Eons ago, there was a great devastation. One that caused the world to crumble into ruin. Where once bright empires stood, now lies desserts of ash and the hollow corpses of buildings.

Left standing in this wretched world are two kingdoms. Two kingdoms that both search for the same thing. The Devine power that lead to the great devastation oh so long ago, the Djinn.

Therefor, humanity has set out into the ruined lands and started to explore towers and ruins that hold magics and secrets that one day could reveal this ancient power.

It is in one of these towers where this tale starts. For in an old crumbling tower, there are two figures fighting. The clash of their swords echos throughout the towers' halls.

For in the old room with walls mounted with gold and the floor covered in ash, there is a giant rusty set of armor swinging its two swords wildly against a man clad in marine blue fabric that was sown into a broad shoulder guard.

The man quickly stepped in and out of the living armor's wild attacks. Semmingly toying with it.

"Hey Alice! Found anything?" the man yelled out to a blond woman kneeling down next to a pile of gold and treasures across the room.

The tall blond woman, named Alice, lifted up a big necklace with pearls and gems all threaded with a golden string. Her body was wrapped up in a long coat made of fur and leather.

"Nothing much except gold and other valuables." Alice replied.

"No mask?" the man asked.

"Nope." Alice responded.

"Any scrolls or weapons?" the man asked again, a bit of worry in his voice.

"None."

"Not even a map shard?" the man asked a third time, now sounding more defeated and anguished.

"None what so ever." Alice sighed.

The man let out a groan as he continued to jump out of the way of the attack of the moving armor.

"You mind finishing up now, Leon?" Alice asked.

"Sure..." the man named Leon responded with a heavy sigh.

Leon jumped back away from the living armor, gaining some distance. As he landed, Leon unsheathed an executioner's sword from his side. It had quite the peculiar appearance, it's blade was painted a deep crimson, and it's pommel had a hole through it. Big enough for Leon to fit his fingers through.

Leon put his finger through the hole and started to spin the sword around his finger. Then, in a flash, Leon leapt towards the rusty set of armor, cutting it in half. A loud bang echoed through the room as the impact occurred. 

Sparks flew as Leon landed on his knee guards. Gliding along the floor.

His split cloak flying like wings in the wind.

The living armor fell into pieces as Leon had struck the magical core that brought the armor to life. As the armor set fell lifeless to the ground, a door appeared along the wall, opening up to reveal the sandy plains of the outside.

"Well, this was a bust." Leaon said as he got back on his feet.

"Yeah... you want some of this or should we just leave it?" Alice asked, pointing towards the piles of gold and gems covering the corners of the room.

Leon walked towards a small pile next to the entrance to the room and picked up his small bag. From it, he took out a small flask.

"Fill this with whatever you want. I'm taking some time to rest." Leon said, tossing the bag to Alice.

"Sure thing, mister I-can-take-this-boss-on-my-own-no-problem." Alice said teasingly.

"Yeah yeah..." Leon said as he laid himself down on the sandy floor, taking a swig of his flask.

"You want the last of the water?" Leon asked, holding up the flask.

Alice shook her head, and Leon took the initiative to continue drinking.

After filling their small bags with as much valuables as they could carry, the two headed out through the gate that had appeared for them.

Stepping out of the gate, they arrived exactly where they had entered the old decrepit tower.

The two wandered out into the ash-ridden ruins of a once brilliant empire. An ever expanding desert of ash and stone.

"Oh, stop sulking." Alice said.

"How can I not sulk? We where sold false information. AGAIN!" Leon exclaimed frustrated.

"Yeah, I know. But hey, that's what we get for trusting unofficial sources." Alice said, inspecting the new silver and gold rings she had taken from the tower.

"Yeah, I'm never trusting information from the drunks at the bar again." Leon sighed.

"That's what you have been telling me for the past six expeditions." Alice retorted.

Leon, now a bit embarrassed, tries to change the subject.

"Well... at least you got some gold for your donations."

"True..."

The two continue their walk through the ruined landscape as the gray clouds block the sun from lightening up the lands.

"Hey Leon." Alice says with a hesitant tone.

"Whats up?"

"Eh... I have been thinking."

"Well that's a first." Leon jumped in.

Alice groaned at his joke.

"Maybe we should try and find another member for our expeditions?" Alice proposed.

"Starting to get board of me?" Leon joked.

