*The Cataclysmic Night *
1000 years ago,
It began with discovery—a group of researchers stumbling upon something that should have remained hidden. Deep within an abandoned cave system, they found it: a massive rectangular structure that hummed with otherworldly energy. The Realm.
They didn't understand what they were looking at. Ancient symbols carved into its surface seemed to shift and move in the torchlight, and the air around it felt charged, electric. One of them, driven by scientific curiosity, reached out to touch the strange markings.
The moment his fingers made contact, everything changed.
The night sky had been peaceful, moonlight casting silver shadows across the sleeping world. But as the Realm activated, that tranquility shattered like glass. The portal erupted with dark energy, tearing a hole between dimensions.
And through that hole, they came.
The mysterious creatures emerged from the shadows—not dozens, not hundreds, but millions of nightmarish entities pouring through the breach like a flood of living darkness. Their forms defied description: twisted amalgamations of flesh and shadow, with too many limbs, too many teeth, eyes that burned with alien hunger.
* THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF TERROR *
The massacre began immediately.
These creatures—known as the 'Spirits'—showed no mercy, no hesitation. They swept across the land like a plague, their inhuman shrieks filling the night air. Men, women, children—it made no difference. The Spirits tore through flesh with savage delight, their claws rending bone as easily as paper.
In the small village of Millbrook, the Morrison family had been preparing for bed when the screaming started. Sarah Morrison, heavily pregnant with her second child, clutched her five-year-old daughter Anna close as inhuman roars echoed outside their cottage.
"Mommy, what's that noise?" Anna whispered, her small hands gripping her mother's nightgown.
"Shh, sweetheart," Sarah whispered back, though her own voice trembled. "Everything's going to be—"
The door exploded inward.
Five Spirits burst into their home, their four arms ending in razor-sharp claws, their faces twisted parodies of human features. Their small, wiry frames moved with terrifying speed as their black eyes fixed on the family.
Anna's father, Thomas, grabbed a fire poker and stepped protectively in front of his wife and daughter. "Stay back!" he shouted, raising the makeshift weapon.
Before he could react, one of the Spirits grabbed his head and crushed it like it was nothing, blood and pieces of his skull splattered everywhere. Sarah's scream pierced the night as her husband's blood splattered across the walls.
"Thomas!" she cried, but another Spirit was already moving toward her. It attacked her, digging its claws into her chest and tearing her apart. It ripped off her arms and legs one by one, leaving her body in pieces on the floor. The Spirits started eating her, right in front of the little girl, who stood there, too shocked to move. She couldn't even cry, just staring at the horror. Then, one of the Spirits looked at her. It grabbed her by the stomach and ripped it open with its claws, pulling out her insides. The Spirit began eating her organs while she was still alive, her small body shaking in pain, her eyes wide with fear as she slowly died.
*THIS WAS ONLY ONE EXAMPLE. *
This scene played out millions of times across the world that night. In Tokyo, London, New York, Cairo—nowhere was safe. The Spirits appeared everywhere at once, as if coordinating their assault across the globe.
By morning, when the sun's rays finally drove the creatures back into the shadows, over ninety percent of humanity was gone. Cities lay in ruins, their streets choked with the dead. The few survivors huddled in basements, attics, anywhere the creatures hadn't thought to look.
It was the darkest night in human history. The night when humanity learned it was no longer alone in the universe—and that what shared existence with them wanted nothing but their complete annihilation.
*THE AFTERMATH *
In the weeks that followed, the scattered survivors began to understand certain truths about their new reality.
The Spirits, they discovered, had a weakness: ultraviolet light. Direct sunlight forced the weaker spirits to retreat, and artificial UV sources could drive them away. This discovery saved the remnants of humanity, but it came too late for the billions already lost.
The survivors fled to remote areas—dense forests, mountain caves, underground bunkers—anywhere they could set up UV barriers and wait out the nightmare. Gradually, these refuges grew into settlements, then into fortified towns.
