"Souls… the core of a human being… tell me… why don't you have one?"
"Who knows… maybe not everyone deserves to have one. Don't you think?"
***
Southern Village
The morning sun was still gentle when Erick stopped in front of the small market stall. His shoulders slumped as soon as he heard the answer.
"Grr… What do you mean the stock is gone?!" he exclaimed, frustration spilling over. His eyes burned as he stared at the vendor.
The man shrugged, wearing a lazy, indifferent smile — clearly used to this kind of reaction.
"Sorry, kid. You came too late," he replied, scratching the back of his neck. "Better luck next time."
Erick stood there for a few seconds, feeling the weight of disappointment settle in his chest. He let out a long, heavy sigh.
"…Damn. Why am I so unlucky?"
He turned slowly and left the market behind, walking unhurriedly through the village's dirt streets.
Shortly after, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Ah, young Erick! What a surprise to see you so early on such a lovely morning."
Uncle Rioy, an elderly man around sixty, waved while organizing freshly cut firewood. Sweat glistened on his tanned forehead.
Erick gave a sincere smile.
"Good morning, Uncle Rioy! Let me help."
He closed his eyes for a moment. Nearly imperceptible sparks ran through his body. With quick, precise movements, he organized the entire pile of firewood in less than a minute.
"All done…" he sighed, wiping the sweat from his face with the back of his hand.
"Thank you so much, my boy. You never stop surprising me!" Rioy laughed, his eyes full of affection. "So, what brings you here?"
Erick scratched the back of his neck, a little embarrassed.
"Well… today is a special day."
"Mmm, I can see that…" The old man stroked his beard, understanding immediately. "And did you manage to get what you wanted?"
Erick shook his head slowly and sighed.
Rioy let out a low chuckle and gave him a light pat on the back.
"At least you tried. That's what matters."
At that moment, the house door creaked open. Aunt Meily stepped out, her white hair tied in a loose bun, and gave him a warm smile.
"Erick, dear! Did you come to try my new recipe? I made it with so much love…"
"Ah… not today, Aunt Meily. I'm just passing by."
"Oh, what a shame…" She covered her face with her hands, pretending to be sad. "Ah, these kids grow up so rebellious. Good thing your little brother is much better behaved than you."
"Rebellious…?" Erick raised an eyebrow, surprised.
He promised he'd come try it next time and waved goodbye to the couple.
As Erick walked away down the path, Aunt Meily leaned her head on her husband's shoulder, wearing a tender, melancholic smile.
"They grow up so fast, don't they, dear?"
"They really do…" Rioy murmured, lost in thought. "I still remember when they were just little babies running around. How time flies…"
On the way, Erick ran into several familiar faces. Some asked for help, while others greeted him cheerfully. One of them waved.
"Come back another day, kid! I have lots of new inventions to show you!" said a middle-aged man with a smile.
"Bye-bye, Erick-chan! I love you!" waved the young woman beside him, apparently his daughter.
"R-right…" he scratched his neck. "What's up with these girls lately…?"
After a long and tiring walk back to the Northern Village, Erick finally arrived home. As soon as he opened the door, Louis — his younger brother — stared at him with a serious expression full of expectation.
"Where's my present, nii?"
Erick closed the door carefully.
"Sorry, Louis… I couldn't buy it."
Louis huffed and shook his head.
"Honestly… I already figured. What a disappointment."
Erick forced a tired smile.
"Hmm… aren't you getting a bit old to care about this kind of thing?"
"That has nothing to do with it!" Louis shot back, blushing immediately.
Erick approached and affectionately ruffled his hair.
"At least you tried, nii… Thank you for remembering."
"Of course. Otherwise Aunt Meily would get mad at me," Erick replied with a soft laugh.
Louis let out a small giggle. They both knew how scary the aunt could be when she got angry.
That night, Erick couldn't sleep. A strange and suffocating nightmare took hold of him.
He was in a dead garden. The grass was dry and brittle under his feet, the flowers wilted and colorless. A heavy, oppressive silence dominated everything.
Suddenly, accusatory voices echoed in his mind:
"You brought the end to all of us… You cursed humanity!"
"No…" Erick whispered, feeling a crushing weight on his chest. "It wasn't me…"
"There's no place for you! You'll bring ruin to everyone you love!"
Then the darkness condensed. A gigantic, tenebrous figure appeared before him. Only two red points glowed where the eyes should be. At its feet, a pile of bodies. Shadowy figures hovered around.
A deep, terrifying voice echoed:
"You did this. In the end… nothing but ruins will remain."
"NO!!"
Erick woke up startled, covered in cold sweat, chest heaving. The despair still clung to him like a shadow.
