Swift's first conscious moment on Earth was disorienting. The world he landed in was nothing like Espearia. Gone were the towering citadels of red star metal, the glittering streets, the aura of divine power that had once suffused every corner of his home. Instead, he found himself sprawled on cold, damp soil, surrounded by towering trees whose green canopy filtered pale sunlight in strange, broken patterns. The air was heavier, yet crisper than he had expected, carrying unfamiliar scents of earth, water, and foliage. It was alien, yet comforting in a way that made him vaguely nostalgic.
Pain lanced through his chest, a dull reminder of the final confrontation with Bones, and the green star embedded in his armor pulsed faintly, a heartbeat of its own. Swift gritted his teeth and rose to his feet. His body felt battered, his star armor partially cracked and blackened, yet he carried with him the weight of experience, of countless battles fought and a city lost. He had survived the impossible, and now he had to survive here.
He began to walk, moving through the dense forest with a cautious precision born of years spent navigating the wilderness of Espearia. Every shadow felt alive. Every sound—a bird call, the snapping of a twig—set him on edge. He knew he could not let his guard down. Bones was still out there. Somewhere. And if Bones had found a way to cross into this strange new world… Swift shivered at the thought.
Hours passed, though he couldn't be certain of time. The sun had begun its descent, casting long, eerie shadows across the forest floor. As he navigated around a moss-covered rock, he heard something ahead—a rustle in the underbrush, something moving with purpose. Swift froze, instincts honed on Espearia warning him of danger.
"Who's there?" he called, his voice low and commanding. The green star embedded in his chestplate shimmered faintly, reflecting the last rays of sunlight through the trees.
A young man emerged from the brush, moving with a grace and confidence that immediately told Swift he was not an ordinary human. He was of medium build, lithe, and carried himself with a fluid, disciplined posture that hinted at rigorous training. In his hand was a black katana, and at his waist were twin sais, the steel glinting with deadly precision.
Swift instinctively assessed him. "Another warrior," he muttered. His voice was hoarse, but steady. "Or… a potential enemy."
The young man stopped a few paces away, raising his hands slightly to show he meant no harm. "Easy," he said, his voice calm but firm. "I'm not here to fight. My name is Danny Chan."
Swift's eyes narrowed. "Danny Chan…?" The name sounded unfamiliar, yet there was something in the way the man carried himself, the same confidence and intensity he had seen in countless soldiers and knights back home. Swift's fingers tightened around his own sword hilt. "What world is this? And why am I here?"
Danny Chan tilted his head slightly, studying Swift with a mix of curiosity and caution. "You don't… belong here, do you?"
Swift hesitated, unsure how to answer. How could he explain? How could he convey the loss of an entire world, the destruction wrought by an entity that defied all understanding? He opened his mouth, then closed it, weighing his words. Finally, he said, "I am… from another world. A place called Espearia. And it's gone. Destroyed."
Danny's eyes widened, though his stance remained steady. "Another world?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're not lying?"
Swift shook his head. "I am not. And the one responsible… Bones. A being of pure destruction, something that should have remained imprisoned. I was… sent here to escape him. To survive. But he may come." His voice dropped to a harsh whisper. "And if he does, he will destroy this world too."
Danny Chan's expression hardened. He took a careful step forward, placing his hands near the hilt of his katana. "If what you say is true, then we need to act fast. My clan, the Golden Dragons… we've trained for threats of this magnitude. But I've never faced anything like what you describe."
Swift's gaze studied Danny, evaluating him. There was skill in the way he moved, a precision that spoke of years of disciplined training. Swift had fought many formidable opponents in his lifetime, and yet, something about Danny's presence felt… different. Reliable. Perhaps even a sliver of hope.
"You're trained in combat?" Swift asked, raising an eyebrow.
Danny Chan nodded. "Martial arts. The Dragon style. My family has protected our lands for generations. But if Bones is anything like you say… even we may not be enough." He paused, then added, "But we can try. Together."
Swift allowed himself a brief, almost imperceptible nod. The world he had known was gone. Allies, friends, family—all erased by Bones' fury. Here, in this strange new land, Danny Chan represented a chance. A chance to stand again, to fight back, to survive.
They moved together through the forest, Swift showing Danny the faint residual glow of the green star that pulsed within his armor. Danny followed silently, alert and cautious, asking only when necessary. For the first time since Espearia fell, Swift felt something resembling purpose.
As night fell, the forest around them shifted. Shadows lengthened, and the distant call of nocturnal creatures echoed through the trees. Swift sensed it immediately—an unnatural vibration in the air, a presence that was not native to this world. Bones. Even here, even on a planet light-years from Espearia, he could feel the pull of the entity.
"We're not alone," Swift said quietly, his eyes scanning the darkness.
Danny Chan's hand moved to his katana, fingers tightening around the hilt. "You feel it too?"
Swift nodded grimly. "Yes. He's coming—or he's already near. We need a place to regroup. Somewhere secure."
They pressed on, reaching a small clearing with a stream running through it. The water shimmered under the moonlight, and Swift bent down to touch it, tasting the clean, fresh water. It was nothing like the rivers of Espearia, but it would suffice for now. He knelt, inspecting his wounds and assessing his armor, which had taken heavy damage in the final battle.
Danny set down his pack and began to organize his weapons, checking his katana and sais with meticulous care. "If he's here, Swift," he said, glancing at the red star embedded in Swift's armor, "then we need more than strength. We need strategy. We need to understand what we're dealing with."
Swift exhaled sharply, a ghost of a smile appearing for the first time since Espearia's fall. "You speak wisely, Danny Chan. And for the first time in months, I feel… prepared. Not safe, not ready to defeat him yet—but prepared. That counts for something."
Danny Chan smiled faintly, a rare warmth in his eyes. "Then let's begin. First, we survive the night. Then, we find out what Bones is capable of here. And then…" He paused, looking out at the dark forest around them. "Then we fight back."
Swift nodded, the weight of the green star pulsing against his chest. He knew the road ahead would be long, filled with dangers he could scarcely imagine. But for the first time since Espearia had fallen, he did not feel entirely alone.
The forest whispered around them, the wind rustling through the leaves. Somewhere in the distance, Swift could swear he heard a faint, chilling laugh—the echo of Bones, a reminder that this battle was only just beginning.
And yet, Swift had survived worse. He had lost everything, faced death and darkness, and come back. This new world—Earth—would be no different.
He and Danny Chan sat in the clearing, weapons at the ready, minds focused and hearts steady. Together, they would learn the limits of their strength, the bounds of their courage, and perhaps—just perhaps—they could stop the entity that had annihilated a world from doing the same to this one.
The green star in Swift's chest pulsed steadily, and for the first time since leaving Espearia, he felt a measure of hope. Bones had followed him here. But Swift was not the same man he had been in Espearia.
He would fight. And this world—Earth—would not fall.