Prana Chronicles: Sword of the Cosmos

The air was heavy with silence, a stark contrast to the chaos that had consumed the battlefield moments ago. Blood-stained earth stretched endlessly, littered with broken weapons and lifeless bodies. Amidst this desolation stood a lone figure, his presence commanding yet enigmatic.
He opened his eyes slowly, revealing irises that shimmered with an otherworldly glow—a mixture of molten gold and piercing silver. His name was Alaric, though he hadn't heard it spoken in years. Alaric wasn't a mythical savior, but a skilled Astro Hunter—a fighter of the monstrous beings called Astroides. These creatures came in two forms: beast types, resembling grotesque animals, and humanoid types, far deadlier. Each emitted a purple aura, unmistakable in its menace.
"Another hunt," Alaric muttered, his grip tightening on his sword. This weapon, battered but reliable, had saved him more times than he could count. Its edge was duller than he liked, but for someone in his line of work, functionality outweighed appearances.
The stillness was broken by a distant cry—a voice pleading for help. Alaric's head snapped toward the sound, his trained instincts already calculating the situation. Two boys, no older than thirteen, were cornered by a beast-type Astroid, resembling a grotesque, oversized wolf with mutated features. The creature's purple aura crackled ominously, marking it as a significant threat.
Without hesitation, Alaric moved. His body, honed by years of battle, carried him swiftly to the scene. With a practiced swing of his sword, he cleaved through the beast. The creature dissolved into a cloud of dark mist, its monstrous howls fading into silence.
The boys stared at Alaric in stunned silence. One of them, with disheveled black hair and sharp green eyes, stammered, "W-Who are you?"
"Just someone doing his job," Alaric replied, his voice steady. He glanced at the other boy, Yu, who clutched his arm, blood trickling from a shallow wound. "You're injured. Let's get you both somewhere safe."
The boys awoke in a modest wooden cabin nestled in the outskirts of a small town called Eldermere. The air inside was warm, carrying the faint scent of herbs and burning wood. Alaric sat by the fire, sharpening his sword with meticulous care. He looked up as the boys stirred.
"You're awake," he said simply.
Yu sat up, his face pale with confusion. "Where are we? What happened?"
"You're safe now," Alaric replied, his tone calm. "This is my home. Eldermere isn't far from here."
The other boy, who introduced himself as Callen, frowned as memories of the attack resurfaced. "Thank you for saving us," he muttered. Then, almost as if unable to stop himself, he began explaining how he'd ended up in this strange place. His mother's face flashed in his mind, and his voice broke. "I just want to go back home… to her."
Alaric listened quietly, his expression unreadable. "I'll help you if I can, but the way here isn't something easily undone."
Days passed. Callen grew restless, searching desperately for answers, while Yu tried to piece together fragments of his lost memories. Frustration mounted in the quiet cabin until one evening, Callen couldn't take it anymore. He stormed out, his heart heavy with despair, and ran into the forest.
The woods were dark and oppressive, the trees towering like silent sentinels. Callen's breath came in ragged gasps as he stumbled deeper into the unknown. Then, he saw it: another beast-type Astroid, its purple aura glowing faintly in the moonlight. Panic surged through him, and he turned to flee, his feet carrying him blindly into the shadows.
He found himself at the entrance of a narrow, foreboding tunnel. With no other choice, he ducked inside, the oppressive darkness swallowing him whole.
Meanwhile, Yu realized Callen's absence and ran after him. He followed the faint trail of broken branches and hurried footsteps until he, too, reached the tunnel.
"Callen!" Yu's voice echoed, a mixture of worry and determination.
Inside the tunnel, the two boys reunited. Callen's face was streaked with tears, his voice trembling. "I… I just wanted to find a way back to her."
Yu placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel. I don't even know who I am anymore. But running won't help."
Before they could say more, a deep, guttural sound rumbled from the depths of the tunnel. The boys froze, their hearts pounding in unison as the darkness seemed to come alive around them.