The night was swallowed by a starless darkness, a void that seemed to anticipate something terrible. Vellan's streets were empty; the city held its breath, not in peace, but in fearful expectation.
Liven stood atop the tower, feeling the uneasy quiet pressing against him. The demon was silent, and somehow, that made him even more uneasy.
> "This silence… it doesn't belong to me," he whispered. "It belongs to something greater."
Suddenly, the air tore apart. The sky split—not with the crack of lightning, but like a massive hand ripping open fabric. No light shone through. Instead, a black void descended over the city, devouring even the faintest glow. From it, a dark, wooden-like structure slowly drifted down, landing silently in the guild square.
And from the darkness… he emerged.
He appeared human, yet nothing about him was human. He looked like a child, with long white hair flowing like silver waves in the wind, and eyes that were deep, endless black voids. In his arms, a black cat rested—silent, unthreatening, yet emanating a presence that subdued even the demon inside Liven.
He sat upon his throne. He moved not a muscle. Spoke not a word. Yet the entire city seemed to bow, as if their very souls had been bent.
Liven's knees trembled. He clutched his chest with his left hand, eyes wide.
> "RUN!" he suddenly screamed. "RUN! WE HAVE NO CHANCE AGAINST HIM!"
Darel sprinted to his side, Neriah close behind. Elya stayed behind, shaken and hesitant.
> "What… what is this?" Darel whispered.
"Is that… God?" Neriah stammered.
Liven squinted, his voice trembling.
> "Not God… Someone beyond the gods. He can erase us in an instant. No magic, no battle… nothing can stop him. Elya! Stop time. We have to run!"
Panic flashed across Elya's face. She raised her hands, tracing mystical symbols. The stones beneath her cracked as energy surged.
> "I don't know how long I can hold it… but even a few seconds can save us!"
Her fingers glowed, and the world turned gray. Time froze. Lightning hung suspended in the sky. Wind stilled. Every sound muffled. Liven lifted Darel's wounded arm and fled, Neriah and Elya close behind.
But then…
> "How… pathetic."
The child's voice—more felt than heard—struck them in their hearts, echoing through bones. With a single snap of his fingers… time resumed. The world rewound itself, returning to its original state, then flowed anew. Lightning crashed. The earth shuddered. Liven fell to the ground.
> "Impossible…" he gritted through clenched teeth. "He controlled time…"
The dark child slowly rose on his throne, eyes infinite voids, the black cat still in his lap. He extended a finger toward Liven.
> "Come."
A single word. Yet it carried the weight of command, an order no soul could resist. Liven's feet moved of their own accord. His heart raced. He tried to resist.
> "No…" he whispered. "It shouldn't be like this…"
He approached, knees shaking, eyes locked with those endless black orbs.
> "Wow… look at those eyes…" Liven murmured, near tears.
And then… the demon within him spoke—not in anger, but in fear.
> "Do not kneel to him. He… could crush even me. He is true darkness. We… are nothing against him. He is the enemy of the gods themselves."
---
Earlier, before this apocalyptic arrival, chaos had already erupted.
The demon Zereth had torn Darel's arm clean off, blood spraying into the air.
> "Liven! RUN!" Neriah screamed.
Darel collapsed to the ground, trembling.
> "Liven… my arm… hurry…"
At that moment, Liven's eyes blazed crimson. Time seemed to halt. In an instant, he moved like light, positioning himself between the demon and Darel. Their eyes locked.
> "You will die here… demon scum!" he roared, pouring all his fury into those words.
Zereth faltered for the first time, a flicker of fear in his eyes. The sky cracked, and a voice thundered:
> "Hah! I like this child. I will not kill you… I will help you."
> "Help? After everything your kind has done to my family? Curse the gods! I do not want your help!" Liven spat, eyes darkening.
The demon laughed.
> "HAHAHA! Beautiful! Very beautiful!"
The god's voice fell silent. A storm raged, furious.
---
Later, after the battle, Liven knelt, whispering to himself:
> "You're right, mother… why do I hesitate?"
Elya arrived, gripping his head, shaking him.
> "What are you doing? How will you fight like this?"
Liven met her gaze.
> "Have you given up before the battle even begins? Are you… powerless?"
Then he hugged her, tightly.
> "You are the chosen of the gods. You are not alone. I am here."
Tears streamed down Elya's cheeks.
> "Please… help me. Let's win this together… against the demon!"
A small smile formed on Liven's lips. He rose, resolute, and ran toward Darel's side, Neriah racing to catch up.
> "His condition… if we stay, he will die!" Neriah gasped.
> "Mother… I need your help again… Master… do not let him die. Please… lend me your power."
A warmth flowed within him. Elira's voice whispered through the wind:
> "Very well, my son."
Liven's eyes shone like molten gold. A radiant figure appeared behind him—a winged angel, hands glowing, reaching toward Darel. His wounds began to close.
> "How… how is this possible?" Neriah whispered.
"Impossible!" the demon roared.
The voice of God spoke again, approving:
> "This child… help him."
The angel's power flowed. The battle, the chaos, the despair… all became a spark of hope amidst darkness.
---