Volume 1

Chapter 1: The Dream

Every night, Mary had the same dream.

A dark forest covered in thick mist.

The cold air wrapped around her like invisible hands while the tall trees blocked the moonlight. Somewhere in the distance stood a small wooden hut.

Every time she tried to reach it, she woke up.

At sixteen, Mary had learned to live with the nightmares. Since her parents' deaths ten years ago, strange dreams had become a part of her life.

Everyone believed her parents had been drug dealers who took their own lives after being exposed.

Everyone except Mary.

She lived with her aunt, Sarah, who tried her best to give her a normal life.

That morning, Mary stared at the framed picture of her parents beside her bed.

"I know you're innocent," she whispered.

At school, during lunch break, she walked alone through the corridor.

Suddenly, everything became silent.

A voice echoed in her mind.

"Mary..."

She froze.

"Come to us."

Her heart pounded.

Images of the forest flashed before her eyes.

Without understanding why, she started running.

She ignored the voices of her classmates and jumped over the school wall.

Something was calling her.

Three hours later, she stood before a forest.

The same forest from her dreams.

A path of mist slowly opened before her.

"Come, daughter..."

Mary took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Chapter 2: The Hut of the Dead

The deeper she walked, the colder the air became.

Soon she found the hut.

Her hands trembled as she opened the door.

Inside sat two figures.

Her parents.

Their bodies looked transparent, wrapped in black chains.

"Mom?" she whispered.

Her mother smiled sadly.

"You've grown so much."

Tears filled Mary's eyes.

She had dreamed of seeing them again.

But not like this.

Her father stepped forward.

"We didn't kill ourselves."

Mary stared at him.

"What?"

"We were murdered."

They explained everything.

A powerful mafia organization had asked them to join its illegal business.

They refused and gathered evidence to expose them.

Before they could reach the court, they were killed.

The criminals staged their deaths and spread the lie that they had committed suicide.

Mary's fists shook.

"I'll kill them."

Her father shook his head.

"Revenge alone will destroy you."

"Then what should I do?"

"There is a temple hidden in this forest. Find it. The guardian there will show you the truth."

Suddenly, both spirits looked frightened.

Outside the hut, two glowing red eyes watched her.

Chapter 3: The Watcher in the Mist

Mary stepped outside.

The red-eyed creature disappeared into the forest.

Without thinking, she followed it.

The creature finally emerged from the mist.

Its body was covered in black smoke and its eyes burned like fire.

It attacked.

Mary fell backward.

Suddenly, the necklace her mother had given her began to glow.

A wave of white light exploded from it.

The creature stopped.

Then, to her surprise, it knelt.

"The chosen one has returned," it said.

Mary's heart skipped a beat.

"The chosen one?"

The creature pointed toward the mountains.

Ancient stone stairs appeared from the mist.

At the top stood a ruined temple.

Mary slowly climbed the stairs.

The doors of the temple opened by themselves.

A voice echoed from the darkness.

"I have been waiting for you."

Chapter 4: The God of the Forest

Inside the temple sat an ancient being on a stone throne.

Its eyes glowed silver.

"I am Elarion, Guardian of Mist."

He explained that the forest existed between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Mary's parents were trapped because dark rituals had been used during their murders.

The mafia was controlled by an evil spirit known as the Shadow King.

"You have been brought here because only you can stop him."

"I don't know how."

"I can give you power."

"What is the price?"

"Every time you use it, darkness will consume part of your soul."

Mary thought of her parents.

Then she looked into Elarion's eyes.

"I accept."

Light surrounded her.

When it disappeared, a black mark had appeared on her hand.

Chapter 5: The First Memory

Back at home, Mary touched her father's necklace.

Suddenly, a vision appeared.

She saw a man in an expensive suit.

He was smiling.

But his eyes were cold.

She saw him giving the order to kill her parents.

His name was Victor Kane.

Today, he was one of the most respected men in the city.

No one would ever believe he was a murderer.

A knock came at the door.

A man in a black suit stood outside.

"Miss Mary, Mr. Victor Kane would like to meet you."

Chapter 6: The Devil in a Suit

Victor's charity event was full of reporters and politicians.

He looked like a hero.

When he shook Mary's hand, another vision appeared.

She saw him standing over her parents.

"Make it look like suicide."

The vision disappeared.

Victor smiled.

Then he whispered:

"Your parents should have stayed silent."

Mary's blood turned cold.

He knew exactly who she was.

As she turned to leave, he smiled.

"Welcome back to the forest, Mary."

Chapter 7: The Hunters

Victor sent assassins and corrupted spirits after her.

During one attack, a teenage assassin named Lucas discovered Victor's true nature.

Instead of killing Mary, he saved her.

Together they fought the creatures called Hollows.

But every battle made the black mark on Mary's hand spread.

Elarion appeared before her.

"You have thirty days."

"Thirty days for what?"

"Before you become one of the dead."

Chapter 8: The Hanging Tree

Mary returned to the forest.

She found the tree where her parents had died.

Underneath it was a hidden chamber.

Inside she discovered evidence proving her parents' innocence.

She also found an ancient book of dark rituals.

At the end of the book was a photograph.

Victor Kane stood beside a hooded figure.

The hooded figure lowered its hood.

Mary's hands trembled.

It was her father.

The book fell from her hands.

"That's impossible..."

And somewhere deep in the darkness, something laughed.