That night was cold, the moon hanging in the sky like an eye watching the world slowly sink into darkness.
A small campfire burned in the middle of our village, the only light brave enough to fight back against the deep black of the night. I sat beside it, gripping a piece of bread that was too hard to even bite.
I was just an ordinary kid. No noble blood ran in my veins. Just the son of a poor farmer, living day by day on scraps, waiting for the day my village would be destroyed by the demon army.
'Will this world always be like this? Dark, full of fear, without hope?'
The sound of a child crying echoed in the distance. It was normal. Every night there were always tears, whether from starvation or because their families had been slaughtered by the demons roaming around.
This world had long fallen into the grip of a being everyone referred to with unspoken dread: 'The Demon King.'
Suddenly, that night, something strange happened.
The sky just... split open.
A crack of light appeared above our village. Everyone panicked, running and screaming. I could only stand there frozen, the bread in my hand falling to the ground.
From that crack of light, a beam of golden-white light descended, enveloping me. My body was lifted, floating against my will.
"W-What's happening?!" I yelled in a panic.
But a soft, deep, and echoing voice pierced my ears.
"O son of man... hear my call."
My heart pounded.
'This voice... it's going straight into my head...!'
"This world is trapped in the grip of darkness. The Demon King has stained this land with blood and fire. Therefore, I, the God of Light, have chosen you."
"W-What do you mean you've chosen me? I'm... I'm just a nobody! I can't even hold a sword properly!"
"Precisely because of that, you are chosen. A pure soul unstained by ambition, a heart that yearns for hope... only you can bear this burden."
My body trembled. Me? A commoner? To become... what?
"You, Leonhart Aegis... from this moment on, you will be the Hero."
The light grew brighter. My body filled with a warm energy, like a fire burning my bones from the inside. It hurt, but it also awakened something I'd never had before.
"Aaaaghhh!" I screamed, my body feeling like it was breaking into tiny pieces.
Swoosh!
White flames enveloped both of my hands. Then they vanished. I was gasping for air, my body shaking.
"Grow. Train. Fight. This world places its hope in you."
Then the voice was gone. The light disappeared. My body fell, hitting the ground with a hard thud.
Bam!
The villagers crowded around me, their gazes a mix of fear and awe.
"L-Leonhart... what was that...?" one of them whispered.
I was silent, my heart still pounding wildly.
'Me... I was chosen... to be a hero?'
Since that night, my life was never the same.
I, Leonhart Aegis, the poor farmer who couldn't even properly lift a sack of wheat, was now called by everyone with a title that sounded foreign to my ears—a Hero.
The following days felt like a dream. The village elders gave me an old, rusty sword, saying it was a relic from a great war long ago. I stared at it for a long time.
'Is this really a Hero's weapon? It looks like a fragile piece of metal...'
But I had no choice.
Every morning I ran around the village, gasping for breath, my chest feeling like it was about to burst. Every afternoon I practiced swinging the sword, even though my hands were covered in blisters and torn skin.
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swing after swing, hundreds of times, until sweat poured and my body collapsed.
"Cough! Cough!"
My cough was mixed with blood, but I gritted my teeth.
'If I give up now... how can I possibly fight that Demon King?'
Months went by. My formerly skinny body slowly changed. Muscles started to form, my hands got used to the sword, and I no longer got out of breath so easily.
But training alone wasn't enough.
One day, a man in a white robe arrived. A priest from the great church in the kingdom. He introduced himself as Marius, a church envoy to guide the chosen Hero.
"You are the hope of humanity, Leonhart," he said in a serious voice. "But to truly become the Hero, you must defeat the darkness at its root. That means... entering a dungeon."
Dungeon. The word made me shudder. Everyone knew they were monster dens, places where many knights died in vain.
Yet I nodded.
"I'm ready."
That day, I took my first step into a small dungeon on the edge of the forest.
As soon as I entered, the cold air pierced my skin. A foul smell stung my nose, a mix of dried blood and rotting flesh.
Tap... tap... tap...
The sound of my footsteps echoed, the rusty sword in my hand trembling because my own grip was too weak.
Suddenly...