"Nii… another nightmare?" Louis was already sitting on the bed beside him, his voice soft and worried.
"Yeah… sorry for waking you."
"Don't worry. I'm here."
Louis squeezed his hand tightly. The warm touch was comforting, but it couldn't completely chase away the unease in Erick's heart.
***
Dawn arrived with a desperate scream.
Erick and Louis ran outside. In the center of the village, a crowd had gathered. Two couples were arguing furiously with a visibly devastated groom, eyes red from crying.
The young woman lay on the ground. Motionless. Empty.
A heavy silence hung over the scene.
"It must be so hard for him… losing someone he loves so much…" Erick murmured.
But Louis pointed at the body, his eyes shining.
"Nii… she's still alive. Look closely!"
"Hmm—?"
Erick felt a chill run down his spine. The girl's soul was slowly dissolving into the air like smoke carried by the wind, even though her body was still there.
"What the hell…?"
Without hesitation, he ran to her. Louis went straight to the groom.
"Don't give up! She's still alive! My brother will save her, I promise!"
The man stared at him, stunned.
"Why should I believe you…? I don't even know you…"
Louis smiled with confidence.
"Because he always keeps his promises."
While Louis held back the furious parents trying to stop Erick, the latter focused completely on the girl. Nothing seemed to work.
"Damn, nothing's working… what else can I do…?"
A voice echoed in his mind:
"What the hell do you think you're doing to my body?! Stop!"
He ignored it. This was his last chance.
"I can do this…"
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Zzzzzzzzt!
With a shout, lightning surged in his hands.
"100 volts… now!"
He pressed both hands against her chest. A blinding burst of light illuminated the entire square. The force was so great that Erick passed out.
When he woke up, Louis was holding his hand, his face pale with worry.
"Nii, are you okay? You didn't get hurt, right?"
"I'm… just really tired…" Erick replied, trying to sit up.
At that moment, the young woman slowly opened her eyes.
"What… happened…?"
The groom ran to her, crying, and hugged her tightly.
"Hina! I don't know what I would've done without you… Thank you so much for saving her!"
Erick gave a tired smile. Before he could say anything, her parents pushed past him and wrapped their daughter in a tight embrace.
"You're welcome…" he murmured quietly, crossing his arms.
Hina's father stopped in front of the groom, fists clenched. He knelt, but was gently lifted by the groom.
"I don't deserve it, sir… they're the ones who saved her…" He looked at Erick, wiping his tears. "Please, how can I thank you for saving her…?"
Erick placed his hands behind his head in a relaxed posture.
"No need, sir… I just wanted to help!"
"No, I insist. At least come to our house for a delicious banquet," the father replied, hands clasped in plea.
"No, really—"
"I insist!"
"O-okay…" Erick answered, sweat dripping slightly.
Later, as they walked home, Erick commented:
"Hey, Louis… don't you think it's strange that only we could see her soul outside her body…?"
Louis smiled, but there was a subtle doubt in his eyes.
"That doesn't matter right now, nii. Let's go home."
As they walked away, a hooded figure watched them silently from the shadows of the forest.
***
That same night, under the full moon…
The hooded man appeared in the center of the village, holding an ancient scroll. Silver moonlight bathed his silhouette.
One of the village's guardian mages noticed his presence. He gestured for the other four to approach.
"Who are you, sir…?"
"The moon… is so beautiful from here," the hooded man murmured coldly.
The mage raised an eyebrow.
"I suggest you leave immediately. I don't want to resort to unnecessary violence…"
The hooded man, however, remained silent, forming a calm and disturbing smile. He unrolled the scroll.
In that instant, cracks tore through the air, releasing a dark and heavy energy.
"W-what is this?!" asked one of the closer mages, raising his hands in an attacking stance.
"Kill them all."
Without another word, he disappeared, leaving only the wind behind.
Monstrous creatures burst from the cracks and attacked the village.
"Don't let them get close!"
The lead mage leaped into the sky, raising his hands high.
"Fall into the depths of the earth, you monsters! Illuminated Arc!"
Several arrows of light formed in the air, falling in a perfect arc and striking the creatures one after another. But more kept pouring out of the crack.
"Damn it, there are too many! You four, evacuate the—" His eyes widened completely.
Only the lower half of his companions was visible, lying on the ground while the upper half was being devoured.
One of the creatures he had hit rose again, its wounds slowly healing. It stared at him, its pupils glowing in a lilac hue.
"Those eyes… it can't be… An Inver—"
Suddenly, the creature lunged at him with surprising speed, catching him off guard.
"Damn, I have to—"
He was surprised by another creature appearing behind him, impaling him with its bare hands. Blood dripped from his mouth.