"Oh definitely. But that's not the point." Alice teased.

"We both know if we want to take on more challenging ruins like the coliseum, then we need more than just the two of us." Alice stated.

"I know." Leon sighed.

"But it's... you know... Neither of us has the best reputation. Who would want to team up with us? " Leon said.  

The two continued their walk in silence as they both realized their situation.

"But if you really want to, then I don't see why we couldn't try." Leon sighed.

Alice smiled hearing Leon's response.

The two eventually reached a dirt path that led them straight to the gates of the capitol of the moonlit dynasty, the city of Nocturne.

It's an enormous city. It's a place that sticks out in the destroyed lands around it. For it is filled with people, fueled by excitement and determination. People who all search for the treasures that the ruins hold. The city is built at the very center of the continent. Making it very popular for adventurers, with it's easy access to the ruins and towers. At the very center of the lively city stands its glory.

The remnants of a statue of a long gone empire. Two giant hands made from marble and steel that reach out into the sky, holding a radiant white sphere. Its brilliant light shines down during the night, giving the city hope, like a memory of the Devine. They have dubbed it the second moon or simply Nox.

The two walked through the city, walking past both normal townsfolk and adventurers of different heights and sizes.

"Looks like a new wave of merchants have arrived, want to check out what they have?" Alice asked, seeing as there seemed to be more people setting up tents near the city walls.

"Maybe later, let's report back to the office first and post a request for more adventurers for our party." Leon sighed.

They continued their way towards the guild, not really paying attention to the world around them. Walking as if the moon was shining just for them.

Suddenly, Leon felt something bump into him, causing him to lose balance and fall. Leon, now a bit pissed off, looked around to see who it was that had bumped into him.

"By the serpent..." he heard a voice say, coming from his side.

Next to him lay a man with messy blonde hair who seemed to be a bit shorter than him, but around his age. The man wore baggy clothes that looked similar to what an apothecary or potion brewer wore. The clothes showed signs of being homemade, as it looked like the man had just sown different fabrics he liked together and called them clothes. On his back, the man stored a slim curved sword.

"Look where you are going?" Leon groaned, his voice coming out more aggressive than intended.

"O-oh, my apologies. I didn't mean to, you see I have never been here in the capital before, so I'm kind of lost." the blond man explained, with a quivering tone.

Alice helped the man up.

"Don't be so harsh Leon. We have to be kind to tourists and show them the beauty the capitol has to offer." Alice said jokingly.

Leon scoffed.

"Don't mind him, he is just a bit grumpy that he got scammed with false information about the ruins again." she said, teasing Leon.

"Oh, you two are adventurers?" the blond man asked.

The two gave him a slight nod.

"Perfect. Then could the two of you help me? I'm looking for the nearest office of the adventurers guild. I have been walking for hours, but with this much people around, I have just ended up in circles." the man explained his situation.

"I don't see why not." Leon said.

The blond man gave an excited smile. Before brushing of the dust from his clothes and giving a slight bow.

"I'm Damien Ledger, from the small village of Ecrin. Nice to meet you." Damien introduced himself.

"Well, hello Damien, I'm Alice, and my companion over there is Leon. Now you said you where looking for the guild office? Could you perhaps be an adventurer?" Alice asked, putting her arm on his shoulder as she started to walk him towards the office.

"Not yet, I'm actually hoping to join today." Damien said smiling.

"Well, then our meeting must be fate!" Alice exclaimed.

"For you see. Me and Leon are actually looking for more people to join our little party of two." she continued.

"Really? But I haven't even registered as an adventurer. I mean I'm still a newbie, and you look like you have done this for a while." Damien said, starting to get a bit worried that these two might try to scam him.

"Oh nonsense. I mean just look at us. We don't even have the mark of a scroll. We ain't nothing more than your normal adventurer." Alice said, her desperation slowly creeping through her voice.

Leon, who was walking behind the two, was listening in on their conversation.

"Smart of her to try and recruit a greenhorn since I doubt anyone else would even try to, but maybe she should hold it back a bit." Leon thought.

Leon walked up to the two and shoved Alice's arm off Damien's shoulders.

"Apologies for my friend, but as you might realize, we are quite desperate for more members." Leon explained.

"So how about we do this. After your registration, we go through a normal interview, and the three of us go through a tower together as a test to see if we are compatible with each other." he then suggested.

Damien thought for a second before answering.

"Sure, why not."