A sigh was heard.
This is the story of a boy named Shio—a boy with no known past, no family, and nothing to guide him except a single fragile item: a paper origami dove.
To others, it might seem worthless. But to him, it means everything.
Shio was an orphan. He never knew his parents, nor did he have any relatives to turn to. The only person who ever took him in was a man who became like family—someone who appeared when darkness began to rise and corruption spread across the land.
His name was Gio, an old man who had watched over Shio since he was a child. No one really knew where Gio came from, not even Shio. His past was a mystery.
But Gio was more than just a guardian.
He was a master of both art and war—an aging war veteran whose body still moved with the sharpness of a seasoned warrior. People called him The Wanderer, a title given only to those deemed powerful enough to earn the respect of warriors and kings alike.
To Shio, though, Gio was just Gio: the kind old man who raised him, trained him, and stood by his side.
In this world, many were born with elemental gifts—fire, ice, earth, wind, and other rare abilities. Some used them for peace, others for power. Hidden in the shadows, powerful groups searched desperately for a single child: one marked with the ability to hold infinite power.
Shio was not like the others.
His power was strange—simple, even laughable to some. He could control paper.
Compared to the raging storms of lightning or the infernos of flame others could summon, Shio's ability was considered the weakest.
Even he didn't understand why he was born with such a power. But Gio believed in him.
Gio once said, "With the right discipline, paper can become sharper than any sword, lighter than any wind, and stronger than steel." He saw something in Shio—something no one else could see.
And indeed, Shio's power was far more dangerous than it appeared.
He could shape paper into anything—creatures, weapons, even massive constructs—and bring them to life. But that power came with a cost. Shio's control was fragile. In moments of fear or pain, it could spiral beyond his grasp.
One tragic day, it did.
In a single moment of panic, Shio unleashed a paper storm unlike anything the nearby village had ever seen. Swirling sheets of paper etched with strange symbols turned into weapons and beasts, tearing through fields and homes.
Farmers were injured. Some nearly died.
By the time Gio arrived—fighting his way through paper beasts to reach the eye of the storm—Shio was lost in the chaos.
It wasn't until the origami dove in Shio's pocket began to hum that everything stopped. A melody. A soft, familiar tune from his childhood.
The song, one Shio always whistled or sang, was something he had named "Memories."
And just like that, the storm calmed.
Gio never told Shio what happened that day. He kept the truth to himself and made a vow to one day reveal it—when the time was right.
After that, a promise was made: Shio would not use his powers unless it was a matter of life or death.
From then on, Gio began training him with purpose.
As time passed, Shio's strength grew. His bond with Gio deepened. His paper no longer fluttered—now it flew.
At fifteen, Shio stood on the edge of something greater. Gio had grown older, quieter. But the world had not slowed down.
And across the lands, whispers still spread.
They were all still searching—for the boy with the mark.