Thousands of years ago, a great calamity consumed the entire world in a violent sea of flames. It marked the return of the Abyssal Demon God. A being whose power eclipsed even the omnipotent gods who once ruled the lands.
The heavens trembled, the earth screamed, and every kingdom burned beneath his shadow. The gods waged war against him, their radiance clashing against his endless void, but no light could pierce the darkness he brought with him.
For centuries the battle raged, until the very fabric of creation began to tear. The gates of the underworld shattered, and the dead poured forth, drowning the living in their despair.
The gods, unable to halt the chaos that had been unleashed, turned their gaze away from Terra. One by one, their voices faded from the skies. And then eventually, the gods fell silent. Their temples crumbled, their names faded, and the world once held together by their will was left to decay.
Although the fates of the gods were unknown, one thing was certain. The peaceful planet once cradled by divinity was now left to rot in silence, forsaken and forgotten by their gods.
That day was remembered as The Severance. The day the gods abandoned the world and all in it
"...Or at least that's how the tale goes anyways," the brgirl said, closing the worn book in her hands as she stared at her brother, the only other person in the room with her as a smile crept on her lips.
Kael sat at the table across from her, tranced in awe of his new guild card resting on his palm, it's bronze metallic sheen reflecting the warm evening rays that filtered in through the window.
"Your card isn't going to look away if you look away for a second you know." The girl spoke up, pouting at her brother.
"Yeah but I can't help it, I'm finally an adventurer now" he muttered enthusiasticaly as he finally removed his eyes from the card in his palm and stared out.the windows, his eyes settling on a large building a bit farther from their home.
The small Adventurers Guild Hall stood proudly in the distance, its crimson banner fluttering against the fading light.
Ever since the gods turned their backs on the world, people had stopped praying and started fighting. The Guild was born from that defiance — a gathering of those who refused to let humanity fade quietly.
Soldiers, mercenaries, farmers, orphans... anyone could join, as long as they had a battle related class. It was a messy and dangerous job, but it was the only thing standing between humanity and total extinction.
Kael had grown up hearing stories of those brave men and women. Adventurers who carved out safety from chaos, one quest at a time. And now, he was finally one of them.
'I don't need gods,' he thought, eyes drifting toward his sister. 'I just need to be strong enough to protect her.'
Thwack!
"—Ack!" Kael yelped as the same book his sister was reading smacked the back of his head as he winced in pain. "Mira..."
"Honestly..." sighed Mira as she waved the book at him threateningly. "You were thinking something rude again weren't you?"
Kael rubbed the sore spot, grinning. "What? No! I was just thinking about how much of a cowards the gods were."
"There it is," she said flatly, pointing the book at him with a pout. "You just can't go one day without blasphemy, can you?"
"Oh come on," he scoffed. "They did abandon us, didn't they? The world's a mess, people die every day, and the gods are nowhere to be found. Especially when we actually have a fighting time chance with their help. If that's not cowardice, I don't know what is."
Mira replied confidently. "Or maybe they're waiting for the right time to come back like the heroes in those novels."
"And I thought I was the younger sibling," Kael teased.
"What was that?"
"Oh nothing..." He lied as she raised the book once more for a smack.
"Good." She replied as she brushed back her long brown hair, shifting her tone into something more solemn than usual.
"Maybe," she smiled faintly. "But I mean... someone has to keep believing in something... right?"
The old room fell quiet at her words. The fading sunlight painted the walls in shades of gold and crimson, as a wave of helplessness washed over them both.
Kael looked down at his bronze card again and chuckled softly lightening the atmosphere slightly while holding out his card for her to see. "Then I'll believe in me instead. When I get strong enough you won't have to rely on fairy tale gods anymore, I'll be always be right there to protect you... Promise."
Mira giggled, her laughter light but genuine. "Fine then, Mr. Adventurer I'll hold you to that... Just don't get yourself killed out there 'kay?."
"You got it sis" he reassured with a bright smile, glancing out the window. "Anyways, look at the time, it's almost nightfall," he said, pointing out the window while standing up from his chair. "I should really go get some fresh air while I can, wanna come?"
To his disappointment she just shook her head and curled up on her bed with a pout, "I'll pass... I'm... not feeling too good today," she lied. "Maybe next time... But I'd like it if you could get me my medicine from the town's doctor again, I'd really appreciate it."
Kael smiled at his sister and gave her a thumbs up before turning to leave through the door.
"You got it, sis," Kael said with a grin before stepping out and gently shutting the door behind him.
The latch clicked softly — a small sound swallowed by the hum of the evening in the town on Harts. Kael paused there on the porch, one hand lingering on the doorframe as if reluctant to let go.
