The true problem with our continent isn't just its immense size—it's the mystery that shrouds it. Even though we possess technology capable of traversing vast distances, much of our land remains unexplored, veiled in ancient secrets. Every day, new species of monsters and plants are discovered, creatures that defy all known laws of nature.
If someone were to ask who rules this land, my answer would not be humans, dragons, or elves. My answer is simple: the monsters.
A monster is any creature hostile toward human beings. Because our continent is vast and sparsely populated, the distance between two cities can stretch for weeks. And in the endless gaps between them, monsters lurk.
According to researchers, the estimated monster population rivals, if not exceeds, the combined population of all races. That alone speaks volumes about the dangers we face. Fortunately, most monsters lack strength or reason. Were it not for that, our continent would have fallen long ago.
But the reason I am telling you this is because It was because of them that I lost Lilly.
Two months have passed since the rebellion began, and three months since our Lord departed the city with adventurers and soldiers.
Our once-thriving city now resembled a ghost town, home to few soldiers and adventurers. To keep it safe, we were forced to hunt and eliminate monsters near the city's outskirts. Otherwise, they would overrun the land, turning once-safe places into perilous wastelands.
Each monster slain was a bitter reminder of what we can lost—a city trembling under the threat of annihilation, and lives hanging by the thinnest of threads.
When monsters are not regularly hunted, they multiply without restraint, growing bold enough to threaten entire cities. The phenomenon is known as a Monster Rampage—a full-scale assault where these creatures overrun civilization.
Now, our city stood at the brink of such a catastrophe.
Due to the scarcity of adventurers and soldiers, hunting monsters became an increasingly dangerous task. They began to overflow the surrounding wilderness, with some even venturing dangerously close to the city walls. This was the unmistakable sign of an impending rampage. The Guild issued urgent warnings, ordering all residents to stay indoors as the city remained on high alert.
That day, I was tending to chores for Richard. The sky was a heavy blanket of clouds, matching the oppressive tension in my heart.
Returning after completing my tasks, I found Lilly lying on the ground, consumed by boredom. "Oh! You're back!" she greeted, her voice dripping with lethargy.
"What are you doing lying there?" I asked.
"Leave her be," Richard interjected calmly. "She's bored out of her mind because of the alert."
Richard's words did little to lighten the mood.
"So, what's happening in the city?" Richard asked.
"The situation is grim," I replied. "Tension has been mounting due to the rebellion, but now with the Guild issuing monster rampage warnings, things have spiraled further. You can hardly see anyone outside anymore."
"What can we do?" Richard , feeling the weight of helplessness. "We can only hope our Lord returns soon," he added.
"Why can't we go out and fight the monsters ourselves?" Lilly's voice was desperate, her eyes burning with conviction. "It would solve everything, wouldn't it?"
We sighed collectively, sharing a look of resignation. Richard shook his head, exasperated by Lilly's naivety. "Do you even understand what you're saying?" he asked. "There are several C and B-Rank monsters out there. You need veteran B-Rank adventurers or elite fighters to stand a chance. Fighting them alone is tantamount to courting death."
"That's why I had told her to study the monster manuals instead." I added while teasing her.
Of course, teasing Lilly only made her angrier. In a flash, she grabbed me by the collar, her eyes blazing with fury and started choking me. After a moment, she demanded, "What are we doing here? Shouldn't we go to another city or ask for help from a neighboring town?"
Richard, while carefully inspecting the equipment I carried, replied calmly, "Where do you think we should go? Every other city faces the same—or worse—situation. We can only hope the monster rampage doesn't reach us, or else this city will suffer."
Hearing that, we both fell silent, words failing us.
Later that night, just as exhaustion began to claim the city, a loud, urgent bell rang through the air. Its harsh clang signaled the start of the monster rampage.
A booming voice followed: "Everyone,.... take shelter! Monsters are attacking!"
Fear gripped us. We scrambled to grab our equipment, preparing to face the encroaching horror.
But from behind came a desperate voice, tinged with worry. "Father, don't tell me you're going to stop us now!" Lilly shouted.
"I'm not stopping you," Richard answered, his voice steady yet heavy with sorrow. "Because deep down, I know I can't."
