1.1. The History of Thidor
"Tonight, we shall speak of the ancient history of the continent of Thidor," he began to read. Although the origin of mana in this world was not entirely known, every race's legend shared a common thread.
Millennia ago, elves, dwarves, and humans lived in peace upon these lands. However, alongside them were dark creatures scattered across every corner of the continent. The ambient mana nourished these monsters, making them even more feral. At that time, the three primary races did not yet know the nature of magic; they fought the monsters with swords, spears, and physical strength.
But suddenly, an event occurred. Everything changed with the advent of the Creator God. He appeared abruptly and chose a representative from each of the three races, teaching them the secrets of sensing mana and utilizing magic. Because elves and dwarves were closer to nature, they grasped this science rapidly. Gradually, the three races began to learn and wield this power. With their combined strength, they defeated the monsters and imprisoned them within the continent's largest forest—the Umbra Forests.
However, prosperity did not last long. Once the monsters vanished, the elves founded Elowen, the dwarves founded Khor Modan, and the humans established the kingdom of Timor. The dispute over control of the Umbra Forest escalated into a great war. Since humans lagged behind the elves in magical mastery, they were on the brink of defeat. At that moment, humans turned to the darkest path: they forcibly learned and began to use black magic from the monsters within the Umbra Forest.
"Interesting, isn't it?"
"Yes, yes... please continue."
The tide of the war was about to turn due to human black magic. The pure elves were being decimated by this dark energy. Yet, it was then that a "traitor" emerged. This Guardian Mage—a traitor to humans but a hero to elves—taught the elves the ways to defend against black magic. By fracturing the human kingdom from within, he split it into two: Luvonia and Vandemar.
At the end of the war, the elves and their ally, Vandemar, emerged victorious. At the request of that traitor, the people of Luvonia were forgiven, and a great treaty was signed. The Umbra Forest was partitioned: the west and southwest were given to the elves, the northwest to Vandemar, the northeast to Luvonia, and the east and southeast to the dwarves.
"But what happened later that made the races reconcile?"
Alfredo smiled, shook his head, and placed his hand gently on my shoulder. "That is a tale for another night, Young Master. It is time to sleep."
"But Alfredo..."
"If you don't sleep, your mother will be angry."
"Fine, fine, I'm sleeping," I grumbled.
1.2. The Imprisoned Soul: Rats Kliss
The sky was overcast. Lord Ikari's task was simple yet heavy: to transport the treasure he was sending to the palace. Rats Kliss stared at the small box sitting in the carriage.
"Stay alert," said Rats, walking beside the carriages. "This area is a frequent haunt for bandits."
Suddenly, the silence of the forest was shattered by a brutal scream. Dozens of black-clad bandits swarmed from among the trees. But these were no ordinary bandits; some held glowing swords, while others had mana dancing at their fingertips.
"ATTACK!" the bandit leader shouted.
The battle erupted instantly. Rats was an elemental mage. He drew his sword, gathering mana upon the blade. "Come!" Rats shouted, his voice echoing into the depths of the forest.
Rats lunged at the bandits with his sword. Every move was faster and more ruthless, fueled by the power of mana. The bandits tried to parry Rats' attacks, but he was far swifter and stronger with his elemental magic. Rats defeated each bandit, sending them reeling back into the deep woods.
The combat grew increasingly intense. The bandits were numerous, while his men were dwindling. Rats parried every strike, striving to overcome every foe. But he knew this battle would have no end. His men were falling one by one.
Rats stepped toward the carriage and took the small box in his hand. He could not let it fall into the hands of the bandits.
He fled into the forest. As he ran deeper, the shouts of the bandits slowly faded. Rats stopped for a moment and opened the box. A purple crystal glowed in his hand. Rats' eyes remained fixed on the crystal. Perhaps if I do this and get away from here...
Rats shoved the crystal into his mouth and swallowed it! But at that moment, the crystal got stuck in Rats' throat! He began to choke. An incredible energy surged through his body, but the crystal in his throat cut off his breath. Rats collapsed, gasping for air.
When the struggle ended, Rats was alone. His men were dead, and the bandits had vanished. Rats lay on the ground, his body spent.
"Why is it so dark?" I whispered. My voice echoed in the void. "I suppose I really did die , finally but over a stupid stone, no less. But where is this place? I can't feel any mana."
Suddenly, a cold, shivering voice came from the depths of the darkness:
"Come closer..."
"Who are you?" I shouted, but the darkness seemed to swallow my voice.
At that instant, two giant streams of light beamed down from above. The first light revealed an empty chair, and the second illuminated an old man with white hair—radiant yet with a piercing gaze—sitting behind a table.
"Please, come closer," the old man said.
I stepped toward him cautiously. With every step, the weight of my soul seemed to grow heavier. "Who are you?"
The old man fixed his eyes on me: "I am Alfio, the God of Death. I am the one who must take you to the next world."
I approached him slowly, a strange fear and regret welling up inside me. "But..."
"But what?" Alfio's voice grew harsher. "You died with that stone in your body, Rats Kliss. This is due to your greed, your inability to let go of worldly possessions. By swallowing that crystal, you violated the laws of nature. Therefore, I curse you!"
My knees trembled. "What curse? I only wanted to protect the treasure!"
"Your punishment is this: Your soul shall not rest, and you shall not cross into the next world until you give that stone to someone worthy. However, that person must defeat you in a game. Only then shall you be free."
Rats looked at the empty chair in desperation: "What game? What game could possibly free my soul?"
Alfio swept his hand across the table, and a board of black and white squares appeared. "Sit, and I will explain. The name of this game is..."