Chapter 1 — Morning in Transvine
The city of Transvine woke slowly, the morning light filtering through cracked rooftops and faded banners. The streets hummed with life, but it was a fragile kind of energy—a rhythm held together by stubbornness rather than joy. Merchants called their wares, children laughed, and carts rattled across the uneven cobblestones. From afar, it looked like a city brimming with life, but those who lived here knew the truth: survival was a quiet, endless struggle.
Inside a small, worn house, the soft whistle of a kettle echoed through the kitchen. A woman, her hair streaked with gray and her hands weathered from years of labor, adjusted the straps of her apron. Her eyes, tired yet tender, searched for movement upstairs.
"Kelvin… are you awake?" she called softly, voice carrying that perfect mix of fatigue and love. "You're going to be late again."
"I'm up! I'm up! Just a second!" came the eager response from above, followed by hurried footsteps pounding the wooden stairs.
The mother turned as her son bounded down, grinning wide enough to make her heart ache. "Careful, you'll break the stairs one of these days," she said, a smile tugging at her lips.
"If I do, I'll just fix them when I grow up," Kelvin replied cheerfully, brushing past her and snagging the small cloth-wrapped snack she had set aside.
"You say that about everything," she murmured, adjusting the collar of his shirt as she looked at him with quiet wonder. "You've grown a lot lately… Sometimes I forget you're still just a child."
"That's because I'm going to be someone amazing," Kelvin said, voice full of conviction. "I'll get rich, fix this house, buy you good food every day… and one day, I'll take you somewhere far away from Transvine. Somewhere we don't have to worry about tomorrow."
The mother turned slightly, hiding the emotion threatening to rise. "You don't need to promise me the world," she said softly. "Just promise you'll come home safely." She handed him the small snack. "I saved this for you. Don't trade it for sweets like last time."
"I won't! I swear!" Kelvin laughed, tucking the snack carefully into his satchel.
Outside, the familiar roar of a drake echoed through the city as it circled, waiting to carry him to the school.
"Your ride is here," his mother said, walking him to the door. "Kelvin… listen to your teacher. Stay close to your class. And don't try to be a hero, alright?"
"Hey, heroes always come back!" Kelvin said, hugging her tightly. "I'll see you tonight, Mom."
"Yes… tonight," she whispered, holding him a moment longer.
The drake flapped its massive wings, the sound vibrating through the streets, and Kelvin climbed aboard the carriage. Neither of them knew that the word "tonight" had already been stolen from them.
High above, in a realm untouched by mortal strife, the divine council gathered. A floating stone table rested in a vast, white void. Five figures of immense presence sat in silent deliberation.
"The people of Transvine have forgotten us," said the Elder God, voice low and resonant.
"They don't pray. They don't offer tribute," the War God snorted, hands resting on his jagged blade. "Why should they still be allowed to live?"
"Careful," said the Sharp-Eyed God, leaning forward. "If we wipe them out every time they fall behind, soon there will be no mortals left."
"Better no mortals than ungrateful ones," War God replied, snarling.
All eyes turned to Cia, the goddess who had always walked closest to humanity.
"Cia…" the Elder God's voice softened. "You have always been the one whose heart trembles for mortals. What say you?"
"They are struggling," Cia said quietly, eyes clouded with concern. "Poverty, hunger, fear… these things make people forget gods. That doesn't mean they deserve to die."
"Your mercy will doom us all," War God snapped.
"And your cruelty will make us monsters," Cia countered, voice firm yet pained.
A long silence fell. Finally, the Elder God spoke. "We will give them a warning. Three days. If Transvine does not change… Cia will be sent to end them."
"Me…?" Cia's voice faltered.
"You are the only one whose heart still trembles," the Elder God replied. "If anyone can make them listen… it's you."
Cia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I understand."
Above the city, the sky flared gold, and the citizens of Transvine paused in awe and terror.
"What is that?" a merchant asked, shielding his eyes.
"Is… is the sky burning?" another whispered.
From the radiant light descended Cia, her form glowing with divine power. Her voice resonated across the city, echoing in the hearts of every citizen.
"People of Transvine… I am Cia, a goddess of the higher realms. Your world stands on the edge of annihilation. You have forgotten the balance. You have turned away from the divine. But I do not wish for your destruction. You have three days. Three days to repent. Three days to prove that this city still deserves to exist. If you do not… I will be forced to destroy it myself."
And then she vanished.
Panic spread like wildfire. Children clung to parents, merchants abandoned stalls, and prayers spilled from lips desperate for salvation.
"The gods are going to kill us?!" someone shouted.
"What are we supposed to do?!" cried another.
"Pray! Offer everything!" a merchant barked.
Transvine's streets, once lively with mundane noise, now hummed with terror, as if the city itself could sense the looming reckoning.
Kelvin, oblivious to the divine drama above, arrived at school in a rush, clutching his satchel tightly. Children laughed and shouted in excitement. Today was special—their first Beast-Hunting Field Trip.
"Line up!" the teacher called. "It's going to be an adventure!"
"We're really going to see real monsters?!" a student asked.
"My brother says beast hunters get rich!" another chimed.
Kelvin grinned nervously. "As long as we don't run into anything scary…"
"Don't worry. We're only going to the outer hunting grounds. Completely safe," the teacher reassured them.
Kelvin glanced up at the sky, gold light already fading from his mind. Three days… he thought. Three days to survive.
Outside the city, the hunting grounds awaited, vast and untamed. Rocks jutted like broken teeth, dusty grass swayed under the wind, and distant cries echoed through the haze.
"Stay close! No wandering off!" the teacher warned. Some students giggled, tossing small stones at tiny creatures, enjoying their first taste of danger.
But the ground beneath them trembled. A low, unnatural roar rolled across the terrain. Students froze.
"T-those aren't small monsters…" someone whispered.
"Run!" the teacher shouted.
Chaos erupted. Shadows and beasts collided with innocence. Screams filled the air. Kelvin ran, heart hammering. "Wait! Don't split up!"
A flying drake screeched, struck down by a massive creature. The teacher bled, shouting at him to escape. Kelvin hesitated, tears stinging his eyes—but survival instincts took over. He untied the drake, leaped aboard, and soared above the slaughtered grounds.
Below, Transvine burned. Beasts roamed freely, shapes moving through smoke. Kelvin's stomach lurched. "Mom… where are you?"
High above, Cia appeared once more, tears streaking her glowing face. A sphere of divine fire formed, bright enough to swallow the city.
"Forgive me…" her voice trembled. The fire consumed everything.
Kelvin fell to his knees on the scorched earth, smoke curling across the blackened horizon. "Mom… Everyone… I swear… I will get stronger. Stronger than beasts. Stronger than gods. And I will make them all pay."