Over the centuries, humanity slowly rebuilt itself, but never forgot the lesson of that terrible night: they were prey, and something far worse was always hunting them.
•PRESENT,
From the ashes of the old world arose something unprecedented—Eldoria, a massive metropolis that stretched across hundreds of square kilometers. It was a testament to human ingenuity and desperation, a fortress city designed to keep the darkness at bay.
The city was protected by two massive barriers. The outer wall, called 'Wall Apex', stood one hundred fifty feet tall and ten meters thick—a monolithic structure of reinforced concrete and steel that encircled the entire settlement. But even that wasn't enough. Inside Apex lay the 'Great Wall of Eldoria', equally impressive, creating a buffer zone called the Outskirts between the two barriers.
Both walls were equipped with massive UV lamp arrays that bathed the perimeter in protective light twenty-four hours a day. The soft purple glow had become as much a part of Eldoria's skyline as the towering skyscrapers within.
The Main Land, protected by the inner wall, was divided into eleven distinct sectors, each serving specific functions:
**Industrial Sectors 1-4** housed the manufacturing plants and factories that kept the city running. Sectors 3 and 4, designated as "Highly Dense Industrial Zones," produced everything from weapons to medical supplies.
**Commercial Sectors 5-6** formed the economic heart of the city, where citizens could find markets, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
**Sector 7**, the VIP Residential Zone, was home to Eldoria's elite—government officials, successful merchants, and anyone wealthy enough to afford luxury in a world where survival was never guaranteed.
**Sector 8** served as the massive storage area, housing emergency supplies and equipment needed to maintain the city's defenses.
**Sectors 9-11** belonged to the Spirit Hunters Organization: the Research Facility (S-9), Headquarters (S-10), and Training Ground (S-11) respectively.
It was in this last sector, SECTOR-11 or also known as the 'LEVITATION SECTOR', where Eldoria's defenders learned to fight back against the creatures that had nearly destroyed the human species.
■ THE SPIRIT HUNTERS ORGANIZATION :-
The SHO, as it was commonly known, represented Eldorian's greatest hope for survival. Founded in the early years after the Cataclysmic Night, it had evolved into a sophisticated military organization dedicated to one purpose: hunting Spirits and neutralizing external threats.
The organization was divided into two primary divisions:
**The Guardians** served as Eldoria's internal security force, protecting the city from threats within the walls and maintaining order among the civilian population. They were essentially military police with specialized training in Spirit combat.
**The Scouts** were the true hunters—elite warriors who ventured beyond Eldoria's protective barriers to track down Spirits, gather intelligence about the Realm, and search for Embers, the mysterious power sources that could grant humans supernatural abilities.
Within SHO, personnel were organized into four specialized Wads:
**WAD-1: Elite Hunters/Scouts** - The most skilled and powerful members of the organization, these were the warriors who took on the most dangerous missions beyond the walls.
**WAD-2: Trainers/Guardians** - Experienced fighters responsible for training new recruits and maintaining security within Eldoria.
**WAD-3: Medics** - Essential support personnel who could be attached to either Guardian or Scout units, providing medical care in the field and treating injuries.
**WAD-4: Peace Keepers/ Guardians** - The front-line defenders who maintained the walls and served as Eldoria's first response to internal threats. They are also known as 'PKS'.
The organization's hierarchy was simple but effective: those with the skill to kill Spirits earned the right to lead, and those who couldn't were expected to support those who could.
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■ THE REALM AND THE EMBERS :-
The source of humanity's nightmare remained active—a massive rectangular gateway that connected Earth to the Postmortal World, the parallel dimension where Spirits originated. Made of an indestructible material called Cosmic Stone, the Realm could only be destroyed by someone who had consumed a Cosmic Cosmum Ember, the most powerful type of these mysterious energy sources.
Embers themselves were one of the few advantages humanity had gained from the invasion. These pinkish crystalline objects, originally found only in the Postmortal World, had begun appearing on Earth after Spirits established a permanent presence. Each Ember was guarded by a powerful Spirit (usually a Elite grade Spirit), and claiming one required defeating its Guardian in single combat.
