The mortal world buries the hidden depths of human nature, and dreams are labyrinths of the soul. Mikhail is an orphan who has dreamed the same dream ever since he can remember: crawling out of bloody water filled with corpses, dragging his dying body toward the shore, while the stench of death spreads across the entire bank. To escape the shadow cast by these nightmares, he writes a story for himself with the help of his friend Matthias: a warrior who died in battle is reborn in the sea, gains the dark power of a god, and becomes an immortal undead who gathers lives for the God of Death. But as he reaches the end of the story, he becomes lost in a dense fog. After his friend suddenly disappears, the story is left stranded in that black mist. Having lost his friend and with no family to turn to, Mikhail decides to return to his hometown. On the way, he encounters a downcast middle-aged man on a bridge. He tries to stop the man from jumping, but fails. All he can do is watch as the man falls into the river, leaving behind only an envelope in Mikhail's hand. The manuscript inside reveals the man's sinful life, filled with regret, and takes Mikhail to the place where the story unfolded. As a wanderer, Mikhail happens to meet a miserable girl who, like him, has been stranded far from home. They find comfort in one another and grow close, but as they huddle together for warmth, Yousiya discovers an astonishing secret he has kept hidden for a long time without even knowing it himself.
