The sky was dark, tremendously cold, and filled with dangerously patterned clouds that spoke through distant thunderstorms. It didn't feel natural at all, as if the heavens themselves had been twisted into something sinister. As it came closer to the land, the dark army rattled the ground beneath them, shaking everything in their path. It felt like an alarm to the world itself—either surrender… or face your death.
Over two thousand of them marched forward. Their voices rang slowly, almost like echoes buried within the wind. For a moment, it felt like the world itself had gone silent, as if everything had paused in fear. And then, slowly, destruction entered. From afar, the soldiers saw it, their eyes widening in disbelief, before they rushed across the lands to spread the message.
The darkness was marching.
-----------------
Aron's eyes opened slowly, filled with panic.
"What… was that?" he muttered under his breath.
His hands were completely healed now. He looked at them for a second, almost confused, before quickly wearing his upper clothes. His hair was messy, falling over his face, but even in that state, he carried a sharp presence—calm yet dangerous.
He stepped toward the door.
As it opened, he walked outside, his eyes adjusting to the light. And there—he saw someone.
Balrad.
Aron recognized him instantly.
Balrad stared at Aron for a moment, noticing how well he looked.
"Aron…" he began slowly.
But then—
Something felt wrong.
A voice echoed.
"Deluded…"
Aron froze.
The voice didn't belong to anyone around him. It felt like it was coming from everywhere… and nowhere.
"You have been weakened…"
It sounded angry. Cold. Whispering through the air itself.
Aron's eyes widened.
He looked back at Balrad—
And what he saw made his heart drop.
Balrad's skin began to melt.
His voice distorted, shaking unnaturally.
Slowly… his bones became visible.
A high-pitched ringing filled Aron's ears.
"You have been weakened…"
"How long will you remain deluded?"
"AHHH!" Aron screamed, grabbing his head as he fell to the ground.
"Stop it… stop it! Somebody help me!"
The voice didn't stop.
It only grew louder.
Sharper.
Aron's face filled with tears as his vision blurred. His breathing became uncontrollable, his body trembling from something he couldn't understand.
And then—
For just a moment—
He saw someone.
A knight.
Standing right in front of him.
Holding that same sword.
But before he could even react—
It vanished.
Just like that.
His eyes grew heavy.
And slowly…
They closed.
--------------
Aron opened his eyes again.
This time—
Everything was normal.
Real.
His breathing was shaking continuously, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He placed his right hand over his right eye, trying to calm himself.
"The dreams… they've started again," he whispered.
He stood up slowly, his body still feeling uneasy. Walking toward the basin, he washed his face, letting the cold water run across his skin. For a moment, he stayed there, looking at his reflection.
Then, without saying anything, he stepped outside again.
The day felt terrible.
Heavy.
As he walked through the small hallway, his mind kept repeating the same thought.
What kind of dream was that…?
Then he heard voices.
Balrad.
And Keiss.
Balrad spoke first.
"I knew he was guilty from the start, Commander."
Aron stopped.
From a distance, he saw them both standing there.
Keiss turned toward Aron and slowly walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"It was good to have you here," Keiss said calmly. "But now… I think the decision is yours, not mine."
"Decide it well."
With that, he stepped back.
Balrad then walked closer to Aron.
"Aron," he said, his voice softer now. "Did they do something to you, son?"
He looked at Aron's hands.
"Well… your hands certainly look fine."
He paused for a second before continuing.
"That man said you were guilty… but I'm here to take you back."
Aron stayed silent.
There was something in his eyes.
Something different.
Balrad brought a horse forward and handed it to Aron. The two of them mounted and began moving away.
Keiss stood behind them, watching quietly.
But Aron—
He felt something.
Something pulling him back.
---------------
They reached the market area.
Balrad stopped to buy some items while Aron stepped down from the horse.
And then—
He saw it.
At a distance, there stood a knight.
His wife beside him.
And a small baby in her arms.
The wife's face was filled with sadness, her eyes struggling to hold back tears. The baby, unaware of everything, laughed softly.
The man leaned forward and kissed his son gently.
A farewell.
A moment that felt both beautiful… and painful.
Balrad's voice interrupted him.
"Is something bothering you, Aron?"
Aron didn't reply immediately.
He kept staring at them.
Then he spoke.
"Balrad… do you see that man over there?"
Balrad followed his gaze.
"He has a family," Aron continued. "But he's choosing not to stay with them… he's choosing to protect them instead."
There was a pause.
"I don't have a family."
His voice lowered.
"And yet… I'm running away just to stay safe."
Balrad stayed quiet.
He understood.
Something had changed inside Aron.
Aron turned toward him.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"But I think… I belong to the sword, Balrad."
He took a breath.
"Thank you for everything you've done for me."
"But I'm going to join the war."
The words came suddenly.
But they were real.
Balrad's eyes widened slightly.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then—
He smiled.
After all… he is a Norm, he thought.
Fighting is in his blood.
-----------------
At the Amrock Kingdom—
A soldier galloped in at full speed.
His horse stopped abruptly as he jumped down and rushed toward the commander's area.
Without hesitation, he pushed the door open.
"Commander Keiss!" he shouted.
Keiss looked at him immediately.
He already knew.
Something was wrong.
"The darkness…" the soldier struggled to speak, exhausted from the rush.
"The darkness is on these lands… they will be marching toward us by tomorrow."
Silence filled the room for a second.
Then Keiss stood up.
Alert.
Focused.
"Gather every nearby man," he ordered.
"Prepare for battle."
"I want all soldiers at the front line."
"Move quickly."
The soldiers didn't waste a second.
They rushed out, spreading the command across the kingdom. Armor was picked up, weapons were prepared, and the entire place turned into chaos within moments.
Keiss stepped outside.
From afar—
He could see it.
The black sky.
Slowly moving.
Approaching.
---
Aron rushed toward the kingdom.
His horse ran at full speed, its hooves striking the ground heavily as he pushed forward without stopping.
As he reached closer, he saw everything.
The soldiers.
The preparations.
The urgency.
Without hesitation—
He pushed the horse even faster.
Toward the battlefield.
Toward his decision.
Toward the war that was about to begin.