It is believed that whatever the Guardian Deity takes will never return….

There is a power that hides and protects an ancient land from foreign enemies, but sacrifices must be made. In recent times, the Harbingers of that Deity have been encroaching on humankind and only people with special powers, Quietists, are able to drive them back. An unlikely trio, each of whom has lost something dear to them, find themselves journeying to unravel the secrets of the Deity and the Quietists. Little do they know that what they have lost, the frequent appearance of the Harbingers, and the need for sacrifices are all connected.

The beginning of the first volume of four of Horon of the Closed Country is an intriguing one, starting off with a mother and her child disappearing into a place where…well, people disappear. Or, at least the thing you treasure most gets taken from you by “the hand of a hateful god.”

The manga opens with a woman and child running–we do not know what is pursuing them–but this place that looks like a void in the middle of the forest is familiar to the mother. She knows the risks that something maybe taken from her, but she plows full steam ahead into the darkness anyway.

End scene.

This was a powerful opening, full of mystery and darkness. I immediately wanted to know what was happening, and this manga has that effect on you: a need to plow ahead into the next chapter to find out more about what happens next!

The scene of Chapter One opens with a child (nameless and genderless) who awakens and has amnesia.

They are greeted by a woman named Darshna who found them collapsed and unconscious in the road. Darshna turns out to be the woman from the prologue, and she is on a quest to get her daughter back, the treasure that had been taken from her.

The child’s last visions were of black flowers and the strange ringing of bells, which are clues that a giant flower creature is going to attack. Sure enough, in that moment, one does, and the child reveals they know how to destroy them, and does so.

This is something only the Quietists are known for doing, and the child doesn’t know anything about them. Darshna decides to stay with the child for as long as possible to not only ensure their safety, but they may be the clue to her finding her daughter.

As the two travel throughout the countryside to different cities and locations, we only learn of the companions in bits and bursts, and the worldbuilding is revealed in the same way. No dumps, just enough of a taste to propel the reader into wanting to know more.

Another character joins the party: Kera, the “one-armed con artist.” Darshna and the nameless child see him at a pub in one of the cities and Kera is discovered to have one too many rounds in a row and looks suspicious. After Kera gets punched in the face, the child and Darshna pick him up and he becomes part of the ragtag found family.

The mysterious black flowers that possess monstrous qualities are known as Harbingers, and appear when they are meant to take a sacrifice for the gods. Kera’s arm was taken in sacrifice, and this especially matters because Kera’s arm wasn’t just a regular appendage–he played the flute, and the arm that was taken played the notes.

As Kera wanders off after having some words with Darshna, a Harbinger appears and nearly overtakes him, but the child interferes and saves his life, driving the creature away and falling asleep after the battle (this happens every time the child fights a Harbinger).

The trio grows closer to each other and Darshna comes up with a name for the child, “Horon.” The name means “wind,” because the wind was blowing when Darshna and Horon met, and then “vessel,” so Horon’s life, devoid of memories, can be filled once more with “the good things, the happy things.” It’s a touching scene. And shortly after, the trio’s relationships with each other are more solidified, and you wonder how their adventures together are going to go. You only want to root for them!

There is a surprise sequence at the end of the manga–a quick flash of a story–that I won’t spoil here, but it’s a great setup for future volumes. And I’m intrigued enough that I’m definitely going to keep reading this as it releases.

If you can’t tell, I really enjoyed this manga. There’s a classic epic fantasy feel to it when it comes to gods and journeying, and the art is extremely detailed down to the items of clothing people wear. I like the character designs very much, and Horon is well drawn to be considered a gender-ambiguous character. Darshna has a mix of maternal and powerful vibes, and that’s evident in her design, too. Lastly, I like Kera because I have a thing for men with long hair, lol. But I know his story is going to be interesting, given the last hint of it we were given in the manga.

I have so many questions about this world and the things plaguing it. I have questions about the prologue and people’s flashbacks. I want to know more about everything, and that’s a major reason why I’m sticking with this manga. The story comes across as unique to me even when it has major tenets of fantasy stories within it. There are so many pieces to this puzzle that need to be explored, and I’m all for it. I recommend fantasy lovers especially to take a closer look at this manga.

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Horon of the Closed Country Volume 1 will release from Manga Mavericks Books on March 31 in digital and then a print volume will publish July 28. You can preorder print here and digital here.