Daiki slowly opened his eyes. His body ached all over, and a strange warmth pulsed through his veins. He lay still for a moment, his vision blurry, before forcing himself to move.
A blinding light met his eyes. The sky above was unlike anything he had ever seen---split clean down the middle. On one side, a blazing golden sun lit the land with soft, shimmering light. On the other, darkness stretched endlessly, swallowing the horizon. The two halves met in the center of the sky, twisting together like a storm of light and shadow.
He sat up, groaning, his hands sinking into glowing sand that radiated faint warmth. The air shimmered faintly around him, carrying the scent of ozone and dust.Each breath felt heavy---as if the atmosphere itself was alive.
"Where… am I?" he whispered. His voice echoed faintly, as if the world itself was listening.
He looked around. The wasteland stretched endlessly---hills of luminous sand, floating crystals drifting like stars above the ground, and ancient stone pillars scattered in the distance. Each one was covered in glowing runes that flickered between white and black light.
It was silent. Too silent.
Daiki took a hesitant step forward, leaving faint footprints in the radiant sand. He felt weightless, like he was walking through a dream. A faint humming filled the air, growing louder the farther he went. It came from beneath the ground---as if the land itself had a heartbeat.
"What… is this place?" he muttered, eyes wide in awe and confusion.
Then, the light began to shift. The golden glow dimmed, replaced by a creeping shadow that crawled across the sand like spilled ink.The humming turned into a deep rumble.
Dark circles began to appear around him---swirling pools of darkness that twisted and bubbled.
Daiki stepped back, heart racing. "No… not again."
From within the circles, shapes began to emerge---twisted creatures with glowing eyes and cracked, blackened skin. They crawled out one by one, hissing, their bodies dripping with shadow.
Their gazes fixed on him.
Daiki's heart pounded. He turned and ran.
The sand kicked up behind him as he sprinted through the wasteland, but no matter how far he went, the creatures followed, moving faster with every second. Their snarls echoed, shaking the air.
He stumbled over something---a half-buried sword, old and covered in strange markings. Without thinking, he grabbed it and turned around, slashing at the nearest creature.
The blade cut deep---but not deep enough. The monster lunged forward and bit into his arm. Pain exploded through him as blood sprayed across the glowing sand.
"Aaaghh!" Daiki screamed, falling to his knees.
The horde kept coming. One of them swung its massive claw, driving it straight into his shoulder. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to keep moving, stumbling toward a large structure in the distance.
It was an altar---or something close to one. Massive stone pillars rose from the ground, circling a great chunk of stone shaped like a flat disk, its surface carved with ancient runes that pulsed between light and dark. It looked alive.
Daiki dragged himself forward, his body barely responding. One of the monsters caught up and tore into his leg. He screamed again, collapsing---but even then, he refused to stop. He clawed at the glowing sand, pulling himself toward the altar.
Blood trailed behind him.
When he finally reached the stone, he leaned against it, breathing heavily.
Daiki thought of his parents and the family that had been killed when he was just a baby. Sadness, hate, and anger filled him. It wasn't fair. Why was he the one always suffering---weak, poor, and alone?
Desperate for a second chance, he lifted his hand toward the sky where light and darkness mixed above him.
Just before his last breath, something came to mind.
"Daiki Akumaji," he whispered. Great Radiance… Demon Child.
He smiled weakly. "What a funny name."
[To be Continued]
"Child of the Demon, Bearer of Light. Let the world witness your wrath."
"The forsaken shall rise, and the heavens will tremble."