Chapter 1

Ardemnian Age (Ar.C)

The year is 2980 Ar.C, mankind now facing a big threat from celestial creatures called the Novus. Many nations fell in ruins, cities obliterated and numerous lives lost. Not even the strongest armies the strongest force of combined nations lasted against these powerful beings. Totally defeated, the Novus showed no mercy the those who foolishly resisted against them. With mankind's strongest armies defeated, there was no one left to defend the defenseless as they ran and hid themselves against their enemies. Hiding from the Novus, the remaining humans decided to live in groups called cells. Cells, a small group of people which numbers from 200 to 400 per cell, they did such in order to prevent detection from the Novus. Each cell has their own independent military force that protects the defenseless among their group.

Although futile, the remaining humans continued to resist, which gave birth to a union of Cells called "The Remnants". Vowing to protect their fellow comrades, the Remnants struggle to unite the Cells to fight the Novus. However many of the Cells kept fighting against each other, as the old grudges, traditions, beliefs and many reasons hindered them from being united. As time goes by, the rift within the remnants continued to became worse, many gave up fighting and distanced themselves. Mankind is need of saviors, the ones that would deliver them into salvation.

"Who will come? Who will unite us? Who will protect us and rid us of our enemies?" The question in which many asked to themselves. Placing their faith on someone or something that would save them. To finally put an end to the Novus who kept attacking them. Will it be too late when their saviors would finally come?

Part 1

Clansman

Forest Region, 5 years ago

"Roh, are your ready?" A red-haired, tall, slendered bodied young man to the young boy beside of him hiding behind a tree in the forest.

The young man, afraid replied with a shaky voice, "Y-yes... Akin."

Seeing Roh in his unprepared posistion Akin decided to not let him fight and said to him, "Roh, just stay here and watch. Unless you are prepared to join the holy war, I cannot let you fight."

Akin went out from hiding and attacked the Novus monsters attacking the fleeing group of people. He attacked one of the Novus near to him, by using his ability to control the fire element. Immediately killing by burning the one in his front, he proceeded to engage on the three others that are attacking the defenseless that are running away from them. Akin provoked them by throwing rocks at them, directing their attention to him. Seeing Akin the two Novus monsters attacked him with their scythe-like arm.

With the element of Fire

The power granted to me by my contractors

I command you!

Red flames suddenly surrounded Akin's arms after his cant then moves into his stance. Engaged with the two Novus monsters, easily evading their deadly attacks. Akin threw fireballs from his left hand that exploded on the head, he attacked the second one by grabbing it by its head. Fire quickly spread from the head of the monster to it's body burning it in the matter of seconds. Two other monsters appeared from behind of him, Akin dodged the attacks of the two with his swiftness and agility then counterattacked them.

Fires that judge the wretched

I command you

Show them eternal punishment!

The ground beneath the two monsters suddenly surrounded by fire. The two monsters were burned immediately at the spot. Without breaking a sweat, Akin eliminated his opponents easily then turns to his friend Roh who was still hiding behind the tree. Letting his guard down, he did not notice that there's another monster that was left. Roh suddenly came out from hiding to warn his friend Akin, however he was too late. Akin barely dodged the attack, although far from critical his wound at his back seems bad. He was thrown away and hit a tree next to where Roh was standing and grunted as bearing the pain that caused by the wound that he got from the attack. Roh grabbed his weapon tried retaliate at the monster but was stopped by Akin.

"Roh, run. You don't have a chance against that thing..."

Roh contradicted to him and said, "I won't listen, I am a clansman the same as you are. I am obliged to protect my comrade at the times of danger. Even if it would risk my life, I will do as what I have promised in the contract!" He exclaimed.

"You fool!" Akin scolded him, "You call yourself worthy of fighting the Holy War?"

Hearing this Roh was shocked and unable to speak. Akin stood up from the ground, using the tree as his support faced the monster in front of them.

