Special Chapter 2 – The Day the Sky Wept
The sky was gray. Heavy clouds stretched across the horizon like a mourning shroud, and the distant sound of thunder echoed over the field of ruins. The wind carried the scent of smoke and scorched earth. There were no birds singing—only the whisper of a world that seemed… to be crying.
It was the day of the funeral.
Hundreds of heroes had gathered in the devastated heart of the old capital. Half-burned flags fluttered over the wreckage, and among the improvised graves, white flowers were laid by trembling hands. Tears blended with the fine rain that began to fall.
Among the names carved into the cold marble, two stood out:
Dimitrius Valtier and Evelyn Valtier — parents of Lorien Valtier and Darius Valtier.
Nearby, another gravestone bore the names Julius and Mary Stormbreak.
The families who once upheld the world… now rested beneath the same soil they had fought to protect.
Ray Stormbreak stood among them, wearing a black coat, his face hidden beneath the shadow of his hood. Beside him, in mourning, stood his fiancée Tiana, holding an umbrella as the harsh wind tossed her curly hair. In Ray's arms, a small baby carriage — and within it, sleeping peacefully, was Inavy Stormbreak, his son.
Everyone fell silent as he walked by. Some looked at him with respect; others with a mix of fear and reverence.
The "Golden Thunder" — the man who had faced chaos and won, but at an unbearable cost.
"Ray Stormbreak… it's an honor to have you here," said an old hero, his voice breaking as he shook Ray's hand.
"Dimitrius and Julius would have entrusted the future to you."
Ray simply nodded. "They were my brothers."
The rain grew heavier. Ray looked around. There were young ones crying, veterans kneeling, and the sound of bells echoing through the wind. That's when he noticed a scene in the distance.
A boy — no older than ten — knelt before a gravestone, holding a baby wrapped in a blue blanket. The boy was crying softly, his blue eyes filled with tears.
Ray approached, and beside him walked Rayden, his father.
"That's Lorien Valtier," Rayden said with a sigh. "Dimitrius' son. The baby is Darius — the same age as little Inavy."
Ray's chest tightened. For a moment, he saw in Lorien the reflection of his own pain.
He stepped closer, stopping a few paces away.
"Hey…" Ray said softly. "I'm sorry for your loss."
Lorien lifted his tearful eyes. "Everyone says that, sir," he whispered, his voice small yet mature. "But… if it's meant to comfort me, then I'll accept your words."
Ray was silent for a moment. Then, he smiled faintly.
"You're strong, kid. Your father would be proud."
Lorien nodded silently, holding the baby closer to his chest.
Ray stepped back, his eyes glistening.
In that moment, he understood: the heroes had fallen, but the future still breathed — in the children left behind.
Minutes later, the master of ceremonies called for speeches. One by one, leaders and veterans stood. Their words were beautiful, yet drenched in sorrow. Then, the name everyone had been waiting for was announced.
"Ray Stormbreak — the Supreme Hero."
The murmurs ceased. Silence fell.
Ray climbed the steps to the makeshift podium before the graves. Behind him, the ruins still smoldered. The wind howled, lifting ashes that danced in the air.
He took a deep breath — and began to speak.
"Today… the world bled."
His voice echoed — steady, but heavy with grief.
"The ground we walk on trembled beneath the weight of destruction. Every soul that fell left behind a void that will never be filled. I… lost friends, brothers… and the hope of a new beginning."
Silence. Even the wind seemed to pause.
"For a moment — just one — I thought destiny had decided for all of us."
He looked up at the clouded sky.
"But as the flames still burn behind me, I realize something… The fact that we're still here means the world hasn't given up."
Ray raised his gaze, thunder rumbling in the distance.
"Yes, fear tried to break me. Pain tried to silence me. But there's a flame no war, no god, and no being can extinguish — the will to rebuild what we love."
Some began to cry. Others clenched their fists.
"I used to think heroes were those who never fell."
He closed his eyes.
"Today, I understand — heroes are those who rise again, even when there's no reason left to fight."
The wind began to swirl around him. A faint golden aura of lightning shimmered, merging with the rain.
"We've lost so much. I've lost everything that once made me believe tomorrow would be kind. But maybe… it's this very pain that will forge us into something new."
"Maybe the new beginning I lost… stands before us now — in the courage of those who survived."
People began to lift their heads, as if something within them had rekindled.
"Because the story of the world doesn't end here. It begins again — with every breath, every step, every heart still beating among the ashes."
Ray then raised his fist, his voice roaring like thunder.
"And I swear — before all of you — I will not let this sacrifice be in vain. I will change this world's destiny, even if destiny itself tries to destroy me for it!"
The breeze turned into a gale. The rain ceased.
And for an instant, the sky seemed to open — a fracture of light between the clouds.
"Today, we weep."
"Tomorrow, we rebuild."
"And when the sun rises again… let it find a people who refused to die."
"Let it find heroes."
A reverent silence followed. Then, slowly, applause began — one, then two, then hundreds.
People cried, knelt, shouted his name.
And Ray Stormbreak stood motionless — yet his heart burned like fire.
That day became known as "The Funeral of the World."
And Ray's speech spread across continents, echoing like an oath.
[A few years later]
Headlines filled every paper:
"Ray Stormbreak — From Rookie to Supreme Hero."
"The Man Who Inspired Rebirth."
"Is Ray the New Number One of the World?"
The answer came through his actions.
Ray changed everything.
He created the Hero Draft, opening the doors for young people of all origins.
He founded the Hero Guilds, believing that humanity's strength lay in unity.
And for two years, he led the legendary Guild of a Thousand Lights, a symbol of balance between power and hope.
Later, he would rise to become President of the Hero Association, guiding a new era.
But on that gray day, he was just a man — a man who had lost everything, and still chose to keep going.
As the rain fell upon the field of graves, Ray held baby Inavy in his arms. The child opened his eyes for the first time — and smiled.
Ray looked toward the horizon and whispered:
"One day… you'll inherit this world, my son. And when that day comes…"
Thunder answered his vow.
"…I want it to find heroes."
The sky thundered one last time.
Lightning illuminated the name Ray Stormbreak — the man who taught the world to rise again.
End of Special Chapter – "The Day the Sky Wept"