Prologue
Six hundred years ago, demons first appeared upon the earth.They were terrifying beings, stronger than men by many times. Human weapons could not pierce their skin—no blade, no arrow could even leave a scratch. Humanity, caught like mice in a trap, perished by the millions. Despair engulfed all—whether king or noble, commoner or slave, none could resist.
In their desperation, the people turned their prayers to the heavens. Yet the gods remained silent. Kingdoms fell one by one, and survival became nothing more than fleeing and hiding. Even so, mankind never ceased praying, for in their darkest hour, prayer was the only act left to them.
A hundred years after the demons' arrival, sixty percent of humanity had already been annihilated. Then, on one fateful day, the Goddess of Light and Mercy, Sheever, could no longer bear witness to the demons' cruelty. She descended, choosing among mankind the bravest and strongest warrior. To him she bestowed her blessing and a sacred sword. Thus, the First Hero, Icarus, was born.
His power was boundless. Even the mightiest of demons fell before his blade. Soon, other gods took pity on humanity as well: Polemos, God of War and Destruction, and Sidirourgos, God of Metal and the Forge. Polemos taught mankind the art of battle and the way to strengthen their bodies. Sidirourgos taught them the craft of forging weapons sharp enough to pierce demon flesh.
At last, mankind could stand against the demons. From this moment, the demons' reign of terror began to wane. History would forever record this era as the First War of Humans and Demons.
Two centuries later—three hundred years ago—the First Hero Icarus passed away. Without his strength, the war turned once more in the demons' favor. Yet when humanity teetered on the brink of despair again, an unthinkable event occurred: last alive six of the thirteen Demon Kings came forth and proposed a truce.
After long negotiations, war ceased. The continent was divided in two: Spiti, the realm of humans, and Ektoros, the realm of demons. In time, the two sealed continents reopened their borders, and one hundred and fifty years later, on the borderlands, a joint nation was founded—Syanergasia, the first nation of both human and demon.
Fifty years after that—one hundred years ago—the Goddess of Light appeared once more. This time, she chose a ten-year-old boy, Pistik, as the Second Hero. Without prophecy or warning, she vanished, leaving only confusion behind.
At twenty, Pistik set forth on a journey to discover his destiny. Along the way, he gained both human and demon companions. They became known as the Hero's Party. But during their travels, they uncovered a dreadful secret: for over two centuries, the demons had been secretly amassing power. Their true aim was to annihilate humanity and unify the entire continent under their dominion. In that moment, Pistik understood why the goddess had chosen him.
Thus began the Second Human–Demon War.
Among the Hero's Party were two demons. When the Second War broke out, one of them chose to return to the side of the Demon Kings. But the other demon could not betray his companions—he returned instead to Syanergasia, the joint nation of humans and demons.
Though Syanergasia was born from unity, it became the land most burdened by the war. Pressed by both sides, scorned as traitors by humans and demons alike, its people endured endless pressure. Yet even so, the nation held firmly to its belief: that humans and demons could live together as one.
But the wider world had already lost that hope. The humans and demons of the continent had chosen the path of bloodshed. Reconciliation was no longer possible.
This war raged for twenty years. On the demon side stood six Demon Kings and their countless legions. On the human side, eight kingdoms united under the Second Hero's banner. Blood soaked the land, and the cost of battle grew so high that even the warring sides began to forget why they fought.
At last, Pistik led his army to Syanergasia, the borderland nation, where he and the Demon Kings agreed to meet. But in the third day of negotiations, Pistik launched a surprise attack with his companions, slaying two Demon Kings. Enraged, the remaining Kings struck back and defeated the Hero's Party.
Facing certain death, Pistik offered up his own life to the Goddess of Light in exchange for a final miracle. His sacrifice erected an eternal barrier, splitting the human and demon continents forever. But Syanergasia, along with the Demon Kings and the Hero's Party, was sealed within the barrier as well—frozen in timeless torment.
Thus the continent of Spiti entered an age of fragile peace.
Present Day—170 Years Later
The barrier still stands. The world has forgotten the true horror of demons. But peace is fragile, and destiny moves once more…