"Agh….!"
At the same time, the other passed by him, brutally ripping off his head.
Terrified screams cut through the night. The massacre was brutal and relentless.
"Wake up, nii-san!" Louis shook Erick desperately.
"Huh…? Louis? What's wrong…?" Erick muttered, still groggy.
The screams coming from outside made them run to the door. What they saw was a nightmare.
The village had turned into a scene of horror. Bodies scattered everywhere, while a gigantic pool of blood covered the ground. Louis recognized the groom from hours earlier — hanging from the fountain, lifeless.
Louis fell to his knees, hands trembling over his mouth.
"Why…?" he whispered, tears streaming down his face.
"No…" Erick's face went completely pale, his breathing failing.
Further south, a family was desperately trying to flee.
"Run with our daughter!" the father shouted, walking with difficulty, his foot leaving a agonizing red trail.
The mother was brutally attacked in front of the girl. The father tried to fight back but was killed in seconds.
The girl sobbed in terror as one of the creatures grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off the ground. Before the worst could happen, a burst of energy cut through the air and freed her. She fell into Erick's arms.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice hoarse with concern. "Sorry for not arriving sooner… I'm so sorry."
Erick clenched his fists, his heart heavy with the weight of all that tragedy. The girl simply cried, her small body trembling against his chest.
"Papa… Mama…"
The creature rose with a guttural roar and advanced toward them.
"Louis, take her somewhere safe! Now!"
Louis frowned, reluctant.
"And you, nii?"
"I'll be fine… I promise. Go."
Louis hesitated for a second that felt eternal. His eyes were full of tears.
"Please… don't die," he murmured, before taking the girl's hand and running away, casting one last desperate glance over his shoulder.
Erick turned to the creature, breathing heavily.
"Let's see what you're capable of, big guy."
Even with his body trembling, he advanced, dodging heavy blows and launching a charged energy attack. The impact lit up the night with an intense glow.
"I did it!"
For a brief moment, a smile appeared on his face. But it vanished the next second. The creature was unharmed. With a brutal movement, it grabbed Erick by the foot and hurled him against the nearby houses. The impact was devastating. He heard the crack of his ribs and felt his right arm break with a horrible sound.
"Gah!"
Even on the ground, his eyes searched for Louis. Another creature had him cornered, claws raised and ready to strike.
"Louis… no…"
With what little strength he had left, Erick tried to get up and attack, but the creature easily blocked the blow and slammed him back to the ground. Before he could react, a spear pierced his abdomen, pinning him to the blood-soaked dirt.
"Nii-san!!" Louis screamed, his voice choked with despair. Tears flowed uncontrollably down his face.
"S-sorry… Louis," Erick murmured, his voice weak and broken. "Looks like… I couldn't keep my promise…"
The village was lost. Screams, blood, and destruction everywhere. On the brink of death, Erick could only watch his brother's tears.
"I just wanted things to be different… If only I were a little stronger…"
Suddenly, the head of one of the creatures surrounding Louis was ripped off in the blink of an eye.
"What—?"
Five figures emerged from the shadows. The leader, an imposing man, looked at the fallen Erick and commented in a playful tone:
"You're in terrible shape, huh… Well, let's finish this quickly."
In an instant, the five disappeared and began exterminating the remaining creatures with brutal efficiency. The massacre that had dominated the village ended in just a few seconds.
At the end, the leader approached Erick and, without warning, yanked out the spear that pinned him to the ground. Erick let out an agonized scream.
"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Louis yelled, but the man's overwhelming aura immediately silenced him.
A young woman from the group knelt beside Erick and healed his wounds. The pain subsided quickly.
"I… I'm alive?"
"Nii!" Louis ran over and hugged him tightly, his body still trembling. "I thought I was going to lose you…"
Erick softened his gaze and returned the hug, holding his brother close before releasing him with a tired sigh.
The leader watched the scene in silence, his eyes fixed on the two with an unsettling intensity.
"Interesting… very interesting." He tilted his head. "What's your name, kid?"
Erick looked away, sweat dripping down his face.
"It's… Erick, sir."
The man smiled and extended his hand.
"Well, Erick… how about joining my group?"
The other group members exchanged surprised glances.
Erick hesitated for a second, but answered firmly:
"I'd love to… but I'm not going anywhere without my brother."
Louis squeezed his hand tightly.
"I'll always be with you, nii."
"How touching to see two brothers who care so much about each other," the leader commented with a half-smile. "Then it's decided. Welcome to the group. Now let's get out of this hell."
With a snap of his fingers, a light enveloped everyone. In an instant, they were teleported to a colossal base that looked like an ancient castle.
"Welcome to your new home, newcomers."