Groarrrr!
A green-skinned goblin jumped out of the darkness, its fangs dirty with fresh blood. Its eyes were red, staring at me with pure hatred.
My hands froze. Cold sweat poured down my temples.
'Calm down... it's just a goblin... I can do this...'
The goblin ran towards me.
Swoosh!
I swung the sword haphazardly.
Clang!
My sword parried its dagger. The vibration made my hand almost lose its grip. The goblin snarled, trying to stab again.
I held my breath.
'No! I can't die here!'
"Aaaaaahhh!!"
I screamed at the top of my lungs and slashed towards its neck.
Slash!
Green blood splattered across my face. The goblin fell, thrashed for a moment, and then died.
I was breathless, my knees wobbly.
"I-I... I managed... to kill... a monster..."
But that pride was short-lived.
Groarrr!
Groarrr!
Two more goblins emerged from the darkness.
Fight after fight sharpened me. Wound after wound forged me. Every time I was on the brink of death, I remembered that voice, the voice of the God who chose me.
"You are the hope of humanity."
And I got back up again.
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. I was no longer just a commoner. I had killed hundreds of monsters, conquering small dungeons one by one.
People started to know me.
Leonhart Aegis, the Hero chosen by God.
After months of training and conquering small dungeons, I realized one thing—I couldn't do it alone.
The Demon King wouldn't fall with just my sword. This world was full of monsters, strategies, and darkness that I couldn't face on my own. I needed... a party.
I met them in the capital, the Kingdom of Valoria, when the church introduced me to a group of chosen adventurers.
Elira Moonveil, a young sorceress with silver hair and blue eyes. Her face was calm, but the aura of magic around her made the air tremble.
"I'm only here because the council of mages ordered me," she said coldly. "Don't think I'll obey your every command, Hero."
I just offered a stiff smile.
'Great... she's already underestimating me before we've even started.'
Seraphina Grace, a priestess in a clean white robe, carrying a staff with a cross-shaped carving. Her smile was gentle, her gaze full of peace.
"Don't worry, Leonhart. As long as I'm here, I'll heal all of you."
Her voice was soothing, as if the wounds in my heart were slowly healing just by listening to her.
And then there was Kael Draven. He leaned against the wall with a longbow on his back, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's. His black hair was tied back, his face full of scars.
"Hmph. I don't believe in any of that god or destiny bullshit. But if you can really challenge the Demon King, I want to see it with my own eyes."
From that day on, the four of us became a team.
A Hero, a Mage, a Saint, and an Archer—a classic formation, but with an unparalleled burden on their shoulders.
Seraphina was always by my side.
Whenever I got hurt, her hands would always wrap my wounds with a warm light.
Every time my body gave out, I could feel her fingers tremble when she touched me, as if she was more afraid of losing me than herself.
One night, after a battle in an underground dungeon, I was sitting alone, staring at the stars. Seraphina came with a blanket and put it on my shoulders.
"You're too hard on yourself, Leonhart," she said softly.
I turned and looked at her face, illuminated by the moonlight. There was a calmness in her smile, but her eyes held a hint of worry.
'I shouldn't fall for her... I could die at any moment. I don't have the right to drag her into these feelings.'
But my lips said something else.
"If I die, I want you to be the last one by my side."
Seraphina was silent for a long time. Then, in a faint voice, she replied.
"Then don't die. Because I can't bear to say goodbye."
My chest trembled. That night, I realized... even though the world around me was full of blood, my heart had found a small light that made me want to keep living.
The day finally came. The human kingdoms united, deploying their last armies to attack the demons.
Boom!
Swoosh!
Clang!
The ground became a sea of fire and blood.
I ran on the front lines, Seraphina praying behind me, Elira casting spells, and Kael shooting arrows into the hearts of our enemies.
We broke through wave after wave of common demons.
But all along the way, there was no sign of the 10 Generals of the Demon King—the elite force led directly by the Demon King himself.
They were famously known as:
The Abyssal Corpse.
A name that was always whispered in human terror. But they didn't show up. Not a single one.
'That's weird... why aren't they getting involved? Is the Demon King so confident that he doesn't need his elite troops?'
