Introduction: Rach: The Ghost of Zori
In the heart of Evil Land, a country ruled by tyranny and darkness, there was a government driven by a demonic thirst for control. Under the iron fist of the Overlord, a figure whose name was whispered only in fear, the people lived in a constant state of terror. This was no ordinary dictatorship-it was a regime that thrived on suffering, a machine of oppression that saw no value in life but its own survival. The Overlord's soldiers roamed the streets, capturing anyone who dared to question the system, and even the most innocent citizens lived in perpetual dread, knowing that their lives could be snuffed out with the slightest provocation. This was a world where hope had been crushed, where the very soul of the nation had been twisted beyond recognition.
Tahi and Ria, once part of a fierce rebellion that fought for freedom, had been among the few who dared to stand up to the Overlord's regime. They knew the stakes all too well. But after years of resistance, their fight seemed futile in the face of the government's brutal power. They had seen their comrades fall, their families torn apart, and their city turned into a nightmare of corruption and death. When Rach, their son, was born, they knew that their struggle was no longer just for themselves-it was for the future of the next generation. But Evil Land had no place for children born to rebels. They were nothing more than targets for the regime's wrath.
Faced with an impossible choice, Tahi and Ria made the heart-wrenching decision to send Rach away, hoping that he could escape the fate that awaited the children of resistance fighters. They entrusted their son to Joram, a smuggler known for his ability to sneak people out of the government's grip. Tahi and Ria knew that they would never see their son again, but they hoped that Rach would live a life free from the horrors they had endured. They had no illusions-if the Overlord's government knew Rach's true identity, he would be killed without hesitation. The decree was clear: all children of rebels were to be hunted down and eliminated.
As Rach was smuggled out of Evil Land, Tahi and Ria watched from a distance, their hearts breaking for what they had lost. But they knew that their son's survival was the only chance for hope in a world that had long since given up on it. Evil Land would continue its reign of terror, and the Overlord's grip would only tighten. But maybe, just maybe, Rach would be the one to challenge it. Maybe, one day, he would rise against the darkness that had consumed their homeland.
Rach grew up in Zori Land, far from the oppressive reach of Evil Land. Zori was a city of outcasts, refugees, and traders-a place where survival meant more than strength. It was a land of constant danger, where trust was a rare commodity, and only the sharpest survived. Here, Rach learned to fend for himself, becoming street-smart and cold-hearted, shaped by the brutality of the world around him. But even in Zori Land, far from his roots, the fire inside him burned. It was a fire that had been ignited by his parents' sacrifices, though he didn't fully understand it yet.
At the age of seventeen, Rach was a young man with the potential to become anything. He was hardened, resourceful, and ready for whatever the world threw at him. But his destiny had yet to unfold, and it would be a revelation that would change everything. One evening, as Rach sat in a tea shop after a long day's work at the docks, he encountered Trecho, a man who seemed to know more about him than he could have imagined. It was Trecho who first told Rach the truth-that his father, Tahi, was alive, imprisoned in the notorious Black Fortress in Evil Land.