1 The Mysterious Voice

Kaito bolted upright, gasping for breath. His body was drenched in sweat, and his heart pounded in his chest. The images of flames and screams still danced in his mind, too vivid to be just a dream.

"Mother... Father..." he whispered into the darkness, the remnants of the nightmare slowly fading away.

Morning light began to seep through the paper windows of his small room. Kaito shook his head, trying to dispel the lingering fear, and got up walking toward the window. He opens the windows revealing the village. The village has a picturesque setting, nestled between rolling hills and dense forest, with traditional wooden houses and stone paths that spoke of an ancient history. He got ready for another day of hard work in the village of Eldoria. He dressed in simple, worn clothes and tied his black hair back into a ponytail, a look common among villagers. He started the day by splitting and stacking logs.An elderly woman approached him with a kind smile.

"Thank you for helping with the logs, Kaito," she said.

Kaito replied with a forced smile, "No problem, Mrs. Hoshino. I'm always happy to help."

Mrs. Hoshino patted his shoulder, her kimono sleeves fluttering gently. "You remind me so much of my son. He was always so eager to lend a hand."

Kaito's eyes softened, but sadness flickered in them. "I just want to be useful to the village. You've all been so kind to me."

Mrs. Hoshino nodded, her eyes reflecting understanding and sympathy. "You're a good boy, Kaito. Just remember, you don't have to carry your burdens alone."

Later that day, while heading to the construction site, Kaito met Hiroshi, the local chemist, who was organizing some bottles outside his shop. The air was filled with the fragrant scent of herbs and spices drying in the sun.

"Kaito! Just the person I wanted to see," Hiroshi called out.

Kaito approached with a curious look. "What's up, Mr. Hiroshi?"

I've run out of some rare herbs. Could you gather some from the forest for me? I'll pay you for your trouble," Hiroshi asked.

Kaito nodded eagerly. "Of course! I'll head there right after my shift."

Hiroshi smiled and handed Kaito a small pouch. "Here, take this. It's a map of the forest, and also where you can find the herbs are written there. Be careful out there."

As promised, after his shift at the construction site, Kaito set off into the dense woods. The forest was alive with the sounds of chirping cicadas and rustling leaves, and the air was cool and refreshing. Using the map Hiroshi gave him, Kaito navigated his way deeper into the forest, carefully collecting the herbs he needed.

As he worked, a sudden chill ran down his spine. He heard a mysterious voice echoing through the trees, calling his name.

"Kaito... Kaito..."

He froze, heart racing, memories of the flooding back. "Who's there?" he called out, but there was no reply, only the wind rustling the leaves.

Driven by curiosity and a sense of foreboding, Kaito followed the voice deeper into the forest. He pushed through the underbrush until he reached an ancient tombstone, hidden by overgrown vines and moss. The stone was carved with intricate patterns reminiscent of a bygone era.

"A tombstone... here?" he whispered to himself.

With a deep breath, Kaito rolled the tombstone aside, revealing an ancient altar adorned with glowing symbols and an old, dust-covered sword resting atop it. The symbols glowed faintly in the twilight, casting eerie shadows.

"This can't be real," he muttered, reaching out to touch the blade.

As his fingers made contact, a powerful vision engulfed him—a vision of dark creatures ravaging his village and the kingdom. The vision was vivid and terrifying, showing fires, screams, and shadows engulfing everything. The fear and helplessness he felt during the fire came back, overwhelming him. A voice urged him to find the other Blades of Eternity to prevent this catastrophe.

"Blades of Eternity... I must find them," he said, snapping back to reality.

Realizing night had fallen, Kaito hurriedly made his way back to the village, the sword by his side. The journey back through the dark forest was filled with a sense of foreboding. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs kept him on edge, but the weight of the sword in his hand brought a sense of comfort. Yet, his mind was plagued by the vision and the memories of his lost family.

Kaito arrived back at Eldoria to find the village eerily quiet. As he approached, he noticed a cloud of smoke rising into the night sky and heard faint, desperate screams. His heart sank, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead as the scene mirrored the tragedy that took his family.