Plots

### Pre-story

Caan's parents are brutally murdered when he is a teenager by two thugs and the Dragon Knight. When he reports it to the Count and asks for revenge, he is instead thrown out. Angry, he looks for the two thugs and finds them, killing them brutally in revenge. However, the Dragon Knight is nowhere to be found. Caan joins a mercenary company that protects merchant baggage trains from thieves in order to travel the country and become stronger. One day, while escorting a rich noble and his daughter, the company is slaughtered, except for Caan, who saves the merchant's family. In return, the merchant gives Caan a bag full of gold, which he uses to buy a sword from the best weaponsmith in the kingdom, naming it Revenge. Hearing of the presence of the Royal Knights at the tournament of Ashenburg, he enlists in the ranks.

### Lakeshore Arc

When he reaches Ashford, Caan wins a free-for-all brawl and then beats last year's champion, Sir Ecco, earning his way to the final bout with Manrock. Before his fight with Manrock, Caan is approached by Sir Glenn the Griffin Knight of the Royal Knights, who lends Caan his ring as a good-luck charm for the final battle. However, he is seduced by a servant girl called Myra, who steals the ring, which he only notices moments before the final fight. Caan decides to go after the girl instead of fighting. When he finds her, he is ambushed by Annie but defeats her. Annie reveals she is in Sir Glenn's entourage and that this was part of a test to see whether Caan was honorable and clever enough to join them. Sir Glenn and his loremaster Aris join them and Caan is invited to join their party of Demon Hunters. Caan accepts. Back at their camp outside of the city walls, Aris explains the various forms of demons and how to fight them. Their current mission is to safeguard the town of Lakeshore, where there is a particularly dangerous demon, the Winged Night.

On the road to Lakeshore, Caan and Annie have a rematch of their fight, with eyes closed, with the winner having to explain their story. When Caan is about to lose, he cheats and opens his eyes, beating her easily. Annie says that her parents were the Chieftains of a village in the First Arm that was raided. She became an orphan and joined Sir Glenn's entourage when she impressed him on the road by trying to ambush him. Annie also confesses that she had a brother that escaped with her intially, but they were found in a cave and her brother was brutally nailed to a cross and burnt. Caan decides to share his own story and confesses that he has vivid dreams of torturing and killing the Bald and the Toothless. Annie is shocked by his past violence.

As they ride along the Creaky Forest, Sir Glenn tracks down a demon with the help of a magical horn and Caan decides to prove himself by facing it head-on. The demon first creates the illusion of being a large bull, which Caan deduces to be a lie, then fakes a dying Annie, which throws Caan off. He is saved by Annie, who shoots the demon. She explains that some demons are very powerful, but others simply give off the illusion of being so. On the way back to the horses, Annie disappears, revealing that she too was an illusion. Confused, Caan returns to the party, who decides to head out and investigate together. Sir Glenn explains that since demon powers have a short-range, and since Caan was not killed, the demon is likely not capable of physically harming him and was only protecting itself. Glenn notices an ancient tree with long roots and identifies it as a demon. Caan and Annie are left behind to guard the tree, while Glenn and Aris head to the nearest town to purchase an ax to cut it down. Not long after their watch begins, Caan is overwhelmed by strange visions and memories that are not his. Then, an old man appears with a dagger in his hand and slashes his wrists open at the base of the tree. Caan and Annie tend to his wounds as Glenn returns. Instead of cutting the tree, Glenn cuts open the man's head to everyone's shock. A strange light emanates from the wound, signaling that the soul has left the body. Glenn asks everyone to wear a special hat without explanation.

Caan questions Glenn about the Royal Knights but gets no straight answers. In Creaky Town, they hear rumors of strange occurrences in Lakeshore. The mayor, Anston Green, worries for his daughter, who is married to the Count of Lakeshore and begs the party for help. He sends his son, Liam Green, to guide the party to Lakeshore. On the way, Liam makes Caan suspicious of the Royal Knights and the government as a whole by explaining the restrictions they place on regional lords. People who leave their Count's domain can only do so with a special permission, a Count's Pass, and to leave from one Arm of the spiral to the other one needs a King's pass. Liam also says that a few years before, the Dragon Knight passed by Creaky Town on the way to Lakeshore, meaning that he went to the First Arm. He also says that the identity of the Royal Knights can surely be found in the Tower of Skins, the royal library, just after Dragon Lake. Glenn forbids Liam to say anything else.