The reward, however, was worth the risk. Consuming an Ember granted the user supernatural abilities—enhanced strength, speed, elemental manipulation, or even stranger powers depending on the Ember's grade.
There were four types of Embers, classified by their power levels:
**Level 1: Common Embers** - The weakest variety, but still capable of granting significant enhancements to human abilities.
**Level 2: Cosmum Embers** - More powerful, these could grant abilities that bordered on the supernatural.
**Level 3: Cosmic Embers** - Found only in the Postmortal World, these granted powers that could easily rival Master Grade Spirits. They are very rare. And the Guardians of these Embers are the Master grades.
**Level 4: Cosmic Cosmum Embers** - The rarest and most powerful, also exclusive to the Postmortal World, this was rumored to grant abilities that could challenge even Grand master entity. This Ember is guarded by the Grand master itself.
The Embers gave humanity hope—proof that they could grow stronger, that they could fight back against the creatures that had nearly wiped them out.
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■ THE SPIRIT HIERARCHY :-
Understanding the enemy was crucial to humanity's survival, and over the centuries, SHO had classified Spirits into five distinct grades based on their power and threat level:
**Grade 1: Common Grade** - The most numerous and, ironically, the most human-looking Spirits. Standing slightly shorter than average humans but possessing four arms and razor-sharp teeth, these creatures were deceptively dangerous. Their incredible speed and venomous bite, which could kill within minutes, made them formidable opponents despite being the weakest grade.
**Grade 2: Epic Grade** - Larger and stronger than their Common Grade cousins, these towering entities were built like living tanks. Their enhanced durability meant they could absorb tremendous punishment while delivering devastating attacks. Though still found on Earth, they were thankfully less numerous than Common Grade Spirits.
**Grade 3: Elite Grade** - The most unpredictable category. Elite Grade Spirits were incorporeal beings, each possessing unique supernatural abilities. Some could manipulate minds through telepathy, others controlled elements or could teleport at will. They typically served as Guardians for valuable Embers, making them both dangerous enemies and necessary targets.
**Grade 4: Master Grade** - Fifty times more powerful than Elite Grades, these eight entities existed only in the Postmortal World. Known as the Eight Pillars, they had names that had become whispered legends among Spirit Hunters: Aura, Rurui, Hexa, Astra, Octa, 2QZ4, Ellen, and Black Spiral. Each served the supreme entity that ruled their realm.
**Grade 5: Grand Master Grade** - There was only one: Spiral, the supreme ruler of the Postmortal World and commander of all Spirits. This entity was more myth than reality to most humans, but SHO's intelligence suggested it possessed power beyond human comprehension.
This hierarchy defined humanity's enemies, but it also provided a roadmap for their eventual victory. Every Spirit killed, every Ember claimed, brought them one step closer to being strong enough to challenge the creatures that had taken their world.
---
THE STORY BEGINS,
## NOAH D.WILLIAMS
Against this backdrop of perpetual struggle, one young man prepared to enter the fight.
Noah Williams was twenty-one years old, though he looked older thanks to the hardships he'd endured. His striking blue eyes and prematurely white hair made him stand out in crowds—something he generally tried to avoid. An orphan since the age of ten, he had learned early that drawing attention was often dangerous.
His parents had been renowned scientists in Eldoria, pioneers in research that might have changed humanity's fate. But they had died under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind only questions and a son who had inherited their brilliant minds but none of their opportunities.
Noah worked as a janitor in an orphanage in Sector 7, a job that paid little but provided room and board. He was quiet by nature, speaking only when necessary and keeping his thoughts to himself. The other workers saw him as strange but harmless—just another casualty of a world that consumed its young.
But Noah harbored dreams larger than his circumstances. Every day, he watched SHO transports pass through the sector, carrying Elite Hunters to and from their missions beyond the walls. He studied their equipment, their bearing, their confidence. And he dreamed of joining them.
