The kingdom was burning. The sky, once serene, was now swallowed in suffocating darkness.
Crimson moons glared down from above, casting an ominous glow upon the battlefield like bloodstains smeared across the heavens.
Villages had already crumbled into ash, their ruins echoing with the cries of those who had been silenced too soon.
Homes that once rang with laughter were now hollow shells, twisted and broken, the warmth of hearths replaced by choking smoke.
Flames raged uncontrollably, devouring farmlands and forests alike. Fields of golden wheat became seas of fire, their harvest turned to cinders in an instant.
The once-mighty forests that had stood for centuries groaned as they toppled, their ancient trunks collapsing into embers that lit the night brighter than the sun ever could.
The ground quaked under the weight of marching demons, their claws tearing through stone and flesh as if both were paper.
Each step cracked the earth, leaving trails of blackened corruption that spread like veins of poison.
The stench of blood and charred earth suffocated the air, choking soldiers and civilians alike. Men coughed as smoke filled their lungs, their armor slick with gore, while women clutched their children and prayed in whispers no one answered.
The rivers once glistening with crystal clarity now ran scarlet with the blood of men and beasts.
Corpses floated downstream, their lifeless eyes staring into the void, a grotesque procession drifting toward the unknown.
Every wave carried away another fragment of humanity's dwindling hope.
Thunder rolled across the heavens, but it wasn't natural. It was the howls of colossal beasts, their roars shaking mountains and shattering courage.
Every strike from their claws toppled fortresses; every swing of their tails crushed entire battalions.
Knights who once swore to defend the realm now scattered like frightened animals before creatures that defied reason.
Soldiers screamed, begged, and fled. Some prayed, though even their gods seemed silent in the face of this chaos.
The battlefield was no longer a place for valor—it had become a slaughterhouse.
In the middle of this madness, a lone figure stood tall. A golden aura shone around his battered armor, his blade gleaming with the last light of humanity.
Alexander van Aegis, the Hero, refused to bow despite the world collapsing around him.
"Hold the line!" Alexander roared, his voice cutting through the despair. "For the kingdom! For humanity! As long as I stand, the light will not fall!"
A soldier stumbled forward, blood on his lips. "Hero, we can't… we're losing too many men!"
Alexander swung his blade, cutting down a demon that lunged at them, the monster's head rolling into the fire. "Stand firm! Every step we take back is another home we lose, another child devoured! Fight!"
"But our strength—" another soldier cried, his hands trembling around his spear.
Alexander glared, his eyes blazing like fire. "Then borrow mine! Even if your body fails, your will must not! Raise your weapons! Show the demons that humanity does not kneel!"
The soldiers, broken and battered, gritted their teeth. His voice pulled them back from despair, if only for a fleeting moment.
"With me!" Alexander shouted, charging forward into the horde. "If we die, we die as warriors, not cowards!"
Rallied by his words, the soldiers fought on. They screamed, they wept, but they raised their blades once more.
Even as their bodies trembled, even as their hearts quivered, they followed him—the man who bore the name of Aegis, the shield of gods.
But courage alone was not enough.
One by one, they fell. Shields cracked, armor shattered, spears snapped. Men who had laughed together in taverns and trained side by side now lay broken in the mud. Until only Alexander remained, drenched in blood that was both his and theirs. His sword trembled in his hand as shadows loomed over him.
From the darkness, the ground split open, and a towering figure emerged. Horns curved like jagged thrones upon its head, its wings stretched wide enough to blot out what little light remained.
The Demon Emperor had come, flanked by the demon kings, each radiating malice that bent reality itself.
The Emperor sneered. "So this is the great Hero of mankind? A boy clutching at scraps, thinking he can stand against me?"
Alexander spat blood, raising his sword though his arms screamed with pain. "If it means even one breath of hope survives… then I'll fight until I can no longer move!"
The Demon Emperor's laughter shook the earth. "Hope? How fragile. Let me show you despair, Alexander van Aegis."
---
Nathan leaned against the doorframe, watching his sister's eyes dart across the pages of her book. She was curled up on the couch, completely absorbed, her lips moving faintly as if whispering the lines under her breath.
"You're reading that thing again?" Nathan teased with a smirk. "Careful, sis. At this rate, you're going to get sucked right into it."
His sister glared, hugging the book tighter. "Be quiet, Nathan. You wouldn't understand."
"Understand what? That you're drooling over some perfect golden boy named Alexander van… whatever?" He chuckled. "Sounds like the kind of guy who'd steal all the girls in school if he were real."
