The world of Aetherin burned with light, not from the sun, but from within.

Every soul was born with a flame.

From the lowliest farmer in Verdelune to the sharpest assassin in Umbrawell, the soul fire burned—shimmering green for the common people, azure for the elite warriors of the Blue Flame Clan, crimson for the war-forged Red, black for the cursed, and—rare beyond legend—gold.

No one alive had seen a Gold Flame.

Until him.

He was born in the silence of night, in a hut nestled in the outskirts of Verdelune, the peaceful region of the Green Flame Clan. Rain fell outside, drumming like war cries on the wooden roof as if the heavens protested his birth.

His mother, Midori Kagetsuki, a gentle herbalist with a flame green as the forests around them, held the newborn in trembling arms. She gasped not because of pain, but wonder.

The flame above his chest, visible only to soul-sensitives, flickered gold.

Not green. Not blue. Not red. Gold.

The flame flared and pulsed as if alive, releasing energy that rippled across the soul plane. Somewhere in Aokigahara, the Blue Flame clan’s Soul Mirror cracked down the middle. In Pyrevault, ancient warriors in volcanic temples opened their eyes after decades of slumber. And in Umbrawell, the assassins felt something stir—an awakening.

They all knew.

The balance had shifted.

They came for him ten years later.

Two soul warriors from Aokigahara: Renka Aokiba and Kaizen, twin prodigies of the Blue Flame Clan. Their orders were simple: eliminate the anomaly. The birth of a Gold Flame—unclaimed by any clan—threatened the political harmony between soul factions. Even the Red King stirred in his molten halls.

But what they found was not a weapon.

He was just a boy.

Aran Kagetsuki.

Lean and quiet, he wandered the forest edges alone, chasing soul bugs and collecting bright stones. The green villagers treated him with a mix of awe and caution, avoiding his eyes yet protecting him from outsiders. They felt the heat of something ancient, something divine, when he walked by.

When Kaizen attacked, blade cloaked in blue soulfire, Aran didn’t scream.

He dodged.

Not by luck. By instinct.

The soulfire inside him surged, turning his eyes molten. His body moved on its own. Untrained, unrefined—but powerful. Their duel lit the forest ablaze. Aran took a slash across the chest—but his wound sealed with golden threads.

Renka stepped in to deliver the finishing blow, her twin blades spinning. But she paused—just for a second—as Aran looked at her, not with anger, but sadness.

“Why do you want me dead?” he asked.

That question haunted her. She lowered her blade.

Kaizen didn’t.

His next strike nearly killed Aran—but Renka turned, intercepting her own brother.

The village saw only blue and gold fire dancing, a hurricane of light. In the end, Kaizen fell—his body lifeless, his flame extinguished.

Renka wept. Her twin was gone.

Aran knelt by his body, then reached out, not knowing why.

And the soulfire responded.

A new power surged within him. Shadows burst from his feet. Gold tendrils wrapped around Kaizen’s corpse—and the Blue Flame warrior rose again.

Eyes black. Fire pale. A soldier reborn.

Aran had awakened something darker than power.

Soul Extraction.

Renka stared in disbelief. Her grief twisted into horror, then awe.

“What... are you?” she whispered.

He didn’t know.

But from that moment on, she stayed.

Not as a warrior.

As his companion.

And maybe more.

Word of Kaizen’s death and resurrection spread quickly.

The Blue Flame Clan called Renka a traitor.

The Red King placed a bounty on Aran’s head.

The Black Flame sent watchers from the shadows.

And the Gold Flame boy, hunted by all, began his journey across Aetherin—seeking answers, mastering his power, and learning the truth of his soul.

He would face other Blue warriors. He would walk into Pyrevault and challenge the Red. He would uncover the forgotten legends of Aurumfall.

But for now, he traveled with one soul soldier, and one soul-bound girl who once tried to kill him.

He was Kagetsuki Aran.

The boy with the golden flame.

The moon was high above the twisted branches of the ancient woodlands. Aran and Renka had been traveling for days, walking through the twilight with no particular destination, only moving forward. The air smelled of damp earth and distant fires, and the eerie stillness that enveloped them only seemed to deepen with every step.

The boy, Aran, had his eyes fixed ahead, his pace steady. His golden flame, usually dormant, pulsed faintly from his chest as though it could feel the night itself—alive and restless.

Renka walked beside him, her expression unreadable. The last few days had been spent in silence, the weight of what had happened still hanging between them like a phantom. Kaizen—her twin brother—was gone, and his soul now lay within Aran’s grasp. The boy had killed him, yes, but the circumstances were more complex than anyone could comprehend.

Aran’s newfound ability to extract souls, to take the essence of a defeated warrior and make them into an obedient soldier, had unnerved her. The power was something neither of them understood, and it terrified her. Yet she could not ignore what had happened—the way his golden soul fire had revived Kaizen. The boy had become something else, something greater than anyone had anticipated.

Aran’s footsteps faltered slightly as his mind wandered back to the fight. His soul soldier, Kaizen, now stood beside them, his empty eyes glowing faintly with the cold fire of the Blue Flame. The warrior who had once fought against him, now his servant.