Finally, after a long battle, we stood in front of the towering black castle.
The giant doors opened on their own, as if welcoming us in.
Tap... tap... tap...
The sound of our footsteps echoed in the dark hall filled with demon statues.
There were no traps. No guards. Just a terrifying silence that accompanied our steps.
'This is a trap... but I can't turn back now.'
We kept walking, going through corridor after corridor, until finally a large obsidian door came into view.
The door was carved with symbols of wings and horns, emitting an aura that almost paralyzed my body.
I took a deep breath, gripping my sword tightly.
"Guys... this is the end."
Seraphina stood beside me, holding my hand for a moment.
"Whatever happens, I'm with you."
I looked at her, wanting to say something, but the words got stuck in my throat.
Creeeak...
The obsidian door opened, and a hot air mixed with a dark aura immediately hit my face.
At the end of the room, a throne loomed high, and on it sat a figure I could only describe with one word: 'absolute.'
Glowing red eyes stared at us, black wings slowly spread, and curved horns gleamed in the firelight.
The Demon King.
Slam!
The door behind us slammed shut on its own.
I felt my heart stop for a second.
'It's locked... we can't escape.'
The Demon King stood from his throne, his voice echoing like thunder.
"So... you are the ones they call the Hero and his followers?"
He looked at us with a slight smile, but his eyes gazed at us like a king looking at an insect.
"Hmph... weak. You came to challenge me only to become the last spectacle before I completely crush human hope."
I gritted my teeth and took a step forward.
"Demon King! Today the suffering of humanity will end!"
But before I could even raise my sword...
Swosh!
In an instant, his body vanished from his throne.
And when I realized it...
Schluck!
"Ugh...!"
Seraphina stumbled, her eyes wide. The Demon King's hand had pierced through her chest, fresh blood dripping onto the black marble floor.
"SERAPHINA!!" I screamed hysterically.
She gave me a weak smile, trying to touch my face with her trembling hand.
"Le... on..."
Then the last light in her eyes faded.
"YOU BASTARD!!!"
I ran and lunged at him, my sword swinging towards the Demon King's head.
Clang!
He parried it easily with just his arm covered in black scales.
Elira unleashed her magic.
"Inferno Burst!"
Boom!
An explosion filled the room, its heat burning the air.
But when the smoke cleared, the Demon King stood without a single scratch. He smiled with satisfaction.
"Good... at least you can amuse me a little."
The battle began.
I tried to block his close-range attacks, while Kael shot arrows non-stop from a distance.
Swish! Swish!
The arrows hit his body, but they didn't harm him at all.
Bam!
The Demon King slammed the ground, a shockwave pushing Elira until her body hit a pillar. The sound of cracking bones was clearly audible.
"Aaaghhh!!" Elira screamed, blood pouring from her mouth.
Kael tried to jump back, but...
Slash!
With a speed I couldn't keep up with, the Demon King was already behind him. His last arrow fell from his grip. His body was split in two.
"No... no...!"
I stood alone, my body full of wounds, gasping for breath. Blood dripped from my sword, my hands shaking.
My three friends were dead.
It was just... me.
But in my heart, I heard Seraphina's voice again.
"Whatever happens, I'm with you."
I screamed as loud as I could and lunged, summoning all my strength.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
Clang! Clang! Boom!
My final fight became a symphony of clashes and explosions.
But my strength was no match.
Schluck!
The Demon King's hand pierced my stomach.
I coughed up blood, my body trembling.
He brought his face closer, whispering.
"You're different from the others, Hero. But in the end... you're still just a bug."
Swosh!
His black sword swung.
I could no longer feel my body.
But just before everything faded, I could feel my head had been separated from my body.
A few days later, the human world was filled with terror.
At the gates of the nearest kingdom, four human heads were impaled on tall poles.
Leonhart Aegis, the Hero.
Elira Moonveil, the Sorceress.
Seraphina Grace, the Saint.
Kael Draven, the Archer.
They all became the symbol of humanity's last failure.
And from his black throne, the Demon King laughed in satisfaction.
The world had officially fallen into darkness.