Part 1: Echoes of a Broken Future
The world blurred into a crimson haze as Kaelen clutched the hilt of his sword, his divine mana surging through his veins like liquid fire. At twenty-eight, he was a legend—a swordsman blessed by the gods themselves. But that blessing was a curse. The immense power drained his life force, leaving him a hollow shell, his body frail and his breaths labored. Yet, in this moment, as he stood amid the ruins of his family's estate, none of that mattered. The air reeked of blood and smoke, the cries of the dying echoing in his ears.
"Brother... Kaelen..." His little sister's voice was a whisper, her twenty four-year-old frame crumpled against the shattered wall. Elara's eyes, once bright with mischief, now dimmed with pain. Beside her lay their brother, Thorne, his chest heaving as blood pooled beneath him. They had been so young, so full of life. Kaelen's heart twisted like a blade in his chest.
"No... not like this," Kaelen choked out, dropping to his knees. His hands, calloused from years of wielding the sword, trembled as he reached for them. "Elara, Thorne... hold on. I'll... I'll save you."
But it was too late. The incarnation of the God of Light stood before him, cloaked in radiant armor that mocked the darkness of the scene. The man's face was serene, almost pitying, as if slaughtering innocents was a divine mercy. "You wield power that rivals the gods, Kaelen," the incarnation said, his voice smooth and ethereal. "But it is not yours to keep. The God of Light decrees your end."
Kaelen's eyes burned with rage. "You... monster. You've taken everything from me!" He surged forward, his sword blazing with divine mana, but his body betrayed him. The power sapped his strength, and the incarnation's blade pierced his heart with effortless grace.
As darkness claimed him, Kaelen's last thought was of vengeance. I'll kill you... and the god you serve.
The void enveloped him, a realm beyond mortal comprehension. Stars swirled like distant memories, and a figure materialized—a being of pure ethereal light, wielding a sword that hummed with ancient power. It was him. Or rather, who he had been in a life long forgotten: the Sword God.
"Kaelen," the Sword God's voice resonated, deep and sorrowful. "My reincarnation... my failure."
Kaelen's spirit form staggered. "You... you're me? The source of this cursed mana?"
The Sword God nodded, his eyes—Kaelen's eyes—filled with regret. "Divine mana is the essence of gods, but in a mortal body, it devours. You lived a life of suffering because of it. But now, I offer you a chance. Regress. Return to the day you awakened this power. Change fate."
Tears welled in Kaelen's ethereal form. "My family... Elara, Thorne... they died because of this. Because of him—the God of Light's incarnation."
"Use the knowledge of your past," the Sword God urged, placing a hand on Kaelen's shoulder. The touch sent waves of power through him. "You are the Sword God reborn. Your mana is divine because it is mine. Cut through destiny itself. And remember... a gift awaits you."
The realm shattered, and Kaelen plummeted back through time.