DARIA
At the heart of the continent Serenia lay Daria, a kingdom known for its harmony, where humans, demi-humans, and other creatures lived together in peace. The country was divided into nine distinct states, with its bustling capital bearing the same name, Daria.
Yet, despite its prosperity, the kingdom faced persistent challenges. Resources were scarce, and even the wisdom of the benevolent King Dorman Dane Ember could not fully remedy the imbalance. Still, the king ensured that every citizen, regardless of race or station, lived with dignity and equal rights.
To the north of Daria stretched the lands of Tikka, while to the west lay Fulton, a demi-human kingdom blessed by their goddess Tova, whose name resonated through every generation. Together with two other western realms, these lands formed the vibrant, sprawling continent of Serenia.
ELDRIDA FOREST
Just beyond the capital, the Eldrida Forest rose like a living fortress of nature,a vast, untamed wilderness whispered to be the home of the Dryads. Legends spoke of these holy beings, guardians of every tree and plant, whose touch made the forest thrive more vibrantly than anywhere else in the continent.
On a day when even seasoned hunters avoided the dense forest , something unseen unfolded.
The forest was alive with its usual chorus: birds flitted through the branches, their calls weaving together in a gentle melody, while the old trees swayed and creaked under the weight of time, their roots shifting in the soft earth. But the serenity was abruptly broken.
A woman's scream tore through the forest,a raw, shattering sound that seemed to make even the trees recoil. The air, once calm and golden with sunlight, quivered under the intensity of her pain.
Erika, a striking woman with raven-black hair cascading like a waterfall of night, writhed in pain. Her piercing blue eyes, like the first whisper of dawn, reflected agony and determination as her contractions came faster. Her heart-shaped face, adorned with high cheekbones and framed by her shimmering hair, was drenched in sweat.
"Push harder! One more time, Erika!" Maria urged, her voice tight with panic.
"I'm trying, Maria!" Erika gasped, her exhaustion evident. "He won't come out!"
With one final, primal push, Erika's strength surged through her, shaking the room with a force that rattled the glassware. Every window fractured instantly, and the very forest outside seemed to shiver in response. Then, the faint, piercing cries of a newborn filled the room, fragile yet insistent against the weight of the world.
Maria gasped as she cradled the infant, struck by his extraordinary appearance. His hair was a striking mixture of white and black,his right side as pure as freshly fallen snow, his left as dark as the void. His eyes mirrored the duality: one radiant and luminous, the other an abyss that seemed to draw everything in.
Tears ran down Erika's golden skin as she gazed at her son. "My child," she whispered, her voice trembling, "I won't be here to watch over you, to see you grow into the man you're meant to become. But someone else will. Someone I trust."
With a gentle kiss on his head, she named him. "Aristo."
Erika handed the baby to Maria. Suddenly, her body began to pulse with an intense, concentrated aura of Dio energy. Slowly, she dissolved into the air, leaving only the imprint of her warmth. Shaken but resolute, Maria wrapped Aristo in a red blanket and stepped outside. To her astonishment, two Dryads awaited her,tall, holy figures with glowing emerald skin and hair like sunlight filtering through leaves. They bowed over Aristo, pressing gentle kisses to his forehead, then gestured toward a narrow forest path. Without hesitation, Maria followed.
The air carried a low, unsettling tension, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.
Then the serenity shattered. From the shadows emerged a colossal beast, towering above the trees, its muscles rippling beneath thick, obsidian-like skin. Its body radiated raw, unyielding strength, each step causing the ground to tremble. Spiraling, blade-sharp horns curved from its massive head, capable of impaling anything in its path, and its hooves dug deep furrows into the earth as it charged. The creature's presence exuded a menace so palpable that the very air seemed to thicken with dread.
Aristo's cries intensified, spilling an overwhelming purity of Dio energy into the clearing. The beast halted mid-stride, nostrils flaring and eyes wide, sensing the force radiating from the infant. For a moment, it froze, tense and cautious, before retreating into the forest, leaving a trail of churned earth and shattered branches in its wake.
Maria wasted no time. She leapt onto her horse, heart pounding, and urged it toward the capital.
The city of Daria was in chaos. Windows rattled violently in their frames, doors swung on their hinges, and the air itself thrummed with an unnatural force. Citizens scattered, fleeing in fear, as the sunlight dimmed to an ominous crimson glow that bathed the streets in a surreal, foreboding light.
DARIA PALACE
King Dorman felt the energy surging through the palace. "This power… could it be a sign?" he murmured, deep in thought.
Damon stood tense, aware of a presence unlike anything he had ever felt—an overwhelming energy that seemed to herald the end of time itself. "We've faced strange forces before, but nothing like this," he muttered, voice tight.
Outside the palace, troops were hurriedly dispatched to maintain order, shields raised and formations tight as the crimson light spread through the city, sending citizens into panic.
King Dorman's gaze softened as he studied Damon. "You're worried about your family, aren't you? If that is the case, you may go and check on them."
"I… I want to stay," Damon admitted, his jaw tight with conflict.
"No," the king said firmly. "Go. Now."
Damon could not refuse an order. He bowed slightly. "Then I will… repay your kindness, my king," he said.