The town around him was alive and bubbling with activity— lanterns glowed along cobbled paths, merchants called out their last deals of the day, and the laughter of children echoed between homes. Warm light spilled from windows, painting the streets in shades of gold and amber.
Kael exhaled slowly, his hand still on the handle as he rested his head on the door, a weak smile drawn on his lips. "You liar..." he muttered to himself, clenching his fists tight from frustration as a myriad of thoughts swirled around in his mind. "You got worse didn't you... Damn it." He cursed, finally pulling himself from the door with a sigh.
"Don't worry, Mira," he murmured under his breath, forcing a smile that only the night could see. "I'll make things better somehow... I promise"
With that, he turned away and started down the dirt road, the sound of his footsteps drowning into the evening wind.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Mira's faint smile faded the moment the latch clicked before the her. She lay still for a while, staring at the ceiling, listening in to the laughter and gossip bleeding into her room.
Slowly, she placed a trembling hand against her chest, feeling the weak rhythm of her heartbeat beneath her fingertips.
"Idiot…" she whispered with a faint, brittle laugh. "How could I possibly trouble you when you already do so much for me…"
She closed her eyes, the sound of his departing steps echoing faintly through the walls — then fading, like a heartbeat slipping into silence.
"Thank you."
*****
"How's Mira been these days? Is she getting any better?"
"Hopefully, yeah. I'm sure she'll be running around town in no time," Kael said, forcing a chuckle as the old woman handed him a small bottle of cloudy liquid. "You sure this stuff works though? Not to complain, but it kinda looks like plain water."
"Funny," the woman replied without looking up from her shelf. "That's exactly what complaining sounds like. Besides..." she sneered at him, "If you really think it's water then why don't you take a sip yourself."
"No thanks" he recoiled instantly. "I'll take your word for it."
The old woman smiled faintly. "Thought so, Anyways tell Mira I'll stop by for a quick check up on her later."
"Will do. Thanks again, Granny."
He left before she could say anything else. The old doctor watched him disappear down the street, her expression softening into a tired sigh.
'They're good kids,' she thought. 'It's a shame the girl was born so... frail. Those two would've made quite the pair in this quiet little town.'
*****
Kael hummed softly as he walked, his tune drifting smoothly on the evening breeze. Behind him the bustle of the town slowly faded, replaced by the rustle of leaves and the distant call of crickets. His steps followed the worn dirt path winding through the woods, one he'd walked more times than he could count.
Before long, the trees parted, revealing an open stretch of cliff bathed in the quiet glow of sunset, adorning it's edges in fading shades of orange and violet. From this high up, he had a clear view of their town buried in the evening sun.
Up there on the cliff, two gravestones rested near the edge, simple and weathered, yet cared for. Kael slowed his pace as he approached them, the melody on his lips fading into silence. He knelt, brushing a few leaves aside, his fingers lingering over the cold stone.
"Hey, Mom... Hey, Dad."
His voice was soft, half lost to the wind as he continued.
"Been a while, huh... I finally did it you know..." He bragged, waving his adventurer card at the graves before him with a wise smile "I finally get to fight and be a hero to everyone just like I always wanted to."
He chuckled quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Bet you're both rolling your eyes at me right now huh?... But that doesn't really matter you know, cause now I can live my dream and follow in your footsteps, I'll get stronger and protect Mira.... Yeah..." His smile quivered as sat by his mother's grave, resting his back on the cold stone and continued.
The breeze rustled the grass geuntly, and he let out a sigh, sitting cross-legged in front of the stones with a depressed tone. "...Mira's still sick though..." He murmured.
"I know she says she's fine, but I can tell she's not and... I don't know what to do you guys..."
The silence stretched — not empty, but heavy, filled with unsaid thoughts. Kael tilted his head back, eyes tracing the first stars blinking into the twilight. "I wish you were still here mom, You always knew what to do."
Seconds turned into minutes as he sat there in deep thought, staring at the stars for what comfort it might bring, until the howling winds brought a memory to mind, leaving a weary smile on Kyle's face as he began humming an old lullaby their mother would always sing in times like these.
Although he'd heard it a million times since he was little, he could never truly master it's lyrics, Mira, though... she remembered every verse. Even after their parents were gone, she would still sing it to him whenever she could.
The memories washed over him in fragments—warm laughter, gentle voices, the safety of arms that no longer existed. His humming faltered into quiet breaths as the wind brushed through his hair, carrying the tune into the darkened sky.
In that fragile peace, Kael let the warmth of those memories cradle him. His eyelids grew heavy, and before long, he drifted into sleep, resting beside the graves of the mother and father who once made the world feel whole.
