Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: The Edge of Shadows

In a world where light is a fragile luxury, humanity clings to survival behind colossal stone walls, remnants of an ancient age that once ruled this land. Beyond these towering defenses lurk the Forsaken—monstrous beings born from a cursed realm, grotesque and merciless. They are spawned from darkness itself, creatures that devour hope and threaten to extinguish the last flickers of life.This is Shirogane City—the last bastion. Its streets and alleys carry the weight of countless battles, scars etched in stone and spirit alike. Within these walls, warriors known as the Vanguard stand as humanity's shield, wielding rare and potent weapons called Shadow Blades. These blades are not mere steel but manifestations of their wielders' souls—bound by will, forged in pain, and glowing with ethereal energy.Kazuki Tachibana is one such warrior, a Soulbinder born from loss. His village was razed by the Forsaken when he was a child, and from the ashes, he rose with a resolve carved from grief—to protect those who remain and face the darkness head-on.Tonight, under a blood-red moon, Shirogane faces the storm once again.Kazuki stood atop the western battlements, the cold wind whipping through his dark hair as he stared into the encroaching shadows. The city lights flickered like dying embers beneath the vast sky, and beyond the walls, the unmistakable signs of the Forsaken's approach sent a chill deeper than the night air.A silent oath pressed on his heart. He tightened his grip on his Shadow Blade's hilt—a brilliant weapon that shimmered with blue flames matching the fierce fire burning within him."Vanguard to all units," Commander Ryoma Takeda's voice echoed through the battlefield comm-link, steady and commanding despite the tension. "The Forsaken breach has been detected at the eastern sector. Hold your ground—reinforcements are en route. Failure is not an option."Kazuki exhaled slowly, the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders. He had trained for this—for every unbearable loss and every hard-fought victory leading him here. Beside him, Reina Hoshizora, his childhood friend and trusted scout, scanned the horizon with sharp eyes."They're coming," Reina whispered, her voice cold but unwavering. "And not just the usual scouts. Something bigger is behind this."From the darkness, monstrous shapes surged forward, twisted limbs clawing and teeth gnashing under the moon's eerie glow. The Forsaken moved with terrifying speed and savage intent, their snarls cutting through the night like blades.Kazuki felt the familiar tingle as his Shadow Blade responded to the threat, its ethereal energy swelling in his palm. This was no ordinary weapon—it was a part of him, bound by his spirit and resolve. As he leapt down from the walls to join the fray, his mind flickered to the ghost of a memory—the last promise to those lost, a vow to never falter.The clash came swift and brutal. Kazuki's blade danced through the air in fluid arcs of glowing blue, each strike severing the foul creatures that dared threaten their home. Nearby, Reina moved like a shadow, her blades slicing clean and precise, a whirlwind of grace and deadly intent.Amid the chaos, a distant roar cut through the clamor—low, rumbling, different from the howls of the Forsaken. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and from the hazy mist emerged a figure draped in swirling black smoke, eyes blazing with an unholy fire.The Wraith King.Towering and terrifying, he was the source of the curse itself, an ancient evil that sought to plunge the world into eternal darkness. His presence drained the light, warping the battlefield into a nightmare."Stand your ground!" Commander Takeda bellowed. "Vanguard, protect the city at all costs!"As Kazuki charged toward the monstrous king, a new realization struck him—this battle was no mere raid. It was a reckoning. The beginning of a war that would test every fiber of their courage, every shred of their humanity.In the swirling maelstrom of steel and spirit, alliances would be forged and broken. Secrets buried in blood would rise. And Kazuki, bearing the fire of his lost village, would step forward either to save or to be consumed by the darkness.The chronicles of the forsaken had begun.