August 4th, 176 DD
In the Flowery Continent's Dai-Kuni, inside the Blue Petal region, the air burned with war cries.
The Blue Petal armies had crossed the rivers to invade Black Petal lands, flames rising behind them as villages burned.
The hatred ran deep—stories said Black Petal's ancestors once betrayed the old Shogun, dooming the Blue Petal's bloodline to generations of shame. Now, the Blue Petal fought to erase that stain with steel and fire.
In a ruined temple at the front line, General Aoyama Satoru stood over a table spread with maps. Beside him was his commander, Fujikawa Ren.
"General Aoyama, our scouts say Black Petal forces are hiding near the Crimson Woods," Ren said. His voice was calm, but his hand trembled over his katana's hilt.
Aoyama leaned over the map. "If we strike at dawn, we catch them asleep. If we wait, they regroup."
Ren frowned. "And if they regroup, our men die for nothing."
Aoyama's eyes flashed. "We don't retreat. Not after what they did to our fathers. We'll crush them before they can breathe."
A young officer ran in, bowing. "General, the villagers near the woods—they're refusing to leave. They say they're Black Petal by birth."
Aoyama slammed his fist on the table. "Then they die Black Petal. Ready the men."
Ren looked uneasy. "We kill everyone? Even children?"
"Ren," Aoyama said coldly, "if you hesitate now, you'll join them in the flames."
The morning came like a nightmare. Blue Petal soldiers swept into the village. Houses burned as men, women, and children screamed.
Ren led his unit through the streets, eyes blank. "No survivors," he whispered to himself.
Aoyama stood at the village gate, watching smoke climb to the sky. "This is what they earned," he said softly. "This is our justice."
By noon, nothing was left but ash and silence. The Black Petal village was gone, and the Blue Petal banners waved above the ruin.
---
In the capital city of Blue Petal, the council chamber was filled with heavy silence.
Blue Petal officials sat in a circle with the Red Petal's Shogun, Ishikawa Akihiro, who was flanked by his stern advisor, Minamoto Reika.
Lord Nakamura Haruto of Blue Petal spoke first. "Shogun Ishikawa, the Black Petal resistance is fiercer than we expected. Their warriors fight like demons."
Shogun Ishikawa's eyes were cold. "That is why I came. Blue Petal cannot end this alone. Together, we can shatter Black Petal's will."
Minister Suda Kenshin of Blue Petal leaned forward. "But if Red Petal joins us, the war will spread beyond the Crimson Woods. The Flowery Continent itself could burn."
Reika's voice was sharp as a blade. "You think small, Minister Suda. This is not just about Black Petal. If they fall, we control half the continent."
Lord Nakamura's eyes narrowed. "But what of the other petals? Green, White…they will not stay silent if we grow too strong."
Shogun Ishikawa smiled faintly. "Then we remind them of our strength. Better they bow now than rise later."
A young scribe in the corner swallowed hard. "My lords, if I may…our people suffer. Already, food is scarce. War taxes crush farmers."
Reika glared. "War has no mercy for peasants. They will endure."
Nakamura slammed his hand on the table. "Endure? Or starve? Our soldiers will have no rice if the fields stay empty!"
Shogun Ishikawa raised a hand, silencing the room. His eyes moved from face to face. "I came here not to argue but to forge victory. Red and Blue together will bring peace through conquest. Question me again, and I'll leave you to Black Petal's knives."
Silence fell again, thick and tense. Then, Lord Nakamura bowed his head. "Very well, Shogun Ishikawa. Blue Petal stands with you."
Ishikawa nodded, his eyes glittering. "Then let the Black Petal know: the tide has turned. They will drown in our wave."
---
August 5th, 176 DD
Highland Continent
In the hall of Tarnowek's royal palace, Grand Duke Janusz Wrona sat across from King Isaac Von Meranne of Dravoj.
The table between them was covered in maps of borders and troop movements, lit by the pale glow of chandeliers above.
Janusz's voice was cold. "Our spies say Lirzska's forces have doubled in the past year. If we don't strike first, we'll be the ones on the defensive."
King Isaac leaned back. "So you propose an alliance? Tarnowek and Dravoj marching as one?"
