Morix's eyes opened slowly.
His vision swam for a moment before settling on a wooden ceiling cracked, dust-coated, ancient. He pushed himself upright from the torn, lumpy bed, his head pounding as if his mind had been split between two worlds.
He scanned the room.
Empty. Silent.
Only his own shallow breathing echoed back at him.
What… happened?
That stranger… that pressure… was it real or just another dream?
Before he could piece together his scattered memories, the door creaked open. An old couple stepped inside, their faces tired yet kind.
"So you are finally awake, young man," the old woman said.
Morix bowed slightly. "Thank you… but how did I end up here?"
The old man stepped forward, voice gravelly.
"We found you collapsed in the marketplace of Seraphyne City. Poor soul you were unconscious, and the crowd helped us carry you here."
Morix looked away, jaw tightening.
"So… another dream then… huh."
He smirked an expression twisted by despair.
He thanked the couple once again and stepped outside. But the moment he reached the streets, he found a huge crowd gathered near the town square.
Morix pushed his way through.
At the center of the commotion, a banner unfurled blazing red.
"ANNOUNCEMENT: THE GRAND DUEL TOURNAMENT OF SERAPHYNE BEGINS IN THREE DAYS."
Morix felt something ignite inside him.
His blood warmed. His eyes sharpened.
Finally… a challenge worthy of sharpening my blade.
His clenched fists trembled not in fear, but in anticipation.
Far away, in the Kingdom of Elydria….
King Aldric paced inside the royal chamber, distressed.
General Morix was Nowhere to be found especially in this state of emergency where danger is lurking upon prince Rales.
And of all times, it had to be now.
"What will become of him," the king murmured, "if Morix discovers the truth before I can tell him myself?"
But his fears didn't end there. On the other side of the palace, in a dimly lit room,
Prince Damion sat hunched over a desk, scribbling furiously onto a parchment.
"I failed this time… but next time, I won't miss."
He rolled the letter, tied it to the leg of his midnight-feathered pigeon, and set it free. The bird shot into the night sky.
Just then, Prince Rales passed by and caught a glimpse of the pigeon fleeing Damion's window.
Something in his gut twisted.
Damion… what are you plotting now?
But for reasons he couldn't name, Rales suppressed the suspicion and walked on.
A guard approached.
"Sire, a royal messenger has arrived from kingdom of Seraphyne."
Without hesitation, Rales hurried to meet him.
The messenger bowed deeply.
"My prince… the tyrant of Kragmor Dominion has begun his conquest. After subjugating the minor nations, he has now set his sights on your lands."
Prince Rales breathed sharply through his nose.
"I am aware… and preparations have begun. We must forge the strongest alliance this continent has ever seen. Kragmor's ruler King Lushion has lost all sense of humanity. He slaughtered his own predecessor and now bleeds his people dry."
The messenger lowered his head.
"Then may the gods guide us, my prince."
Back in Seraphyne…
Unaware of the turmoil brewing across kingdoms, Morix sat at the edge of his inn bed, polishing his bladeits silver reflecting the fire in his eyes.
Around him, other tournament contenders trained giants of muscle and raw physical strength.
But Morix didn't feel fear.
He felt alive. Feeling these are the bodies of true warriors and he will finally have true challenger
Night settled.
Morix returned to his small rented room and drifted into sleep.
And then
She appeared again.
The same girl.
The same voice.
The same desperate call.
"Morix…"
This time the dream was different.
Sharper.
Heavier.
More real.
The girl stepped closer through the darkness, her silhouette trembling.
"You recognize me, don't you?"
Her voice cracked somewhere between hope and despair.
Morix's heart pounded.
His breath hitched.
Because this time…
He did recognize her.
But from where?
From when?
From a dream
Or from reality?
The world around him began to distort light bending, shadows stretching, air thickening
And then everything went black.