The mist never lifted.
Even after the battle ended, the fog clung to us like a living thing, cold and whispering, as if the world itself was watching. My sword, Eclipsera, still pulsed faintly in my hand — its glow flickering with each breath I took.
The little girl sat by a cracked pillar, hugging her knees. I didn't even know her name yet, but her small frame trembled with exhaustion.
"Hey," I said quietly, sliding down beside her. "You okay?"
She nodded. "Y-yeah. I think so."
Silence. Only the low hum of the strange blue flames dancing on the ruins around us.
"What's your name?" I finally asked.
She hesitated. "…Aika."
"Aika," I repeated, the name soft on my tongue. "You said everyone here gets a weapon. Does that mean there are… others like us?"
She nodded. "Many. But not all survive long enough to understand what's happening. The soldiers — the soulless — they never stop hunting."
"Soulless?"
"They're spirits that couldn't move on. Their souls were consumed by this place. Now they serve the Generals."
"The Generals?"
Aika's eyes dimmed. "Ten of them. The guardians of death. They control everything here — the gates, the flow of souls, even the path to the Fountain of Return."
My chest tightened. Ten generals standing between me and life itself.
⸻
We walked for what felt like hours, following a faint path of glowing symbols etched into the ground. Every few steps, I caught shadows moving in the mist — echoes of lost souls, whispering fragments of forgotten lives.
I didn't say it out loud, but I was afraid. Not just of the monsters, but of the silence. It was too quiet. Like the world had stopped breathing.
Then, through the haze, I saw it — a massive structure, towering over the ruins.
A gate.
Black stone, carved with twisting patterns that seemed to shift when I looked at them too long. Two enormous statues stood on either side — faceless knights with swords buried in the earth.
Aika gasped. "The Gate of Passing…"
Before I could ask, the ground shook.
A sound like thunder rolled through the fog. I turned — and my stomach dropped.
From the mist emerged something massive — a hulking Soulless with jagged armor fused to its body, its weapon a slab of iron the size of a car. Each step made the ground shudder.
Aika screamed.
"Run!" I shouted, shoving her back.
The monster swung. I barely dodged, the blade cleaving into the earth, sending shards of rock flying. I countered, slashing with Eclipsera, blue light cutting across its arm — but it barely flinched.
It roared, swinging again. I blocked, but the force sent me flying into a pillar. My ribs screamed in pain.
I tried to stand, but my body wouldn't listen. Every breath was fire.
"Riku!" Aika cried.
The monster lifted its blade again, stepping closer. My hands shook as I raised Eclipsera — but my strength was fading.
Not like this.
I thought of my parents. Of the training. Of the life I wanted to return to.
But my vision blurred. The Soulless towered above me, its weapon raised high.
So this is it…?
⸻
Then, a whistle cut through the air.
A streak of red light crashed into the creature's chest, exploding into flames. The Soulless roared, stumbling back.
I blinked. A shadow dropped from the ruins above, landing between me and the monster.
He stood tall — maybe a few years older than me — with wild crimson hair and a half-grin that screamed confidence. His right arm glowed with red markings that pulsed like molten veins, and on his fists were blazing gauntlets wreathed in fire.
He turned his head slightly toward me.
"Looks like I showed up just in time, huh?"
Before I could respond, he dashed forward. His movements were fluid — a blur of flame and steel. Each punch ignited the air, each strike exploding with power. The Soulless swung its blade, but he ducked under it and slammed his fist into its chest. Fire erupted through its armor, bursting it apart in a wave of light.
When the smoke cleared, the monster was gone — reduced to glowing ash.
The red-haired fighter stretched his neck, grinning. "Man, those things never get tired of dying."
I stared at him, speechless.
Aika peeked from behind a rock, eyes wide.
He turned toward us, brushing ash off his shoulder. "You okay, kid?"
"I'm not a kid," I muttered.
He chuckled. "Relax, I'm messing with you. Name's Ren Takahiro. Been stuck in this nightmare for a while."
Ren. The name fit him — short, sharp, and full of energy.
"You fought like… fire," I said, still catching my breath.
He smirked, holding up his gauntlets. "Blazefang. My soul weapon. These babies burn with my life energy. The hotter they burn, the stronger I get."
Aika's eyes lit up. "So you've already mastered your power!"
"Mastered?" Ren laughed. "Not even close. But I've learned enough to stay alive."
He crouched beside me, offering a hand. "You're new, huh? Don't worry. Everyone wakes up confused. The trick is not dying before you figure out how this place works."
I took his hand, letting him pull me up. His grip was strong — confident in a way I wasn't.
"Riku Hayato," I said quietly. "And this is Aika."
Ren nodded. "Nice to meet you, Riku. Looks like fate decided to throw us together."
⸻
We sat near the Gate, the eerie symbols casting faint light across our faces.
Ren explained what he knew — how the realm was divided into regions, each ruled by one of the Ten Generals, how souls wander until they find their weapon, and how only those strong enough to defeat a General could reach the Fountain of Return.
"So the Fountain's real," I said.
Ren's smile faded. "I've seen people search for it for years. Some say it's just a myth. Others… claim they've seen it in their dreams."
I looked at my sword, its blue glow pulsing faintly. "Then I'll find it. I don't care how long it takes."
Ren chuckled softly. "You've got guts, I'll give you that." He stood, glancing at the endless mist ahead. "Come on. If you're serious about surviving, you'll need training — and a team."
I met his gaze, and something in me sparked. Maybe hope. Maybe determination.
"Then let's start," I said.
⸻
As we walked through the mist, the ground trembled again — faint but rhythmic, like distant footsteps.
Ren's grin returned. "Looks like the realm's already sending us a welcome party."
He flexed his burning gauntlets. I raised Eclipsera, its blue light meeting his red flame.
For the first time since dying, I didn't feel alone.
⸻
In that realm of death and silence, I met the one person who would change everything.
The day I found fire in the land of the dead… was the day I started living again.