The air screamed.**
The heat rose like breath from the earth itself.
Charred stone stretched for miles, glowing veins of molten red cutting through the ground.
It was not a place of fire, it was fire.
Rivers of molten gold and blood-red magma wound through a land of blackened stone, hissing and sighing like serpents that had been burning for eternity. Every breath drawn here tasted of smoke and sorrow.
The air shimmered, heavy with heat and the whispers of forgotten souls those devoured by the flames long before time remembered them.
Above, the sky burned endlessly. Clouds of ember and ash drifted like torn wings, their glow painting the horizon in shades of dying crimson. Occasionally, streaks of lightning colored the hue of molten iron split the darkness apart, revealing silhouettes writhing within the fire itself, condemned to dance until the end of creation.
The ground pulsed faintly, beating like a heart buried beneath molten crust. Each tremor carried echoes of chained roars and the clash of ancient titans long silenced. From afar, pillars of flame reached toward the heavens, but none ever touched the top they bent, bowed, and dissolved, as if even fire itself feared what lay beyond.
At the center of it all lay a throne, forged not of metal but of cooled magma and souls compressed into crystal. Around it, the inferno curved like a crown, spiraling endlessly a domain that bowed only to one will.
The Sword Demon stepped through the rift, his boots sinking slightly into the molten ash. His breath left faint trails of smoke. His cloak fluttered then caught fire only to burn into nothing and re-form again, as if refusing to die.
Then a voice came.
It echoed from every direction, deep and omnipresent like thunder layered over thunder.
> "You have grown bold. No divinity dares to enter my domain without permission…"
"Enough of this trickery," the Sword Demon said coldly. "I'm not here to waste time."
The world of flames rippled, then inverted sky to ground, ground to sky. The throne came into view. A young man sat upon it, his body wreathed in flame. Souls knelt before him, their voices rising in endless worship.
Karioth turned his gaze. On the far side of the molten plain, demons punished the wailing dead.
> "I was expecting you," the man said. "The being born of divinity and humanity. Long time no see, Sword Demon—Karioth of the Eclipse."
Karioth's eyes narrowed.
> "Zerakki. How long will you continue toying with the souls of humans? Still afraid of them rising against you, that you destroy and enslave them turning your domain into their hell? You only do this because you feel inferior to them."
Zerakki's expression darkened. In an instant, his flames surged, and he launched his attack.
But Karioth raised his hand
A sword materialized in the air before him, cutting the assault clean in half.
Zerakki's flames parted. His smirk twisted.
> "So it's true. You always carry your domain within you… To achieve such mastery without being a complete divinity,none of the others can even come close."
"Zerakki!" Karioth's voice thundered. Silence followed only the hiss of flame remained.
> "How dare you tamper with the East. You killed the innocent Veyruns again. I made it clear in that meeting not to...."
> "As you know, Karioth," Zerakki interrupted, his tone heavy with mockery, "I have no business with your meetings… or the Divinities."
Thunder rolled through the inferno. Demons around them cowered, their bodies trembling.
Karioth stood motionless, his inner world trembling ready to tear through Zerakki's domain.
> "I will not interfere with your dealings with humans, not because of our contract, but if you ever do this again…"
He drew his blade, its edge whispering like a promise.
> "I swear I will cut you down."
Then, without another word, he vanished.
Zerakki sat back on his throne, flames twisting around him as he muttered to himself,
> "That sword bastard… he's gotten stronger. That's the thing about humans, they know no boundaries."
◆◇◆
"Darkness filled my mind."
"Fragments of memories, ones that felt like mine but weren't flashed before me.
I was somewhere else, taller, surrounded by faces that seemed familiar yet blurred by time.
The air felt alive, calling out to me. I answered and suddenly, I was back a room, a room filled with broken mirrors and when I looked into the pieced mirror…"
I wasn't me.
> "Oh, he's waking up.Woah His eyes…"
That's is first
"The voice was soft, calm belonging to a boy about my age."
> "Where am I?" I asked, my voice trembling. Then the pain struck sharp, deep in my chest.
"Lysera… where is she!?"
Panic clawed at me.
> "Calm down," the boy said gently. "She's with the healer team."
"I exhaled, but the ache didn't fade. Memories surged back, the screams, the fire, Sir Aeron's hand, the moment I ran…
And the rage.
It flooded my heart, drowning every other thought."
> "Hey, hey can you hear me?"
> "Huh?"
> "Are you… a Veyrun?" The boy asked
Who is this? I thought.
> "A Veyrun, huh? Not really…" I muttered.
> "But your eyes…"
> "Who are you, and where am I? I asked
And what is he talking about?"
> "Calm down," he said again. "I'm Rhapel. What's yours?"
> "Gray," I answered. "Gray Veyrun."
Rhapel smiled faintly.
> "This is the place of the Shadows."
He paused, his eyes glinting faintly under the dim light.
> "Gray Veyrun… welcome to the base of the Eclipse."