"Remember this Roh, he who is not prepared himself for the war... Is not worthy to be called as a Clansman." Akin said to him.

"Not worthy... to become a clansman?" Roh asked to himelf.

Akin stood in front of him told Roh to run away but Roh insisted in staying to him. This time Akin said to Roh in a warning tone and said to him.

"You are only a fool, if you think that you would die as someone chosen. Do not force yourself, Roh... If you would only hinder on my way then I have no choice but to kill you... Roh, don't make me do it, don't make me kill you!"

"A-Akin, why?"

"I'll promise that I will come back, Roh... Until I come back, make yourself worthy to become one of us. Worthy to be called someone chosen by our Gods to fight alongside with them." Akin said to him.

"I... I will, I promise..." Roh replied and then ran away.

The Novus monster tried to chase Roh but was stopped by Akin. He grinned at the monster and went to his fighting stance. Casting flames in his arms, he began to cant...

With the power of Fire

Granted to me by my contractors

I summon thee, the fire that punishes the wicked

The Flames of Hades I command you

I summon thee, obey my command!!

After his cant, Novus monsters suddenly appeared surrounding him. Akin smiled as the flames in his arms changes into black flames, grayish white flames that are said to be evil. Touching the ground with his palm the area around him was engulfed with a sea of fire. Roh was able to run far away for him to get caught by the fire, looking back the place was already engulfed by grayish fire burned everything around the place. Roh fell on to his knees and cried for his friend that he left in the place. He angrily shouted blamed himself for the incident.

--

3042 Ar.C
Desert Region, 5 years later...

Kashim woke up, looking from outside he noticed that it is already past noon and he overslept. He changed to his clothes and looked at himself at the mirror. While staring at himself at the mirror the he asked the same question that he asked from his friend in his dream to himself.

"What is the meaning of becoming a Clansman? What are clansmen anyway?"

After changing his clothes, Kashim went out of his tent. Outside of his tent there was someone who was waiting for him calling his attention. A chubby looking young man in soldier uniform, sitting at the wooden bench beside Kashim's tent.

"You're late... We were supposed to leave early but we are waiting for you to wake up." The person said to him.

"I am sorry for waking up late Alexei..." He replied.

"No not actually your fault, there would be no difference if you would have woke up earlier anyway. For some reasons we are stalled into this place up until tomorrow." Alexei explained.

"Why is that?" Kashim asked.

Alexei pointed at the cloud at the distance, "That's the reason, there's a huge sandstorm that is coming to our location. I think we should prepare ourselves for the upcoming storm."

Kashim noticed that it was something not natural, but rather caused by some unknown force that surrounded them. He went inside his tent and grabbed his spear from inside. Going outside his tent again he looked at the clouds up ahead he noticed that his senses were not lying to him. He faced Alexei and asked him if they could take another route, Alexei shook his head and told him that they are surrounded by the clouds. A soldier suddenly came, rushed himself as he looks for Alexei. Seeing Alexei, he reported the matter to him. Alexei was shocked in what he heard that Novus monsters have begun their attack.

"There's no time to waste..." Kashim said to Alexei and headed to the place.

"Where do you think you're going Kashim?" Alexei asked him.

"Eliminate the Novus." Kashim said.

"Kashim wait!" Alexei told Kashim to stop, however it seems that he already too far away from him.

"Damn kid... He won't listen the orders of his superiors." Alexei complained.

"What shall we do about him sir?" The soldier beside him asked.

"Let him be... He's no ordinary soldier nor like the fodders that we have." He said and then faced the soldier, "I think you have enough talk for today, by inform the ones under my command of the situation and tell them to see me at this place!" Alexei ordered the soldier.

"Yes sir!" The soldier saluted at him and left immediately afterwards.

"Clansmen eh? I guess I was wrong about my beliefs about you people... You may be strong, but still you are mortals. There are limits in everything you can do but... Kashim, I just hope... that you would not drive yourself to your own end." Alexei said to himself.