The village of Eryndale slept under the soft glow of Solyra's twin moons, their silver light spilling over cobblestone streets and thatched rooftops. Even at night, the air hummed with Manael, a subtle energy that danced through every living thing—trees, animals, even the breeze carried it like an invisible river.
Kaito Takahashi walked through the village square, hands in his coat pockets, listening to the quiet. At twenty-five, he should have been fully grown, fully mortal, yet his reflection in the fountain's water told another story. Youth lingered on his face, untouched by time, untouched by fate.
He sighed.
Being semi-immortal wasn't the blessing people imagined.
For Kaito, it was a curse wrapped in kindness. He could heal from cuts, recover from wounds that would fell a dozen men, and resist sickness. But he felt every strike, every stab of pain, as sharply as a normal man—and his heart ached just as much when he lost those he loved.
Tonight, that ache gnawed at him.
From the shadows, a faint golden glow appeared. Aira Valen, the village healer, hovered near the fountain, her hands glowing with gentle Manael light.
"Kaito," she whispered, voice soft yet firm. "You shouldn't be wandering alone."
He smiled, brushing a lock of black hair from his face. "I like the quiet. It reminds me why I want to live. Why I want… happiness."
Aira frowned. "Happiness?" She tilted her head, eyes narrowing with concern. "With you, Kaito, everything always ends in someone getting hurt. You care too much."
He laughed quietly, almost bitter. "And yet here I am… still standing. Still walking. That's the thing about me, Aira. I survive."
A sudden shriek pierced the night.
Kaito's eyes snapped to the edge of the village. Dark, twisted shapes emerged from the woods—Manael-corrupted beasts, their bodies pulsating with blackened energy. Villagers screamed, fleeing in all directions.
Without thinking, Kaito ran toward the danger. His semi-immortal body reacted instantly, wounds he didn't yet have burning with the premonition of pain.
By the edge of the square, Lyra Emberfall, hair blazing like fire under the moon, fought two of the creatures. Her hands glowed with Fire Manael, flames dancing at her fingertips. "Kaito!" she shouted. "Help me—NOW!"
"Already coming," he replied, heart pounding.
Before he reached her, a shadow swept across the street. Riven Blackhart landed in front of the beasts, twin blades made of condensed Shadow Manael slicing through the air. His eyes, sharp and calculating, met Kaito's.
"Try not to die again," Riven muttered, voice dry as steel.
Kaito rolled his eyes. "No promises."
The fight was brutal. Fire, shadows, and Manael energy collided, illuminating Eryndale in bursts of orange and black. Kaito moved through the chaos, hands glowing with a faint healing aura, as he mended villagers' injuries in the midst of battle.
But then, a massive beast lunged, fangs glowing with dark Manael corruption. It sank its teeth into Kaito's side. Pain exploded through his body. Blood pooled at his feet.
For a heartbeat, he thought—This is it. This is how it ends.
Then, like a spark igniting from deep inside, his body surged with energy. Wounds closed, broken bones snapped back into place, and the pain remained—but he stood. Whole. Alive.
The villagers stared. Aira's hands trembled, her light flickering. "Kaito… that… that's impossible."
Riven's eyes widened slightly. "So it's true… You really are… semi-immortal."
Lyra threw her hands in the air, exasperated. "Figures. Only you would survive something like that and still smile!"
Kaito took a deep breath, eyes scanning the horizon. From the distance, a dark figure watched: Seraphine Korr of the Sanctum of Eternal Order. Her eyes glowed with cold Soul-Binding Manael, calculating, merciless.
She whispered to herself, almost amused:
"So… the anomaly is real. The semi-immortal walks among mortals… and he will learn the price of his existence soon enough."
Kaito didn't see her yet. He smiled faintly at his friends.
"Come on," he said. "We have work to do. Let's save our village first."
But deep in his chest, a question throbbed:
How long can I survive… before the world finally catches up with me?