, do something!" Riyu yelled, ducking another wolf swipe.
He hesitated — then remembered the cloak.
With a swift motion, Yuki flung the orange cloak around his shoulders. The fire signs along its edges pulsed, and suddenly, the blade in his hand began to glow with a deep crimson hue. His heart surged with heat, like fire itself had entered his veins.
He stepped forward, lifting the sword — and time slowed.
The wolves lunged.
Yuki shouted instinctively, swinging the blade in an arc of fire. A shockwave exploded outward, engulfing the beasts in flame. They howled, disintegrating into smoke before they could touch him.
Silence fell over the forest.
Riyu's jaw dropped. "Okay... that was new."
Yuki panted, falling to one knee. The sword clattered beside him.
Suzume approached carefully, staring at him. "You awakened it. The cloak responded to you."
"I—I didn't mean to—"
"No," she said softly, "you're finally becoming what you were born to be."
Yuki looked down at his hands, the firelight flickering across his skin. The fear he had earlier was still there — but beneath it, a spark had been lit.
"I don't know what I am," he admitted, "but I want to find out. And I'm not stopping until I do."
Suzume nodded.
Riyu wiped dirt off his hoodie and grinned. "Guess we're in this together, huh?"
As the fire crackled once more, the three of them sat close again — tired, but alive.
Little did they know, deep in another realm cloaked in shadows, a figure watched them through a dark mirror. His eyes glowing purple. A familiar mark across his chest — the same fire symbol burned onto Yuki's cloak.
With a whisper, he said:
"Soon… the boy will awaken the gate. And when he does... I'll be waiting."