"Once… this world trembled beneath the shadows of ruin."
Every child grew up hearing this line.
The scriptures spoke of the Forbidden Spirits—seven beings that should never exist. If even one awakened, kingdoms would fall, lands would burn, and memories would vanish.
Their names were carved into legend:
Void Tiger – Nocthyr: One roar, and an entire city vanished into silence.
Ash Phoenix: Reborn in fire. With every rebirth, forests turned to desert, lakes to salt.
Abyss Serpent: Twisted seas into graves, sinking fleets in a single night.
Iron Leviathan: A steel colossus. One step shattered mountains, toppled cities.
Nightmare Stag: Its antlers spread dreams that drove armies to madness and death.
Eclipse Dragon: Devoured sun and moon, leaving endless twilight.
Oblivion Crow: Where its wings spread, people forgot names, families—everything.
A thousand years ago, the Church of Spirits joined the Emperor to wage war.
One coastal city was "erased" by the Void Tiger—no screams, no fire, only a hollow scar on the map.
The survivors all said the same:
"It didn't kill… it erased."
The world believed the seven were destroyed, peace restored.
But shadows do not die. They wait.
And deep in the dark corners of history, whispers endured—
that the day the seven return, even gods will tremble.
The Old World — Without Spirits
The sky was never blue.
Only gray smoke choking the sun.
Streets cracked like veins. People shuffled by in torn masks, hollow-eyed and frail.
This was daily life: breathing poison, eating scraps, and hoping to survive one more night.
Children were born sick and weak, their lungs ruined before they could walk.
Mothers wrapped cloth around their babies, praying the air would not kill them before morning.
Fathers bartered broken tools, gambling scraps of metal for spoiled bread.
Hope was a word no one dared speak.
Kai was no one.
A slum boy with no Spirit.
No name. No future.
But even here, he clung to a spark.
Once, he saw thugs rip a mask from a child. The boy gasped for poisoned air.
Kai knew stepping in meant pain, yet still shouted:
"Cowards! You rob kids but don't dare face the poison yourselves?"
Fists crushed him. Blood filled his mouth.
But the child got his mask back and lived.
Kai laughed through pain. At least… he could do something.
Each night, staring at the gray ceiling, he whispered one dream:
"If I could see a blue sky just once…"
A Worthless Death
That evening, he found half a loaf of bread and half a bottle of water—treasure in the slums. He tucked them away and ran.
Five men blocked his path.
"Too fancy for trash like you."
A blade stabbed his stomach. Warm blood spilled.
Kai fought back with a rusty pipe. He cracked a wrist, smashed a jaw. For a heartbeat, hope sparked.
But hope doesn't last in the slums.
Boots crushed him to the ground. Fists rained until his body gave way.
The gang laughed, walking away with his bread. Killing him was no different than stepping on a rat.
Kai lay in blood, staring at the gray sky. He felt the warmth leaving him, draining into the cold ground.
The world blurred.
The shouts of the gang faded.
Even the pain dulled, replaced by heavy numbness.
His chest rose and fell slower, each breath rasping like rusted iron.
Tears stung his eyes—not for himself, but for the dream he would never reach.
"I never… even saw it… the sky…"
His lips trembled, whispering his last plea:
"If there's a better world… let me go there…"
The Man of Only a Mouth
Instead of darkness, he stood in a white void. Silent. Empty.
A tall figure appeared—pure white. No eyes, no nose. Only a mouth.
"You wonder why… you stand here."
"Yeah," Kai rasped. "I'm nobody. Trash dying in a slum. Why would a god choose me?"
The mouth curved—not smiling, but amused.
"Long ago, there was one like you. Worthless, yet defiant. He entertained me."
A chuckle echoed. "So I wonder… will you entertain me too?"
"And if I fail?"
"Then you're just a broken piece on my board," the voice said coldly.
"But if you reach the end… you might topple the board itself."
Kai shivered. He was no longer human—only a piece in a divine game.
"Before you go," the mouth whispered, "a gift. A Spirit that looks worthless… but if nurtured, can become the strongest of all."
Green light swirled, forming a small girl's shadow. She laughed softly, like wind brushing his cheek.
But the voice turned dark:
"Remember. Every gift has a price."
The void shattered into fragments of light.
A Room That Wasn't His
Kai opened his eyes on silk sheets. A chandelier glittered above. White curtains swayed with clean air—air he could breathe without a mask.
The mirror showed a strong, noble body.
From outside, a voice called:
"Prince Kai, it is time for the Awakening Ceremony."
His heart pounded. He had been reborn—into a world of Spirits.
The world he had dreamed of.
And in the silence, a soft giggle whispered in his mind:
"Let's have fun together… Kai."
He froze. The room was empty.
He did not yet know… this gift would shake kingdoms—
and mark him as heir of the Forbidden.