Her face flushed red, more from annoyance than embarrassment. "It's Alexander van Aegis! And he's not just some character. He's the only hope of humanity in this story. The last man standing who gave everything to protect the world!"
Nathan rolled his eyes dramatically. "Wow, so inspiring. But seriously, do you have to take it so seriously? It's just a book."
That was the final straw. With a sharp motion, she shoved the book against his chest, glaring at him. "If you're so curious, why don't you read it yourself?"
Nathan laughed, holding the book lazily in his hands as if it weighed nothing. "Sure, why not? Maybe I'll figure out why you're so obsessed with this hero guy."
"Don't mock him," she said firmly, crossing her arms. "Alexander is the kind of person you could never be."
"Ouch," Nathan said, pressing a hand over his heart in mock pain. "My own sister, betraying me for a fictional knight in shining armor. Tragic."
"Go to sleep already, you pest!" she snapped, throwing a pillow at him. Nathan caught it with one hand, tossing it back onto her lap with a grin.
"Goodnight, future Mrs. Aegis," he teased one last time, grinning as he slipped into his room and closed the door behind him.
---
Nathan flopped onto his bed and opened the book half-heartedly. "Alright, let's see what the big deal is. Hero saves the world, demons cry, blah blah…" He skimmed over the pages with glazed eyes, not taking in a single word.
After a few minutes, he sighed. "Wow. Riveting. No wonder she's obsessed—it's so cheesy even the demons would gag."
He flipped to a random page, muttering as he read: "'The Hero's sword shone with divine light, his courage unshaken.' Uh-huh, sure. Must've been nice having plot armor as thick as steel."
Yawning, Nathan let the book dangle in one hand. His eyelids grew heavy, words blurring together. "Man… if this guy's really humanity's last hope, we're screwed."
Just as he drifted off, gravity did its job.
Thwack!
The book smacked him squarely on the face. Nathan groaned, his last conscious thought being, "Seriously? Death by novel? Lame…"
---
When he opened his eyes again, something felt wrong.
His body wouldn't move properly. His arms and legs refused his commands, flailing weakly as if they belonged to someone else.
The ceiling above him was unfamiliar—smooth wooden beams with delicate carvings, polished and clean. He tried to sit up but couldn't; instead, his tiny body only wiggled uselessly.
The air was warm, almost comforting, carrying a faint scent of lavender. Soft fabric cocooned him, gentle against his skin, but it was far too snug to be a blanket from his own bed.
Then he noticed the rails. Polished wood surrounded him in a neat square, rising higher than he could reach. His heart pounded as realization dawned.
He wasn't in his room anymore. He was in a cradle.
And when he looked down at his chubby little hands curling and uncurling on their own, the truth struck him like a hammer.
He had become a baby!
'What the—?! Did I shrink in the wash or something?' Nathan's panicked thoughts raced as he wiggled helplessly. His legs kicked, producing only a pitiful flailing motion.
He tried to shout, but all that came out was a garbled coo. His eyes widened in horror. 'No way. No freaking way. I can't even talk?!'
He rolled to one side, bumping into the crib's railing, the impact sending a tiny shiver through his squishy body.
He couldn't decide what was more humiliating—being trapped in a crib or the fact that his only weapon now was crying.
'This… this has to be a dream. Yeah. I fell asleep with that dumb book, and now I'm having some messed-up fantasy. Any second now I'll wake up and laugh it off.'
But the dream didn't end. His small hands twitched, his vision blurred at the edges, and he felt the unmistakable weight of exhaustion pulling him down.
The warmth of the cradle wrapped around him like a cocoon, urging him to sleep again.
Before darkness claimed him, a shadow fell across the crib.
Nathan's tiny eyes widened as a towering figure leaned closer. Sunlight from the window framed the man's outline, making his golden hair glimmer like fire.
His sharp jawline, piercing blue eyes, and the aura of strength surrounding him were unmistakable.
Nathan's heart skipped.
That face—he had seen it before.
Not in person. Not in reality.
On the glossy cover of his sister's beloved book.
Alexander van Aegis. The Hero of humanity.
The man who was supposed to be humanity's last hope… was standing right in front of his cradle.
'No way…' Nathan thought, frozen. His tiny hands clenched, a weak gurgle slipping from his lips. 'Don't tell me… I've been reborn in his world?!'
The Hero's gaze softened as he reached down, his voice carrying the warmth of both a warrior and a guardian.
"Don't worry, little one," Alexander murmured, his words like a vow. "As long as I live… you will be safe."
Nathan's mind spun, panic and disbelief mixing with a chilling realization.
This wasn't just some dream.
He was no longer a spectator.
He had become part of the story.