The Maple World... is no longer what it used to be.

He stood at the top of the old, rotten, abandoned building in what used to be Kerning City, his withered but keen eyes scanning the area for threats. Many were out for his blood vampires, Black Wings, dual blades, even the occasional wild monster. His Black Scarab was armed and ready to draw his trusty Crystal Ilbis from their holsters. He sensed movement behind him. A dual blader. A dagger was swung at his back. He dodged the attack without even looking, his body automatically ducking under the horizontal arc of the slash. His brow furrowed as he glanced backwards at his assailant, the Crystal Ilbis already in his handA katana burst through his chest in a shower of blood, staining the concrete walls with sanguine blood. The dual blade's mouth parted into a grin behind the green mask that he donned to conceal his identity. That was too easy, Dark Lord, the ex-thief said, feeling no remorse for his actions. Syl has taught you well, dual blade. The body that was impaled upon the katana faded into shadow, the blood on the floor evaporating into a cloud of steam. The Dual Blade's eyes widened as the weight upon his blade disappeared, the man he presumed dead nowhere to be seen. But not good enough. An Avenger throwing-star sailed through the air out of nowhere, and cleaved the Dual Blade in half at the waist before he could react. The man didn't even cry out as his severed torso fell to the ground below, landing with a loud smash. The Dark Lord reappeared several feet away from the Dual Blade's torso, narrowing his eyes in mild distaste. Son of a bitch, he thought with some annoyance. After confirming that the Dual Blade was indeed dead, he returned his attention to his surroundings. He searched the area for threats, thinking to himself: How ironic. Sixteen years ago, I would have been looking for potential thieves to train, not threats to Kerning's safety. Much had changed since the war sixteen years ago. Kerning City had been invaded by mysterious spectres who killed everything they laid their hands on with their impossible strength, surpassing the assassins and bandits of Kerning. Thousands of innocent citizens of the city had died in one night, filling the streets with dozens of corpses. To rub salt in the metaphorical wound, the Dual Blades had offered their base, the Secret Garden, to the Black Wings in exchange for a truce. The Black Wings had readily agreed to the terms, and combined, the Dual Blades and Black Wings went on a killing spree, slaughtering what was left of the populace. Terrified citizens fled to nearby Edelstein, where the Resistance had been successful in driving the Black Wings out, and the fighters of the town were more capable of defending themselves. The Dark Lord had called for help from the other towns of Victoria Island, but they were all too busy fending for themselves. The scourge of the spectres, now known as 'vampires' for their superhuman abilities, had spread all over the world in a single night. Even worse, no one wanted to become thieves anymore! Everyone knew that students of the Dark Lord

were usually murdered either by the Dual Blades or Black Wings. The number of people capable of defending Kerning plunged to zero in a matter of nights, migrating to other towns fearing for their lives. Soon, the city had been abandoned, left to the whims of the Black Wings who had since flooded the area. Even the Dark Lord himself had considered moving to Edelstein, where he could receive help from the Resistance. No. The Dark Lord uttered that single syllable with a determination that would never fade a determination that had been passed down to him by his master. Kerning City will be restored to its former glory someday. Either me, or Robin will. The Dark Lord stopped in his tracks for a moment. He searched in his pocket for a moment, and took out an old, yellowed photo of his son. He isn't interested in becoming the next Dark Lord, but for the sake of this city... He looked to the sunset sky, his eyes tearing up slightly. Night is approaching, he thought to himself. While I used to be master of the dark, now that title has been claimed by the vampires. They should be appearing soon. I should get ready. With nary a rustle, the Dark Lord sprinted away, ready to defend Kerning City with his life, for just another night. He wouldn't let anyone spill more blood onto the deserted streets of this fallen city. After all, he had already let the three people he had ever loved slip out of his grasp.

