Plot Overview

> "*I would stop looking at things not meant for you, oh young Reo, one may never know what secrets they stumble upon in the heart of darkness.*"
> ― Mr Malice[source]
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**SPOILERS FOR COURAGE TIMES INFINITY PAST THIS POINT!!!**

## Season 1: Courage Awoken

#### Episode 1

Haruto Reo is just a normal kid, going to a normal school in a small japanese village by the name of *Tsubaki* named after the beautiful flowers that grow in the town. Reo doesn't know anyone (other then his childhood friend Akane, who has become distant in recent months), two overworked parents, and a bratty younger sister. On top of that, he's bullied by the other students, his only 'friend' being the janitor Ecilam, who encourages Reo to fight back against the bullies. Reo isn't a violent person, however, and he sees the good in the bullies, and understands their struggles.

Reo is awoken one night to see that the moon has turned blood red, and the town is covered in darkness, he sees a figure running towards his house, but is grabbed by something, Reo passes out when the moon grows a giant eye and looks directly at him. He wakes up the next morning on the floor, assuming he's had a nightmare. The next day, one of his bullies, Reako goes missing, Reo begins hearing strange stories of the 'blood moon nightmare' that several students had. His fears are confirmed when students describe similar looking monsters.

#### Episode 2

Reo goes to Ecilam to express his fears that it might have been Reako he saw in his dream the night before. We meet Akane again, and the two have a brief conversation where Reo points out how fatigued she looks. She blows him off. When he later goes down to the boiler room to find the janitor, he instead finds the creature from his dream, clutching a sword made of stars in in it's mouth, Ecilam is hissing in pain, his hand reduced to a moving animated skeleton.

Ecilam sees Reo, and with a flourish, reveals his true form, a skeleton, a Lich. Ecilam reveals his true name, Mr. Malice. He gives a monologue on his apologizing that it all came to be like this, before sicking the beast on Reo. The boy attempts to escape to no avail, Yet when all hope seems lost, Reo is visited by a vision of his dead mother, who reveals that he has more "Courage inside him then he could ever know" and when Reo opens his eyes again, he sees that he had grabbed the sword and slain the beast in a single deft gesture. Tisking, and greatly upset, Malice vows that he'll return to finish the job, before opening a portal and vanishing through it. Reo passes out, and the last thing we see is Akane walking down the stairs, weilding a baseball bat.

#### Episode 3

When Reo awakes next, he's resting in Akane's lap, the sword nowhere to be seen. He's startled, before Akane briskly explains that she "can't tell him anything yet, but if he wants to know the truth, he has to summon the courage to leave his bedroom." Without any further words, she leaves him alone and confused. Reo walks out to see Ecilam moping the floors, a bandage wrapped around his hand that was wounded and skeletal, the two exchange no words, but the Malice in Ecilam's gaze is unmistakable.

When Reo goes to sleep again, he wakes up in the same dream, this time, when he looks out the window, he sees Akane, and a boy he's never met before, fighting against tiny versions of the monsters he's seen before outside, without hesitating, seeing his friend in danger, he rushes to leave, confronted with blood red, ethereal red writing on the door to his room. He doesn't even try to read it, opening the door. When he does, he feels a shiver pass through his body, and instantly, he is teleported outside his front door. The monsters turn and rush at him, seemingly more interested in him the Akane. No longer afraid now that he's fighting for someone else, he reaches behind him without thinking, and draws the blade he had already used to destroy one of the monsters. As soon as he unsheathes the weapon, all the monsters scatter in terror, unwilling to face him.

Akane and the boy approach, the boy introduces himself as Kujko, a Tarot. The two of them fill him on on everything they know, which isn't much, but they tell him about The Pact (which he just joined), Courage (what little they know) and the location of others, which are held up in what would be the town mall in the real world, but in this version is a jail. They agree to make their way there. Malice lurks in the shadows.

#### Episode 4

Kujko explains to Reo what a Tarot is, as well as the basics of Magic, The Pact, and the forces of HARVEST. Kujko is shocked to learn that Reo has yet to unlock his COURAGE, and is somehow able to brandish a weapon of incredible power without the ability to use any other equipment. Akane explains the basics of COURAGE weapons and explains the origins of her own. Before they can reach the safe zone, Malice makes himself known, directing a force of HARVEST. Reo, confident in his abilities now, tries to fight Malice, who with a single gesture calls lightning down from the sky, striking Reo and throwing him back, the forces of HARVEST move in while Akane protects Reo's body. Kujko tries to use magic against Malice, but Malice counters every one of his spells before casting his own on the Tarot, mocking his lack of skill as Kujko is trapped inside a nightmare. Akane moves to try and distract Malice, who begins choking the girl, Reo sees this, and is filled with COURAGE, finally awakening to his own COURAGE, he stands back up, and strikes at Malice. Malice, seeing the danger, teleports away before the blow can land. Reo passes out.