“Renka,” Aran said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence, “Do you think this is wrong? Taking someone’s soul like that?”

Renka didn’t answer immediately. She wasn’t sure what to say. She had never encountered this kind of power before, and it wasn’t something the Blue Flame Clan ever taught. To take a life was one thing. To take a soul—now that was something darker, something that carried consequences beyond mere death.

“It’s... unnatural,” she finally said, her voice distant. “But the question is—why did you do it?”

Aran frowned, unsure of how to explain it. “I didn’t mean to. It just happened.” He shook his head, frustration evident on his face. “I didn’t know I had this ability. I didn’t even understand what was happening until Kaizen…”

Renka’s eyes softened. She could see the confusion in his gaze—the guilt, the uncertainty. It reminded her of herself when she first became a warrior, when she had to make choices that weighed on her heart.

“Your power is rare, Aran,” she said quietly. “But it’s dangerous. Not just for you—but for everyone.”

Aran glanced at her, his golden eyes flickering with an unreadable intensity. “Then I’ll learn to control it. I’ll make sure it’s not a danger.”

Renka remained silent, the weight of her words settling over them like a storm cloud. Could she trust him? Could anyone? What did it mean to wield such power?

The distant sound of breaking branches interrupted her thoughts. Aran and Renka immediately tensed, their bodies instinctively moving into a defensive stance. Kaizen, now their soul soldier, shifted behind them, his eyes dull but alert.

From the shadows of the trees emerged a lone figure, cloaked in dark garb, with eyes that glowed the deep crimson of the Red Flame.

Another warrior.

Renka’s hand went to the hilt of her blade, her fingers tightening around the handle. The Red Flame Clan’s warriors were known for their brutality, and if this one had found them, it meant trouble.

“Who are you?” Renka demanded, her voice cold.

The figure stepped forward, the soulfire around him crackling with power. His red eyes gleamed, his expression hidden beneath a mask of shadows. He held no weapon, but his very presence radiated menace.

“I am Taizen of the Red Flame Clan,” the figure said, his voice smooth but tinged with an edge of danger. “And I have been sent by the Red King to deal with the Gold Flame boy.”

Aran’s eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively moving toward the hilt of the sword that he had yet to fully master. “I’m not interested in dealing with the Red King. Tell him to stay out of my way.”

Taizen laughed, a low, mocking sound that sent a chill down Aran’s spine. “You misunderstand. You are the one who will have to deal with me. The Red King has made it clear that your existence threatens the balance of the soul clans. You are a threat that must be eliminated.”

Aran’s golden flame flared in response, a violent pulse that ignited the air around him. His power was raw, untamed, but it was strong. His heart beat louder in his chest as the thrill of combat surged within him. He wasn’t going to let anyone control his fate—not now, not ever.

Renka stepped forward, positioning herself between Aran and Taizen. “Leave now, before things get ugly.”

Taizen’s grin widened, showing teeth like sharpened daggers. “I think not. I’ve been waiting for this moment.”

Without warning, Taizen lunged, his red soul fire erupting in a wave of intense heat. The air around him shimmered as if the very world was bending to his will. Aran’s instincts kicked in. He didn’t think—he just reacted.

His golden flame surged, a shield of light flashing around him as he met Taizen’s attack with a force that shook the ground beneath them. The two forces collided in an explosion of energy, sending shockwaves through the forest. Trees were torn from their roots, and the ground split open in jagged cracks.

Renka moved swiftly to the side, her blue blades slicing through the air in a blur. She could feel the power of the two flames clashing like titans—gold against red, light against fury. She had to admit, she had never seen Aran’s soul fire in action like this before. It was beautiful—terrifyingly so.

The battle raged on for what felt like hours, but in reality, it was only minutes. Taizen’s strength was overwhelming, but Aran’s raw power seemed to be ever-growing, fueled by his burning determination.

Finally, Aran found an opening. He stepped forward, his golden soul fire exploding from his body in a brilliant flare. The heat was so intense that it scorched the very air between them. With a swift motion, he unleashed a wave of golden flames that enveloped Taizen, searing through his defenses.

Taizen screamed as the flames consumed him, his body writhing in agony. The Red Flame warrior collapsed to the ground, defeated. Aran stood above him, his breathing ragged, his golden flames flickering with triumph.

Renka watched in stunned silence, her heart pounding in her chest. She had never seen anything like this. Aran had killed a Red Flame warrior in a matter of moments.

“Is he…?” she whispered, unsure whether to be relieved or terrified.

Aran turned to her, his expression hardening. “He’s not dead. But he won’t be a threat anymore.”

As he spoke, Taizen’s body began to glow faintly, his soul being drawn into the boy’s golden fire. A dark shape formed behind Aran, and Kaizen—the soul soldier—stepped forward, his eyes empty but his body moving with purpose.

“This is your first soul soldier,” Renka said softly, her voice filled with awe. “You’re... growing stronger.”

Aran didn’t answer. He was lost in the weight of his own power.

For the first time, he felt the full impact of what he could do. He had just killed a warrior, taken his soul, and created a soldier in his image.

But where would this path lead him?

