November 26
The tenth year of the war
Near the village of Gwa, beneath the warm sunlight filtering through the dry branches of the dense pine forest, Hiro walked with Stella and Wendy by his side, heading toward the First King's domain in search of a place to rest after a long and exhausting day.
Each of them walked with a noticeable gap between them, a silence thick enough to build walls. The distance made it clear—there was no real connection among them. That small space carried a tension that silently unsettled them all.
Wendy, growing bored and tired as her eyes wandered across the scenery, decided to break the heavy silence. She stepped closer to Hiro, slipped her foot under his, and tripped him. He nearly fell to the ground, but she caught him at the last moment.
"What's wrong with you? Why did you do that?" Hiro asked, irritation flashing in his eyes.
Wendy leaned close and whispered,
"Are you going to talk to her or not? Just moments ago you were dying to speak to someone who resembled you. Your expression was so obvious it was honestly funny. But you're taking way too long—it's getting boring."
"I can't believe you noticed that. Was it that obvious?" Hiro replied.
"Yeah. And seeing you all nervous like that was kind of hilarious."
Hiro felt she was deliberately trying to annoy him. It made him uncomfortable—exposing that pitiful side of himself.
"Even if you say that… I don't even know what to talk to her about. I only know her name. Trying to start a pointless conversation out of nowhere would just make me look weird."
Wendy's sarcastic, cold glance was enough for Hiro to hear her say "Are you stupid?"—without her ever opening her mouth.
That made Hiro angrier.
"What's with that face? You're seriously annoying. Just leave me alone."
Wendy was starting to think Hiro might actually be a bit irritating.
"You're really not very nice," she muttered.
"Shut up."
Wendy quickly walked ahead toward Stella and said,
"Stella, right? I never introduced myself properly. I'm Wendy, a courier for the First King's army."
Stella was caught off guard and unsure how to respond, so she simply nodded.
"N–Nice to meet you."
"I heard you're a Phoenix. Is that true? What happened to your wings? Did you lose them in an accident?"
When Wendy asked with that sly smile on her face, Stella realized what she was trying to get at. Before she could continue, Stella cut her off.
"You're wondering why I don't have a mark above my head, aren't you?!
Sorry to disappoint, but I don't know either. Everyone I've ever met always wants to figure out who I am. They ask that same question—'Who are you?'—and when I say I'm a Phoenix, they all laugh like I told a joke, then say the cruelest things like I don't even exist.
You were the one who asked first. Was I wrong to tell the truth?"
Her expression darkened the more she spoke.
Wendy responded softly, with a calm voice and gentle smile:
"I believe you."
Was she lying? Or just showing sympathy? Stella couldn't tell. But even so, she didn't expect that kind of answer, and it left her speechless.
When Wendy saw the look on her face, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Stella asked, confused.
"Oh, it's just… your reaction. It reminded me exactly of Hiro's expression earlier."
"Huh? I don't get it."
Wendy ignored the question and started speaking to herself about things the others couldn't quite understand.
"Never mind," Wendy said, still lost in thought. "I was just thinking… we're all kind of the same here.
No attachments. No place to belong. Just outcasts."
Hiro's expression changed as he listened to her words.
Who is this girl? he wondered.
Stella, too, watched Wendy carefully. As she walked beside her, Wendy suddenly asked a question, closing the distance between them.
"I've been wondering since the first time I saw you, but now I'm sure…
That staff you're holding—
Isn't it one of the Swords of the Calendar?"
"Huh?
Yeah, you're right. But how did you know that?"
"It's not a big deal. I read a book about those weapons once.
Not like I know everything. I just remember the hierarchy of power and a few of the names."
Stella hesitated to speak—she was never good with words.
"So you're well-read, huh?"
"Forget about that. Tell me—what type is your staff? Could it be… one of the Four Seasons?!"
"As if something like that would happen. Everyone who knows about the Calendar Swords has heard of the Four Seasons. Each one is held by a king. Even you must know that."
"Yeah, but I just wanted to say it anyway."
Stella let out a small sigh, releasing the tension that had been weighing on her. Talking more freely now, she realized Wendy had been the one to break down the wall she was afraid of.
