Raigor – The Giant and the Lost Spirit
Raigor stared at the Stone Giant, his massive form covered in moss and ancient scars. The Lost Spirit glowed faintly at his feet, a prisoner of dark runes.
The warrior clenched his fist. "Why do you keep this spirit prisoner?"
The Giant made a deep, sighing sound. "It's not a prison… it's a promise."
Raigor remained silent, letting the titan tell his story.
"Long ago," the Giant began, "I was a guardian. Just like him." He pointed to the spirit. "We were friends, brothers in arms. But then the war came, and I lost control. I destroyed everything I loved… even him."
Raigor felt a chill run down his spine.
"When I realized what I had done," the Giant continued, "I begged the gods to take him back. And they agreed… for a price."
The titan touched his chest, revealing an ancient, glowing scar. "For every day he lives, I must remain bound here, unable to move, for eternity."
Raigor understood the weight of that sentence. The Giant was not a jailer. He was a protector.
"Then let me take him away," Raigor said. "He does not have to pay for your sins."
The Giant lowered his head. "I cannot allow this. If you free him… I will die."
Raigor closed his eyes for a moment. He knew what was coming.
"Then I have no choice," he whispered, drawing his sword.
The Giant smiled sadly. "No, you do not."
The battle began.
---
Veran - Rebirth in the Desert
Darkness enveloped him. There was no pain. Only silence.
Then, suddenly, an unbearable heat.
Veran's eyes shot open, panting. He was under a scorching sun, surrounded by endless dunes of golden sand.
The hot wind scratched his skin, and his throat was dry as if he had not drunk in days.
He was alive.
But how? The last thing he remembered was his sacrifice… the flash of light… the demon… and then nothing.
He looked at his hands. His skin was no longer normal. Black scales glistened in the sunlight. The power of the Hydra had brought him back… but at what cost?
He struggled to his feet and looked at the horizon. There was nothing there. Only sand.
He was alone. And he had to figure out where he had ended up… and why.
---
The Puppet Master of War – The Trap Tightens
From his shadowy throne, the Puppet Master of War drummed his fingers on the cold stone.
"Veran is alive…" he whispered, looking into a crystal ball. "But the Eternal Desert will be his prison."
Then he shifted his gaze to Raigor. The warrior was about to strike the decisive blow to the Giant.
The Puppet Master smiled.
"Every victory they win… is just another step towards their ruin."
And in the shadows, something dark awoke.