The world fell apart long before you were born. Since the fall of the government, only chaos had reigned. The strong took what they wanted, and the weak… well, they certainly did not last long.

You and your family managed to stay 'safe' for years. It was a rough life, but it was a life. That was until everything suddenly went wrong. Perhaps you stayed in one place too long, or someone you trusted sold you out.

It did not matter.

The result would be the same either way; your home, if you could even call it that, was reduced to a pile of ash, and your family was gone with it.

Everything happened so quickly.

The attack, the fire, your parents... The smell of charred wood still lingered in your nose, reminding you of the lives you failed to save. You hadn't even had time to grieve properly. There was only the run and survival. You had to escape.

The night was colder than ever, and the forest seemed like a maze. The trees, the bushes... everything looked almost identical.

You weren't sure how far you had gone or how long you had walked. It had been a day since you had last found water or had eaten anything more substantial than a few blueberries.

Your grip tightened around the knife in your hand. It felt pitiful, really. You were stuck in a world where weapons and strength were currency. But what could you do about that?

Just then, a branch snapped on the ground behind you, causing you to stop dead in your tracks.

"You are making too much noise," a deep voice grumbled, sounding almost amused as if the person found your clumsy attempts at being cautious funny.

You turned around, heart pounding in your chest, as you noticed a man approaching you.

Blade.

"You will be dead before sunrise if you keep being so loud," he warned curtly. His eyebrows furrowed as he observed you, his expression unreadable. Despite his stern demeanour and blunt statements, Blade didn't appear hostile. "Where exactly are you headed?"