The wind howled across Mount Aeron, carrying the scent of smoke and iron. Taki sat on the edge of the cliff, the Blade of Dawn resting across his lap. His body ached, every muscle screaming, yet his heart raced with a fire he had never known.
The sigil on his chest pulsed faintly, almost like a heartbeat, and with it came whispers. Not voices, exactly, but faint echoes of… someone. Or something.
"Taki… you cannot run from the path…"
He froze. The whispers grew louder, almost pleading.
"Who's there?" he demanded, gripping the sword tighter.
A shadow emerged from the mist—a young girl, no older than twelve, her hair silver like moonlight, eyes empty yet piercing.
"You've awakened it," she said softly. "The Blade of Dawn… it calls to those who carry the sins of the past."
Taki frowned. "What do you mean? Who are you?"
The girl's eyes darkened. "I am… a fragment. Of what you once were… or could become. Every wielder leaves a mark. Every soul that touches the blade carries it forward."
Taki's chest tightened. "I don't understand…"
The girl knelt before him, her hand hovering over the glowing sigil. "The power you hold now… it is not just strength. It is judgment. You can protect… or you can destroy. And every choice leaves a shadow."
Suddenly, the ground trembled. Rocks tumbled down the mountainside as a roar split the air. Taki instinctively raised the Dawn Blade.
From the valley below, a massive figure emerged, shrouded in black flames. Its eyes glowed red, and its body was wrapped in chains that burned with unholy fire.
It was the Shadow Beast.
The girl whispered, almost sadly, "It has sensed you. And it hungers."
Taki swallowed hard, his grip tightening. The whispers inside his chest grew urgent, warning, yet steady.
"Strike true… or fall."
With a roar, the Shadow Beast charged, the earth cracking beneath its feet. Taki leaped from the cliff, spinning in midair, blade gleaming like a comet.
The Dawn Blade connected, a shockwave of golden light erupting, but the Beast absorbed it, shrugging off the attack as if it were nothing.
Taki landed, staggering, his chest burning with exertion. "I… I can't… beat it like this…"
The girl's hand touched his shoulder. "Then you must awaken more. Let the Blade of Dawn guide you… fully. Only then will the shadows fear you."
Taki looked at the sigil. It glowed brighter than ever, warmth spreading through his body. The whispers turned into voices, chanting in a language he didn't know, yet somehow understood.
And in that moment, Taki Runcandel felt something stir deep within—a power older than the mountains, sharper than any blade, and heavier than any burden.
The Shadow Beast lunged.
And Taki smiled.
"This… is just the beginning."