The Land of Aurendyl Air was in turmoil.
Not the kind whispered in rumors or buried beneath politics—but the kind that moved armies.
A name had ignited it all.
Dante Hardcane.
A criminal hunted across cities, villages, and borders. His name spread like wildfire, carried by fear and urgency. But it wasn't just the man they were after.
It was what he carried.
An artifact.
A relic said to hold a power beyond human limits—something capable of turning an ordinary person into something… more.
That artifact was known as Goldane Instincts.
For weeks, the soldiers of Freshross tore through the land in pursuit. They followed broken trails, interrogated civilians, and silenced anyone who stood in their way.
And finally—
They found him.
Dante Hardcane was captured.
There was no hesitation.
No trial.
No mercy.
The order was given.
And in the next moment—
He was executed.
Rain crashed down from the heavens, relentless and cold. Thunder split the sky, shaking the mountains of Aurendyl Air, while lightning carved blinding lines across the darkness.
For a brief second, the world lit up—
Revealing Dante's lifeless body, sprawled in the mud.
The soldiers stood over him, silent but tense.
The captain stepped forward, his boots sinking into the soaked earth. He crouched beside the corpse, eyes narrowing as he began his search. His men followed, tearing through every pocket, every layer of clothing, every possible hiding place.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
The storm grew louder.
But the tension grew worse.
"…Nothing," one soldier muttered.
The captain's expression hardened.
He reached into Dante's coat one last time—and pulled something out.
A small, worn pack of cigarettes.
That was it.
No artifact.
No relic.
Nothing.
"…Search again," the captain ordered, his voice low—but dangerous.
The soldiers obeyed immediately, more urgently this time. They searched the ground, the trees, even the surrounding area.
Again.
And again.
Still nothing.
The artifact…
Had vanished.
The captain slowly stood, rain dripping from his armor as his grip tightened.
Somewhere—
Somehow—
Goldane Instincts was no longer in their hands.
And that meant only one thing.
This wasn't over.
By the time the soldiers returned to the City of Freshross, the storm had not yet calmed.
Inside the towering capital, the report was delivered.
The king said nothing.
Not at first.
Then, without a word, he rose from his throne and walked toward the balcony.
The doors opened.
Wind rushed in.
Before him stretched the vast city—towering structures of stone and steel, a symbol of power, control… and order.
But above it—
Chaos.
The storm raged on, lightning tearing through the sky as thunder echoed across the land.
The king's gaze darkened.
The artifact was gone.
And something about that truth unsettled even him.
"…Find it," he muttered, his voice barely audible beneath the storm.
Because if they didn't—
Someone else would.
The next morning felt like a different world.
The storm had vanished, leaving behind a sky impossibly blue—clear, bright, and endless. Soft white clouds drifted lazily, and sunlight poured across the land, breathing life into everything it touched.
Far from the capital…
In the quiet Village of Lotus…
Life went on.
Fields of rice swayed gently in the wind. Farmers worked under the morning sun, tools in hand. Livestock roamed peacefully, and the scent of fresh plants filled the air.
It was simple.
Peaceful.
Unchanging.
And sitting on a rock near the shore, watching it all—
Was a boy.
Kai Ravensol.
The breeze brushed against his face, pushing his hair aside as his eyes followed the rhythm of the village. There was comfort in it.
A pattern.
A life that never changed.
He had always believed…
Nothing could take it away.
"Hey."
The voice broke his thoughts.
Kai turned slightly.
A knight stood behind him, armor clinking softly with each movement.
"I need some information," the man said. "Recruitment is underway for the City of Freshross."
Kai blinked, then nodded.
The knight flipped open a notebook.
"Name?"
"Kai Ravensol."
"Age?"
"Sixteen."
A pause.
The knight continued writing anyway.
"Height?"
"Five foot eight."
"Origin?"
"Village of Lotus. My house is near the shore."
The knight closed the notebook with a soft snap.
"You're too young," he said flatly. "Minimum age is eighteen."
Kai didn't argue.
Didn't react much at all.
"I'll come back," the knight added, already turning away. "When you're ready to serve the city… maybe even the land."
And just like that, he was gone.
