Caf was a boy without parents.Well, technically, he had parents —but not his real, blood-related ones.
And that wasn't great, because in this world,a lot depends on your blood:what kind of magic you have and which side you belong to.
The Devils and the Lightbearers had been at war for many years.Both sides had the same goal — to kill the strongest one:the king.
Caf was told that, as a baby, he had been left at the village by mysterious people.
He played tag in the courtyard with his friend Fya.He was raised by the village's two great warriors:Doll, the warrior, and Fyi, the warrior woman.
They also raised a boy named Mike,but their real child was Fya —she was even called "the future of the village."
Caf often heard things like:"Fya has so much talent…""Oh man, Caf — Fya can do that way better…"
He was constantly compared to her.But… she never compared herself to him.
One day, Fya said to him:"Caf, don't worry. Just because they say I have talent doesn't mean you don't, okay?"
Caf grinned and replied:"Thanks, Fya. But come on — let's fight a little, yeah?"
Fya nodded:"Yeah, definitely!"
Then the great warrior Doll came into the courtyard and said to them:"When you turn 12, your training will begin — that's in two years.So I want you to stop playing and start training."
Fya replied angrily:"Why do we always have to train?"
Her father said:"Because you have talent."
Then Doll looked at Caf and added:"And you should start training more, too. Come on now."Then he went off into the village to do some trading.
As he walked away, Fya said to Caf:"Hey Caf, let's fight today, alright?"She grinned at him.
They went to her father's training room.Inside was a battle arena, some training dummies, and lots of swords.
Fya looked at the big weapons and said:"My favorite weapons are those long swords over there.What about you, Caf?"
"To be honest… I don't really like weapons," Caf replied.
"Caf?", Fya asked.
He added:"Let's just fight already, yeah?"
"Okay!", she answered.
They climbed up into the battle arena.
Just before they started, Fya said:"Hey Caf... it's just a training fight, okay?"
"It's okay," Caf replied.
And they both ran at each other.
Fya quickly stuck out her foot, and Caf tripped right over it.He landed face-first on the ground.He rolled to the side and got back up —but Fya was so fast, she was already right in front of his face again.
She threw a rapid series of punches.Caf was knocked right out of the arena.
Doll had been watching and said:"That's my girl."
But Fya responded:"Caf was good too, Dad!"
Caf lay on the ground below the arena.He stood up, blood dripping from his nose.He wiped it away with his hand and grinned.
"Man, Fya... you're really good. How much do you train?"
Fya answered:"A lot. I'm basically forced to."She glanced at her father.
Doll said:"Fya, it's good for you. Don't you see your talent?"
Fya just shrugged.
Caf climbed back into the arena and said:"Alright, Fya — now let's fight with magic, okay?"
Doll began to respond:"Caf, do you really want—"
—but he didn't get to finish his sentence,because Fya cut him off:
"Okay, Caf! Let's do it!"
They both walked to opposite corners of the arena.
But Caf had a problem:He had no magic.He hadn't awakened yet.
In this world, you have to awaken in order to use magic.Fya had already awakened — and that made Caf feel embarrassed.
Most people awaken between the ages of 9 and 12,and Caf still hadn't.
Then Fya said:"Alright, activate your magic!"
She raised her hand, and a golden aura surrounded it —Light Magic.
She was a Lightbearer.Caf thought to himself:"Her blood is probably even golden... while mine is just red.Am I... nothing?Not a Lightbearer... not Devilblood?What am I?"
Then Caf asked aloud:"Doll... why is my blood still red? What am I?"
Doll answered calmly:"Don't worry, Caf.Your blood will turn gold — you are a Lightbearer. I can feel it.And to answer your question:Your blood only changes after awakening.But it seems you haven't awakened yet."
When Fya heard that, she started laughing.She repeated his name three times:
"Caf... Caf... Caf!You — y-you...YOU HAVEN'T AWAKENED YET?!"
She burst out laughing and threw herself to the ground,gasping between laughs:"Oh man! That must be so embarrassing for you!"
Two months passed.
Fya and Caf now trained daily for warrior training.They were getting better and better at fighting.
And then — one night,Caf awakened.
He was asleep in his bed,when suddenly he opened his eyes —his blood was boiling.
A dark aura surrounded him,so powerful that it shattered his table and bed.
Then Caf felt a force inside him — for the very first time.He collapsed.His blood stopped boiling.He fell to the floor.
Panicked, he opened a drawer, pulled out a knife,and cut himself.
