Carolyn

Forbidden Blade under the Moon

Overview

As a child that the world had forbidden to be born, she never met her parents. Despite being a half-breed, she fights against monsters to protect humanity, harboring a deep-seated hatred for monsters.

Chapter One

(476–490, Era of Frost Veil) Her father, Haidar Burnes, was the third child in his family and a Rainbow Knight from the Kingdom of Elia.
Caroline's birth brought disapproval in the Kingdom of Elia due to her noble lineage. Rainbow Knights pledged lifelong service to His Majesty, prohibiting marriage. Additionally, Caroline's mother, Tristana, had ties to the dark world.
In 478, the Era of Frost Veil, the Dark Parliament initiated the ruthless Tide of Darkness campaign. Tristana was brutally killed, and her severed ring finger with the engagement ring was sent to Haidar.
To protect Caroline, Haidar entrusted his aide to conceal her in a distant ancient castle for nine years, away from the capital. During that time, Caroline saw no one, not even her father.
At 11, Caroline knew only swordplay and magic, taught daily by the aide in the isolated castle. Parents were a concept unknown to her.
She knew a powerful force wanted her dead, and she had to train hard as she waited for the day fate would call.
Finally, the day arrived when hostile strangers appeared at Caroline's door, her aide absent. Ready to fight or perish, Caroline discovered the enemies were unexpectedly feeble.
Unknown to anyone, including Haidar, the 11-year-old girl had triggered the Blood Mark in the Source of Darkness, alerting the Dark Parliament to her presence.
The Dark Parliament team proved no match for her. Caroline fled south to Maream Town as her aide had instructed.

Chapter Two

Caroline, lacking survival skills, faced the Evolutionary Shuffle with fear.
Caroline waited in vain for her friends in Maream Town. With no choice, she moved south, pausing now and then. Her curiosity grew, but her sadness kept others at a distance.
As she traveled, Caroline unwittingly helped many villages under monster attacks. The locals' gratitude confused her, and her reputation as a vampire huntress grew.
Of course, it wasn't recorded in the annals of history that this adventurer often didn't pay for goods and even sometimes assaulted shopkeepers.
Caroline realized the Dark Parliament might not be as terrifying as rumored. Could she return to Elia for her friends? To see, she took a risk and revealed her presence.
Caroline intentionally left a trail by the Mother River, revealing her position. She awaited the Dark Parliament's response, daring the Council, especially the vampires, to confront the flaws in their bloodline.
They needed to demonstrate their lineage's worth in the Source of Darkness legacy. In November 488, during the Era of Frost Veil, the Battle of Blood River began, with plains vampires mobilizing against the "Taboo Blade."
Unexpectedly, standing before Caroline, the Blood Mark bearer, filled the outcast descendants with dread and submission. The Mother River overflowed with blood, and even Saltrock felt its stench.
After the battle, Caroline became a key topic for the Council. Known as the Taboo Blade, she was confused about awakening the Blood Mark, dormant for a century.
The Dark Parliament understood the situation's weight, realizing it involved the Source of Darkness, not merely a vampire problem.
Despite Caroline's strength, the dark world follows its own laws.

Chapter Three

Caroline was pursued by the parliament, which sent stronger members to seriously injure her in battle.
After two years, the parliament suffered heavy losses. The rock-faced girl could easily eliminate all dark creatures, always emerging victorious despite her injuries.
With Velarra blood, Caroline was a natural abomination to Abyss creatures. Her awakened Blood Mark nearly touched the Blood River's source.
Her contempt for the weak allowed no mercy; she wished for their swift disappearance.
The vampires faced an unprecedented defeat. Those who viewed themselves as noble finally felt terror, shifting opinions in the parliament after losing too many members.
Weakened, the vampires decided to unleash Ampsa the Doll, a monster no one in the dark realm could control. This seemingly deranged magical Doll was their last resort for over a thousand years.
"Hello! Do you know what love is?" Ampsa gently asked Caroline.
Caroline had never considered such a question; "love" felt foreign to her, having only heard it a few times.
One was a monster hunter who loathed creatures; the other a dark being seeking love's meaning. Their fated encounter would see only one survive the Spirit Cairn.
Mountains and earth fractured during the battle, and even the moon trembled. Caroline's sealing magic was challenged by the lifeless Doll. As Ampsa emerged from the ruins, she still hadn't found her answer.
"For me, love perhaps means departure."

Historical Notes

Dark Parliament:
The Dark Parliament (Era of Rebirth 28647–Era of Frost Veil 1749) was an underground organization made up of monsters and exiles. It aimed to return abyssal creatures to the surface by manipulating mortal nobles. It was eventually eradicated by "Demon Slayer" Beatrice.

Tide of Darkness:
In 478, Era of Frost Veil, the Dark Parliament launched a purge against the "Unclean," targeting Dreadra Cambions integrated into society. Caroline's mother, Elia, was a victim of this purge.

The Kingdom of Elia:
The Kingdom of Elia (128–996, Era of Frost Veil) arose after Hilbeyan's dissolution, founded by Velarra nobles in the north. Though adopting Velarra's xenophobic traditions, it established a theocratic system based on Hilbeyan, worshipping the "Prophet" Yetannia, who once destroyed Velarra.

Haidar Burnes:
Haidar Burnes (458–493, Era of Frost Veil) was the third son of the Burnes family, nobles in Elia. He became captain of the King's Guard's Rainbow Knights at age 11, earning the title "Blue Knight" and the nickname "Melancholy Haidar" due to his constant worry.

Tristana:
Tristana (436–478, Era of Frost Veil) was a Dreadra Cambion and member of the Dark Parliament's Raincoat Deacons, assigned to infiltrate the Kingdom of Elia. She fell in love with Haidar Burnes but was executed by the Parliament for being an "Unclean."

Token of Love:
A ring made from an icefield deer's antler, engraved with "Haidar" and "Tristana." Tristana kept it intact until her death.

Mother River:
The Mother River, or White River, is the cradle of Aiyan civilization and spans the entire continent of Ciaran.

Blood River:
"Blood River" Connie (10734–11823, Era of Rebirth) was a military leader and a descendant of the Achlys Demon nobility, the Manskons. After Grani's death, Connie led abyssal ground forces, sacrificing herself to merge with the Source of Darkness and create the Blood River. This allows powerful vampires to summon the Blood River for strength, carrying the memories and legacies of their ancestors.

Source of Darkness:
The Source of Darkness is a domain created by Elena, preserving the legacy of dark species. It absorbs abyssal energy to grow stronger, and dark races take pride in having their bloodlines recognized by it. The end of the Source leads to the Void of the Campbells, which grants the abyssal power, "Soul Elegy."

Saltrock:
Located at the mouth of the White River, Saltrock was historically ruled by the Helmont family, who built white castles using magic and sea salt. Their main castle is White Castle, named after the river.