Challenge of The Shadows

**Challenge of The Shadows** *(Abbreviated: CoTS)* is a fantasy action role-play taking place in the continent of Lyakvat and the country of Azuren.

*Challenge of The Shadows* follows Locaster Helios, a shadow demon and spirit hybrid who attempts to flee from his then home of Leiden and Myria after a conflict had broken out over murders caused by the same specie as him. He, however, was nearly killed by a bounty hunter, Soul Kawasaki, but managed to befriend him after proving he was not the individual that was causing the murders. When traveling, he meets Yuna and Shay Hanamura, his distant cousins who are a herbalist and lieutenant, and Crimson, another bounty hunter who tends to relocate and is a prime shadow demon, a modified version of his specie.

After fighting off the Black Sun , they discover a secret archive and find out about the existence of the Founding Demons, two generations of five, powerful demons that once ruled the state of Runia who had their separate gems that correlate with an element.

However, he and his friends he meets along his journey soon discover the existence of the Black Vines that had started to occur without the Demon Gems. As they battle shard thieves and soldiers, Locaster must find a way to reunite the gems before Azuren and the neighboring kingdoms are plunged into darkness.

## Plot

The story opens up with an argument with five individuals pleading for one of them to spare them, presumably threatening to murder them all. The man explains that the others refused to listen to his side of the story and resulted in him being framed and eventually banished. As the other individuals attempt to drive sense into him, the man presumably killed them all in a fit of rage, later on regretting what he committed before his last words were cut out.

In the present day, Locaster Helios, a wizard prodigy, begun to get ready for the day as he went to the market to see Esmeral, a herbalist who he often bought from to buy Aqrilla berries. After buying the berries, Locaster goes to the meadows to read, but sees an injured bird in the grass and gains its trust so he could heal it. After he heals the bird, he starts reading again until two soldiers walk by his path, with one questioning who he was, where Crimson, a soldier who works for Leiden, and Soul, his partner, stroll the meadows and begin questioning about Locaster, curious about the new comer.

## Setting

The story is set in a medieval setting where demons and other hybrids are highly marginalized. Magic and mythical creatures also exist in the setting of the story. Because of the discrimination against demons, most creatures have to go in hiding out of fear of being killed or trafficked because of their special properties in their blood. Many kingdoms exist within Azuren and serve as the main locations, including the kingdom known as Lyakon. In some provinces and kingdoms, their technology has been advanced, such as in kingdoms like Lyakon and Soraya, the main producers of explosives and firearms.

## Characters

### Minor Characters

 Misaya Myat | A bar tender that works in the North Desolates of Azuren and a mist shard user. He is later on revealed to be a ghost demon and is protective over his shard when a girl had given him it as a present for being his friend and shows bitterness towards those around him.

## Antagonists

 Shítǐ | A faceless god who roams the North Desolates and guards the Fallen Gates. After being abused by a cult, he traded his face for god-like powers in order to escape his cult life and murdered everyone inside, erasing it's existence and ridding a link of his past. He is the creator of the black vines and made a contract with Crow by giving him some access to his magic.