Prologue - Louis, Son of Man

Faunus Forest, a sprawling expanse of 30.75 million km², has been said to exist since the dawn of time. It is home to a multitude of legendary creatures, never before seen by humankind, but rather known only through tales sung by bards.

At the center of the forest lies the World Tree, Yggdrasil, which serves as the sole entity that binds together the Sky, Earth, and Netherworld. The Sky is the realm where Transcendents and Gods reside, the Earth is the 550 million km² of land where mortals live, and the Netherworld, also known as Hell, is the realm of the dead where they are forever tormented in Hellfire. Many believe that the day the World Tree withers will mark the end of the world, for it is the source of life that birthed the Faunus Forest and brought forth the miracle of life from death.

The Sky represents the heaven where the Transcendents and Gods reside, the Earth, spanning 550 million km² consist of the 7 continent mortals live in, and the netherworld, also known as Hell, represents the realm of the dead who are forever tormented in Hellfire.

The Faunus Forest is located in the Atlas continent, one of the 7 continents on Earth, and is surrounded by many states, mainly the three Great Powers, The Empire, The Kingdom, and The Federation.

The Faunus Forest is situated in the Atlas continent, one of the seven continents on Earth, and is surrounded by several states, primarily the three Great Powers: The Empire, The Kingdom, and The Federation. The Empire lies to the north of the forest and is a rising superpower ruled by Emperor Otho Windsor, known for his overwhelming charisma and intellect. He ascended to the throne at the young age of 26, despite not having the support of the late emperor, and his ascension was marred by the blood of his kin. While many questioned his legitimacy, all doubts vanished soon after he began his reign, which was marked by massive political, economic, social, and military reforms, as well as an era of prosperity.

To the West of the Faunus Forest is The Kingdom. The Kingdom has the longest-standing history among the three great powers, and while its military is unmatched, its multiple and complex politics hamper it. There are many factions within The Kingdom, those are the Royal faction, Aristocratic faction, Pro-Empire faction and Pro-Federation faction, each working for their interest. The many factions inside The Kingdom restrict each other, to the point that even the Royals with the highest authority must be thorough with their action, or else they may face backlash and criticism from opposing factions.

To the South of the Faunus Forest lies The Federation. The Federation has both the shortest history as well as the weakest military in comparison to the other two Great Powers, and as a result, is often overshadowed. While being so, The Federation can be said to be the most unique as it's a state formed by the joint unity of many races with the single goal of surviving. Unlike The Empire and The Kingdom, The Federation's decision-making is decided by a council of elders elected by the many races that make up The Federation. Even though it's often underestimated, The Federation is not a force to be reckoned with as it holds many secrets, especially the rich number of heirlooms (artifacts) containing special powers and advanced knowledge passed down by their ancestors.

These three great powers fiercely compete to be the rightful owner of the forest, as it has been prophesied that whoever owns the World Tree will own the world.

A baseless, but believable claim derived from the sheer abundance of lifeforce the World Tree emits. It was said in the past that the Atlas continent was a desert unfit for living, but it all changed when the World Tree sprouted, lush vegetation started to grow around it which later became known as the Faunus Forest, and because of this miracle-like event that births life within death, hence the World Tree is also monikered the Tree of Life.