With that, he sprinted to the balcony and leapt. The city blurred beneath him as he flew through the air, covering the distance in a single, powerful bound, unbroken until he reached his destination.
Inside the palace, courtiers watched in awe and fear as the strange, energy pulsed through the streets, shaking the city and leaving a lingering sense of dread.
DARIA CAPITAL
Amidst the chaos of the crimson-lit streets, Maria approached the city gates, her pace hurried but controlled, her eyes fixed on the path ahead.
"Is that… Lady Maria?" a guard whispered, disbelief coloring his voice.
"Open the gate!" another shouted, urgency cracking through the panic.
The gates creaked and groaned, swinging just wide enough for her to slip through before slamming shut again, reverberating through the city like a warning.
The red bundle cradled in Maria's arms pulsed with an otherworldly energy, subtle at first, then growing in intensity with each step. The air thickened around her, a weight that pressed down on the crowd. Some staggered and collapsed, overwhelmed by the sheer force radiating from the infant.
Animals nearby trembled in terror, and several livestock fell lifeless to the ground, their bodies drained by the oppressive aura. Even some of the city's elderly, fragile from years, succumbed quietly, their forms slumping as the energy swept past them.
No one could see the source, yet all felt its power,Whispers ran through the crowd: some prayed, some fled, and some simply froze, paralyzed by the unearthly presence that seemed to hum and thrum from the bundle in Maria's arms.
DAMON'S HOUSE
Damon landed outside the gate, shouting over the wind. "Lisanna! Where are you?"
The doors opened, and Lisanna stepped out.
She had served Damon's household for over a decade, caring for the children and assisting with chores. A striking demi-human, Lisanna had two slender, curved horns of polished silver on her forehead. Her long grey hair fell asymmetrically, accentuating her sharp features, its deep shade absorbing the light and giving her an air of quiet intensity.
Her piercing brown eyes, with vertical pupils, seemed to see right through you, yet carried warmth and wisdom. Smooth porcelain skin, a subtle crescent moon tattoo on her left chest, and her confident, fluid movements made her presence impossible to ignore. Her horns radiated a subtle energy, hinting at power, but her calm and graceful demeanor softened her imposing appearance.
DAMON'S HOUSE
"For a moment there, I thought something terrible had happened. Is Cassandra back from school?" Damon asked, urgency lacing his voice.
The front door swung open, and Cassandra darted out, her bright eyes sparkling.
"Speak of the little devil," Damon said with a grin, scooping her onto his shoulder.
Cassandra was the spitting image of her father. Long, raven-black hair cascaded to her waist, and her bright brown eyes gleamed with curiosity, warm as chestnuts in the sunlight. Her petite nose, full lips, and glowing skin gave her a natural, captivating beauty. Slender and athletic, she carried herself with quiet confidence, earning the nickname "Damon's little sister" for their uncanny resemblance.
Lisanna chuckled at the sight, watching them play, momentarily forgetting the urgency outside.
"Maria—is she back?" Damon asked.
"Not yet," Lisanna replied calmly.
Before he could respond, Maria burst through the gate, cradling a red bundle.
"What's going on, Maria?" Damon demanded, noticing the strange energy radiating from the bundle.
"Lisanna, prepare a room," Maria instructed, her voice urgent.
"Cassandra, come inside for a moment," lisanna said .
Damon interrupted, overriding Maria's command.
The energy around the bundle pulsed and shifted in color, unnerving Damon. "What is that? Covered in that blanket? The entire capital is in chaos,please tell me this has nothing to do with you again ."
Maria's voice trembled with desperation. "I wish it didn't. It's a baby… we need to move him inside. I don't think he'll last much longer."
"Inside? Not a step closer! What do you mean, 'won't last longer'?" Damon demanded.
"The child… never mind! I don't have time to explain! You're wasting time standing here!" Maria snapped, panic and resolve mixing in her tone.
"I promised his mother I would protect him," she added firmly.
Damon forged the white blade, its glow cutting through the dim light. "That child is dangerous! He should have stayed a where every you got it from!"
Maria met his gaze, unwavering. She could see he was dead serious, he had never aimed a blade at her before.
"He's my son!" she shouted.
"That child doesn't belong here," Damon said, tension sharpening his words. "It could be a curse—or worse. You went into Eldrida alone? Who in their right mind would do that?"
" You, the same woman who screams at bugs the size of your thumb and freaks out staying in an empty room at night, actually wandered into that forest by yourself?"
"I promised his mother I'd take full responsibility. I won't turn back now!" Maria said, her voice resolute.
"I'm doing this for the family," Damon replied, his tone softening slightly. "We have a son who's a year old, a daughter who's six, we don't need another child in danger."
Maria's determination hardened. A little piece of earth appeared in the form of a little dagger, as she had created a dagger made from earth , she placed it on her throat,threatened to split her throat,
Damon hesitated, recognizing her resolve. Against his better judgment, he stepped aside, allowing Maria and the child inside.
"Lisanna, send an SSS message to the priests," Maria instructed. Lisanna nodded and acted immediately.