"This staff... it's called Tuesday."
Wendy blinked in surprise.
"That's amazing. The Days of the Week, huh?
That's not far off from the Four Seasons. It's definitely not normal…
Especially since the one wielding it is one of the Three Swords of Light."
Stella never imagined that such words could make her happy. She turned her face away to hide the blush and murmured with a shy smile:
"It's nothing special, really… but thanks."
Hiro, listening to the conversation without understanding any of it, chose to remain silent.
"Can I hold it for a bit?"
Wendy reached out toward the staff, smiling.
Stella pulled her hand back.
"Are you crazy? Don't you know what could happen if you touch it?"
"I just want to try something. Let me touch it—just a little."
Wendy's fingers moved closer. But just before she could touch the staff, a powerful lightning bolt shot out and blasted her hand back violently. Her palm exploded with pain, blood dripping from every part of it.
Hiro panicked, not understanding what was going on.
"What's happening?! Are you okay?"
Stella, furious, shouted at her.
"Are you insane?! You could've lost your hand!"
Wendy, trembling with pain but still smiling, looked down at her burned hand.
"Ah… I know. I just wanted to make sure the story was real.
So it's true—the weapon never betrays its chosen wielder. That's amazing. A weapon with a will of its own… that's crazy."
Both Hiro and Stella now looked at Wendy with different eyes. The girl who had once unsettled them with her sarcasm now seemed… truly different.
Stella, her voice trembling slightly, muttered:
"You're completely crazy."
Wendy gave her a warm smile and replied:
"Maybe you're right."
As they continued walking, the silence returned. The distance between them grew again—no words exchanged for a long while.
Eventually, they reached a clearing in the forest. A wide field filled with crimson flowers stretched before them.
And there, standing at the center, was an old man wearing a long red robe trimmed with feathers. His luxurious outfit spoke of nobility. But it was the black horns on his head, emerging from fiery red hair, that inspired real fear.
Stella and Wendy froze, their eyes locked on the man, fear spreading across their faces. Hiro, still unaware of what was happening, followed their gaze—only then noticing the strange red lines stretching from the man's shoulders into the sky, forming a glowing circle full of ancient symbols.
Suddenly, those lines began retracting back into his body. The man let the flower he was holding fall to the ground and began to speak to himself.
"Just as I thought.
The barrier surrounding this forest has vanished.
Are these children the cause?"
As his eyes focused on them, he paused in shock upon seeing Hiro.
"That boy… could it be?"
While Hiro was trying to convince the girls to move, he suddenly found the old man standing directly in front of him. The distance between them hadn't been small—
It was as if the man had teleported.
And when Hiro looked into his eyes, he understood why the girls had frozen.
A deep, primal fear began to creep into his body.
"You have horns… but you're not one of the Akani.
Your body is unique.
Could you be… one of the Exiled?"
Hiro couldn't understand what the man was saying. He couldn't even respond—frozen in place.
The man raised his hand toward Hiro, attempting to touch him.
But at that moment, Stella swung her staff, and a bolt of lightning struck the old man with a deafening roar.
"Are you okay?! Get up—we have to run, now!
(That attack probably won't be enough to stop him—we need to escape before...)"
Before she could finish, the old man was already behind her—completely unharmed.
"You do realize an old man could die if struck by such a bolt, right?
Have a little mercy," he said, with a sarcastic smile.
And with that, he kicked Stella in the stomach—hard.
She flew through the air like a ragdoll, slamming into a massive tree, collapsing unconscious.
Hiro, now consumed by instinct, ignored his fear and charged. His fist, wrapped in flame, flew toward the old man—
Only to be caught effortlessly.
The flames around Hiro's fist extinguished with a hiss.
"I don't see any traces of Aka on your body.
No wings.
Not of that bloodline.
And yet… you wield fire.
How interesting.
But this flame of yours… is far too weak."
The old man punched Hiro straight into the ground, knocking him out instantly.
"Those horns don't suit you," he muttered coldly.
Then he turned to Wendy, who was still standing in place.
