Chapter One: A Meeting in the Shadows
Deep within the forest, where sunlight barely pierced through the thick canopy, lived a young man alone in an old underground cellar just outside the village. He owned nothing but a few simple tools and a sword with a broken tip — yet in his heart burned an unshakable desire to become the strongest man in this world filled with magic and wonder.
One day, he heard rumors of a cave said to be home to a beast resembling a lion — but far larger, a creature that spewed molten fire from its mouth like a slumbering dragon beneath the earth. Without hesitation, the young man decided to face it.
He stepped into the cave cautiously, the air damp and heavy, the sound of dripping water echoing with his breath. Suddenly, a thunderous roar shattered the silence, and from the darkness emerged the monstrous lion, its eyes glowing like embers!The battle erupted — steel clashing against fire — sweat pouring down the young man's face as he fought desperately, feeling his end draw near...
But in a flash, someone appeared out of nowhere — a figure so fast he seemed to slice through the air — blocking the beast's fatal strike just in time.
With a nervous smile, the stranger said,"I came here to explore, not to die on the first day!"
The young man chuckled despite the danger, replying between breaths,"If you're scared, stay away from the lava!"
They fought side by side — one attacking fiercely, the other darting around to distract the monster. After a fierce struggle, the creature finally fell, leaving behind an eerie silence, as if even the forest had paused to breathe.
They gathered what they needed — the beast's hide and fragments of cooled magma — then sat by a small fire. The stranger began talking endlessly, cracking odd jokes until the young man laughed for the first time in ages.
"What's your name?" he asked.With a faint grin, the stranger replied, "I'm Ren. And you?""I'm Aeryon… I'm heading to the Isle of Beasts. That's where my path to power begins."
Ren hesitated, then smiled again."The Isle of Beasts? You're insane… but I'm coming with you!"
And so, their journey into the unknown began.