The Sovereignty of Lunaris was in ruins.
Smoke curled into the sky like dark fingers, and the streets were littered with debris from shattered buildings. Citizens screamed as they ran for their lives, dodging fires and uncontrolled magical attacks that tore through the air.
A group of elite magic users—trained Protectors of the Lunaris, like a military force—stood their ground. Spells flashed in dazzling bursts, shields shimmered to block attacks, and chants filled the chaos. But their efforts seemed futile against the intruder.
The villain moved like a storm, fast and relentless. He laughed cruelly as he unleashed wave after wave of destruction.
"I will destroy Lunaris!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos.
"No one can stop me!"
Panic gripped the defenders. Many faltered but just as hope began to slip away, a calm presence appeared on the battlefield.
Himitsu.
He stepped forward, his dark eyes scanning the destruction with quiet determination.
Magical energy swirled around him, not wild like the villain's, but precise, controlled, and deadly. With a single gesture, a protective barrier flared around the remaining citizen's, giving them a brief moment to catch their breath.
The villain sneered, rushing toward Himitsu with blinding speed, his hands crackling with destructive energy. Himitsu didn't move at first—he simply watched, gauging the villain's strength and speed and then, with a sudden burst of movement, he countered.
Spells clashed with a deafening boom.
Fireballs were deflected mid-air, shares of debris became weapons as Himitsu manipulated them with a flick of his hand.
Every attack from the villain was met with a calculated counter, every strike anticipated before it landed.
Himitsu's movements were fluid, almost graceful, a dance of controlled power. He dodged the villain's frenzied strikes, using the environment to his advantage—crumbling pillars, burning rubble and shards of shattered glass all became part of his defense. Then, with a sudden flash, he struck back.
A sharp wind surged from his palm, sending the villain skidding backward, narrowly missing a collapsing wall. Himitsu advanced steadily, precisely and relentlessly. With a swift combination of spells, he disarmed the villain, shattered his magical defenses, and forced him to the ground.
Panting, the villain glared up at Himitsu, blood at the corner of his mouth.
"Who sent you?" he spat, struggling to rise.
The villain coughed, then muttered, "Lord Akitora sent me."
Himitsu's jaw tightened, though he said nothing more. The villain, now powerless, could only glare before being taken away.
Meanwhile, far away, in a towering black castle shrouded in shadows, Lord Akitora enjoyed a quiet moment with his daughter, Aira. The eerie grandeur of the castle contrasted sharply with the domestic scene: Akitora innocently held a chocolate in his hand, savoring it.
Aira opened the fridge to retrieve something, spotted the missing chocolates and immediately understood what had happened. " Papa, you ate my chocolates!" She exclaimed loudly.
Akitora froze, blinking innocently. "I..... did? By mistake, perhaps?"
Aira huffed, crossing her arms, while the father and daughter's playful quarrel echoed through the dark halls of the castle—a stark contrast to the destruction elsewhere.