They reach Lakeshore and find the town deserted, save for a few people, who say that everyone went out to construct a large pyre in celebration of the first full moon of the year. Liam is denied entrance to the Count's mansion and gets no further answers. Angered, he departs from the group to check on the celebrations. Aris reads in his lore books that the Winged Night returns to feed on the population once every generation on a full moon. The group is ordered to leave by the town guard and a fight ensues, in which the party is split. Caan jumps on a boat to escape from his attackers and rows out into the lake just as the last light fades, evading the arrows shot at him. While in the middle of the lake, he sees something glowing deep under the surface. A tentacle shoots out from the lake and wraps around his neck. He manages to cut it off before he is dragged down, but many more shoot from the lake and begin to pull the boat apart. As he stands on a plank, it is hit by an immense force that throws Caan close to shore. There, Liam saves him from the monster of the lake and drags him up. They watch as innocents are dragged into the lake by the tentacles and the body of an octopus begins to glow. Sir Glenn appears into view without armor and unfolds a huge pair of wings. He flies high up and then drives his sword down, disappearing into the water. An epic fight ensues, at the end which the giant octopus attempts to escape the lake but Glenn finishes him off. Glenn then murders an innocent woman that had witnessed the fight. Liam warns Caan not to rejoin his group, but Caan says it is the only way to find the Dragon Knight, even if Glenn cannot be trusted.

Caan walks up to Glenn, who says that the Winged Night is not dead, but trying to flee, and they must pursue it as fast as possible. The party regroups in Lakeshore, but Aris has no more information on the Winged Night. Caan floats the idea of visiting the Tower of Skins, which is in the direction the demon fled to, and Glenn reluctantly agrees. They depart on a boat. During the crossing of the lake, Caan touches parts of the demon's corpse and is infused with memories that are not his of a man's life. On the other side of the shore, he demands to know where the Dragon Knight is, as his original service contract to protect Lakeshore is over. Glenn says that the Dragon Knight is likely off to fight in the Dark Strip at the end of the Third Arm. Caan is dismayed but hopes to gather more information from the library. When they get closer to the tower, Glenn remarks that the land has become infested with demons. Aris remembers the landscape was also quite different the last time he visited. A group of men approach them with hostile intentions, warning that they are tired of fighting over and over again, but that they knew this day would come. Glenn orders Annie and Caan to kill them, as they are possessed. The leader of the men introduces himself as Denden, and begs Caan to listen to him before they fight. Caan is conflicted until Glenn begins the fight. He kills one of the men in the flash of an eye but then dozen of others reveal themselves from the treetops firing arrows and nets. Denden orders them not to kill Glenn or the others. Annie fights Denden but is easily overpowered. Denden is especially interested in Caan's blade, identifying its maker as Knoff. While the others are carried off into the dungeons, Denden invites Caan to a private meal.

At the meal, Denden reveals that demons used to have human bodies as well, and just want to live in peace, while the Royal Knights and the king are hunting them. They have a back and forth discussion, after which Denden says that he is desperate, and the only thing he can do is to try and convince people that just like humans, not all demons are bad. Denden says that Caan must read the parchments in the bottom floors and he will learn the true history of the world. Meanwhile, in the cells, Annie manages to free herself and Glenn and they run upstairs, killing everyone on the way. Glenn topples over some braziers, setting the library aflame. They meet Caan and Denden and a fight ensues. Caan tries to talk to Annie, but she says that demons are all liars. Denden and Glenn fight as Caan rushes into the archives, saving random papers with Aris. Glenn pushes Denden off the tower, killing him. Caan and Aris try to decipher what is written in the scrolls that they rescued. Glenn and Annie join them, and Glenn notes that Aris did not put on his hat as they were ordered. Aris says that it was confiscated from him in the basement and he forgot to go and fetch it. Annie defends Aris, but Glenn kills him, saying that he was invaded. Once invaded, the person inside is forever dead. Annie and Caan are shocked. Caan asks Glenn what he is and draws his sword. Glenn fights against Caan and almost kills him, noting that it is a shame to waste so much potential. Annie begs to be the one to kill Caan, but instead tries to kill Glenn, which nearly succeeds. Mortally wounded, Glenn spreads his wings and flies away leaving a trail of blood. The two flee with their horses, afraid of Glenn coming back for revenge. Annie confesses that she always had suspicions, but killing Aris so cold-bloodedly confirmed to her that Glenn is obsessed with killing all other demons, while likely being a demon himself. They decide to not stop until they reach the next town, Woolton.