"Yes. If we don't crush Lirzska now, the entire region will fall into chaos. We can divide their lands after."
Isaac's eyes were hard. "And you'll swear Tarnowek's loyalty to Dravoj once the war ends?"
Janusz's jaw tightened. "We both know that's just words. Let's finish the war first. Then we'll talk about loyalties."
A deep rumble rolled through the castle walls. Both rulers looked up. Outside, the clouds twisted unnaturally.
"What is that…?" Isaac murmured.
A massive sphere of dark energy floated above the distant horizon, pulsing with eerie light.
It hung impossibly high. Then, slowly, it shifted.
The sphere accelerated, cutting across the sky like a falling comet.
It shrieked over mountains, splitting clouds, and in the far distance, it crashed into Lirzska with a flash.
The ground beneath the castle shook.
A pillar of black smoke rose on the horizon.
Janusz swallowed hard. "Was that…ours?"
Isaac's face was pale. "No. That wasn't Dravoj or Tarnowek. Someone else just joined this war."
---
In a quiet village on the outskirts of the Lirzska Kingdom.
The sky above was blackened by swirling clouds of dark energy, and the once-peaceful fields were now burning with shadows that devoured everything they touched.
People ran, crying out for help. A woman clutched her baby, falling as the ground cracked beneath her feet. A boy screamed for his father, but only smoke answered him.
Amidst the chaos, a young man sprinted through the flames, grabbing the fallen and carrying them to the small chapel at the village's edge.
His hair was matted with soot. He didn't hesitate, hauling people out from collapsed homes, kicking open doors, pulling the wounded from under burning beams.
"Come on! Everyone inside!" he shouted hoarsely.
A girl tripped beside him. He scooped her up, ignoring the searing heat around them.
He looked up. The dark energy pulsed above like a beating heart. Every time it flashed, another wave of shadow roared through the village.
He clenched his teeth, diving forward again and again, pulling more people to safety.
Each time he emerged from the darkness, his clothes were more torn.
At the chapel doors, an old man grabbed his arm. "Who are you?"
The young man paused, sweat and ash dripping from his face. Before he could answer, another villager cried out.
"Luciano!"
The name echoed through the chapel as everyone stared at him.
He looked back at the burning village. I can't let them die… not again.
---
"THIS IS THE BIRTH OF A NEW AGE!"
"THE WORLD HAS FINALLY EVOLVED!"
The masked man raised his arms to the dark sky. His voice echoed across the battlefield. Behind him, a man stepped forward with a twisted smile.
"Fingereen Von Meranne, you're here," the masked man said.
"Hehehe…" Fingereen chuckled. "I'm here."
---
The shoguns and officials of Dai-Kuni stood on a ridge.
"For the new age!" they shouted together.
Thousands of soldiers charged into the Dark Petal region. Their armor rattled as they stormed the villages. Houses burned, screams filled the air, and the ground shook with marching feet.
People tried to run, but shadows fell over them.
"Don't die…"
"AHHH!"
"SAVE US!"
The armies showed no mercy. Blades cut through anyone in their path. Fires spread, lighting up the night. The Dark Petal, once a quiet region, was now a place of screams and death.
This was no ordinary battle. It was a massacre meant to wipe the Dark Petal off the map.
And behind it all, the masked man and Fingereen watched with cold eyes, knowing this chaos was only the beginning of what they called the new age.
---
"ARGHHHH!"
Lucjan shot up in bed, his body drenched in sweat. His heart pounded like it would burst. Images of fire, screams, and soldiers flooded his mind. He gasped for air.
Those visions again… but why?
Then he remembered the newspaper he read that morning. The article about the massacre in the Dark Petal. That must have triggered his nightmare.
But what scared him more was seeing Luciano there, fighting like a hero. It felt too real.
He looked around. The room was dark and quiet. Guinevere was sleeping next to him, hugging him tightly. Her warmth helped him calm down.
What is happening to this world? he thought. Why do I keep seeing these things?
He pulled the blanket over both of them. He took slow, deep breaths. Guinevere stirred but stayed asleep. Lucjan rested his head back on the pillow.
"I'll protect you… no matter what."
Then he closed his eyes and slowly drifted back to sleep, hoping the nightmares wouldn't come again.