Aristo was carried to a prepared room, gently laid on a bed as Maria watched over him, her resolve unbroken.
THE DARIA LIBRARY
"This… this energy is unlike anything before," he whispered, eyes narrowing. "She must be close,the lady from that night…" A memory flickered through his mind, a shadow from a century past.
Barnabas, the oldest and most revered priest in Daria, sat silently among the towering shelves of ancient tomes. Over two centuries had etched wisdom into his small, stout frame. His long white beard flowed like silken threads, his round spectacles perched on the bridge of a nose weathered by time. His red hat seemed almost ceremonial, a crown of knowledge and authority. Every wrinkle told a story, every glance hinted at secrets buried deep within the kingdom.
"Sir, a message from Lady Maria," a guard announced, bowing slightly as he handed over a sealed parchment.
Barnabas's eyes flickered to the symbol stamped upon it: the official SSS seal of the kingdom. His fingers trembled slightly—not from age, but anticipation.
"You may take your leave," he said, voice calm but carrying an undercurrent of urgency. His eyes softened briefly, yet a spark of intensity glimmered as he reached beneath his desk. With deliberate motion, he unlocked a hidden compartment and pulled forth the Book of Tova.
The ancient tome exuded weight beyond its leather binding. Dust danced in the air as he blew across its surface. The book's aura seemed to hum, as if alive, whispering secrets only the worthy could hear. Barnabas's eyes widened, pupils dilated with awe and reverence. The kingdom's deepest, oldest mysteries now lay in his hands,a book long believed to be mere legend, a collection of lost knowledge spanning eras when dragons, elves, and demi-humans walked the world.
With the book under his arm, Barnabas moved toward the carriage, the gravity of his mission pressing upon him.
---
DAMON'S HOUSE
Hours later, six priests arrived at Damon's residence, moving with swift precision.
"This way. The child is in the last room on your right," Lisanna instructed, her voice steady despite the tension. The priests nodded, stepping with care toward the chamber.
Inside, the boy's energy was overwhelming. Dark, swirling particles coalesced around him, intertwining with pure Dio energy—but there was something else. This force pulsed as if alive, radiating directly from the child, purer and more potent than anything the priests had ever witnessed.
"This… this child is producing unimaginable power!" Zeal exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief. "We must act now!"
Magical sealing were deployed, starting with simple bindings and escalating to complex, multi-layered spells. Yet, every attempt faltered, the energy bending and breaking their magic.
Barnabas stepped forward, opening the Book of Tova. His hands shook with both reverence and dread. The room seemed to hold its breath as he turned the ancient pages, revealing symbols that pulsed faintly in response to his touch. His face reflected awe and solemnity, a mixture of fear and hope, before he spoke.
"Only one sealing can contain him," he said, voice low and deliberate. "His aura… it is both the essence of a demon from a distant realm and the light of an angel sent from above."
"Demons… they exist?" Flint staggered backward, his voice trembling. "A single demon could annihilate our elite forces… they are real?"
He screamed as he saw the book.
" The book of tova, it exist?, this is not happening"
Barnabas's gaze hardened. "Yes it exist and it's a secret, no one most know of it's existence, And the spell capable of sealing this power is in here, the Otiot Shel Shedim, was once used to imprison Raji, a demon whose sole purpose was to erase all life. But it demands a tremendous price: vast amounts of Dio energy and total devotion."
The priests braced themselves. They enacted the seal nine times, every attempt draining their strength, their essence burning like fragile candles .
When the dark aura finally receded, five priests had collapsed, their bodies dissolving into a black, viscous substance that slowly vaporized. Only Barnabas remained, barely sustaining himself, his Dio energy nearly depleted.
"If this seal breaks… and the child cannot master this power… the world will end," he whispered before collapsing onto the cold floor.
Maria rushed in, gently removed the cloth from the child's eyes, sensing the residual darkness trying to seep through. Though sealed, the energy still threatened to break free. She carefully covered him with a rare DPS monster skin, its thousands of tentacle-like appendages feeding on excess Dio energy, containing the volatile force within.
Barnabas was taken to a nearby room to recover, each priest's apprentice waiting outside, prepared for emergencies.
Each priest has a successor, who are said to take over the priest duties , in case of serious matters like death, the apprentice were told to wait outside by their masters.
Damon had no other choice but to let them in , seeing what had happened they were speechless, the clothing of their masters and a dark liquid substance vaporising, word couldn't express the grief they felt, sobriquet, the news spread out like a wild fire burning down a forest during summer.
The intense energy gradually subsided, the air purified, yet the memory of that day would haunt all who witnessed it.
When word reached the king, Damon was stripped of his command over the elite forces, blamed for the deaths of the priests . It was a night of tears, sorrow, and despair for the kingdom, the book remained a secret even to the king.
Maria breastfed Aristo, then gently placed him beside, Phobos, who was just a year older.
Maria long, flowing red hair that reached down her back. Her eyes were a piercing brown, clear and expressive. Her blue gown hugged her figure perfectly,Her skin was smooth and pale, with a subtle glow. She carried herself with elegance, and her overall appearance radiated grace and warmth.
As she kissed Phobos and Aristo on the head.