The dense forests of the Kingdom of Sanctoria stretched endlessly beneath the afternoon sun. Golden light filtered through the towering trees as birds sang peacefully above.
Three horses slowly made their way along a narrow forest path.
Riding at the front was a breathtaking woman with long purple hair flowing gracefully behind her. Her elegant hunting attire was embroidered with silver divine symbols, and a magnificent bow rested across her back.
Queen Seraphine Sanctoria.
Beside her rode a towering man with long crimson hair and an imposing physique.
Drakar.
A short distance behind them followed a young man with cream-colored hair and bright emerald eyes.
Shalo.
The three had entered the forest for a royal hunt.
More precisely...
Drakar and Shalo had been assigned to guard the Queen.
After several moments of silence...
Seraphine glanced toward Drakar.
"Tell me, Drakar."
"Are you truly strong enough to protect me?"
Drakar bowed his head slightly.
"My Queen..."
"I am strong enough to defeat even your Royal Knights."
A faint smile appeared on Seraphine's lips.
"Are you provoking me?"
Drakar immediately shook his head.
"N-No, My Queen."
"How could a lowly adventurer like myself ever provoke the great Hero of Sanctoria?"
"You possess no weakness."
Seraphine quietly laughed.
"And who told you..."
"...that I have no weakness?"
Drakar blinked.
"My Queen?"
"I am afraid..."
"...of fire."
Silence.
Drakar looked at her in surprise.
"My Queen..."
"Why would you reveal something so important to someone as insignificant as me?"
Seraphine smiled calmly.
"Because..."
"...even if I tell you..."
"...you still cannot defeat me."
Before Drakar could answer—
Seraphine gently pulled back the sleeve covering her right arm.
The horse slowly came to a stop.
Drakar's crimson eyes widened.
Her entire arm...
Was covered in horrific burn scars.
The flesh had long since healed, yet the marks remained as though they had been carved into her very soul.
No ordinary wound could survive seven hundred years.
This scar had endured for eternity.
Seraphine quietly looked at it.
"This..."
"...is why I fear fire."
Her expression became distant.
"It was done..."
"...by a blazing Dark Being."
Silence filled the forest.
...
Elsewhere...
Alendro Frostalia stood surrounded by countless Dark Beings.
Demons.
Vampires.
Werewolves.
Every one of them stared silently toward the young prince.
Then...
The crowd slowly parted.
A path opened.
Heavy footsteps echoed across the stone ground.
Step...
Step...
Step...
A lone figure walked forward.
He wore a perfectly tailored butler's uniform.
His entire head burned with blazing crimson flames.
A single enormous horn curved proudly from his forehead, while a long fiery tail swayed behind him.
He stopped only a few steps away from Alendro.
A smile appeared beneath the flames.
"My Prince..."
"So it was you who attacked Darkain."
"I assumed it was merely another foolish adventurer."
He chuckled quietly.
"Do you know..."
"...how many days I have waited for your arrival?"
"My Lord has been expecting you."
Alendro narrowed his eyes.
"Who are you?"
"And who is this 'Lord' you speak of?"
The flaming man placed one hand over his chest before bowing elegantly.
"My mistake."
"I completely forgot to introduce myself."
The flames covering his face slowly subsided.
Beneath them appeared the handsome face of a young man with orange hair and crimson eyes.
He smiled politely.
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"I am one of the Six Archdemon Generals..."
"...and the Royal Butler of the Second Prince of Frostalia."
"My name..."
"...is Zox."
"...The Blazing King."
...
Elsewhere within the forest...
ROAR!
A gigantic monster lunged toward Seraphine.
SHING!
A silver flash crossed the battlefield.
The monster's body split cleanly in half before crashing lifelessly onto the forest floor.
Shalo lowered his sword.
Nearby...
Drakar crushed another beast beneath a single punch.
BOOM!
Blood splattered across the surrounding trees.
High above them...
Seraphine calmly drew another arrow.
Twang!
The glowing projectile pierced three monsters before disappearing into the forest beyond.
Before long...
The hunt came to an end.
As the sun slowly descended toward the horizon, the three returned to the magnificent castle of Sanctoria.
The horses came to a stop within the royal courtyard.
Shalo hesitated.
After gathering all his courage, he lowered his head respectfully.
"My Queen..."