"Promise me you'll come back alive," Richard continued, his voice trembling. "You're reckless, like her… but promise me."
His words held more than just authority—they were a plea from his heart, a hope to hold onto in the face of despair.
To ease his worry, we smiled and said firmly in unison, "We're not going to die."
Richard returned our smiles, a fragile light of relief flickering in his eyes. "Yeah… you're right."
"Now, head to the church in the city center, as the Guild instructed," we said.
"Yeah," he replied.
Without another word, Richard turned back toward the smithy. We ran, full of determination, toward the East Gate, where the monsters had begun their merciless attack.
After running with every ounce of strength we had, we finally reached the East Gate. The air was thick with smoke and the stench of blood. Several hunters and soldiers were locked in brutal combat, their weapons clashing against monstrous flesh. Without hesitation, we joined the battle.
At first, hope seemed within reach. One by one, we cut down the monsters, holding the line. The city seemed safe—until it wasn't.
Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted from the North Gate. A second rampage had begun.
Panic surged as most fighters turned their backs and rushed toward the East Gate, abandoning the North. Only a handful remained to guard that vulnerable breach.
It was inevitable—the North Gate collapsed in an explosion of stone and screams. A horde of ravenous monsters poured into the city, like a flood unleashed from hell.
Witnessing the nightmare unfold, the Guildmaster's voice boomed across the chaos, heavy with despair and command:
"Attention all citizens and adventurers! The North Gate has fallen. The city stands on the brink of annihilation! Scatter and regroup at the church in the city center. Search for survivors and stay alive!"
We had no choice but to obey. With our spirits crushed, we scattered into the night, driven by the slim hope of survival.
Lilly and I sprinted toward the church, our breaths ragged, hearts pounding like war drums. But fate threw another cruel twist.
A weak, desperate cry reached our ears—a child, injured and sobbing, stranded amidst the carnage.
Without hesitation, we approached. "Are you alright? Where's your mother?" I asked, my voice trembling.
But the child remained silent, staring blankly into nothingness.
We didn't stop. We couldn't. We lifted the child and pressed onward, the church our only beacon in the darkness.
But as we ran, our path was blocked.
From the shadows, a group of massive Ogres emerged—C-Rank monsters, grotesque and merciless, their eyes burning with hunger.
Escape was impossible. Surrounding us, they moved like predators closing in for the kill.
Lilly's eyes blazed with fierce determination. "Andrew," she said, her voice sharp as steel, "I'll open a path. You need to run now!"
I pleaded, "No, if l run away you should be alome here gighting them. Even you can't defeat all of them, we should stay together!"
She looked at me with calm but unshakable resolve.
"You know that we can't both run away," she said.
Her words struck me harder than any blade could. I wanted to protest, to tell her we could find another way, but before I could speak she cut me off.
"In that case, I'll stay. Don't worry—I won't die. Believe me."she interrupted me.
Hearing her say that filled me with both dread and reluctant acceptance. I wanted to argue, to beg her not to take the risk, but I knew Lily too well. Once her mind was set, nothing I said could sway her. She opened the path for me, forcing me to carry the children to safety while she stayed behind to face the monsters.
The church was close, but every street was swarming with those creatures. I had to take detours, guiding the terrified survivors through alleys and broken ruins. Each moment stretched into eternity, but somehow, we reached the church alive. Even then, I couldn't rest. My thoughts were chained to her—Lily.
As I was helping the survivors inside, a voice broke through the silence behind me.
"Hey, where are you going? It's dangerous out there."
But I didn't stop. I couldn't. I ran back into the chaos with all my strength, my heart pounding with only one thought: Find Lily.
And I did. But when I saw her, the sight nearly broke me.
She was lying on the ground, her body torn and bleeding, surrounded by the remnants of battle. She had held them back alone, long enough for us to escape. My chest burned—not just with grief, but with something else. A surge of fury and despair twisted into something new, something I had never felt before.
In that moment, I crossed the threshold. My emotions ignited into power—into the realm of an Aura Master. Rage became my blade. Sorrow became my strength.
I cut down the remaining monsters with a force I hadn't known I possessed.
When the last monster fell, I turned—and my heart shattered.
