Chapter One: The Echoes of Vengeance

Ryo stood at the edge of the ruins that had once been his home, the ashes of the past scattered at his feet. The village of Amatsu was nothing more than a charred skeleton of its former self, its walls collapsed, its people long gone—either dead or scattered across Eldaria. The sky above was a dull gray, heavy clouds swirling, as if mourning the same loss that haunted Ryo’s heart.

He knelt in the center of what used to be his family's home. A small, tarnished amulet lay in his hand—a keepsake from his mother. He could still remember her voice, the warmth of her hands as she held him close, and the gentle way she used to hum when working. But that memory, like all others, had been stained by the blood and fire brought down by the gods.

The gods. They had watched from above, laughing as the village burned, their voices booming with cruel glee as if it was all a game. They hadn't shown mercy. They hadn't even shown interest—Ryo’s people were less than insects to them. And now, as Ryo stared at the amulet, the dull ache of loss twisted into something more powerful: a burning desire for revenge.

He stood, his eyes narrowing. There was no one left to mourn here, no one left to save. What remained was the purpose that had driven him to survive when every instinct told him to lay down and die. He had to make them pay. He had to become powerful enough to rip them from their thrones.

Ryo clenched his fist around the amulet, his dark eyes scanning the ruins until they rested on the distant silhouette of the mountains to the north—The Blood Peaks. It was said that deep within those mountains, relics of an ancient time were hidden, items capable of drawing out the divine power buried within human blood. There, he would find what he needed to begin his journey.

"You intend to defy them, don't you?"

A voice called out from behind, soft and familiar. Ryo turned, his gaze meeting Aya’s. She was standing a few feet away, her silhouette framed by the gray sky. Her long, auburn hair was tied back, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. Aya had been there too, had witnessed the gods' cruelty firsthand, but unlike Ryo, she had always seemed to hold onto something—hope, perhaps.

“Aya,” Ryo said, his voice low. “I have to. There’s nothing else left.”

Aya stepped closer, her eyes drifting over the ruins before coming back to him. “But at what cost, Ryo? I've heard stories about the things in those mountains. The power you're looking for—it changes people. It takes and takes until there’s nothing human left.”

Ryo's expression hardened. “If that’s what it takes to kill them, then so be it.” His grip on the amulet tightened until the edges bit into his palm. “They didn’t care when they took everything from us. They didn’t hesitate. I won’t either.”

Aya closed her eyes for a moment, the wind brushing past them, carrying with it the smell of ash and earth. She opened her eyes, her gaze softening. “I understand. I want them to pay too, Ryo. But I don’t want to lose you in the process.”

“You won’t,” Ryo said, though even he wasn’t sure if it was a promise he could keep. “I have to do this, Aya. I have to find the Ascendant Core.”

Aya’s eyes widened slightly. “The Ascendant Core? You… you really think it exists?”

Ryo nodded. “It’s the only thing that can help me level up, to give me the strength I need. If I can awaken the divine blood, I can challenge them.”

Aya looked at him for a long moment, then sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Then I’m coming with you.”

Ryo shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. You don’t have to—”

“No,” she interrupted, her voice firm. “If you’re going to walk this path, then I’ll be there. Someone has to remind you of who you are, Ryo. Someone has to keep you from becoming like them.”

Ryo stared at her, the fire in his chest flickering for a moment, tempered by her words. He wanted to argue, to tell her that he couldn’t risk her safety, but the look in her eyes told him that she wouldn’t be swayed. And deep down, he knew she was right. He needed someone to keep him tethered to what was left of his humanity.

“Fine,” he said, his voice softening. “But I can’t promise it’ll be easy.”

Aya smiled, a sad but determined smile. “I never expected it to be.”

Together, they turned towards the north, the peaks of the mountains looming in the distance like jagged teeth against the sky. The road ahead was uncertain, filled with dangers that neither of them could fully comprehend. But Ryo knew one thing—he would see this through. He would find the Ascendant Core, level up, and challenge the gods who had taken everything from him.

He would become strong enough to kill them, no matter what it took.

As they walked away from the ruins, the wind picked up, scattering the ashes of the past behind them, leaving only the echoes of what once was and the promise of what was yet to come

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