Tales of the Dark River: Born Toward the Light

This is a fan-created derivative work of A Tale of the Dark River. Its setting and some characters come from the original, but the central plot and protagonist are original, exploring another possibility.

The assassins of the Dark River must have no names, and must have no weaknesses.

They are shadows forgotten by the world, poisoned blades, ghosts who exist only to carry out their missions.

Until one day, a shadow codenamed “Mo Chen” returned from a mission with a token stained with the blood of an innocent, and a blind girl who needed his protection.

The rules say that anyone who knows too much must die. The rules say that anyone who falls in love will perish.

When the organization’s purge order comes for him, and his former colleagues become death-dealing Yamas

Should he bare his neck and die, becoming yet another nameless skeleton in the Dark River?

Or should he… turn his blade against the river and carve a ray of light into this endless darkness?

This is a story of betrayal and perseverance, revenge and redemption.

This is the story of a shadow trying to become human.