The Maple World... is no longer what it used to be. Sixteen years ago, the five heroes of the Maple World rose up, to defeat the forces of the Black Magician once and for all. One by one, they reached the peak of their powers, just as the prophecies of the past had said. By then, the event that had been predicted by the prophets of the past, the 'Big Bang', had occurred, changing the face of Victoria Island forever. Then... Chaos ensued. The Maple World had been filled with hate, destruction and betrayal as the Black Magician began his conquest. Even with the help of all the brave adventurers and champions of Victoria Island, the Cygnus Knights, alliance of the Erevian people, were overwhelmed by the sudden advance. Suddenly, the floating isle of Erev disappeared from the map, after investigation of an ancient legend of the World Tree had commenced. Then, one night, shadows of the Black Wings set fire and burnt down the magician town of Ellinia. The destruction was horrible. The magical forest burnt for three days and three nights. It was said that you could hear the sad, despairing cries of Ellinia's citizens all over the Maple World, as it burnt to the ground. Even Grendel the Really Old, one of the greatest magicians of all time, had perished in the flaming inferno, cornered and brutally assaulted by the shadowy spectres that sought to retrieve forbidden books from his magical library. Then, in the following days, the fire was finally extinguished, just before it reached Sleepywood and the

Six-Path Crossway. However, by then, Ellinia had been reduced to cinders now, its title had been changed to Forest of Ashes, a sad reminder of days long past. All over the Maple World, mages and healers that had studied under Grendel were killed, and the secrets of Grendel's magic died along with them. Soon, no magicians remained in the Maple World, and the time was ripe for the Black Magician to raise more hell. The horrifying truth was revealed the evil beings of darkness were sent by the Black Wings, to infect people with their taint. Soon, hundreds of people were infected, and were granted powers to rival those of the explorers of Victoria Island. Then, it came the destruction of Henesys. The central hub of Victoria Island was attacked by a massive force, thousands of knights entering the town and destroying everything with the power of darkness. By the time that the truth was revealed that the ones attacking Henesys were the Cygnus Knights who once pledged to defend the Maple World Henesys was already obliterated. A war began, led by the Five Champions of the Maple World. The remaining forces of good formed an alliance to combat the Black Magician and his shadow fighters, now known as 'vampires', and prepared for a titanic conflict that would determine the future of the Maple World. The war lasted for almost a year, and tens of thousands of lives were lost. At the end of the war, the five heroes faced Black Magician in mortal combat. The skirmish was bloody, and at the end of it all, the Black Magician was sealed away in the Temple of Time, where his vessel would be guarded by the gods, forever. The Maple World had suffered grievous losses in the war yet, the Black Wings still lived, trying to revive their dead master. One of the last remaining magicians, and a war hero himself, Lord Ikutsuki Kite, formed an alliance with the towns that still stood firm in the face of destruction. This alliance was named G.R.A.V.E Grendel's Regenesis Alliance for Vampire Elimination, named after the late teacher of Kite, Grendel the Really Old. All towns agreed to send their fighters to the alliance to receive more training and eliminate the remaining forces of darkness. The era of chaos had ended. It was time for the regenesis era to begin.

The subways of Kerning City were deserted. In the city's prime, the subway would have been crammed with dozens of passengers, waiting for the next train home. Now, it was an empty husk of its former self. A single person remained in the subway. Either he was unafraid of the vampires, or didn't mind dying either way, it seemed that he was capable of defending himself well, considering the large spear he held in his gloved hands. The spear was the mighty Pinaka, an ancient, powerful jewel welded into its base. The wielder of this spear wasn't wearing any armour, save for a navy-blue blazer and a pair of loose jeans. Most of the people capable of creating armour that didn't suck completely had died in the war, sixteen years ago. Train arriving in 2 minutes, said a lifeless voice, blaring out from the rusted speakers of the subway. Although it was abandoned, the subway still operated on its own power supply, running like a neverending clockwork train set. No one had bothered to deactivate the subway's electrical source, so ghost

