This existence we tread upon is nothing more than a fractured stage, torn between three realms forged by ancient destinies in a moment of legendary revelation.
At the zenith, where light breathes and shadows dissolve, lies the Upper World. There, the Sovereigns sit upon their ivory thrones that defy eternity, surrounded by legions of "Soldiers of Light"—beings that know no sleep, their armor crafted from raw platinum, and their gazes piercing the veils of the unseen. Beneath them stretches the Middle World; a chaotic morass, the eternal battlefield of Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and savage beasts, with Dragons perched at the summit of their bloody hierarchy, exhaling fires that redraw the borders of kingdoms. As for the Underworld… it is a place whose name is uttered only in whispers, where terror is born and tormented souls find their rest.
"Hah..." I exhaled a resentful sigh, a cold wave escaping my chest amidst the stillness. "Why am I reminding myself of these basics now? I already know this nonsense by heart."
I had just returned from my latest mission in the Middle World—that cursed errand that nearly folded the pages of my legend forever. The Dragons… those creatures who believe their roar is the voice of fate, possessed a strange tool. An ancient weapon that somehow managed to pierce my majesty, paralyzing my movement and power for a few fatal seconds. Seconds were enough to make my body a playground for their searing blades, leaving deep gashes in my flesh—cracks that bled pride before they bled blood.
"Damn it... I should have focused more. I was never this pathetic, returning to my lair like a wounded prey."
With heavy steps, as if dragging mountains behind me, I headed toward the Instant Teleportation Gate. I wanted nothing but silence, away from Azgarn's sharp rebukes or Sidra's pitying looks, which killed me more than the dragons' wounds.
As I stepped through the gate, a ruthless beauty slapped my senses. A vast green meadow stretched until it drowned in the horizon, punctuated by mid-sized trees standing like sentinels of wood and leaf. Flowers were scattered through the grass like gems strewn by the hand of a passing deity. On the horizon stood the Queen's Palace; a fortress haunted by light. Its walls of pure white marble intertwined with pillars of blue crystal that reflected the sky, its balconies adorned with golden engravings glowing under the sun like molten ingots that had yet to cool.
"My Lord... it seems you have returned." Azgarn was there, like my shadow that never leaves. "Welcome, Azgarn... I was lost in thought amidst this deceptive calm." "My Lord... are those wounds?! Your blood stains the marble... but there is no time for healing. The Sovereigns await you now."
My heart constricted in a grip of ice. Now? At the very moment I needed to mend my shattered self? Compelled, I headed toward the Golden Teleportation Gate leading to the Sovereigns' Palace. The moment I crossed, the scene inverted. The palace here was dismal, wrapped in a thick fog that crawled across the floor like worms. A long corridor was carpeted in a deep crimson, the color of clotted blood, and cold white walls were lit by candle wicks that flickered as if they feared the darkness they inhabited.
As I walked down this desolate hallway, I heard a soft chirping—a familiar melody amidst the silent noise. It was Boro, my unique companion. He resembled a phoenix but was small as a fist, his feathers a magical blend of glowing orange and ruby red, like a living flame that never dies. He perched on my shoulder, his small claws pressing gently. He was the only "real" thing in this world of pretense.
As we reached the main gates, I felt the weight of a heavy Aura—a gravitational burden enough to shatter the armor of titans and crush the bones of the strongest dragon commanders. "Boro, leave... this place does not befit your light."
I pushed open the massive gates, which groaned with a long creak that shook the corners of my soul. I bowed with dignity, the sword on my back aching under the weight of my wounds. Behind the gargantuan black curtains sat the five entities—majestic shadows that ruled all existence.
"I have come at your request... O Sovereigns."
The voice came from behind the curtain—cold, sharp, and insulting: "Thank you, Shin... you have performed your role perfectly. And because we value your weight in the balance of power, we have decided to remove that weight... We have decided to grant you eternal rest... Kill him!"
In an instant, the fog split, and the legions of Light Soldiers surged forward. Their platinum armor reflected the light with a sharpness that made my eyes tear, and their golden spears thirsted for my blood. There was no room for thought. I drew my twin daggers, and then the whispers began to gnaw at my mind. Spasms in my limbs, a headache tearing through my skull, and a hidden voice whispering: (Tear them apart... make their souls fuel for your fire!).
"Shut up!" I screamed internally as I lopped off the head of the first soldier, his golden blood spraying and mixing with the dust of light.
Then the ranks parted, and Lux emerged; an entity wrapped in absolute darkness, possessing no features but pure power. With a speed exceeding sensory perception, he lunged at me with a light-blade that split my chest open. I felt heat and cold simultaneously, and hot blood touched my lips... At that moment, the barriers collapsed.
I surrendered to "The State." A hysterical, bitter, and mad laugh erupted from my throat. Black chains exploded from my wrists like serpents from hell, shattering the marble and slaughtering everything they touched. I turned into a hurricane of destruction, tearing through the Soldiers of Light like paper in the wind. I clashed with Lux, my strikes carrying the rage of years. I cleaved through his body with my blade, feeling the ecstasy of resistance breaking under my might... until his body exploded, turning into pathetic black smoke.
"A clone?!" Time froze in my eyes.
I felt a warmth creeping from behind me—a smooth, seamless, and lethal penetration. I felt something protruding from the center of my chest, something pulsating. I looked down in horror... It was Lux's real hand, a black hand piercing my flesh and bone. In the center of his grip was a red heart, its arteries torn, beating with a final, weak throb.
It was my heart.
I heard the tearing of my tissues and the grinding of my bones as he withdrew his hand slowly, savoring the moment. I felt life leaking from the holes in my body, and I collapsed onto the red carpet, which grew darker with my blood.
"Truly... this easily? This easily does the flame go out?" My God, there was so much more to be said... and so much more to be done.
I began to sink into an ocean black as ink—a bottomless, merciless ocean. Is this what death is? A coldness devouring the limbs and a silence swallowing the screams?
Suddenly, amidst this void... a violent white light exploded. A light that pulled me from the depths of my perdition. I opened my eyes with great effort, to see a sky my eyes had never seen before, and air that lacked the scent of blood I had grown accustomed to.
"What... where am I? And what is this place?"