A squad of Keepers from the Rune Society fled to a village near the forbidden lands. Someone's Rune Brand was ready to get out of control and summon astral creatures.
The Rift would open, and only the Awakened could stop it.
"These monsters will never end! What are the Keepers doing?!" Kain wheezed, dragging the red-skinned monster straight out of the Astral Dimension.
Max and Daniel, in a last push, threw the monster onto the platform.
"We did it." Kain sighed as he turned back. "Hey! You greedy merchant! We're done!"
Vorg grinned as he handed the sack to Kain. "Good job. We were lucky the Keepers were too busy last time to clean up the mess. Hopefully, the Rift won't open soon! Hahaha!"
"What? Only ten crystal coins?" Kain frowned. "That's pennies!"
"Hey! That's the best I can do. Come on, Kain!" he patted him on the shoulder. "Go get some rest and come back."
Kain snorted, glaring at Max and Daniel. "I'm gonna go see how many monsters are left. You old man, don't even think about fooling us again!"
Vorg didn't take offense, he understood why Kain acted this way.
"Oh, every time we talk about Keepers, he's like a wild beast."
Daniel scratched the back of his head. "Well... I know he blames them for his parents' death twelve years ago, but they're the only reason the Arcane Scripture didn't destroy our world."
"Alright! Let's get to work!" Vorg clapped his hands. "You guys better be glad you didn't get infected by Rune Brand. Hundreds are dying for a single Keeper to appear. You don't want that fate, believe me."
The Arcane Scripture - a cataclysm that struck decades ago and changed the world forever. On the very first day, some people began to suffer from an incurable disease - the Rune Brand. Three days and death struck.
As it later turned out, the only way to get rid of the Rune Brand was to enter the Astral Dimension. Thus came the Keepers, who acquired the unique power - the Codex.
The Rune Society became the new world government, led by the strongest.
Soon, more and more people began to see the Rune Brand as an opportunity to change their lives rather than a curse. It was the only path to power.
But for Kain, all of this was meaningless. He had to survive, and he blamed not the Arcane Scripture or the monsters but the heroes of humanity - the Keepers.
He was sitting in front of the warehouse, staring ahead. Max and Daniel remained inside.
Suddenly, Kain's eyes went wide in disbelief.
The rune squad showed up in the distance, ten men in blue outfits and one young girl in a white robe.
"A Keeper..." Kain gulped. "What the hell are they doing here?"
Abruptly, they stopped. Fear covered the girl's face. They arrived too late.
Pillars of runes rose from the ground - a Rift opened in one of the houses, destroying everything in its path.
The last thing Kain saw was the monsters' shadows in the distance before the explosion from behind plunged him into the ground.
"GHA!"
Kain's hands were in blood, his eyes were running from side to side in an attempt to figure out what had just happened.
Then, he quickly ran into the destroyed warehouse to see Max and Daniel buried under the debris.
Without a second thought, he rushed forward, trying to lift the iron beams.
"Come on! Move!"
A shadow fell across Kain's face. He raised his head to stare at the giant, horned monster. Its paw crashed down on the warehouse, forcing Kain to run out at the last moment.
'No... It's happening again! Once a Keeper showed up, I lost everything!' Kain inwardly shouted as he rushed forward, his eyes wet with impending tears.
At the destroyed statue lay a young girl, her breath was heavy.
"You..." Kain hissed, his eyes full of anger. "What have you done?! What's going on here?! The moment you appeared, the world was crushed!''
Barely discerning Kain's silhouette through the blurry veil before her eyes, she smiled bitterly.
''Boy...? Did someone manage to survive? That's... That's good," she croaked, blood never stopped flowing from her mouth.
Kain grabbed her by the collar. "Answer Me! First, I lost my family, and now... My friends are dead! I didn't even have a chance to help them! All because of you!"
"I'm sorry... I failed to protect your home. I failed as a Keeper..."
She looked away. "We got the signal too late. The Rift opened. Someone didn't report about the Rune Brand!"
"Damn it! You are a Keeper, you have a Codex, the powers, and you can't save anyone!"
Kain gritted his teeth. "Are you saying to run away? Again? To have another Keeper ruin my life in several years? I'd rather die here!"
"You don't want to run away? Then save yourself..." she coughed.
"W-What...?" Kain gulped in disbelief. "I'm a common man. I can't fight monsters!"
She stretched her right hand forward. "I was the same... Either grab my hand and get the Rune Brand, or run..."
White runes ran down the girl's arm in a flow, actively trembling. All of her power gathered at one point.
"Rune Brand? It can be transferred...?" Kain asked, but there was no time. The monsters in the distance were getting closer. "Fine! I'll do it!"
He clutched her hand tightly.
"Listen to the Arcane Scripture... Don't waste time... you will have a bit of it... I hope you will become a better Keeper than I."
A faint gloom filled her hollow eyes.
"Next time, you'll decide your fate..."
Kain's eyes grew deeper. "I was wrong. You are a true Keeper, a hero admired by the common people."
"No..." She looked at Kain, tears flowing from her eyes. "I am not a hero... I couldn't protect your village..."
"Name." Kain clutched her hand tighter, the runes traveling over to him. "What is your name, Keeper?"
The girl smiled bitterly.
"Reina... My name is Reina..."
Then, light covered her body as she split into myriad fragments, disappearing right in front of Kain.
Kain's heart clenched in sharp pain as the runes reflected in his eyes.
The world slowed as a strange, mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
[The Rune Brand has been activated... Tainted, you must enter the Astral Dimension and find the Ascension Rune or die.]