Scene 1: Waking Up in the Death Cage
A hoarse voice pierced the ringing in my ears, dragging me violently from the darkness of unconsciousness:
"Wake up, you bastard... You started this."
I opened my eyes with difficulty. My vision was blurry, and the smell of dust and blood filled my nostrils. I found myself bound, with a heavy, cold-bladed sword I was unaccustomed to holding in my right hand. I tried to move, but my limbs froze; sharp spears surrounded me on all sides, their points aimed at my throat like the fangs of a beast preparing to pounce. One wrong move meant death.
The voice shouted again, laced with hatred: "You finally woke up, you Devil."
I blinked in confusion, my throat dry as a desert: "Devil? What do you mean?"
Someone behind the spears laughed mockingly: "Are you feigning ignorance now? That black horn-shaped tattoo beneath your left neck... that is the Seal. You are no ordinary devil; you are the Heir of the First Devil."
I yelled sharply, my heart hammering wildly: "What are you saying?! I'm not a devil! I'm a human like you! A human!"
The man pointed toward the spears surrounding me and said with deadly calm: "Then, touch one of those spears. They are the 'Blood Spears'; they form a barrier that burns demons and absorbs their accursed power, but humans... they leave unharmed."
🎬 Scene 2: The Test of Blood and Honor
Without thinking, driven by the need to prove my innocence, I extended my trembling hand and touched the blade of the nearest spear.
"Ah!" A muffled scream escaped me. A searing heat ran through my left shoulder, as if fire was eating my flesh and bone. I instantly pulled my hand back, sweat profusely beading on my forehead.
"Did you see?" the voice said with obvious malice. "You refuse to believe? Are you just discovering your truth, boy?"
I bit my lip until blood flowed, clinging to my humanity: "No... this isn't a joke... I am human!"
With persistence fueled by desperation, I grabbed the first spear with both hands. The pain was awful; the smell of my burning skin stung my nose. Then I grabbed the second, and the pain intensified until I screamed, but I didn't stop. To the astonishment of the heroes standing around me, I collected the spears one after another, gasping in agony, tears in my eyes, and my body shaking:
"I am Andre Son of Leon... Grandson of Mark... My father and grandfather were humans who defended this land with their blood. It's true I have no magical power, but I will not stain their honor, no matter the cost!"
🎬 Scene 3: Pride in the Face of Death
Tatsuka, one of the heroes, interrupted me with an arrogant tone, stepping forward: "You say you won't stain their honor? The Devil's Mark on your neck has already stained it. If you want to preserve what is left of their dignity... then die proud of your family, kid."
Shinji intervened, attempting to de-escalate: "Stop Tatsuka, don't be so rash."
But Tatsuka had made up his mind, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for murder: "Leave me, Shinji. I'm angry at those who utter words they don't respect and want to escape a bind with lies. Did you say stop? You want to kill me and say I don't deserve to live? Your mistake is not my concern."
He looked at me with a terrifying smile and said: "Kid, I'm starting to like you. Fine, I will put away my weapon and attack you with my bare hands. But be careful what you wish for, my power surpasses yours by light-years."
He turned to his comrades: "What do you think, guys? He has decided how he wants to die."
They nodded in agreement, and he raised his hand and shouted: "Wind Barrier!"
Suddenly, a stormy wall surrounded us, isolating us from the outside world.
🎬 Scene 4: The Illusory Hell
"Thank you, Lord Wind. Now, let's begin."
Tatsuka said it, and in a fraction of a second, he vanished from in front of me.
Before I realized what was happening, I felt a deafening silence... I had lost my hearing! Then he vanished again, and I felt a sharp, sickening pain in my left eye; he had gouged it out!
He took a step back and reappeared before me, speaking with a coldness I couldn't hear but read on his lips: "Come on, Devil, don't tell me you can't hear or see? Regenerate."
I couldn't hear or see well, and blood covered half my face, but I pushed through and grabbed a spear with my left hand, hurling it at him with all my rage and desperation: "I won't rest until I pay you back double!"
Tatsuka laughed and easily dodged the spear: "A good throw, but weak. A throw is done like this."
He fired an arrow that pierced my right foot, pinning it to the ground. I fell, helpless. He showed no mercy. He grabbed a spear and began plunging it into my hand, my foot, every inch of my body.
As my consciousness faded in a pool of blood, I heard a deep, sarcastic voice echoing inside my head... the Devil's voice:
"You are this weak? What a pity... It seems I will have to wait a few more centuries to find another partner."
I replied to him in my mind as I took my last breaths: "It seems so... you cursed Devil."
The Devil, astonished: "I see Hell in your eyes, and you want to go there?"
Andre: "I don't want to... but my death will be the end of my suffering."
