Guardians of The Damned
In the wake of the first wave of shadow creatures, the world was plunged into ruin, a desolate yet enchanted wasteland. Humanity, driven underground, clung to survival while desperately plotting to reclaim their shattered world.
But from the abyss of darkness, something miraculous stirred—a mysterious tree, shimmering with ancient power, appeared overnight. It chose only the strongest of heart, those with unbreakable will, gifting them extraordinary abilities. With these powers, humanity rose from the depths, waging war against the shadows.
Yet beneath the surface of their heroic deeds lay a hidden rot. Corruption seeped into their ranks, and arrogance clouded their judgment. As their powers grew, so did the whispers of betrayal. The true battle may not be against the creatures lurking in the shadows—but against the darkness festering within their own hearts.
A question lingers: When heroes fall, who will rise to take their place?
I’ll start off by saying I’m not a regular reader of the genre so I can’t compare it to other works, but I can say I found it to be an enjoyable read and will focus on the opening chapters. I liked how the MC’s characterization was done by showing his swift decision making and improvisation in the opening action sequence, accompanied by dialogues by other characters about him rather than use of a long internal monologue to expose his character. It has an action packed opening sequence which is gripping, but it might feel a tad long for some readers. If you are a fan of the action genre though, I can imagine this could be a plus rather than minus. As for the language, it is written in concise and clear sentences with hint of humor that comes across in MC’s narration during the fight which conveys more of an amusement than panic. The simple and direct tone of the narration is something I personally like myself, but it might feel a bit short of depth for readers who prefer more complex and nuanced writing style. One thing I can say though is that being simplistic does not equate to omission of necessary details here as you will never feel that the visualisation is lacking due to details it leaves out, i.e., what’s happening in the scenes are clearly delivered and never confusing. The basic world building is established to some extent through the action sequence rather than an exposition dump, so that was good because you get to see the variety of the MC’s power right from the start, and the fight with the mecha quickly establishes that it is a world that combines futuristic and high-tech era with fantasy element of magic like super powers coexisting. My only concern is that the opening chapters might be a hit or miss in general, as some readers who want more insightful exposition of the world and the lore early on might get impatient while those who like a slow build up would appreciate it. Overall, I think this is a work with potential that is worth giving a go. Good job!
Here, since WN seems intent on shadow banning anything I post these days, I am left with no choice but to send a screenshot.
just started thought but I already like what I'm reading