Black blood dripped onto the floor.
"No... no, this can't be.I'm... Devilblood?!I can't tell anyone..."
That's what Caf thought.
But then —out of the corner of his eye —he saw someone standing there.
It was Fya.
She had woken up from the noise.Her room was right next to his.
She stood in the doorway,walked into his room,quietly shut the door behind her,and said:
"C-Caf... you're... why...?"
Caf dropped to his knees.
"I don't know...", he said."Why the hell am I Devilblood?"
Fya said:"Okay... okay. We don't have to tell anyone, right?You'll just have to be careful not to bleed or anything."
She hugged him tightly."W-we'll get through this, yeah?"
Suddenly —an explosion shook the house.The ground trembled violently.
Caf was thrown to the side.Fya crashed against the wall.
Then they heard Doll shouting:"GET DOWN HERE — NOW!"
Everyone gathered downstairs in the house.
Fyi and Doll stood there with serious faces.Fyi said:"You two need to leave.The village is under attack... by Devilblood.And there's a general with them."
Caf responded, panicked:"A... a general?!"
Doll grabbed a sword and began strapping on his armor as he spoke:"Yes. A general.The Devil King has five generals — and one of them is here.That's why you must go."
Then Doll turned to his daughter."Fya, my beloved daughter — promise me...if I fall, you'll avenge me, alright?"
He hugged her tightly.
Fyi stepped in.All three embraced.
Caf stood nearby, uncertain —but it was okay.It felt right.
Doll looked at Caf.Caf said:"Thank you, sir... for everything."
Doll nodded.He handed Caf and Fya each a sword.
"Now go — and survive for us."
They opened the back window.Caf and Fya climbed out and disappeared into the night.
Meanwhile, Fyi and Doll opened the front door —and were immediately attacked.
But Doll reacted in an instant.With deadly precision, he stabbed the enemies,and they collapsed lifeless to the ground.
Fyi's hand lit up —a golden aura surged around her.Then, over her shoulders, five glowing orbs of light appeared.
Each orb shot off in a different direction —all five hit their targets, piercing them completely.
Then —from behind —five more Devilblood soldiers approached.Two of them had bows.
They fired at the same time.Fyi dodged the first arrow —but the second struck her in the foot.
She gritted her teeth and drew her sword.In one hand she held the blade;in the other, she summoned her golden aura.
She shouted to Doll:"GO! Fight the general!"
Doll nodded and charged forward —cutting down enemies left and right.
Then he saw him.
Sitting atop a massive horse,clad in heavy black armor —Hawk, the weakest of the five generals.
Doll shouted at the top of his lungs:
"YOU'RE DEAD!"
And ran straight at him.
He kicked him off the horse. The horse ran away.General Hawk stood up.The two warriors looked directly into each other's eyes.
Doll, only lightly armored with a sword,against Hawk, armored from head to toe in heavy black armorwith a sword forged from a special ore.
Hawk struck,Doll barely dodged.
Hawk attacked again,this time Doll parried the blow and kicked Hawk down.
Doll turned his sword downward and thrust it into Hawk's armor —but it didn't go through.
Hawk grabbed Doll and threw him to the ground.
A Devilblood saw the fight and called other Devilbloods over.They pulled out bows, drew them, and shot all arrows at the fallen Doll.
He rolled to the side,but still, he was hit by four arrows:two in the leg, one in the arm, and one in the stomach.
Hawk used the opportunity,picked up his sword, and stabbed Doll right in the stomach.
He dropped to his knees, spat blood, and his last words were:"Hawk, you're getting older, and in a few years my daughter will come,she will hunt you and get you, remember the name: Fya!"
Hawk pulled the sword out of his stomach and kicked him in the face.
The Devilbloods drew their bows again and fired.All arrows hit.
Doll was dead.
But on a mountain near the village stood Fya and Caf.They saw the fight.Fya was so angry, she couldn't do anything.She screamed:"FATHER NO!"
Tears fell down.Caf took her hand and walked further into the forest.It was so dark you could see nothing.
Fya raised her hand and created light in her palm.Then she said:"Caf, my father..."Caf answered:"Yeah… I'm sorry."
Then Fya said:"I, Fya from the village, swear that I will kill this general!"Caf answered:"Good, I'll help you. Let's go to the next city, okay?"
Fya wiped the tears from her face.They walked a bit furtheruntil they heard bone sounds.Caf shouted:"Skeletons! Watch out!"There they were: six skeletonswith broken armor and damaged swords. KI