Chrysalis

Today is a special day.
The hero of the story is about to participate in a coming-of-age
ceremony, one that every young person of the village must undergo
on their sixteenth birthday.
The hero sets off into the dark forest surrounding the village,
battling the hordes of monsters that lurk there.
Finally, after defeating the last mighty beast, the hero steps
into a clearing in the forest. A beautiful crystal floats in midair,
and sitting on top of it is Sherlotta.

She announces the good news - our hero has passed the test!
As a graduation present, Sherlotta presents the hero with a crystal.
But before the villagers have a chance to celebrate the happy
event, a young village girl falls gravely ill…

The village has a Law, and that Law says that no villager may leave
the forest for the outside world.
But the young girl needs a cure, so our hero is sent out of the forest
for the first time ever to seek medicine in the great world beyond.
There, our hero learns that the young girl's disease an ancient one,
and is caused by crystals that have long since disappeared from the world…

Or have they?