*****
The faint murmur of voices crept through the wind, distant yet insistent, tugging Kael from sleep. But eyelids fluttered open to darkness, the night even colder than before.
"...Ugh—did I fall asleep?" he mumbled, rubbing at his eyes. The grass beneath him was damp, the air heavy with the scent of smoke. "Damn it, I have to get back. Mira's probably—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
There it was again—muffled shouts, the clang of metal, and something else... crackling?.Kael blinked, disoriented, until his gaze fell on the horizon. Widening his eyes in horror.
The town was burning.
Flames clawed at the rooftops, painting the village below in a violent orange glow. Smoke bled into the stars, drowning out their light. Down below steels clashed against each other. It wasn't a wildfire. It was an attack, a slaughter.
"This... can't be happening," he whispered, horror trembling through his voice. His hands shook as the truth sank in, but then a thought struck him like a blade to the heart.
"Mira."
Every trace of exhaustion vanished and immediately he panic surged through him, raw and blinding. Withoutt even wasting a beat, Kael broke into a dash, sprinting down the hill, through the whispering grass and into the smoke—his lungs burned, but his mind screaming her name over and over.
*****
The heat hit him first.
Kael stumbled into the village, breath ragged, the air thick with ash. The night glowed a furious orange, the sky suffocating under a blanket of smoke. Sparks rained down like dying stars, stinging his skin as he pressed forward through the chaos.
"Where are you?." he whispered, his voice breaking between gasps.
The streets he knew well were unrecognizable. Houses he'd helped repair now collapsed under flames; familiar walls crumbled into dust. The smell of burning wood and flesh choked him, every breath violently scraping down his throat.
He turned a corner and froze.
Bodies. Dozens of them. Faces he knew—faces that had smiled at him that morning, men, women, adventurers and even children now lifeless, covered in soot and blood. A mother lay clutching her child, both motionless, framed by the glow of the fire.
Kael staggered back, his stomach twisting. His mind screamed at him to look away, but his eyes wouldn't obey.
"Mira..."
He broke into a run again, stumbling over debris and ash. The roar of flames and steel blurred together, a single deafening noise in his ears. He passed what was once the bakery, now reduced to embers. The smell of burnt bread mingled with death.
"Mira!" he shouted again, voice raw but desperate. "Answer me!"
No reply. Only the crackle of fire and the faint echo of screams somewhere deeper in the village.
He ran harder, ignoring the sting in his lungs. His legs ached, his vision blurred, but still he pushed on—through the smoke, through the heat—driven by nothing but the fear of being too late.
"K-kyle..."
And then through the haze and chaos, he finally heard her, but on turning his head to face the direction of her voice, his eyes lit up as the scene before him immediately broke him.
"Mi... ra..."
Right before his eyes was his sister suspended in the air, a blade piercing through her chest, but it wasn't made of steel, no... It's appearance was more a mass of shadow with a concrete form. A myriad of thoughts ran through kael's head while his eyes moved to finally register the wielder of this strange weapon..
But Kael's stomach dropped as he saw the creature standing amidst the chaos. The demon stood humanoid, towering like a corrupted knight, its dark armor blending perfectly with the darkness. Cracks ran across its armor, radiating an eerie crimson glow coupled with A long strip of fabric atttched to its crown adorned it's entire get up. Every deliberate movement radiated menace, as if death itself had taken form and descended on their world.
'is that... a demon?'
He could barely feel his legs shaking from the sheer pressure it's presence was giving off, instead he just stood there without so much as a word as he stared into the darkness filled eye slits in its helmet.
The demon dropped Mira like she weighed nothing. While she crumpled to the ground, coughing and trembling—but alive. The knight began striding towards Kael as he froze, eyes widening as he noticed the faint cracks along the demon's dark, armor-like body begin to glow, the sickly light crawling over its pauldrons and chest radiating like molten veins.
Standing just feets away they both stared each other down, one with fear and the other a terrifying darkness.
Without warning, the light fractured into countless writhing particles, floating through the air with a will of their own. They surged toward Kael, slipping into his skin, burning and twisting him from within as pain smeared through him, The shadows twisted beneath his flesh, and his heartbeat thundered like war drums.
*Arrrrrgh!*
But amidst the pain he still heard it, the voice of the demon boomed through his thoughts, it's voice alone almost destroyed his mind as it spoke to him in its somewhat spiritual voice.
[How delightful... This soul... Wait, what's happening?... No... Impossible!!!]
But he couldn't spare the energy to reply as his entire body convulsed with pain, even at that he could see something happening, the dark knight that terrorized their village fading slowly into nothingness, it's last words was a desparate cry that vanished with it into the 7wind.
[...SOUL EATER!!!]