Chapter 1 | REMEMBER ME

The story that is about to be told takes place in a dark era, a time when humanity had been deprived of sunlight. The sky, once vast and luminous, was now covered with thick black clouds so dense that not a single ray could pierce through.

In this shadowed world, terrifying creatures known as Calamities reigned supreme.

The light of hope seemed extinguished. Even waking up alive and unharmed was a miracle—for your neighbor, your friend, your brother… anyone could unknowingly be a Calamity in disguise.

On a hill in the woods, isolated from the world, a house was in flames. The fire devoured everything in its path, illuminating the night with a sinister, reddish glow. In front of this infernal blaze, a man lay shirtless, sprawled on the burning ground. His body was covered in blood, his eyes closed, his breath ragged. And in that semi-conscious state, a voice echoed in his mind:

“Remember me.”

He jolted violently. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, panting, vision blurry. He pushed himself up unsteadily, feeling the heat of the scorched earth against his skin. The fire roared behind him like a ravenous beast.

— W-What… What’s happening…? Who am I?

He looked around in panic. Only scorched trees, the burning house, and silence. No answers. No one.

He cried out with all his might:

— Is anyone there?!

But only the crackling of flames replied. Even the wind seemed to ignore him. He was just a stranger in a devastated world.

He looked at the blood covering his skin. His hands were trembling. He had no visible injuries.

— This blood… It’s not mine… So… whose is it?

A fleeting thought struck him like a dark flash:

— Did I… set this house on fire? But why? For what reason?

So many questions. No answers.

Then, instinctively, his gaze fell to his left. There, in the grass, a weapon. A simple one, yet heavy with meaning. He stood up with difficulty, pain radiating through his chest as if his ribs were shattered. He picked up the weapon in his right hand and used his left to support his broken side.

Barefoot, vision hazy, he ventured into the forest. Every step was agonizing. The earth was cold and damp. Strange sounds surrounded him: rustling leaves, flapping wings…

Above him, bizarre flying beasts fought in the dark sky, tearing each other apart savagely.

— Probably… just a giant chicken, he thought, dazed.

He continued on, short of breath, and soon stumbled upon a pile of corpses. Rotting, mutilated bodies stacked together.

— Must’ve been an animal… he muttered, trying not to vomit.

Further ahead, he finally spotted a figure. Someone, kneeling, eating. The person was partially hidden behind a tree. He approached slowly.

— Bon appétit, he said out of sheer politeness.

The answer was a low, guttural growl. The man frowned.

— He must be really hungry…

Not wanting to disturb the scene further, he simply asked:

— Do you know where I can find other people?

Without a word, the figure pointed in a direction. Toward the city.

Still weak, he resumed his walk. His vision grew blurrier with each step. At the forest’s edge, he saw a bright light. A massive blaze. And in that light, a silhouette stood tall, a black briefcase in hand.

The man approached, legs trembling. He couldn’t make out the figure’s face, but it spoke in a calm voice:

— Are you okay?

At those words, he burst into tears. Though taller, stronger, and armed, he cried like a child. He didn’t know this man, but his simple gesture, his composed voice, shattered the last of his restraint.

The man wore a black jacket, pants, and simple shoes. He comforted him the best he could.

— Everything’s wrong, sir… I don’t know who I am… or what I’m doing here…

— Calm down. Don’t cry. I’m sure everything will come back to you, he said softly.

— You’re the only person I’ve seen who looks normal…

— First, calm down. I can barely understand you, he replied with a smile.

He took a deep breath, pulled himself together slightly, and said:

— Do you know someone who could help me? There’s a house… burning… up there…

The man burst out laughing.

— You must still be in shock. There’s no fire on the hill.

He paused.

— But it’s okay. A little humor helps.

They both laughed, despite everything.

— You should head to the city festival. They're electing the new city leader today. Maybe you’ll find some answers there.

He left him, and the man continued on alone.

When he arrived in the city, his vision was even more distorted. He saw an old woman pushing a stroller. He greeted her. No response. She seemed to be coming from the festival. He peeked into the stroller… Empty.

— I must be hallucinating…

The further he went, the more the light turned menacing. This wasn’t a festival. It was a fire.

That’s when he realized:

The entire city was in flames.

Screams. Children crying. He rushed toward a house where the cries seemed to come from.

— It must be… the old lady’s child!

At the locked door, too weak to break it down, he smashed a window with a stone, picked the lock, and entered. The crying was fading. He ran upstairs. And there… he saw her.

The old woman… was devouring a baby.

He immediately vomited, paralyzed by horror. The flames were rising. He slowly raised his weapon. The old creature, sensing his blood, turned around. He fired. She vanished in a puff of smoke.

But suddenly—rushing footsteps. Another creature, feminine, burst in. The two collided, crashing through the floor.

Still upstairs, he saw charred bodies, remembered the corpses in the forest, the man eating… and vomited again. The feminine creature and the Calamity clashed fiercely—fangs against claws.

The feminine creature lifted a table and threw it, but the Calamity crushed it with its jaws. It crawled up the wall like a spider, leaped, and both burst out of the house.

He, in the flames, grabbed the baby and fled through the back, running into the woods.

— Don’t worry… I’ll get you to a doctor…

He refused to look at the baby. He just ran, never turning back.

And again… that voice.

“Remember me.”

The feminine creature and the Calamity had broken free, triggering a fierce battle. The two colossal forces clashed with brutal intensity. The Calamity delivered a powerful blow, hurling the feminine creature toward the city’s central fountain. The impact shattered part of the stone structure.

Without hesitation, the creature grabbed a massive chunk of debris and hurled it with all her strength at the Calamity. It let out a piercing shriek and leapt aside. But it was only a distraction. The creature, with perfect precision, launched a second stone block that struck the Calamity’s legs. A sickening crack echoed—bones had snapped.

The Calamity screamed in rage, then, in a savage act, slashed off its own mangled legs with its claws. In a terrifying regeneration, its flesh writhed like worms beneath the skin, rebuilding its limbs. The two enemies roared and charged each other again, their cries echoing through the ruined city.

On all fours, the Calamity lunged and slammed into the feminine creature. She was hurled against the fountain, which exploded on impact. Water gushed across the plaza, but she rose once more—shaky, but alive.

Something shimmered beneath her feet, submerged in the murky water. A sword. Buried there for years. She grasped it. This ancient blade had been forged by madmen—blacksmiths who crafted cursed weapons possessed by hate and darkness. The sword she now held was none other than the Blade of Darkness, a black weapon radiating an oppressive aura.

She raised the blade before her. Her gaze, sharp despite the blood on her face, locked onto the monstrous creature before her. The Calamity charged at full speed. In a flash, the blade came down… and the Calamity’s head was cleaved clean off. It collapsed without a sound.

But it wasn’t over.

The battle had not gone unnoticed. More Calamities were already approaching. The feminine creature, sword in hand, stood firm before them. Exhausted but resolute, she faced the fight.

Meanwhile, I was still running, the child in my arms. Heart pounding, breath short—I suddenly saw a Calamity appear before me. With a precise shot, I blew its head off. I couldn’t stop. I had to survive. I had to protect this child. Every monster that dared cross my path was gunned down without mercy.

Finally, out of breath, I realized I was no longer being followed. So I stopped.

And then, I saw her.

The feminine creature.

She was standing before me. Exhausted. Covered in wounds and Calamity blood. She trembled. She was in pain. But she looked me straight in the eyes.

I raised my weapon.

I loaded a bullet.

I was about to shoot.

She opened her mouth, with a breathless whisper:

— Eden…

And bam—the bullet was already fired.

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