Ren's Dagger
Seventeen years ago, the sky over Azura City tore open. From those jagged portals emerged a chaos that nearly leveled civilization, halted only by the emergence of the Shield—a secret order of elite warriors who stood as the final line of defense against the monstrous entities of the "Beyond." Today, the portals are a part of life, and joining the Shield is the only path to honor.
For twin brothers Ren and Zen, the upcoming Shield Exam is the crossroads of their lives. Zen is the golden child—calm, precise, and possessing a natural talent that has already marked him as a future member of the Ten Leaders. Ren, however, is fueled by nothing but raw, reckless willpower. While his brother glides through training, Ren is the underdog, constantly dismissed by his peers and struggling to prove he belongs in a world where magic is outlawed and only results matter.
The gap between them becomes a chasm when Zen achieves a legendary status during the trials, while Ren is left behind, branded a failure. In a moment of brotherly parting, Zen leaves Ren with a single, strange parting gift: a weathered, unremarkable dagger. To the other aspirants, it is a cruel joke—a pity prize for the brother who couldn’t make the cut.
But as Azura City faces a new wave of portal activity and deep-seated secrets begin to leak from the Shield’s shadows, Ren realizes his journey isn't over. Haunted by his brother’s success and his own perceived weakness, Ren must decide if he will accept his fate or forge a new one. In a world that has already written him off, the "useless" dagger may be the only thing standing between Ren and the darkness threatening to consume his home.