"And you? Not going to attack? Or are you just a bit smarter than the others?"
Tension showed clearly on Wendy's face.
"I'm not stupid enough to fight a King without proper preparation."
"So you're saying you would fight me… if you were prepared?
How interesting."
He slowly closed his eyes and reopened them.
His right eye had changed—completely black, with a strange mark glowing inside the pupil.
The aura from it sent a chill down Wendy's spine.
At the same time, Stella slowly stood up, staggering, holding her staff.
She pointed it at the old man—now far in the distance.
With a flick of her staff, a massive flaming arrow materialized beside her, and she launched it toward him.
But just before it could hit, it struck an invisible barrier and vanished.
In the same instant, another flaming arrow appeared in front of the old man—
And shot toward Stella with terrifying speed.
She barely moved in time, her body reacting on instinct to dodge the returning projectile.
"He used the same technique I just did?!
Is that his ability?
Can he copy techniques?
But how did he block that first attack without even lifting a finger...?"
Wendy, now carrying Hiro's unconscious body, moved away from the battle.
The old man stood still, analyzing everything.
"That girl... she's not human. But she doesn't belong to any known race either.
Could she also be one of the Exiled?"
Stella continued standing, but Wendy shouted to her:
"His ability reverses things!
If you attack him directly, the attack will come back stronger.
Try to confuse him first—make him lose focus before striking!"
There wasn't time to think.
Stella dashed toward him, deciding to trust Wendy's words.
She slammed her staff into the ground—five spheres of water emerged, surrounding the man from all sides.
Each one launched high-pressure streams of water strong enough to pierce stone.
"This girl has incredible control over her powers.
These jets could bore through my skull.
And now the ground is soft—if I misstep, I'll sink.
First lightning, then fire, now water and earth?
How many elements can this girl use?
And she's not even trying to hit me directly...
She's trying to throw off my focus."
"And that other girl figured out my ability so quickly.
Did I make a mistake somewhere?
No…
These kids… they're not normal."
One of the water blasts grazed his face, leaving a shallow cut.
Stella increased the pressure, summoning two flaming birds above her and hurling them at him.
The old man raised his hand—absorbing them entirely.
The water spheres vanished the same way, drawn into his palm.
Wendy was stunned.
"Did he just absorb that enormous attack?
But wasn't his power just reversal?
This isn't like what happened with his eye.
This isn't a Yang-type ability—
Could this be his true Aka technique?
If so, we're in serious trouble.
If this fight drags on… we're all going to die."
The old man smiled slightly and said loudly:
"You two…
You're Exiled, aren't you?
If that's the case, then someone must have brought us together here for a reason.
I've been trapped in this place for some time—
But now, thanks to you, I can finally pursue my goal."
"(Trapped...?
Who could imprison the King of War in one place for so long?
This doesn't feel right…
Something about this is very, very bad.)"
The man's black eye shifted again. He closed it for a moment, then opened it slowly.
"Third Level: Surface of the Lake."
Suddenly, the forest disappeared.
They were standing in the middle of a vast, churning lake beneath a cloudless sky.
The moment it appeared, Stella collapsed—choking, gasping for air.
Wendy was gripped by terror.
Her body flipped upside-down—
Her vision vanished.
Her ears heard nothing.
Her mouth opened to speak, but no sound came out.
And she couldn't breathe.
"(Calm down… I'm not really suffocating.
He said… the Third Level.
That means… we're inside his Domain.
If that's the case, then…
My senses must have been reversed.
My perception of breathing must have flipped.
I just need to stay calm.)"
After a few seconds, Wendy managed to breathe normally again. Her body adapted quickly.
The old man was visibly surprised.
"You're the first person to breathe naturally without your ears," he chuckled.
"How did you figure out how this place works so fast?"
Wendy didn't respond. She simply stared at him.
The old man scratched his head, mumbling,
"Ah, right. She can't hear anymore."
He snapped his fingers.
Suddenly, Wendy looked around—she could hear again.
He stepped closer, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Just as I thought…
You don't have a heart, do you?"
He stared deeply at her, muttering again:
"Someone gathered us here for a reason.
But no matter.