What no one knew—what Noah himself barely understood—was that something slept within him, a power inherited from his parents' research that would soon change everything.
*(A CHANCED ENCOUNTER)*
■ The streets of Eldoria at night were always unpredictable. The air was crisp but carried the lingering scent of damp pavement and burning trash—a reminder of the city's underbelly. Neon lights flickered, casting eerie shadows against the cracked sidewalks, while the occasional distant siren echoed through the alleys.
Noah kept his head down, hands in his pockets, his footsteps steady. He had learned long ago that drawing attention in places like this was asking for trouble. But tonight, trouble found him first.
The voice came from an alley mouth to his left. Noah didn't break stride, but his muscles tensed. He recognized the speaker—Marcus Vega, a twenty three-year-old dropout who ran with a pack of similar losers. They made their living robbing workers, stealing from vendors, and generally making life miserable for anyone weaker than themselves.
"Hey, orphan boy!" Marcus called out, stepping into Noah's path. "Didn't you hear me talking to you?"
Four other young men emerged from the shadows, surrounding Noah with practiced ease. They were all older, all larger, and all carrying weapons—pipes, chains, and knives gleaming in the neon light.
Noah stopped walking and slowly raised his head to meet Marcus's gaze. "I heard you. I just don't have time for whatever this is."
Marcus laughed, a sound like breaking glass. "Time? You work cleaning toilets at an orphanage. What could you possibly have to do that's more important than talking to us?"
"Yeah," one of his followers chimed in, a thin boy with acne scars and cruel eyes. "Show some respect, freak."
Noah sighed internally. He'd hoped to avoid this, but these idiots were determined to make it his problem. "What do you want, Marcus?"
"What do I want?" Marcus stepped closer, invading Noah's personal space. "I want you to remember your place. You think because you live in Sector 7 that makes you better than the rest of us? You think because your parents were somebody that makes you somebody?"
The mention of his parents made Noah's jaw tighten, but he kept his expression neutral. "I've never claimed to be better than anyone."
"Bullshit." Marcus shoved him hard in the chest, forcing Noah to take a step back. "You walk around here like you're too good to talk to people, like you're above us somehow. Well, tonight you're gonna learn some manners."
Noah looked around at the five young men surrounding him. They were confident, aggressive, and stupid—a dangerous combination. He could try to talk his way out of this, but he doubted they'd listen. They wanted violence, and they'd keep pushing until they got it.
"Last chance," Noah said quietly. "Walk away now, and nobody gets hurt."
The gang burst into laughter.
"Nobody gets hurt?" Marcus pulled out a knife, its blade catching the light. "You're funny, orphan boy. But you're about to stop being funny."
He lunged forward with the blade aimed at Noah's stomach.
Noah moved.
His hand shot up, catching Marcus's wrist and stopping the knife inches from his body. His grip tightened, and Marcus gasped as the bones in his wrist began to grind together.
"Drop it," Noah said calmly.
Instead of complying, Marcus tried to grab Noah with his free hand. Noah twisted the wrist holding the knife, and there was an audible crack as bones shifted. Marcus screamed and dropped the weapon.
The other four gang members attacked simultaneously.
Noah released Marcus and spun to face the new threats. The first attacker, the thin boy with the cruel eyes, swung a metal pipe at Noah's head. Noah ducked under the swing and drove his elbow into the boy's solar plexus. The impact lifted him off his feet and sent him crashing into a pile of garbage cans.
The second attacker came from behind with a chain, but Noah had heard his footsteps. He pivoted and caught the chain in his hand, then yanked hard. The attacker stumbled forward, directly into Noah's rising knee. The impact broke his nose and sent blood spraying across the alley.
The third and fourth attackers had learned from their companions' mistakes. They approached more cautiously, trying to flank Noah from both sides.
"He's fast," one of them muttered to the other. "Be careful."
Noah smiled grimly. "You should have listened when I gave you the chance to leave."
He feinted toward the man on his left, then suddenly changed direction and launched himself at the one on his right. His fist connected with the man's jaw, and there was another sickening crack. The man dropped like a stone.
