Kythera...was a land untouched by greed, where kindness flowed as freely as the rivers that wound through endless forests. Its people lived in harmony with the world around them, disciplined in body and spirit, valuing modesty, honor, and the quiet joys of life. Love and marriage were sacred, strength was measured by courage and skill, and laughter was a sound as common as the wind rustling through the tall trees.
The forest was a cathedral of green, its towering trees reaching skyward, roots entwined with the foundations of homes built from wood and stone. Mountains loomed like eternal guardians, their peaks hidden in clouds, while rivers shimmered like molten silver, carrying both life and reflection through the land. Technology was a stranger here; life was simple, grounded, and raw, shaped by the body, the mind, and the heart.
Among these people walked Ankar Zypher, leader of Kythera's warriors, a man whose presence commanded respect even in silence. Decades of relentless training had refined his body, but it was his mind that set him apart. He had invented Ren, a martial discipline that fused strength, speed, and focus. a method of channeling energy within the body, turning thought into movement and movement into power, via the harmony with nature. Through Ren, the body became an instrument, each motion deliberate, each strike precise and as calm as a leaf.
Ankar rose with the first light, guiding the young men and women who sought his teachings. Among them was his son, Jin Zypher, a boy whose determination mirrored his father's in youth. Day after day, Ankar shaped Jin's movements, teaching him to move as if his body were water, his mind a blade.
"Jin, the one who is truly strong is not the one who defeats his enemies, but the one who masters his desires," Ankar said one morning, the forest hushed around them. "To seek power with greed is like chasing warmth from a fleeting fire, it will burn you hollow and leave you...cold." he spoke, guiding Jin's head towards a leaf. "Be as patient as a leaf, falling, knowing that it will reach the ground in its own time. Do not rush, do not fight the wind. Every moment, every motion, every choice has its place, learn to flow with them, and strength will come not from force, but from harmony with one's self, and nature, for the nature is the teacher of all."
Jin nodded, absorbing the words with reverence, sweat streaking his determined face. Beyond their training grounds, the village thrived. People worked, laughed, and loved with sincerity, their lives intertwined with the rhythm of the forest. The air was alive with the sounds of practice, the clash of wooden swords, the beat of bare feet against soil, the soft hum of focus that hung like a veil over the land.
For twelve years, Kythera had known peace.
Ankar stood atop a high ridge one evening, Jin resting at his side. The sun dipped behind the mountains, painting the sky in fiery gold and crimson. For a moment, he allowed himself a rare calm, a fleeting peace. Yet the wind carried a strange weight, a chill that had no place in the warmth of evening. Birds scattered in frantic flight, and even the forest seemed to hold its breath.
And then it came. The sky darkened as if the heavens themselves recoiled. Every eye turned upward, hearts pounding. Massive wings sliced through the mountains, casting shadows that swallowed the stars. A form cloaked in obsidian energy hurtled downward, tearing the clouds. It struck the land with the force of a falling mountain, cleaving through forest and earth alike.
Kythera's peace shattered under the impact. Trees splintered, rivers surged in protest, and the people stared in horror, powerless to halt the approaching storm.
The black dragon had arrived.
"Neither heaven… nor earth… can stop my ambition." he roared, his voice rolling across the land like thunder, making hearts pound and blood run cold even from a distance. Shadows stretched unnaturally, and the forest itself recoiled as his black power spread, twisting trees into skeletal forms, devouring the light, and leaving a trail of death in its wake.