The Devil: "Foolish human... your going there is Hell itself. You refuse to use me? Is it because your heart is kind?"
Andre: "No... but I am weak. I cannot bear the slightest torment."
The Devil laughed with a terrifying sound: "Stupid... your torment has not even begun."
🎬 Scene 5: Return and Confusion
I gasped sharply and woke up. I felt my body in astonishment... No blood, no wounds, and my eye was whole! I stood before the heroes, trembling.
"What? But I was dead moments ago!"
Tatsuka spoke, wiping his sweat, the hostility in his tone slightly lessened: "That is Tatsuka's power. My ability can create what is called the 'Illusory Zone'. Whatever happens inside it, everything returns to normal once it disappears. However... if you had transformed into a devil inside the illusion, the secondary ability would have actually killed you."
Silence fell, then Shinji said: "It's better that you don't know the details, kid. But the question remains: If you are not a devil, how were you able to draw the sword?"
I said, my voice shaking: "I don't know... this sword was talking to me before I came here."
The heroes exchanged worried glances. "Talking to you?" said Achille, with his usual bulk. "Then there is a missing link. We will need to monitor you, and to do that, you must be on one of the teams. I suggest he be on mine."
Tatsuka quickly interrupted: "No, I want him. If that boy turns into a devil, I will deal with him."
I said with bitter sarcasm: "I'm right here among you, don't you want to take my opinion at least?"
They ignored me, and one suggested: "Since this is a difficult decision and the first time we've faced a situation like this, how about we go to the leader of the Seven Knights, Alexander?"
Everyone agreed: "Let's go."
Meanwhile, from a distant corner, Charl was watching what happened, whispering to himself with worry mixed with anger: "Andre... what is happening to you? Please don't do anything that will make them hurt you, because I will kill them if they try to harm you."
🎬 Scene 6: The Burned Palace and the Knight Commander
The heroes headed toward the Commander's headquarters. I expected a luxurious palace befitting the Knight Commander, but we stood before a burned palace, its walls blackened as if it had witnessed a fierce war.
We entered to find Commander Alexander, an elderly man with overwhelming prestige, sitting humbly on the ground talking to a group of children, as if he were an affectionate grandfather, not the strongest warrior in the kingdom.
A girl named Maya asked him curiously: "Sir Alexander, how did you become the Knight Commander? Is it because you are the oldest?"
Alexander laughed heartily: "What? So not because I'm the strongest? Of course, I am the strongest, little one."
Maya said with childish defiance: "Really? I want to see!"
He smiled and took out an ordinary paper: "Alright, let's look at this paper. Can you put your power between these lines to make it light up?"
The girl tried, furrowing her brow: "Eeeeh... No, my power is weak."
Alexander said gently: "Look... It shines a lot with me. This is because I didn't use my power violently. Instead, I guided it to its place and only let it take a small amount. Try... put some power in your hand, and let the paper do the rest."
The girl did as he said, and suddenly the paper glowed with a warm light.
"Ah! Look, it glowed! I succeeded!"
"Well done, Maya."
A guard's voice interrupted the moment: "Sir Alexander... the Knights are here to meet you."
Alexander stood up, transforming from the affectionate grandfather to the imposing Commander: "Ah, the Knights. I will go and see the Fire Hero."
The children cheered excitedly and ran toward the heroes, ignoring the Commander.
Alexander muttered playfully: "After all this, you still love the heroes more than me? It seems I shouldn't have spoken out loud... Oh well, my heart can handle it."
🎬 Scene 7: The Clock Begins to Move
One of the accompanying soldiers whispered to me: "Kid, be respectful in front of the Commander. If you try to do anything, I will end you."
I looked around the burned palace and said in a low voice: "I expected the Commander to live in a palace of splendor, but to reside in a place like this..."
The soldier replied: "The one who burned the palace was Commander Alexander himself."
My eyes widened in shock: "What? And why?"
"He says it's for the future. We don't understand, but we know he sees things we don't. He has another power besides physical strength; we hope he won't have to use it."
We entered the hall, and the soldiers shouted: "Welcome, Magic Knights!"
Tatsuka stood next to me and hissed sharply: "Hey, you... Bow!"
When I hesitated for a second, Tatsuka kicked my injured leg, and I fell onto my face in pain before the Commander.
Alexander said in a calm, deep voice: "You're still the same, Tatsuka... If he doesn't want to bow, that's fine. Let him be."
Alexander raised his head and asked: "So, who is that boy?"
Shinji stepped forward: "Sir, there is something we need to tell you about him."
Alexander approached me, his piercing eyes examining my face, and then his gaze suddenly settled on the black tattoo on my neck. His expression froze for a moment, and he whispered a single word that only I could hear, a word carrying an omen of doom:
"So that's it... that clock has started to move..."