Soul energy. Ki, or magic energy, to others.
The force thus named, because it is present within all of us, swirls around us and gives birth to all forms of life. It cannot be transferred between body and environment without the use of catalysts; even then the diffusion of soul energy is slow and almost unnoticable.
Soul energy rests at the core of one's being, swirls around in the bloodstream and spreads out to the rest of the body during periods of excitement in what can be known as an "adrenaline rush". By gaining the abilty to channel the energy to specific parts of the body, a person can run faster, hit harder, see further, withstand blows, and do things which were once thought impossible.
The energy that swirls around us can also be harnessed. Mages use hand seals to attract external soul energy to their fingers, and weave known patterns that can convert soul energy into raw flame and other various powers of destruction, forever known as "magic". Sorcerors, on the other hand, can bend the path of soul energy using their will alone, which often makes them treasured yet feared. Soul energy is invisible to the human eye, except for sorcerors. They do, however, resonate and flash briefly after a "magic"-user successfully lays a weave.
Three years ago, vampires appeared, named as such for their addiction to the high soul energy concentration in the blood and the ability to turn other people into blood-suckers with a bite. Vampires were weak to bright light, but not because they would burn in it; rather, their eyes were simply so sensitive that bright light would blind them. Perhaps vampires were created through dark sorcery, no one knows for sure. What is known, however, is that there is no barrier between a vampire's soul energy and the energy that swirls around us. Vampires can thus draw in near infinite amounts of soul energy into themselves and become powerful and feared killers.
In a flash, human life changed forever. Sunglasses became a taboo, homes had flashlights which acted as smoke grenades, and academies, separated into guilds, popped up in every country which specialised in the training and housing of talents who would fight the vampires.
One such guild within the anti-vampire academy (AVA) of the country Tirin - the smallest nation in the world - became known as the BLADESTALKERS guild. Bladestalkers were katana-wielding warriors who specialised in vampire assasinations and covert rescue missions. They used a catalyst in the hilt of their sword to slowly transfer soul energy to their weapons, resulting in the weapon gaining a sense of self awareness and power which manifested itself in the form of unique abilities.
One year ago, in the city of Serandale, of the country Tirin - the smallest nation in the world - a vampire, Valendred, became a hero. An army of vampires, led by the Lady Gilith, had attacked the capital city in a bid to turn the whole nation into a vampire-owned state. However, the vampire Valendred defected from her ranks and defeated her army in a series of guerilla raids and dark street fights which lasted for months. Following his victory, the vampire Valendred disappeared, most likely dead from his last battle, and was never seen again...
This story follows the journey of Keisuke, an eighteen year old boy from the neighbouring town of Trenville, whose life is changed forever when he returns home and sees a disaster on the day of his high school graduation...
...I've gotten most of the main storyline and plot twists planned out (thanks to all the stoning time i've had during guard duty >.<). I've also done some basic character designs, character histories and even a few romance-plots. Now all i need is a budget, a publisher, equipment, more time. and most importantly, a manga artist! My shading is just too horrible!!