Kai exhaled quietly.
Then closed his eyes.
In his mind—
The village disappeared.
In its place stood something vast.
A ship.
Not ordinary—but something he had built himself. Strong enough to cut through raging storms. Fast enough to cross lands without delay. A vessel that didn't fear the sea—or the skies above it.
Freedom.
That was what he wanted.
To go beyond borders.
Beyond control.
To create something no one else could.
Reality returned slowly.
Kai opened his eyes.
And the village was still the same.
Unchanged.
His past had always been… uncertain.
No parents.
No answers.
Only his uncle—a Royal Knight of Freshross—who had raised him without question.
Kai had learned to live quietly.
He was smart—far more than most—but words never came easily. Conversations felt forced. Connections felt distant.
So he stopped trying.
He kept to himself.
Thinking.
Designing.
Imagining.
He knew how to fight—but not well enough. Not fast enough.
Not strong enough.
Not yet.
The next day—
Everything changed.
Kai walked beside Dewey, the only person he could really call a friend. They took a quieter route to school, away from the usual crowd.
It felt peaceful.
Safe.
Until it wasn't.
Figures stepped out from the shadows.
Bandits.
Kai's body reacted before his mind did. He stepped forward, raising his arms—
A sharp crack rang out.
Pain exploded across his face as he was struck, his vision spinning.
Dewey shouted—but it didn't matter.
They were surrounded.
Outnumbered.
Helpless.
Blows came one after another, faster than Kai could think. He tried to stand his ground—tried to fight back—but his body wouldn't keep up.
Everything blurred.
Sound faded.
And then—
Darkness.
When Kai opened his eyes again, everything hurt.
His head.
His arms.
His chest.
He tried to move—
But couldn't.
Rope.
He and Dewey were tied to a tree.
"Dewey…" he muttered.
"I'm here…" came the weak reply.
They struggled—but it was useless.
Then—
Footsteps.
Slow.
Calm.
A man approached.
Without a word, he cut the ropes.
Kai and Dewey collapsed forward, gasping for air.
"Th-thank you…" Kai said, barely able to speak.
The man looked at them briefly.
"Don't take this route again," he said. "This is where bandits hunt."
Kai forced himself to look up.
"What's your name?"
The man paused.
A faint smile appeared.
"Jay Valentine," he said. "An adventurer… from the Land of Thaloun Grass."
There was something strange about him.
Something Kai couldn't explain.
And before he could ask—
Jay was already walking away.
Like he had never been there at all.
The sky burned orange as the sun began to set.
Seven hours.
That's how long they had been gone.
Kai escorted Dewey home in silence.
"Thanks, Kai…" Dewey said quietly. "I think I'll stay inside for a while."
Kai nodded.
"I get it."
They parted ways.
Alone once more, Kai walked near the shore.
That's when he saw it.
A faint glow.
Floating.
Waiting.
He stepped closer.
A bracelet.
Ancient.
Intricate.
Covered in symbols he couldn't read.
Something about it felt…
Wrong.
But he still reached out.
Picked it up.
"…I should give this to the historian," he murmured.
But instead—
He put it on.
The moment he stepped inside his house—
It began.
The bracelet tightened.
Hard.
Violent.
Kai gasped, clutching his wrist as pain surged through his arm like fire.
He tried to pull it off.
It wouldn't move.
"Get—off…!" he gritted.
He ran to his room, grabbing a knife, forcing it between the metal and his skin—
Nothing.
The bracelet tightened further.
The pain deepened.
Spread.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
His vision warped.
And then—
For a split second—
The bracelet glowed.
A faint, golden pulse.
Like something…
Had awakened.
Kai's body gave out.
He collapsed onto the floor.
Unmoving.
Unconscious.
Later that night, the door opened.
His uncle stepped inside, removing his armor with a tired sigh.
"Long day…"
He glanced toward Kai's room.
Closed.
"Don't forget to eat, Kai!" he called out casually.
No response.
He didn't think much of it.
He sat down.
Relaxed.
Unaware—
That just beyond that door…
Something had already begun.
Inside the room—
The bracelet pulsed again.
Faint.
Alive.
Waiting.