Morning light filtered gently through the windows of a modest house in ASHURA.
In the kitchen, Arora stood beside the stove, humming softly as she prepared breakfast. Her dark brown hair, cut in gentle layers, rested against her back. A few old scars marked her hands—silent memories of a harder past.
Arora Spartacus
Age: Late 20s
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 63 kg
Physique: Lean, healthy, graceful
She placed warm bread and soup on the table.
"Dazai," she called, "it's ready!"
"Coming!" a voice replied from inside.
Dazai Spartacus
Age: 8
Height: 132 cm
Weight: 37 kg
Physique: Lean
Moments later, Dazai rushed in, his black wolf-cut hair messy, eyes still half sleepy.
He sat down and ate quickly.
"Slow down," Arora laughed. "It won't run away."
"I'll be late!" he said between bites.
After finishing, he grabbed his bag.
"Bye, Mom!"
"Be careful!" she replied.
Outside, Kaizer and Azlea were waiting.
Kaizer Ashford
Age: 8
Height: 135 cm
Weight: 38 kg
Physique: Lean
Kaizer crossed his arms. "You took forever."
Azlea smirked. "He was probably sleeping again."
Azlea Nadir
Age: 8
Height: 130 cm
Weight: 31 kg
Physique: Skinny, delicate
"I was not!" Dazai protested. "Come on, let's go. We're already late."
They hurried through narrow streets and open paths until they reached their usual training ground—a quiet clearing surrounded by tall trees.
Sunlight fell in broken patterns across the grass.
"Alright," Kaizer said, stretching. "Let's start."
They began with physical drills.
Running. Jumping. Dodging.
Sweat formed on their foreheads.
Then came weapons.
Kaizer practiced with a wooden spear.
Azlea focused on short-blade forms.
Dazai trained with a simple sword.
His movements were sharp, fast, and disciplined.
"Good balance," Azlea said.
"Yeah," Kaizer added. "You're improving."
Dazai smiled—but only for a moment.
"Now magic," Azlea said.
She raised her hand.
A small green glow formed.
Kaizer followed, summoning faint amber sparks.
They turned to Dazai.
He took a deep breath.
Focused.
Reached inward.
Nothing.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
His chest tightened.
"…It won't work," he whispered.
They trained for an hour.
Dazai never succeeded.
Finally, they sat beneath a large tree.
Leaves danced softly in the wind.
Light shadows moved across the ground.
Azlea handed Dazai some water.
"Don't push yourself too hard."
He stared at the bottle.
"Why can't I do it?"
No one answered.
Inside his body, the curse remained silent.
It allowed only enough mana to keep him alive.
Anything more—
Was devoured.
Any external mana—
Swallowed.
Stored.
Hidden.
Sealed.
A prison inside his soul.
"I'll get it someday," Dazai said quietly.
Kaizer smiled. "Of course you will."
Azlea nodded. "You're stubborn. That helps."
After resting, they returned to town.
ASHURA was alive.
Children ran through streets.
Merchants called out prices.
Music drifted from distant corners.
The town was massive, surrounded by forests, rivers, plains, and towering mountains—a natural fortress of peace.
They played.
They laughed.
They forgot.
Far away—
Reality was different.
⸻
In a distant forest, the earth was dark.
Not from rain.
From blood.
Broken trees lay scattered.
Weapons were half-buried in soil.
Bodies—human and beastling—lay still.
Rotting.
Silent.
One day earlier, war had passed through here.
Humans and beastlings had clashed.
Swords. Claws. Magic. Rage.
In the end, humans had "won."
But victory meant nothing.
The forest was dead.
Arthur arrived with his team.
Arthur Spartacus
Age: Mid 30s
Height: 179 cm
Weight: 78 kg
Physique: Lean, well-built
Rangers in green cloaks.
Silent.
Alert.
He stepped forward, his boots pressing into stained soil.
His dark brown eyes scanned the scene.
"…Damn it," someone muttered.
Arthur clenched his fists.
Scars across his body seemed to ache.
"Start the recovery," he ordered.
They worked quietly.
Gathering bodies.
Cleaning remains.
Offering prayers.
Some were young.
Too young.
Arthur stared at a fallen beastling child.
His breath shook.
In his mind, a thought repeated.
It's starting again.
Those days…
The days I can't run from.
"We're too close to ASHURA," a ranger said. "If this spreads—"
"I know," Arthur replied.
Fear hid behind his calm voice.
When they finished, they returned.
Arthur wrote his report.
Detailed.
Urgent.
Warning.
By nightfall, rumors spread.
"War is near."
"Battles at the border."
"Beastlings are moving."
"Humans are preparing."
ASHURA whispered.
Fear traveled faster than light.
⸻
At home, Arthur sat quietly.
Arora noticed his silence.
"Bad day?"
"…Yes."
He looked at Dazai's closed door.
"I don't want him to grow up in this."
She held his hand.
"We'll protect him."
Arthur nodded.
But doubt remained.
⸻
That night, Dazai dreamed.
Of fire.
Of shadows.
Of voices he couldn't understand.
And somewhere—
The curse pulsed.
Waiting.
The storm was coming.
And no one was ready.