The last standing gang member took one look at his unconscious friends and ran.
Marcus was still on the ground, cradling his broken wrist and glaring up at Noah with a mixture of fear and hatred. "This isn't over, freak. You think you're tough? Wait until—"
Noah's foot slammed into Marcus's ribs, cutting off his threat. The young man curled into a ball, gasping for air.
"It's over," Noah said quietly. "And if you or your friends ever bother me again, I'll fucki'in kill you. Are we clear?"
Marcus nodded frantically, unable to speak.
Noah was turning to leave when the sound of approaching sirens reached his ears. Blue and white lights flickered at the end of the alley as two Peace Keeper vehicles arrived on scene.
Four officers emerged, their hands resting on their weapons as they assessed the situation. The lead officer, a tall woman with graying hair and intelligent eyes, approached Noah while her partner checked on the injured gang members.
"I'm Sergeant Hayes," she said, her voice professional but not unfriendly. "Are you injured?"
"I'm fine," Noah replied, wiping blood from a small cut on his knuckle.
Sergeant Hayes looked around at the scene—five gang members in various states of injury, and one young man without a scratch on him. "Want to tell me what happened here?"
"They tried to rob me," Noah said simply. "I defended myself."
One of the other officers approached. "Sergeant, I know these punks. Marcus Vega and his crew. They've been causing trouble in this sector for months. We've had dozens of complaints about them."
Hayes nodded, then looked back at Noah with new interest. "Most people who tangle with Vega's gang end up in the hospital. You don't even look winded."
Noah shrugged. "I got lucky."
"Lucky." Hayes studied him for a long moment. "What's your name, son?"
"Noah Williams."
Something flickered in her eyes at the mention of his surname, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, she pulled out a small card and handed it to him.
"This is a SHO recruitment card," she said. "It's not something we hand out lightly. Most people who receive one have shown exceptional skill in combat situations."
Noah looked down at the card, its silver emblem gleaming under the streetlights. The Spirit Hunters Organization logo seemed to pulse with its own inner light.
"You think I could qualify for SHO?" he asked, trying to keep any kind of excitement out of his voice.
"I think you've got potential," Hayes replied. "Raw talent like what you just displayed doesn't come around often. With proper training, you could be a real asset to the organization."
Her partner nodded agreement. "Take that card to the Training Ground in Sector 11. They'll evaluate your abilities and see if you're SHO material."
"But understand," Hayes continued, her tone growing serious, "joining SHO isn't a game. You'll be fighting Spirits—creatures that make these street punks look like children. People die in this job, son. Make sure you're ready for that reality before you walk through those doors."
Noah looked down at the card again, feeling its weight in his hands. This was what he'd been dreaming of for years—a chance to prove himself, to become something more than just another orphan janitor.
"I understand the risks," he said. "I won't let you down."
Hayes smiled for the first time since arriving. "See that you don't. Eldoria needs good people willing to fight for it."
As the Peace Keepers finished their work and loaded the gang members into their vehicles, Noah stood alone in the alley, staring at the recruitment card. The emblem seemed to glow brighter in the darkness, as if responding to his determination.
He pocketed the card and began walking home, but his mind was already racing ahead to the possibilities that awaited him. Tomorrow, he would begin the process of joining SHO. Tomorrow, his real life would begin.
Behind him, the alley returned to its normal state of shadowed quiet. But something had changed in those few minutes of violence. Noah Williams had taken his first step toward a destiny that would reshape not just his own life, but the fate of humanity itself.
As he disappeared into the maze of Eldoria's streets, the neon lights flickered overhead, casting new patterns on the pavement. And in those shifting lights, if one looked carefully, they might have seen the faint outline of something that had been watching the entire encounter from the rooftops above.
Something that had been very interested in the young man's display of unusual strength and speed.
Something that had been waiting for him to reveal himself.
---
*END OF CHAPTER 1**
*Spirit Hunters: Volume 1*