Thanks to that, I can finally take the next step."
Wendy dropped to her knees, her body trembling with chaotic sensations—
And yet she still asked:
"What are you really trying to do?
We were the ones who attacked first, sure…
But someone like you could've killed us without hesitation.
Still, you didn't.
You didn't even fight seriously.
You've trapped us here… but for what?
What do you want from people who've already lost their value in this world?"
The old man smirked.
"A good question.
You're not just a quiet girl—you're special.
And since you're human, I imagine you already understand what this place is…"
"The Third Level…
Where a power can be unleashed in its true form," Wendy muttered.
"Exactly.
My ability may seem simple on the outside—just reversing things.
It looks invincible.
But in truth, it has flaws.
Here, though… in this place…
I can unleash the true form of my ability.
It applies to everything inside this domain.
And it's not just basic reversals.
Here, I can reverse concepts.
Truths.
Reality itself."
Wendy's breath caught in her throat.
"If I'm hungry, I can reverse that concept—
My stomach fills instantly.
If I'm tired, reversing the idea of fatigue makes me alert and strong.
Pain, injury, illness, weakness—I can reverse them all and return to perfect condition.
Even time.
If I wanted, I could revert you to a child."
Wendy was silent, stunned by the scale of such power.
"Can something like that even be done?" she whispered.
"Wouldn't that disturb the very order of the world?"
The old man laughed again—this time, genuinely.
"I never thought I'd be discussing philosophy with a child.
Not only that—you're taking it in stride.
Most kids your age would scream or cry.
Are you crazy? Or just… different?"
Wendy didn't reply. She just stared at him coldly.
After a long pause, he continued.
"As I said—my ability works on everything in here.
But there's one thing I can't reach.
Life… and death.
That's the only domain beyond my control."
He looked down, his voice lower now.
"We, the Exiled, have all lost something essential.
Not by accident, not by misfortune…
But as punishment.
This is the truth we live with.
So I thought…
What would happen if I reversed that truth?
If we've lost what was most precious to us…
What do we gain by reversing that loss?
Back then, no one knew who I was.
Not even me.
I had lost my identity as a person.
But when I reversed that truth—
I became who I am now.
So now…
Let's find out what your truths are.
What will be revealed when your reality is reversed?"
Suddenly, Wendy's surroundings changed again.
Black turned to white.
The pain, the pressure—it melted into peace.
She gasped as sensation flooded back into her.
Her hand clutched her chest tightly.
She couldn't breathe properly.
Tears streamed down her face.
What is this heat in my chest?
Am I happy?
Sad?
Angry?
At peace?
Was I laughing… or crying?
With a long, trembling sigh, she whispered:
"Ah… so this is what feelings are like.
It's strange…
It feels beautiful.
But I can't stop crying.
So this… this is happiness."
She looked toward the sky, voice soft:
"So this is what a heart feels like…"
Moments later, her vision cleared.
And the first thing she saw… was Stella.
The blue-haired girl stood staring at the sky, her eyes hollow.
Strange black horns, like tree branches, curled from her head.
Her arms were covered in strange, scale-like marks.
Then, without a sound, she collapsed.
Wendy ran to her side—no signs of life.
Despite barely knowing her, rage welled up inside Wendy.
The old man chuckled softly.
"At least you two look peaceful.
That's good.
Keeping your sanity after such a shift is almost impossible.
And thanks to that…
I won't have to deal with both of your berserk states."
As he spoke, Hiro slowly stepped forward.
Wendy turned to him… and froze.
Hiro had changed.
His now-mature body was covered in ominous markings.
His long white hair reached the ground.
His eyes were completely black—soulless.
But worst of all…
The massive, jet-black wings that now unfurled behind him.
Wendy had suspected something like this might happen…
But still, the sight chilled her.
The old man looked him over and muttered:
"Not all of you, it seems.
Two wings, huh?
Not what I expected—
But still easier to deal with than a real monster.
You look even more pathetic now than when you lost earlier."
Hiro let out a primal roar—no longer human.
The old man smiled.
"Good.
I like that spirit.
Come on then…
Let's play, little elf."