Imagine a world where legends walk among mortals and the clash of monsters and humans shapes both land and people. Welcome to Nixara, a realm of striking beauty and ancient secrets, where mountains slice the sky and valleys are alive with magic. Here, unity, prejudice, and sacrifice knit through history, and every festival honors the hard-won blend of monster and human traditions. But beneath the joy, darkness waits. Just when unity seemed near, a shadow crept into Nixara, threatening to undo everything.
No one knew how or where the terror began, only that a prophecy foretold darkness when the skies bled red. As the heavens shifted hue, the air became charged with foreboding. Embers snowed from the split sky, hinting at the chaos to come. Elder Tanis, an ancient voice of wisdom and caution, trembled as he watched, his gnarled hands clawing at the earth; the tremors underfoot matched those within. 'The time has come,' he whispered, voice frail and fearful. The quaked furiously as a rift opened into Nixara, and from its gaping maw, demons spewed forth, vile creatures preying on both monsters and humans alike. Screams crescendoed in the night's silence, the ground painted a ghastly red. The deaths were countless, fear deep into every heart, but from the ruins, the Demon Hunters emerged, dedicated to training those who would stand against the dire threat.
Over time, people developed affinities —types of magic that resonated with individuals who had mastered their powers through practice. These affinities often surfaced as people mature, manifesting in moments of intense emotion or stress when their magical abilities begin to emerge. Each affinity comes with its own limits, requiring discipline and experience to harness effectively and prevent overuse, which can lead to exhaustion or loss of control. In this struggling world, a new hero is born: Draco, a bloodhound who lost his mother and his childhood during a demon attack. Bloodhounds are hybrids of vampires and werewolves, able to shift between smooth skin and fur, and are marked by a primal desire for blood. The origin of bloodhounds is a mystery rooted in taboo and legend, often whispered of as unholy unions forged in times of great distress. Seen as pariahs, they struggle against prejudice while seeking a sense of belonging and purpose. Draco could only watch helplessly as his mother died. He suffered silently, rejected because he was different. But this suffering only fueled his rage; he wouldn't rest, wouldn't die until he saw all demons dead; his mother's sacrifice would never be in vain.
The memory of his mother's last words haunted him. She had whispered it, her voice barely audible over the chaos. Draco clenched his fists as he replayed that moment in his mind, wishing he could be worthy of her final wish. Yet, doubt gnawed at him. Could he truly protect what he treasured, or was he doomed to fail as he had with her?
So Draco trained year after year, fueled by rage, a desire for revenge, and an unbreakable will to survive. As he honed his skills, he often found himself alone at the edge of a cliff, gazing into the abyss, wondering whether his heart was as hardened as he wanted it to be. There were times that nearly broke him; the thought of walking always crossed his mind. But just as he was about to concede, a flicker of his mother's image urged him to continue. Determination surged through him, fueling his ambition: to become a demon hunter and slay any demon that came his way. Little did he know that everything was about to change.
**Ten Years Later…**
Draco muttered sleepily as he struggled to get out of bed, rubbing the sleep out of his deep brown eyes. He trudged to the bathroom and took a shower, letting the comfort of the night wash off his blue hair. After finishing the last of his toast, he walked out the door. "Bye, Dad," he said with a smile as he left, his uniform in hand.
His dad mumbled something, eyes fixed on the fireplace. Draco sighed, closing the door behind him as he turned to leave. His father's condition had worsened over the past few years, and he knew that his dad would join his mother soon. But he wasn't ready to join them. Not yet. He had a job to do: putting an end to the demons' reign of terror once and for all.