Ashes of a Forgotten Life
On a freezing night in the mountains, four-year-old Izan Arakami is forced to flee his home after masked attackers descend upon his cabin. With only a backpack, a mysterious necklace, and his mother’s final instructions, Izan runs north into the snow—unaware that he is witnessing the last moments of the only family he has ever known.
As his home burns behind him and his world collapses, Izan’s body gives out in the wilderness. When all seems lost, the necklace awakens a hidden promise, summoning Sayaka—a powerful kitsune spirit bound by debt to his mother. Facing overwhelming enemies, Sayaka rescues the unconscious boy and carries him to safety.
Sheltered in a secluded cave, Izan drifts between memories and nightmares: a warm birthday morning, a cruel city that showed him the world’s ugliness, and the horrifying realization of his mother’s death. When he awakens, broken and terrified, Sayaka reveals the truth—she is his spirit guardian, and she will protect him at all costs.
This chapter marks the end of Izan’s childhood innocence… and the beginning of a life shaped by loss, fate, and unseen powers.
