Prologue

Otherworldly beings and creatures come in all forms and sizes. Some of them look and live like ordinary humans. Some are bizarre creatures that lurk in the darkness with unquenchable thirsts for fresh blood and insatiable appetites for fresh meat. Some are formless like ghosts. Others are scarier than your darkest nightmare. There are good ones, a few of them, but most of them are bad.

Humans have called them by many names. Demons. Monsters. Beasts. Gods. But to my people, who have been protecting mankind for thousands of years, these creatures are called Fallen.

Honestly, I have no idea where these nasty creatures came from. Or who created them. The hell I care. It's the least of my concerns. I only care about my job; that is, to erase their tracks so that no human being would learn about their existence, and ours. Also, to kill them if need be.

If they're good, I might spare them - a matter of personal principle. But if they've done something beyond the threshold of my tolerance, then the slicing begins.

I'm a Guardian, by the way - in case you're curious. That's what we call ourselves. We're mortals too, just like you. In fact, we consider ourselves a distant cousin of human beings; partly because we have the same emotional drives and basic needs as you, but mostly because we share the same physical features. However, we are undeniably stronger and more capable than you.

No, we're not superheroes, although we wear masks to remain anonymous. We're not secret agents, but we were trained to blend in with the crowd. We're not assassins either, but don't underestimate us; we were trained to kill just anyone - or anything. We're not mercenaries, too. Not for hire. And, most importantly, not for sale.

So when your nightmares began to chase you around even when your eyes are open, or when the bogeyman appeared to take your soul, don't expect us to show ourselves like knights in shining armors and save the day.

You must understand that our top priority is to kill the villain, not save you. It's one of our sacred creeds: "Sacrifice a life, save a thousand." As a matter of fact, we've killed humans too; those fools who've became threats to our existence and missions.

For instance, if I'm on a mission and you're there, I'd rather use you as bait to trap and kill my target even if it means allowing the monster to feast on your flesh. But don't worry, I'll leave a prayer behind for your soul - as I always do to my baits. I'll even bury whatever that remains of you, if I have the time. Take it as a compensation for helping me achieve my mission.

Another difference between us is that, we possess innate supernatural abilities that we've inherited from our ancestors. These abilities are called Legacies, which are the reasons why we can stand our grounds against the Fallen.

I've once read an ancient scroll in the Library of Gulesmith about Legacies. According to the scripture, our ancestors were created by the same power that had created the entire universe. These Legacies were gifts form the "great creator" to our ancestors. Unfortunately, the other half of the scroll was ripped off, so no one knows the purpose why the "great creator" bestowed these abilities to us. At the same time, no one knows what happened after the bestowment of Legacies.

There are many kinds of Legacies. Some allow the bearers to control natural elements like fire and wind. Other Legacies allow Guardians to shape-shift, or control objects remotely, or tame otherworldly beasts. Some of the rare ones grant the bearer the ability to see the future, just like a prophet. Me, I can slowdown the flow of time within my territory. You'll understand what I mean soon enough.

Simply put, these Legacies are our greatest weapons against the Fallen. I'd say, it's the very foundation of being a Guardian. Without these abilities, our society would have long been destroyed by our enemies.

Our secret society is called the Great Eye: sole protector of mankind against all sorts of dangers brought about by the Fallen. How it began, well, no one really knows. In fact, the history of the Great Eye is one of the greatest mysteries to us.

There were many theories about how our society was formed. Some old folks argued that the Great Eye is older than the first civilization of mankind. Others believe that we came from another dimension and were transported here to guard this planet. A few claimed that we're descendants of the almighty being who created the entire universe. However, these theories were presented without any hard evidences, so they were dismissed as hearsay and no one took them seriously.

Although we're blinded of our own history, our purpose is clear: to fight the Fallen. Our people have been fighting this war generation after generation, even when no one knows if it will ever end. Maybe it will, when one side has been completely eradicated.

The Great Eye is not associated to any human governments or organizations. In fact, human beings knew nothing about us. Instead, we established our own government. We have rules too. And we follow subordination strictly.

The highest authority in our society was given to the Headquarter. The second highest authority was bestowed upon the Council of Elders.

There are hundreds of branches under the administration of the Council of Elders. Every branch has a Fortress, serving like a base, and has a unique name. For example, the Washington, London, and Tokyo branches of the Great Eye are called Aureagle, Gulesmith, and Yoake, respectively.

Moreover, each branch is composed of a number of Guardians and Hunters.

Guardians are recruited from the main lineages of our ancestors according to bloodline purity. It is a common knowledge in the Great Eye that the purer the bloodline, the stronger the Legacy. A pure bloodline is also a reflection of one's potential to master the Legacy from the ancestors. This is the reason why the Great Eye only allows individuals with pure bloodlines to become Guardians.

Hunters, on the other hand, are from the side lineages of the ancestors. Their bloodlines are, at most, only half pure compared to that of the Guardians. Even though Hunters are stronger than ordinary human beings, they are far weaker than the Guardians. The difference in strength is like the gap between heaven and earth.

Me, I'm a Guardian, ranked 165th in the London branch, youngest in the history of the Great Eye. I'm not the strongest Guardian in Gulesmith. But soon, I will become the strongest Guardian in the world.

My name is Max Turner.