Lily was on the ground, her body battered, blood staining her clothes, each breath rattling as though it might be her last. The sight of her like that carved into me deeper than any wound ever could.
I dropped to my knees beside her.
"Lily… hey, Lily! Are you all right?" My voice trembled. I was terrified—terrified that I might lose her, that all her sacrifices had come to this moment.
Her lips moved, faint and fragile, but her voice still reached me.
"You came back…"
Tears burned in my eyes. I shook my head desperately. "Don't speak. Save your strength."
Without waiting for her reply, I lifted her onto my back. She felt so light, as if the battle had taken every last piece of her strength with it. Clutching her arms tightly around me, I rose to my feet.
And then I ran.
I ran with every ounce of strength left in me, as if my legs carried not only her body, but her very soul. Each step pounded with a single, desperate prayer—Please, don't take her from me. Not now.
I ran with all my might.
I ran, my breath ragged, Lily clinging weakly to my back. Every step felt heavier, every heartbeat louder than the last. Then, her voice—soft, fragile, almost carried away by the wind—brushed against my ear.
"Hey, Andrew… the child is safe right?"
The question stabbed through me. My chest tightened so hard it hurt.
"They're safe," I replied quickly, almost desperately. "I swear it, Lily. So, Please… stop talking. Save your strength."
But she didn't stop. She never listened when it came to things like this. A faint smile touched her lips, and she whispered, breath trembling, "Do you remember… the first time we rode the train? You were so nervous. Your hands wouldn't stop shaking. It was really fun, wasn't it?"
"Yeah," I said, forcing the word out past the lump in my throat.
Her laughter was little more than a sigh, her breath uneven, but her eyes glimmered faintly with warmth. "And the skyship… remember that too? The view was so beautiful. I thought… if I could see it with you, then it was worth every coin I spent."
I bit my lip until I tasted blood. "Lily, please. You're using too much energy—"
But she kept going, her voice fragile, yet full of longing. "I wanted to see dragons, elves… and all the other nations beyond the horizon. I wanted to explore the second continent, to see more of this vast world with my own eyes. To discover everything it still has to offer."
She paused then, her breath catching, as though the weight of her dreams pressed down too heavily on her weakening body. Her voice softened, trembling. "And after all of that… I wanted to marry you. I wanted us to have children… to live a peaceful, happy life together. Just you and me."
Her hand tightened weakly against my chest, trembling. "Andrew… do you love me?"
The words tore me open. Tears blurred my sight, hot and merciless, but I forced them out. "I love you, Lily. " At that moment tear began to fall endlessly " I've always loved you—from the very first day."
Her lips curved into the faintest smile, her voice soft and cracking. "I'm glad… I'm glad you love me." A tear slid from the corner of her eye. "Hey, Andrew… promise me something. Promise me you'll live. Promise me you'll explore the world for both of us. Promise me you'll never forget me."
Her voice was breaking, fading, slipping away like the last note of a song. My throat locked up. I wanted to scream yes, to swear it to the heavens, but my voice betrayed me. No words came. My body shook with silent sobs, and all I could do was nod.
Lily's eyes softened, and she gave me one last look—gentle, full of love, and unbearably beautiful. Then her head rested against my shoulder, her smile lingering faintly.
I clenched my teeth, holding her tighter. And I ran.
I ran as if the world would end if I slowed down. I ran carrying her weight, her dreams, her promises—everything she had entrusted to me.
Because if I stopped… I knew I would break.
Seeing my tears, Lily's fading voice trembled but carried a warmth that pierced straight into me.
"Andrew… live a long life. Explore the world in my place. Because from now on, I'll only be able to see it through your eyes." She paused, her breath weak and broken. "And… tell Father that I love him. Tell him I'm sorry—that I couldn't stay by his side."
Her words sank into me like blades. I held her tighter, as if my arms could defy fate itself, but her strength was slipping away.
With one final breath, her voice faded into silence. Her body grew cold against my back.
My legs kept moving, but I was no longer running toward safety—I was running because if I stopped, I'd have to face the truth that Lily was gone. Tears blurred everything, spilling freely, but I didn't care. I couldn't speak. I couldn't scream. I just.... ran.