Chapter 1: The Final Battle
The sky had turned red, not from the setting sun, but from the endless flames and blood that had stained the heavens themselves.
Dark clouds twisted unnaturally above the battlefield, as if the world was mourning its own destruction.
On the land below, nothing remained alive.
Burnt, blood-soaked stones covered the ground, cracked by immense magic and countless clashes of steel. Broken weapons lay scattered everywhere—swords snapped in half, spears bent beyond use, shields shattered as if made of glass. The air was thick with the smell of ash and iron.
The roar of battle had long since ended.
There were no war cries, no clashing blades, no desperate spells echoing across the field.
Only silence.
The silence of death.
Captain Aeron Ashford lay fallen on the ground, his body half-buried beneath rubble and scorched earth. His breathing was rapid and uneven, each breath a painful struggle. Deep wounds covered his body—cuts from blades, burns from demonic magic, and injuries that should have killed any normal man long ago.
His fingers twitched weakly.
The sword he had wielded for years, the blade that had cut through countless enemies, had slipped from his grasp and lay a few steps away, stained black with blood.
Around him lay his companions.
One by one.
Silent.
Broken.
Dead.
They were known across kingdoms as—
The Radiant Vanguard.
The hero team that had stood at the front lines of every major battle.
The ones who had fought together for years, sharing victories, losses, laughter, and pain.
They had carried a single dream in their hearts—
To destroy the Demon Land.
To end the age of darkness.
To defeat the Demon Lord.
But today…
That dream had finally shattered.
Standing before the fallen heroes was Demon Lord Velmor.
His presence alone crushed the air around him. Dark mana flowed quietly from his body, warping space itself. Yet there was no anger on his face. No madness. No joy of victory.
He stood calmly, hands relaxed at his sides—
As if the outcome of this battle had already been decided long ago.
His crimson eyes reflected the ruined battlefield. Within them was something far deeper than hatred—
It was the depth of time itself, as though he had seen this exact moment repeat again and again.
"Is that all?"
Velmor's voice was soft.
Yet every word carried an invisible weight that pressed down on Aeron's chest, making it hard to breathe.
Aeron struggled.
With trembling arms, he forced himself to lift his head. His vision blurred, blood dripping from his forehead into his eyes.
Before him, memories flashed.
The face of the mage who fell first—
whose hand Aeron had held until the light faded from his eyes.
The warrior who died smiling, laughing even as his body was torn apart, saying, "At least… we made it this far."
Aeron's lips trembled.
"It seems so…"
Velmor said quietly, his tone almost indifferent.
"Today, your story ends here."
Despite the overwhelming pain tearing through his body, Aeron tried to smile. Blood spilled from his mouth as he coughed.
"Maybe…"
he said weakly, his voice barely carrying across the battlefield,
"But not every story needs the same ending…"
For the first time, Velmor's expression changed.
He looked at Aeron carefully, as if seeing him properly for the first time—not as a hero, not as an enemy, but as an individual standing at the edge of fate.
"There is still… time,"
Aeron whispered, his voice shaking.
"We have lost…"
His breathing grew heavier.
"But not everything is over."
A faint smile appeared on Velmor's lips.
"Time?"
He stepped forward, his footsteps echoing unnaturally loud in the silent battlefield.
"Heroes like you have already spoken those words countless times."
For a moment, even the wind stopped blowing.
The world seemed frozen.
Aeron closed his eyes.
In his heart, there was only one thought—
If only I could get one more chance…
Just one.
"Captain…"
It was as if someone called his name.
A familiar voice.
Perhaps a memory.
Perhaps a soul calling from beyond time itself.
Velmor slowly raised his hand.
Dark mana gathered at his fingertips.
A sharp flash of light split the sky.
Thunder roared as if the heavens themselves screamed.
And in that moment—
The Radiant Vanguard came to an end.
Darkness.
Then—
Light.
Aeron suddenly opened his eyes.
To be continue...