The skies of Santara in ancient times were never truly at peace. Crimson-golden clouds rolled like an ocean, as if they knew the world carried secrets too heavy to bear.
Ten figures stood atop a rocky cliff, their bodies illuminated by the glow of battle raging in the distance. They were the Ten Elemental Knights, the first pillars of Santara.
Each of their forms radiated a different element: blazing fire, whispering wind, pure light, and wild, quivering shadow.
"This… might be our final battle."
The deep voice came from a silver-haired man, his cloak fluttering under the gust of the Ventus he commanded. He smirked faintly, though his eyes clearly bore exhaustion.
"Don't say that, Reonar," replied a blue-eyed knightess, soft Aqua flowing from her palm. She glanced at her comrades one by one. "We still have hope. Right, Lux?"
A young knight whose body shone with white light gave a faint smile.
"Hope… yes, as long as we're alive, it exists. But… even if we die, we can entrust it."
Ignis, the most hot-headed knight, burst out laughing. Flames around him flared even higher.
"If I die, I'll die kicking that Dark King's ass! Hahaha! We're supposed to be the 'pillars of the world,' and you're losing heart already? Come on, stop whining, you cowards!"
"Cowards, you say?" Terra, the massive knight clad in heavy armor, slapped his shoulder so hard Ignis winced. "If you die first, I'll shut your mouth with a mountain of stone."
They laughed together, though each of them knew… this was their last laughter before the storm.
---
In the distance, the Dark King raised his hand. His body radiated three elements at once: Lava, Light, and Darkness—a fusion no mere human should possess.
"Foolish humans… you think your ten lights can stop me? Santara will bow, and I will open the gate to another world!" His voice echoed, making the earth tremble.
Umbra, the shadow knight, clicked his tongue.
"He even stole the light… how ironic. But as I thought, darkness is always greedy."
Chronos, silent until now, finally spoke. His voice was calm yet piercing.
"We may not be able to kill him. But we can seal him. And time—time will side with those who come after us."
Aether nodded, pure energy vibrating from his body.
"Then… before we fall, let us carve a path for the future. A spell, reincarnation. So our souls won't vanish into nothingness."
---
The final battle began.
Ignis surged with blazing fire, Aqua conjured a sea of waves, Terra raised colossal walls, Ventus slashed with tempests, Lux lit the heavens, Umbra cloaked in shadow, Natura unleashed relentless roots, Mentis shattered reality with illusions, Aether exploded with pure energy, and Chronos froze time in fleeting pauses.
Together, they held the Dark King at the cost of unimaginable sacrifice. At last, his body was sealed deep beneath Santara.
Yet, before their final breaths, Aether and Chronos joined hands.
"The world… will need us again."
"Let our souls return, when the gate to another world reopens."
An eternal spell was cast—the reincarnation of the Ten Knights.
---
Thousands of years later…
The outside world knew them as "mythic gods." Their names engraved in stone, songs, and prayers. But what humanity did not know: the gate to another world had truly opened, right in the heart of the Bermuda Triangle.
"A portal…" whispered Earth's researchers upon seeing the colossal light for the first time.
From then on, those brave enough to enter discovered something: a hidden power within themselves. Fire, water, earth—even unique fusions never recorded in ancient lore.
But power bred greed.
New wars erupted: humans against humans, in Santara—the land meant to be the home of myths.
To stop the ruin, an organization was formed: The Wardens.
Their headquarters rose within the Bermuda Triangle itself, guarding the portal and maintaining balance between two worlds.
Yet, even the Wardens did not know…
That the Dark King's seal would one day weaken.
And when that day came—the souls of the Ten Knights would awaken again, reborn in new human vessels.
---
The black helicopter, marked with the Warden insignia, cut across the crimson expanse of the biome. From above, the ground stretched like a cracked wasteland, ruins scattered across the land, and pools of lava simmered quietly, like the breath of some ancient dragon.
Inside the cabin, five agents sat facing one another. Each wore a tactical black uniform with light armor plating, traced with faint neon-blue lines that glowed in the dim light. Every one of them carried a specialized weapon strapped to their back.
By the window sat a long-haired woman with a headset and transparent visor covering her eyes. This was Azura, one of the Warden's top field agents. She gazed outside, watching the otherworldly landscape of Santara.
"Inferna Biome…" Azura muttered softly. "This place really is hell itself."
Across from her, a broad-shouldered man with a heavy rifle resting on his lap let out a short laugh.
"Don't tell me you're scared, Azura. This is just a recon mission. Get in, grab the data, get out."
Azura didn't reply, her eyes still fixed on the fractured ground below. Something felt… off. A shadow flickered between the ruins.
Suddenly, the warning siren blared through the cabin.
"Missile! From the west!" the pilot's voice shouted over the comms.
The agents immediately leapt to their feet—too late. Three streaks of light tore through the air and slammed into the helicopter's wing. The explosion rocked the craft, flames erupted, and the machine lurched violently downward.
"Hold on!"
The roar of tearing metal drowned out their screams as the helicopter spun wildly before bursting apart midair. The five agents were flung into the firestorm, hurled amidst shrapnel and smoke.
---
Azura crashed hard against the cracked ground. Pain shot through her entire body. Her vision blurred, her breath ragged. She tried to move, but agony seared through her ankle—shattered. Her arm throbbed, bones fractured.
"Ughh… can't… move…" she gasped.
Through her haze, she saw a figure standing atop the rubble, watching her. The man wore a sharp black suit, a dark purple tie stark against it, and a black cap upon his head. His face was indistinct, veiled as though by mist.
Azura blinked, straining to focus. But in an instant, the figure vanished, as if he had never been there.
"Who… was that…?" she whispered weakly.
Then came footsteps. From the smoke emerged another figure—a tall man clad in a long blood-red coat that billowed in the hot wind. In his hand, he carried a metal staff tipped with a gleaming black crystal.
He stopped right before the helpless Azura. His smile was wide, mocking.
"Hahaha… at last," his voice was low and chilling. "The first stage is complete."
Azura forced her gaze up at him, feeling a suffocating darkness claw into her soul.
"Who… are you…?" she breathed.
The man in crimson bent down slightly, bringing his face closer, his smile stretching wider.
"You don't need to know that yet. Just remember one thing…" He pressed the tip of his staff against the ground. Crimson cracks spread outward, glowing ominously. "Tonight, Santara begins to change… and the Wardens are only the first step."
A wave of dark energy pulsed through the earth, wrapping around Azura's body. Her vision grew dim. Explosions echoed faintly in the distance—then everything went black.