The crackling flames of Aran’s golden fire still lingered in the air, the forest around them charred and smoldering. Taizen, now a soulless husk, lay motionless on the ground. His red soul fire had been extinguished, absorbed completely into Aran’s power. The boy’s golden flame pulsed, as if it had claimed another fragment of the world itself.

Renka stood by, her expression unreadable. She had seen battles before, but what she had witnessed today was different. There was no honor in it, no camaraderie. It was raw. Uncontrolled. And yet, Aran’s power had taken everything in a single strike.

She glanced at him, her heart heavy with unease. His golden flame had grown more intense since their first encounter, his abilities becoming more unpredictable with each passing moment. The boy was changing. But was it for the better?

“Aran...” she said quietly, breaking the silence that had enveloped them. “Do you understand what you’re doing?”

Aran’s eyes met hers, his gaze distant. He wasn’t fully present, lost in the power that surged within him. His golden flame flickered, sending a pulse of energy into the ground beneath them, causing the earth to tremble.

“I’m doing what I have to do,” he replied, his voice flat, but with an undeniable edge. “I’m not going to be controlled by anyone. I’m going to make sure no one else suffers because of my power.”

Renka’s lips tightened, but she didn’t argue. She knew the boy was determined. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that something darker was unfolding. She had to be sure. For both of their sakes.

“You’re getting stronger, but at what cost?” she asked, her eyes searching his face.

Aran stood tall, his expression unwavering. “At any cost. I won’t let my enemies take control. I won’t let them take anything from me.”

There was a fire in his words, a drive that couldn’t be extinguished. But Renka wasn’t convinced. She had seen this kind of arrogance before—the kind that led to destruction.

Before she could speak again, a voice interrupted them.

“Renka... Aran…”

Kaizen’s voice, though hollow and distant, rang out behind them. The boy turned around slowly, his golden eyes locking onto the soulless figure of Kaizen. The Blue Flame warrior—now his first soul soldier—stood motionless, his expression vacant. He was no longer the fierce fighter Renka once knew. He was simply a shell of what he had been.

“I did this,” Aran said softly, almost to himself, as he watched Kaizen. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, the weight of his actions pressing on him. “I took his soul. He’s no longer the person he was.”

Renka’s gaze softened as she looked at Kaizen. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t want this. None of us did.”

Aran looked at her, his eyes darkening. “But I did it. I killed him. And now he’s mine—trapped in my flames.”

Kaizen, despite being a soulless warrior, took a step forward, his vacant eyes locked onto Aran. His once strong and determined gaze was now empty, lost. But when his eyes met Renka’s, something flickered—a spark of recognition.

“Renka...” Kaizen whispered, his voice low and ragged, as if struggling to speak through the layers of power that bound him. “I… I’m sorry…”

Renka’s heart clenched at the sound of his voice. It was still Kaizen—she could hear it in his tone, see it in the way his body moved. But he wasn’t her Kaizen anymore. He was something else entirely.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned away, unable to look at him. “You don’t need to apologize, Kaizen. It’s not your fault.”

Aran stepped forward, his gaze shifting between Renka and Kaizen. “I’ll do whatever it takes to bring him back. I don’t care what I have to do.”

Renka’s voice was barely a whisper as she spoke. “I don’t think you can bring him back, Aran. He’s gone.”

Aran’s golden flames flickered violently. “I’m not letting anyone be lost again. Not Kaizen, not you, not anyone.”

Kaizen’s empty eyes focused on Renka, his body frozen in place. Aran turned back to him, his voice quiet, yet filled with a chilling sense of certainty.

“You’re mine now, Kaizen. Forever.”

The words struck like a blade, cutting deep into Renka’s heart. Kaizen had been her brother, her partner, her family. Now, he was nothing more than a soulless servant to Aran.

And Aran... Aran had become something more. Something darker.

Later that Night

The campfire crackled in the distance, casting eerie shadows across the landscape. The trio sat around the fire—Aran, Renka, and Kaizen. The soul soldier sat quietly, his movements mechanical, though the flicker of recognition remained in his eyes whenever he glanced at Renka.

Aran stared into the flames, his expression unreadable. He had gained another soul soldier, another piece to his growing army. But it didn’t feel like a victory. He had killed Kaizen—he knew it, deep down. It didn’t matter if Kaizen’s soul was still there. His body had been shattered, destroyed. And now Kaizen had become a tool, nothing more than a weapon in his hands.

“What now?” Renka asked, breaking the silence. “Where do we go from here?”

Aran’s eyes flicked to her. “We keep moving forward. We get stronger. And we find the answers we need.”

Renka hesitated, then spoke, her voice barely audible. “But at what cost?”

The question hung in the air, unanswered, as the fire continued to burn.

The Road Ahead

Aran’s journey was just beginning, and though he had gained unimaginable power, the path he had chosen was perilous. With every soul he extracted, with every warrior he defeated, he would come closer to his ultimate goal. But what would be left of him once he had reached it?

Renka could only watch, unsure of where Aran’s ambition would lead him. But there was one thing she knew for certain: whatever happened, she would stand by his side.

Because no matter what, they were bound together—by fate, by fire, and by the souls that burned within them.