trains still traveled the old railway tracks of Kerning. The lights in the station were mostly dead, but some still flickered to life once every few seconds The man with the spear shifted his attention to his right, the direction the train was arriving in. His eyes, once a pale blue, flashed bright yellow for a brief moment. It comes, he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. In a few seconds, the train arrived at the station, the stained glass doors sliding open automatically. Without a moment of hesitance, he boarded the train. Please mind the gap. The voice droned on, unaware of the fact that no one was listening. Doors closing. The doors closed, and the train's engine roared to life. The lights in the train were barely functioning, most of them smashed and having their internal wiring pulled out in an act of random madness. Madness that had become prevalent in the world since the war. He heard the sound of footsteps behind him, and reacted with split-second reflexes. Dodging a dagger to the back by spinning around quickly, he grabbed the arm that had assaulted him and tugged it towards him, sending his assailant flying his way. With a scoff, he thrust his spear through his attacker, ending its life instantly. The foul thing cried out in despair as its flesh melted away from its body, leaving behind only its skeleton. Damn vampires, he thought darkly. A Tobi throwing-star flew past his cheek with millimeters to spare. Had it been any closer, his cheek would have been cut open. Snarling in anger, he spun around and thrust his spear out. Rush! he commanded, releasing his mana through his spear in a fraction of a second. His figure blurred forward, a yellow blast streaking forward and killing yet another vampire. He reappeared behind the vampire's shattered bones with a disgusted look on his face. The damn things practically popped on impact and if there was one thing he hated, it was an easy fight. Come on, make my day, he snickered, his left eye flickering yellow. It was as if time had slowed down. His eyes had a special ability, the ability to perceive events with unsurpassed speed. He had no idea what this ability was called, nor how he managed to activate it at will, but he figured it was best not to look a gift horse in the mouth. He sensed a presence behind him, and he whirled around, leaping into the air and dodging a slender katana. Dragon Fury! he cried, building up some of his magical energies into his spear and releasing it upon the vampire that had attempted to take a chunk out of him. The vampire disintegrated into bits and pieces of bones and gore, splatting all over the train messily. Another one. He turned around and ducked under a dagger that a vampire had volunteered to attack him with, feeling pleasure in the shocked expression on the abomination's face. With a swift strike, he slashed off its legs with the sharp sides of his spear, removing its ability to move freely. With the prone vampire now helpless, he ended its life with a quick but merciless thrust through its back.

Suddenly, he felt a massive presence behind him his senses screamed at him to dodge, and he did so immediately. He felt the sharp edge of a saber graze past his face, cutting a small gash above his left eye as he twisted out of the way, avoiding any further damage. Found you, the vampire whispered, a savage grin on its crazed, mangled face. There was no doubt that this vampire had once been a strong adventurer of Victoria Island he held a precious sword in his right hand, the Sparta, and wore armour crafted out of various materials and ores. His eyes burned infernally, two glowing red coals in the dark of the train. I found you, Draco. The youth with the spear didn't respond, instead dashing forward with his spear. The Pinaka was already glowing blue as he stored up energy in it, preparing for an attack. Dragon Crusher! he cried, thrusting the spear forward thrice in a speedy maneuver. However, the vampire easily deflected all three strikes to the side with split-second blocks with his sword, his vampiric senses granting him the reflexes for such a maneuver. Slash Blast, hissed the vampire, slashing his sword forward. The sword glowed red-hot for a moment before exploding, sending a shockwave rippling through the air. Although he wasn't hurt, the spear wielder was sent toppling backwards by the sheer force of the shockwave. He barely managed to get onto his feet in time to block a slash by the vampire, sparks flying as metal gnashed against metal. The spear wielder muttered a command under his breath. Rush. The Pinaka was engulfed in a golden light, and he pushed forward against the vampire's Sparta. The vampire was forced back by the brute force of the attack, its rotten greaves skidding across the floor. Damn you, Draco...! the vampire cursed, swinging its sword and attempting to counter the attack. The spear wielder hopped backwards quickly, dodging out of the sword's range. The vampire was undaunted, however, and began a flurry of precise sword strikes. The spear wielder, Draco, was forced backwards by the sudden torrent of swipes and slashes, trying to no avail to stop the unending assault. In a heartbeat, Draco threw a large amount of energy into casting Iron Body for a second, deflecting one of the vampire's strikes to the side with his bare skin. Draco's focus narrowed as he thrust his spear into the black heart of the undead Mapler, ending its life in a welter of blood and bone. Graaaaagh! screamed the vampire, swiping at Draco with his bare fists in a last effort to drag him down to hell together. Draco merely dodged the blows and watched as the vampire's flesh evaporated, leaving only its blood-stained armour, skeleton and sword behind. Rest in peace, father. A single, glistening tear fell from his yellow eyes, which slowly faded back to their normal blue colour. Suddenly, a window shattered to his left. Draco immediately began hopping backwards, expecting a vampire attack. A dark silhouette hopped in through the window. He was wearing a black jacket over a white T-shirt, with a smoke-plume symbol imprinted on its sleeve. The stranger had eyes of the brightest crimson, glowing in the dark. He wore a white bandana to keep his hair, which grazed the base of his neck, in place.

