Year: 2065, Gifu, Japan
Musashi, a sixteen-year-old high school student, lay deep in sleep when a strange noise ripped through the silence of the night. The darkness of his small room felt heavier than usual, pressing down on him as if warning something was wrong. He blinked his eyes open, heart pounding softly in the quiet. A muffled sound — faint, almost like chewing — came from somewhere nearby.
He rubbed his eyes and whispered, "Who's there?"
Beside him, his younger brother Aoi remained asleep, peaceful and innocent, unaware of the creeping danger. Musashi's breath hitched. The strange noise wasn't ordinary; it seemed to come from their parents' room.
Musashi's eyes darted around, and he realized the power had gone out. No hum of electricity, no blinking lights. The room was pitch black. His pulse quickened.
Quietly, he shook Aoi's shoulder. "Wake up, Aoi."
Aoi groaned, rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong? Why now? Look—" He gestured toward the clock.
Musashi listened closely. The ticking clock sounded amplified in the silence. 4 a.m. The strange noise came again — clearer, sharper.
"Do you hear that?" Musashi whispered.
Aoi's brow furrowed. "Hear what?"
"Shhh… listen carefully."
Aoi's expression changed to one of fear as he caught the sound. "Yeah, it's coming from Mom and Dad's room."
Panic welled in Aoi's voice. Musashi placed a steady hand on his brother's shoulder. "Stay here. I'll check."
"Be careful," Aoi said, voice trembling.
Musashi crept on hands and knees toward the door. Every breath was shallow, every heartbeat loud in his ears. He opened the door slowly and peeked inside.
What he saw froze him in place: a monstrous demon was feasting on their parents. His father's stomach was torn open, blood pooling beneath him. His mother lay lifeless and broken. His mother lips moved, whispering hardly:
"Run… run…"
The demon's gaze snapped to the crack in the door, locking eyes with Musashi. A guttural roar shattered the silence.
Without hesitation, Musashi grabbed Aoi and fled, slamming the door and shoving furniture to block the monster.
"We have to get out of here!"
They raced through the house, knocking over furniture to slow the demon.
"Where are we going?" Aoi panted.
"To Shirakawa Mountain. It's our best chance."
The demon broke through and chased them outside. Musashi locked the front door and sprinted toward the dense forest near the mountain.
Rain began to fall, cold and heavy, drenching them instantly. The slippery earth made each step precarious. Musashi smelled wet pine needles and damp soil. The rain masked their scent, hiding them from the demon's pursuit.
After what felt like forever, the demon stopped chasing. The brothers collapsed in a clearing, breaths ragged and muscles burning.
Musashi pulled off his shirt, wrapping it around Aoi's trembling shoulders. His brother shook from cold and terror.
Suddenly, dozens of glowing red eyes flickered in the dark. Demons emerged silently from the shadows, surrounding them.
Aoi clung to Musashi, trembling in fear.
One demon lunged, grabbing Aoi. Musashi lunged to stop it but was slammed into a tree, blood spilling from his mouth. Weakening, he whispered, "Aoi…" as darkness crept in.
Then, a blinding white light crashed through the night. The demons eating Aoi turned to ash and vanished. The rest fled into the forest.
A radiant goddess appeared before Musashi. She knelt beside Aoi's battered body, chanting softly. Light streamed from her hands, healing his wounds. Though unconscious, Aoi was alive.
Tears streaked Musashi's face. "Thank you…"
The goddess smiled and healed Musashi's wounds too.
"Who are you? Why help us? What happened to this world?"
"I am Theia Clarious, goddess of light," she said. "Tonight, your world fell. A portal to the demon realm opened. By dawn, civilization was destroyed. Kurai Hasu, the demon king, led the invasion that crushed humanity's strongest forces."
Pain and rage burned in Musashi's heart.
Theia summoned a sword glowing with celestial light. "This is Splendor Gracious, a divine sword forged by the gods. Only it can destroy demons permanently. Earthly weapons only drive them away for a time."
She placed the sword in Musashi's hands. "You are the chosen one. The fate of this broken world rests with you."
"Why me? Why now?" Musashi's voice shook.
"The answers will come with time."
As dawn broke, she vanished, leaving Musashi alone with the sword — and a ruined world.
His journey had begun.
---
To be continued…
---