A field of red dragonflowers swayed in the cold winds beneath the
deadly white mountains of Alden State. In that blood-hued valley, two figures
faced each other—one young, silent, standing before a grave. The other, regal
and armed, was none other than Louis VI Zaiden, King of Zaiden State.
But this was not how the story began.
It began with death—specifically, the death of the Emperor of the Three
Lands: Louis V Zaiden, father of the current king.
Zaiden Kingdom – Land of Power
Empire Security Headquarters
Footsteps echoed in a frenzied rhythm down the marble halls. A guard burst
through the doors of the command chamber, sweat dripping from his brow.
"General Alex!" he gasped. "We've found him! The boy! He's in Redfield
Village—with a girl."
General Alex smiled—a twisted, satisfied grin. "Prepare the knights. We ride
now."
As they marched toward Redfield, whispers spread among the soldiers.
"Why is the king so obsessed with this boy?"
"Didn't he vanish seven years ago?"
"I heard it's about an artifact—Ellion's Will... the one that started the Great
Ancient War."
Ellion's Will: a mythical artifact, lost since the Second Great War. A relic
capable of shaping nations—and destroying them.
The World of Ki
Since the Age of Dragons, Ki has been the foundation of all energy.
Humanity falls into two groups:
·
Ordinary people: Can sense Ki,
but cannot manipulate it.
·
Heavenly beings: Can control
Ki. These are further split:
Inner Heavenly: Enhance their physical abilities.
Outer Heavenly: Manipulate natural elements like wind and fire.
Rarely, individuals master both. These legends—called Celestials, Demons,
or Gods—walk the world in shadows. One such being founded the Zaiden
Kingdom: Louis the Great.
Redfield Village – The Storm Arrives
Alex and his knights reached the village hotel. With a single slash, he blew
open the wooden door.
Inside, the boy stood frozen. A girl stepped in front of him, sword drawn.
Alex's grin vanished.
"Well, well. Long time, Sara. Now it all makes sense."
The knights stirred. None recognized her.
But Alex did. She was the girl who beat him in the knight selection
finals—without using a single drop of Ki. Her sword, Dragonfang, alone
had earned her victory. She vanished after claiming her reward. But Alex never
forgot.
"So, you're protecting him?" Alex growled. "After Ellion's Will?"
Sara's gaze was cold. "He doesn't have it. Let us go."
Alex's laugh was venom. "You'd protect a wanted criminal? Even without the
artifact, that boy is Reaper—the one who slaughtered nobles across three
lands!"
"I'm Reaper," Sara replied.
The room went silent.
"You? Then today's my lucky day. Kill you, deliver the boy—and I'll erase my
shame from that tournament."
Wind swirled around Alex's blade. With a roar, he released a wind slash
toward the boy. Sara intercepted it.
"You've chosen death then!" Alex snarled.
The battle began.
Sara vs. Alex – Wind vs. Sword
Sara unsheathed Dragonfang. Her stance was fluid—unlike anything
Alex had seen. A style from the lost Klyrian tribes.
Alex unleashed wind-enhanced strikes, but she flowed like water—dodging,
countering, parrying. The air hummed with tension.
"You've grown stronger," Sara warned, "but if we fight seriously, this town
will be rubble."
"Let it burn," Alex spat. "Let's end this."
He activated Configuration 3—wind coalesced into blades
around his sword. With sonic speed, he launched himself.
But what he saw next terrified him.
Sara copied his technique—perfectly. Her blade mirrored his attack and
turned it back. A slash tore under Alex's eye, exposing bone. Blood poured. She
was the Reaper—mimic of powers, killer of kings.
The room exploded with over a hundred strikes in under a minute. Desks
splintered. Walls cracked. The very air trembled.
And still, the boy stood—trembling.
A Sacrifice Made
Alex launched forward—Configuration 5 active—his blade whirling like a
chainsaw of wind, slicing through the air with deafening speed. The attack
wasn't aimed at Sara.
It was aimed at the boy.
He couldn't dodge. Not at that speed. Not at that range.
But Sara didn't hesitate.
She moved—not to parry, not to evade.
She stepped into the blow.
The sword plunged into her side, just inches from her kidney. Her body shook
from the force, blood blooming across her clothes. But she stood tall—eyes
locked on Alex. Her grip tightened around Dragonfang, which now burned from
hilt to tip.
With her free hand, she seized Alex's wrist—immobilizing him.
Before he could react, she slashed across his face with her flaming sword.
The blade ignited his eye and half his face. He screamed in agony, trying to
pull back, but her body, even wounded, wouldn't let him escape.
This close… he saw it. The terrifying calm in her eyes. She had known this
would happen.
And she chose it anyway.
"MONSTER!" Alex screamed.
She threw him back. The hotel collapsed around them. Knights fled in panic.
Sara shielded the boy with her body.
The Debt Repaid
"Why... why did you save me?" the boy sobbed.
Sara smiled, barely alive. "Your mother saved me when I was your age. Today,
I return the favor."
She pressed a glowing relic into his hand—Ellion's Will.
Her body, once held together by the Will's power, began to unravel.
"They called me a criminal. I was just keeping a promise. Now, it's your
turn."
"Don't cry. Take Dragonfang. Train. Grow strong. Be merciful—but
take what's yours."
"Go to the Klyrian Forest. Find my brother. Tell him everything. He'll help
you finish this."
Tears rolled down the boy's face.
"Don't die, Farah. Please…"
"Your name... is ________________."
The Will awakened. Energy overwhelmed the boy. His aura surged—untamed,
unstable.
Then, everything went black.
One Week Later
Alex awoke in a medical chamber, bandaged and broken.
Marcus, his comrade, stood at the door.
"We lost them," Marcus said. "The boy escaped. Reaper is gone—her body
missing. But King Louis... he's dead."
Alex's breath caught.
"Who's king now…?" he croaked.
Marcus answered, eyes shadowed.
"_______"