**Wooltown Arc**

Annie and Caan collapse as they reach the Woolton gates and are taken in by Damion, the captain of the guards. When he awakes, Caan is deathly afraid and warns Damion of the imminent threat of the Griffin Knight. Damion leads them to the Count of Woolton, Rayson. Rayson demands to see their King's passes and does not believe their story. They are imprisoned for one night before other scouts confirm what happened at Lakeshore. Caan realizes that the Winged Night might describe Glenn, as the Winged Knight, and lies, saying that Woolton is next on its path of destruction. The entire city mobilizes its defenses with Caan's help. Caan falls in love with the Count's daughter Leya. Over time, the people's opinions of him change, and he is seen as a liar. Annie convinces him that they should flee before they are accused of anything nefarious. Caan tries to convince Leya, but she instead tips off the guards who are killed by Caan in self-defense. Now seen as outlaws with a bounty on their heads, Caan and Annie flee the city and hide in the marshes.

There, they meet Bodo, a human obsessed with the mysticism of demons. He takes them in and is especially interested in Caan's sword, identifying it as enchanted with the Dust. Bodo explains that demons can also enter objects, but become trapped in them forever. He attempts to communicate with the demon in Caan's blade but fails. Obsessed, he grabs the sword and partially impales himself, gaining visions in the process. When he attempts to take the sword out, it buries itself deeper, slowly killing him. Bodo says that the demon revealed its memories to him, convincing him that all the demons must be eradicated from this world. After Bodo's death, Caan hypothesizes that maybe all the Royal Knights, including the Dragon and Griffin Knights, are demons, and decides to become a full-time demon hunter. Sensing that his sword is attracted to strange dust in Bodo's backpack, he sprinkles a bit on it, which makes Revenge glow. They are found by a search party from Woolton who surrounds them. Caan slashes through the air to drive the enemies away, which sends a wave that cuts through a dozen soldiers' bodies, killing them. The other soldiers run away in fear, calling him a demon. Annie does not wish to travel the world with him as an outlaw and leaves Caan alone.

Caan travels around the towns asking if someone knows where the Hidden Ones are, a society that Liam Green mentioned as a group of demon hunters for hire. In one town, he is noticed by a woman that invites him to her house. She commands him to strip naked and take a bath if he wants to join the Hidden Ones. Suspicious at first, Caan does it anyway, and he is robbed of his belongings. Naked, he stumbles onto the street and is arrested. In jail, he is visited by a stranger that tells him to follow the mountains to when the shadow of dawn marks a dragon. Hungry and without weapons, Caan is freed and roams to the mountains at dawn, finding the place, but passing out. When he awakes, he is in a cave surrounded by men in black cloaks.

Caan is the newest recruit of the Hidden Ones and takes part in their initiation rites. After passing the test of defeating an enemy in pitch darkness and escaping the cave, he participates in his first mission with hunter Cale, alongside newbies Jappy and Terra. In the process, he meets the woman that stole his sword and gets it back.

