Humble Beginnings (Chapters 0-10):

It was a peaceful afternoon at the Drunken Tankard, or at least it was supposed to be. Crest, the tavern’s bouncer was waiting for his meal, when a group of pirates came in that day. Needless to say, they stirred up a scene. Seeing need to step in Crest transformed into his other state, his beast self. Shadows enveloped him and he became a monster. Drawing his blade, he quickly takes care of the thugs.

The scene is messy. Contacting his friend Leo, he puts the outlaws in the hands of the righteous arms of the law. Wanting to catch up with his friend, Leo seeks to bring Crest over to the side of the enforcers, a group of high-quality professionals that lend their services to the king and take care of threats that lurk in the town of Beros.

Later that night Crest is tortured by visions of his father and former girlfriend. He remembers being called a monster. While a part of him takes pride in the moniker, another part of him loathes it. After a terrible night, Crest decides to get drunk the following morning. Borka and Dorsea, waitresses at the Drunken Tankard find Crest in a stupor. Instead of letting the girls help him recuperate however, Crest wanders out into the wilderness where he stumbles upon two mysterious ‘merchants’.

Upon further examination, the two merchants turn out to not be merchants at all, but vicious slavers who are harvesting the body of a young girl for holy stones, magic balls that unlock the magical potential buried deep within humans. Saving the girl, he takes her back to the Drunken Tankard and puts her in the care of Borka.

Later that night, another of Crest’s friends stop by, a man called Alabaster. Crest tells Alabaster of what happened earlier that morning. None of Crest or the gang know what to do with her. But as the mysterious girl descends from an upstairs room, they may not have much time to decide.