The Eternal Vanguard Citadel gleamed faintly under the first rays of dawn, its ancient towers carved from stone older than memory. From the western parapet, Luz, fourteen years old, crouched silently, eyes scanning the horizon with calculated precision.
He should have been nervous. Most rookies would be, on their first field assignment. But Luz felt only observation. Every flicker of wind, every shadow cast by the citadel walls, every whisper from the distant trees was a clue, a pattern waiting to be understood.
"You've been staring out here all morning," said a voice from behind.
Luz barely glanced over. Kaelios, his rival and constant thorn, leaned lazily against the parapet. His grin was irritatingly confident.
"I observe," Luz said flatly. "It's a skill you might one day learn if you ever stop showing off."
Kaelios chuckled. "Sure, sure. Just don't freeze when the Shadow Reign shows up."
Luz's eyes narrowed. The ancient grimoire, the sacred artifact of the Eternal Vanguard, rested in the inner vault. Today's mission was simple in theory: protect it at all costs. But theory rarely survived the reality of battle.
A sudden chill swept through the air. Luz felt the subtle hum of manna awaken in his veins—a warning he had learned to trust instinctively.
"They're here," he murmured.
Kaelios straightened, eyes narrowing toward the courtyard below. Figures moved like shadows, gliding over the ground with unnatural grace. The first general of Shadow Reign had arrived—a towering figure clad in jagged black armor, a mist of darkness curling from his presence. In one hand, he held a blade that shimmered with stolen power; in the other, a cloud of black smoke writhed like it had a mind of its own.
Luz leapt down from the parapet, landing silently between the Vanguard guards and the intruder. He extended his hands, channeling manna, forming a translucent barrier that rippled like liquid glass
.
The general struck with precision, shattering part of the shield. Luz rolled back instinctively, analyzing the attack. This was not just a brute fighter; this was a strategist, a predator who understood the value of every strike.
"You rely on raw force," Luz said, voice calm. "Predictable. I've seen worse in training drills."
The general's eyes glowed crimson beneath the helm. Shadows stretched from him, forming jagged claws that lunged toward Luz. With a controlled exhale, Luz unleashed a shockwave of condensed manna, knocking the tendrils aside and forcing the general backward.
Kaelios fired from the side, striking the general with a barrage of arcane energy. "Work together, strategist boy!" he shouted.
The clash escalated, shadows and light colliding violently across the courtyard. Amid the chaos, Luz noticed the emblem on the general's chest—a dark crown surrounded by writhing shadows, the unmistakable mark of Shadow Reign.
A chill ran down Luz's spine. This wasn't a random attack. The rulers of Shadow Reign had sent an emissary.
From the citadel balcony, a voice rang out—Zeus, the current leader of the Eternal Vanguard and Luz's grandfather. Calm, commanding, and infinitely wise:
"Luz… what you see now is only the beginning. Some truths are heavier than any shield. You will understand, in time."
For a brief moment, Luz hesitated. His father—his mysterious father—flashed in his mind. Questions he had never dared ask stirred, but there was no time for answers now. Only the fight remained.
The general lunged again, and in the shadows, unseen by all, a pair of crimson eyes watched Luz intently, marking him as someone to follow… or destroy.
The Crimson General paused, his eyes lingering on Luz. "This is enough for now," he murmured, stepping back. "We will meet again when the time is right."
With that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving a weight that would not fade.