While on his next mission as an apprentice, he is approached by Denden, who has invaded a bird. Denden is disappointed that Caan chose the side of hunting demons and Caan says it is the only way to achieve his goal. Denden reveals that all Royal Knights are indeed demons, but of the bad kind, and offers to help Caan track down and kill the Dragon Knight. Instead, Caan asks Denden who the demon in his sword is, and Denden says that once an object is possessed, no communication is possible except when life is drained. Caan says that if Denden allows to be impaled and learns the truth of the sword, Caan will help him. Denden refuses. The party finally arrives at their target: The Snake Knight. Cale, Jappy, Terra and Caan fight with the Snake Knight. Caan notices that the Snake Knight carries a pouch full of dust and pierces it with his sword. This time, his sword shoots up into the sky and takes him with it. Caan travels so high that he starts to freeze before finally managing to direct his sword and control flight. Denden catches up to him and helps Caan redirect his sword down, then right through the Snake Knight, after which it stops when he lets go. Cale scolds Caan for using the powder, as it is volatile and dangerous. On the way back to the cave, Caan departs the group in secrecy to find Denden, who is on a nearby tree. Denden says that after what he saw Caan do, he believes Caan can be the one to save the world. When Caan asks for what that means, Denden says that perhaps it was unwise to tell him too much and Caan should learn by himself. When the time is right, Caan will understand.

Back at the Cave, Cale complains about Caan to the Master, but Jappy and Terra insist he saved their lives. The Master says that it is time that the Hidden Ones step out of the shadows and use all tools at their disposal. He promotes Caan to Hunter and tells him to lead Jappy and Terra on a mission to find and kill the demons that have infiltrated Belltown. In Belltown, Caan has no idea what to do, so they pretend to be merchants and watch the marketplace. Caan overhears that a Wooltown fugitive has been caught and will be hanged soon. Thinking of Annie, he rides out, leaving his crew behind, and reaches Wooltown by nightfall. As he approaches, he witnesses Sir Glenn dropping from the sky into town. Caan enters the city in total disarray and meets Glenn in front of the gallows where Annie is standing. Caan's sword activates when he holds it tightly and he manages to somewhat control the slashes. After an intense fight with Glenn, Caan is on the brink of defeat. He realizes that the sword acts as a projection of his will, and wishes that he was strong enough to defeat all his enemies. In response, the sword glows red, as does the air and the sky above the town. Glenn threatens to invade Annie if Caan manages to kill him. Desperate to find a way out, Caan grabs the blade of the sword with his left hand, cutting himself severely. In the process, he is drenched in memories of a previous life in which he sees himself and his father, then is burned by the Dragon Knight, then roams around in anguish, following Caan around, and finally entering the blade as it is delivered to him, in order to protect him. Caan realizes that the soul inside of the blade is his mother's. He flies into Glenn and cuts off his hands, closing the wounds with his hot blade in the process. Defeated but not dead, Glenn is taken to the dungeons. Liam Green, who came to witness Annie's execution, attests to their innocence, and Annie and Caan are hailed as saviors of Wooltown. Caan recounts his adventures to Liam and Annie and together they swear to find out how to beat Sir Glenn and the other demons once and for all.

### Demon Hunters Arc

Liam, Annie and Caan ask for volunteers to help them figure out how to defeat demons once and for all. There are many volunteers, but they settle for Nimrod, the Count's youngest son and bookworm and Manrock, the mercenary for hire that Caan never got to fight against in Ashenburg. As a group of five, they travel towards Spyria, where there are many scholars who could help them. On their way, they are visited by Jappy and Terra, who warn Caan that he is now an enemy of the Hidden Ones as a deserter and they have orders to kill him. With little supplies, the Demon Hunters stop at Belltown and offer their services as protectors for merchants going to Spyria. They are hired by Gyro, a man who promises to share half the profit of his sensitive merchandise when they arrive. On the road, they are attacked several times by bandits and the party demands to know what they are protecting.

### Preliminary Outline

Caan and his group travel outwards towards the location of the Dragon Knight while defeating demons, gaining allies and discovering the truth about their world. In the end, Caan confronts the Dragon Knight and kills him, causing him to invade Liam. The group then disbands. Caan spends some time with Denden and the other demons, who tell him the truth about the world. To atone for his sins and vowing to find a way how to permanently erase demons from the world, Caan exits the Spiral Kingdom.

He ventures into the Kingdom of Sododoland, where he is quickly hailed as a man favored by the Gods. Outside of the Spiral Kingdom, the demons have become more subtle and benevolent. Caan tries to rally them against the Gods, but instead provokes an invasion into the Spiral Kingdom. He marries the King's daughter and participates in an invasion that reaches the heart of the castle and overthrows the Spiral King.