Upon leaving the throne room, I feel the tension clinging to my skin like a second armor. The air of the castle is heavy, weighed down by silences. Every step we take resounds like an omen. My brothers walk at my side, but even among us, uncertainty floats like a veil that no one dares to lift.
Suddenly, Mei approaches in haste, her eyes reflecting an urgent gleam. She leans toward me and whispers in my ear, her tone grave, sharp, stripped of ornament:
—Kurayami, you must take the girl to a safe place before the battle begins.
Her words cut through me like an invisible blade. I lower my gaze, fixing my eyes on the polished floor of the corridor, searching for an answer. Where? With whom? This city is foreign to me, a labyrinth of sorrowful faces and unfamiliar walls. I know no one worthy of the trust required to entrust Elena's life to them. The mere thought of her falling into the wrong hands churns my stomach.
I lift my head. I find her near the castle entrance, small and defenseless, speaking with Mei. The contrast strikes me: so fragile and yet so brave for having endured all she has lived through until now.
—Kurayami, come! —Mei calls, raising her hand with a resolute gesture.
I approach without hesitation, though each step feels like a trial. When I arrive, she faces me without faltering:
—We don't have much time. There's a carriage leaving in minutes for the city of the demi-humans. It will pass through the elves' city, and there Elena will be safe. The carriage escorts offered to take her. They won't charge anything. It's our best option.
I frown. My instinct flares like a suspicious flame.
—And who are these people? —I ask harshly—. How can I know they won't harm her?
—They are the king's daughter and her personal guards —Mei replies without hesitation, as if she had foreseen my doubts—. No one in this kingdom would dare touch them. She will be protected, I swear it.
My breath falters. Part of me wants to refuse, to take Elena and lock her in some hidden corner of the castle, as if my arms alone could stop the world. But another part knows Mei is right: if the walls fall tomorrow, no place within this city will be safe.
I sigh, releasing a weight pressing against my chest. I nod with a weak "all right."
Mei takes Elena by the hand and leads her toward the carriage. The girl, realizing what is happening, suddenly stops, pulls free, and runs to me. Her small arms wrap tightly around my waist.
—I hope this is not our last hug —she says with a trembling voice, yet filled with hope—. Come back alive, Kurayami. I'll be waiting for you in the elves' city.
My heart shatters. I hold her against me so tightly I fear I might break her. In that embrace, I pour everything I cannot say in words: my promise, my guilt, my love.
—I'll come back, Elena —I whisper at last, my voice but a thread—. And when I do, I'll tell you we won.
She nods, struggling to hold back tears. Then she slowly lets go and climbs into the carriage. The door shuts with a sharp thud, and in an instant the wheels begin to turn. The vehicle rolls along the cobblestone path, advancing toward the horizon.
I remain still, watching as the carriage grows smaller. The dust it raises blends with the haze of dusk, and soon it vanishes completely. My eyes remain fixed on nothing, clinging to that last silhouette. Only when the horizon swallows the image do I force myself to turn.
My brothers wait for me near the castle entrance. Their faces say what none dare to voice: all of them felt the farewell, though only I bear its weight.
We speak quietly of the movements to come, of strategy, of the uncertainty enveloping us. Then, the knight who led us here approaches. His armor resounds with each step, and his voice cuts the air with firmness:
—There are rooms for each of you in the castle. Rest and be ready for tomorrow.
As he turns to leave, one of my brothers hurls the question we had all avoided:
—Which kingdom are we to fight?
The knight halts. His body stiffens. Then he turns his head toward us, and for the first time I notice a tremor in his voice:
—It is not a kingdom.
A sharp silence cuts the air.
—They are beings who call themselves gods. Or so they believe. Other races have joined them, forging an empire they call "the new kingdom"… and they proclaim the dawn of a "new era."
No one answers. The echo of those words leaves us mute, as if destiny itself had sealed our doom. Gods. Not common armies, not rival kingdoms, but forces that walk the earth with the power of the heavens.
I see my brothers' faces: rage in some, fear in others, a spark of defiance in Daichi. I myself don't know what I feel. Perhaps all of it at once.
The evening dissolves slowly, dragged down by the sun sinking behind the mountains. The city plunges into an expectant silence, as though it breathed in rhythm with us.
When night falls, it brings with it a damp cold and a thick mist that cloaks the streets like a shroud. In the dark sky shine two moons: one red, like spilled blood, and the other blue, serene as the ocean. Their contrasting lights bathe the kingdom in a strange, almost prophetic glow.
Each of us is given a room in the castle. They are modest, but safe. Entering mine, I am surprised by the warm aroma filling the air: on a table awaits a steaming meal. Freshly baked bread, stewed meat, a bowl of thick soup. The simple sight tightens my throat. How long had it been since I tasted such a feast?
I sit and eat in silence, each bite heavy with nostalgia and gratitude. I don't know if this will be my last supper, and that thought lends every crumb a sacred weight.
When I finish, I approach the window. I gaze upon the city from above: houses drowned in shadows, the flicker of candlelight trembling in the dark, the distant murmur of hushed voices.
There, amid the mist and the twin moons' glow, I allow myself a moment of weakness. I think of Elena, of her embrace, of her words. I think of my promise. And I repeat to myself, with my fist pressed to my chest:
—I will return.
I lie down on the bed. The mattress is soft, almost a luxury in the midst of war. Yet my eyes are slow to close. The silence fills with memories and forebodings. At last, fatigue overcomes me and I sink into deep sleep.
And then the visions begin.
I see myself standing in a devastated field, beneath the glow of the two moons. The ground is strewn with corpses, some human, others of unknown races. Red and blue blood mingle in the soil.
On the horizon, a colossal figure rises: a golden being, radiant, with blazing wings that light the sky. Its voice thunders like a storm:
—Are you the one who dares challenge the gods?
I try to reply, but my throat is dry. I only clench my fist, pointing at the heavens as I did before with my brothers.
—Yes —I whisper with what little voice remains—. I will be the greatest hero of all time.
The being sneers with contempt, and the world shatters into a thousand fragments of light.
I awaken with a jolt, drenched in cold sweat. The first light of dawn begins to paint the sky in shades of gray. Tomorrow has already arrived. And with it—war.