Episode 2

...A few days ago, through the winding alleys and backstreets of Suanam, Devyl wandered, a destitute figure amidst the urban gloom. For as long as he had been conscious, he had found himself in this painful condition of begging. Whether he had been abandoned or born into this state, he could never tell....

...Strangely, despite his depressing situation, his physical form did not match the reality he faced. Underneath those ragged clothes lived a body that seemed to have been nourished with care and trained with vigor. This had always been the enigma that surrounded him....

...Life on the streets was arduous, but it reached unbearable levels with the spread of a disease called Menticus among magical beings, humans capable of manipulating anything from the rudiments to the most complex magic. And Devyl was among them. The disease corroded his mind already fragile from a life of solitude....

...One night, while resting in an abandoned house, he felt a sudden change in temperature. In that city, the weather was invariably hot, with no defined seasons. However, that night, something was different....

...The nocturnal heat was abruptly replaced by an icy coldness, waking him up immediately. He got up and hurried into the street, trying to understand what was happening. It was then that he saw a mist snaking along the pavement....

...— What the hell is that?...

...Devyl hurried back to the makeshift shelter, diving under the covers, but still the mist enveloped him, making him pass out....

...The next morning, many beggars lay dead, as well as people from different social classes. The mysterious plague had taken over the world. Many succumbed, and the survivors bore the scars left by the disease....

...He too had been afflicted by Menticus. Every night, he was tormented by terrifying nightmares, and during the day, he faced hallucinations if he did not keep his mind focused on some activity....

...Every day was a battle to resist the temptation to take his own life, for the distorted visions urged him to commit this act. At times, the disease seemed to fry his brain with its intensity....

...One day, while looking for job opportunities on the streets, he was approached by a familiar old woman....

...— Boy, I've been watching you for quite some time and I've noticed you're in need of a treasure....

...Devyl looked at her confused, but also intrigued, lowering himself to the old woman's height....

...— Are you going to give me a present? I've never gotten one before!...

...She smiled and handed him a sealed box....

...— Here, young man. What's inside will help you reach a new home and provide the life you've always deserved!...

...Grateful, he took the gift and excitedly asked if he could open it. However, as he focused on the box for an instant, he realized that the old woman had disappeared....

...Later, back at his old hideout, he decided to unveil the contents of the box. He found a new outfit with boots, a letter, and a ring....

...A smile of pure happiness lit up Devyl's face. He had never received anything like it, and that gift truly seemed like a treasure, as the old woman had stated....

...The letter, although he could not read it, contained something he could understand: a map. It showed the way to a place full of structures, a kind of sanctuary, which he deduced was the indicated destination. Devyl had always been skilled at navigating the city and its surroundings....