"I wish to ask something."
Seraphine looked toward him.
"Go ahead."
Shalo swallowed nervously.
"Are the rumors..."
"...about Your Majesty worshipping an unknown god..."
"...true?"
For a brief moment...
Silence.
Seraphine's expression remained calm.
"I do not care..."
"...what others say."
Then—
Her voice became colder.
"But..."
"...never call my God..."
"...unknown."
Shalo's face immediately turned pale.
"M-My deepest apologies, My Queen."
Drakar stepped forward.
"My Queen..."
"I, too, wish to know."
"The great Hero of Sanctoria..."
"...what kind of God do you worship?"
Seraphine quietly smiled.
"You wish to know?"
She turned toward the castle.
"Then consider yourselves fortunate."
She began walking.
"Come."
"I shall take you..."
"...to the Temple of Cosmos."
...
Far away...
Inside the Royal Palace of Meledia...
Prince Kael stood before a pair of magnificent golden doors.
He respectfully lowered his head.
"My Lord..."
"May I enter?"
A calm voice echoed from within.
"Yes."
"You may enter."
Kael slowly pushed the doors open.
Creeeak...
The royal chamber was silent.
King Zeek stood beside a large window overlooking the capital.
Without saying a word...
He calmly removed his artificial wooden right leg.
Kael's eyes widened slightly.
Even after all these years...
It was still difficult to believe.
The legendary Sword Hero...
Possessed only one leg.
The wooden prosthetic rested quietly against the wall.
Kael respectfully lowered his head.
"My Lord."
"You called for me?"
Zeek smiled faintly.
"I simply wished to know..."
"...whether you enjoyed the gift I gave you."
A bright smile spread across Kael's face.
"My Lord..."
"It is the finest gift I have ever received."
"I truly treasure it."
Zeek nodded.
"So..."
"...you enjoyed it."
"Yes, My Lord."
Kael hesitated for a brief moment.
"There is one more favor I wish to ask."
"Speak."
"I would like to borrow several tools..."
"...from the Royal Prison."
Zeek looked toward him.
"Torture tools?"
Kael smiled.
"Yes, My Lord."
A faint chuckle escaped Zeek's lips.
"...You are quite an interesting man."
"You have my permission."
"I shall also arrange..."
"... A room for you to spend time with your gift."
Kael bowed deeply.
"My gratitude, My Lord."
He hesitated once more.
"My Lord..."
"...may I ask one final question?"
Zeek calmly nodded.
"Go ahead."
Kael looked toward the wooden leg resting against the wall.
"What happened..."
"...to your leg?"
"Who possessed enough strength..."
"...to sever the leg of the Sword Hero?"
Silence filled the chamber.
Then...
A faint smile appeared upon Zeek's face.
"...A blazing Dark Being."
...
Elsewhere...
Deep within the Kingdom of Sanctoria...
An enormous temple stood proudly beneath the open sky.
At its center...
Towering above everything else...
Was a colossal stone statue.
It depicted a handsome man with long flowing hair.
His calm expression overlooked the entire temple.
Before the statue stood three figures.
Seraphine.
Drakar.
Shalo.
Seraphine slowly looked up at the statue.
"This..."
"...is my God."
"...Cosmos."
Shalo stared at the statue in amazement.
"My Queen..."
"What kind of God is he?"
Seraphine slowly shook her head.
"He is not the God of Darkness."
"He is not the God of Light."
"He is not the God of Earth."
She quietly closed her eyes.
"He is..."
"...Existence itself."
The temple suddenly trembled.
The stone statue's eyes...
Began to glow.
At that exact same moment...
Seraphine's eyes shone with the very same divine light.
The glow lasted only a few seconds.
Then...
Both lights disappeared simultaneously.
Silence returned.
Seraphine slowly opened her eyes.
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"My Lord..."
"...has spoken."
She turned toward Drakar.
"He has commanded me..."
"...to make you..."
"...one of my Royal Knights."
Silence.
...
Far above the world...
Within a magnificent throne room hidden beyond the heavens...
Aureon knelt respectfully before an enormous throne.
Upon it sat a figure concealed beneath endless divine light.
The figure remained silent for a long moment.
Then...
A calm voice echoed throughout the throne room.
"...Cosmos..."
"...has interfered with Eryndor..."
"...once again."