Another vampire? Draco hesitated, not sure whether to attack or not. Although this stranger appeared to be a vampire, judging by his glowing red eyes, he was far... cleaner than the vampires he had encountered before this. This stranger's clothes were clean, with no sign of dirt or blood or whatever. However, he did carry a Devil's Sunrise sword on his back, which meant he was certainly strong enough to pose a challenge. The stranger seemed to finally notice him. He stepped back in shock, clearly not expecting anyone besides vampires to be on the train. Who are you? he asked curiously. Draco snorted. This person must be a G.R.A.V.E operative. He hated the organization as a whole, so he had no qualms about killing this particular one on the spot. He dashed forward, swinging his spear in a wide arc. The G.R.A.V.E operative unsheathed his sword hurriedly and parried the attack, leaping backwards. Hey! he shouted irritably. Why the hell- Draco had no interest in the words of idiots. He was already running forward, his spear humming and gathering azure energy. He leapt into the air, and the G.R.A.V.E operative had no choice but to raise his sword to guard himself. Dragon Fury! The Pinaka descended upon the Devil's Sunrise like a torrent of lead, the blade of the sword almost bending under the sheer torque of the attack. The G.R.A.V.E operative stumbled backwards in a daze, helpless to avoid his next attack. Draco sprinted forward to end it all... AVENGER! A large throwing-star flew in through the window, spinning rapidly and would have cut Draco's head off had he not ducked out of the way. A man dressed in a cloak of darkest night leapt in through the window, his dark attire making him hard to see in the dim light of the train. The newcomer had a black claw that he had never seen before attached to his right arm, and had the symbol of G.R.A.V.E's elite Crescent Unit emblazoned on his cloak. He appeared to be a Night Lord, judging by his looks... Draco knew he wasn't to be underestimated. Damn, a Crescent Unit meddler... Draco gritted his teeth. The newcomer stared at him calmly, not even showing the slightest bit of fear in his black eyes. Time to go, he whispered. Draco glared at the newcomer with an angry look in his eyes. This isn't over, he said, before running to the broken window and leaping out into the darkness beyond. The newcomer shrugged indifferently and turned to the G.R.A.V.E operative. You okay, Hikaru? he asked in a worried tone. The G.R.A.V.E operative slowly straightened himself up, panting heavily. Damn, man, that guy is strong! remarked the operative, Hikaru, with a sheepish grin. He would've kicked my ass if you hadn't intervened. Thanks, Robin. The Night Lord shrugged again. Anytime, buddy. Who was that? A vampire?

Hikaru scratched the back of his head. No idea. His eyes were blue, so I guess he must've been human. But who would come to this dangerous place? Only G.R.A.V.E operatives like us come here for some vampire-slayin'. Robin shrugged yet again, with an indifferent expression. I don't really care either way. We should head back and report this incident to Lord Ikutsuki now. Roger, Hikaru said with a grin. Wartime expressions never lost their charm, even though the war was long past.

A/N: Leave a review, would you kindly? I had a lot of fun re-writing this. This idea has been in my head since I was twelve, and I finally got around to writing this shit. Hope you liked it.