Asford was a small town near Sword Sanctuary. Although it was said to be the closest town to Sword Sanctuary, it was located at the foot of the mountain which was tens of miles away. The residents there had led ordinary lives for generations. Therefore, they did not know what had happened in Sword Sanctuary.

But of course, the residents were unaware that something unusual had happened. For example, recently, they noticed the animals in the nearby mountains acting strangely. Some that were not commonly seen on the mountainside or at the foot of the mountain could now be seen sporadically. Some rarely-seen birds also hovered around Asford, and some elderly residents believed that this was a sign of impending disaster.

One day, the peaceful life of Asford was suddenly disrupted by an unexpected event. A family of three—the Pines—living in the town were killed by an unknown assailant. If it were only a simple murder, then this case would have been written off as a home invasion. However