"A kind heart is a gift.
But in a cruel world, it's also a weapon…
And sometimes, a curse."
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Scene: Alen's Despair – A Moment Between Life and Death
In the aftermath of war, with the blood of his enemies still staining his soul, Alen sat alone on the edge of the Academy tower—silent, unmoving, shattered.
Below him, the night wind howled over the training fields, but he couldn't hear it.
He saw only the prince's shattered body, the terrified expressions of the commoners as the Crimson Lion burned down a kingdom.
He saw Lyra crying.
And then... he saw himself.
"What have I become?" he whispered, voice trembling.
"Was this... the right thing? I don't deserve this power. I don't deserve to live..."
As his fingers began to loosen their grip on the ledge—ready to surrender himself to death—
Time stopped.
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Scene: The Arrival of the Formless
Everything turned to black.
No stars.
No wind.
No sound.
Just an endless void.
Then came a whisper—low, cold, eternal.
"You disappoint me, Alen."
From the darkness stepped a being formed not of flesh but of shifting shadows—a silhouette that changed with every blink.
The Formless, an ancient godlike being beyond realms, who once granted Alen his second life.
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Dialogue: Cruel Awakening
Alen: "I killed them… I've become a monster…"
Formless (calmly): "And what if you have?"
Alen stared.
Formless: "You mourn for the dead you buried, but not for the thousands they would have slaughtered. Do you think your enemies would've spared Lyra? Your clan? The innocent?"
Alen: "That doesn't make me better than them... I thought I could be different."
The Formless didn't reply with words.
He raised a hand, and black smoke unfolded like a canvas.
Alen saw visions:
A girl with a broken leg thrown into slavery for stealing a loaf of bread.
A town starved while nobles feasted on gold-laced meat.
Soldiers setting fire to villages, laughing as women screamed.
The Queen and King, smiling on their thrones, watching blood run.
Formless: "This is the kingdom you mourn for.
This is the world you want to die for."
Alen clenched his fists, trembling.
Alen: "Still… I killed too many…"
Suddenly, the Formless slapped him across the face—not hard, but sharp enough to freeze Alen's breath.
Formless (roaring): "Stupidity can kill even gods!"
"You think regret will save anyone?! If you die, your lover dies. If you fall, your clan suffers. Your enemies won't praise your mercy—they'll spit on your grave."
The darkness quaked.
Formless: "Did I bring you to this world to become a martyr?! No.
I gave you power. I gave you choice. I gave you... a chance."
"Now hear me, Alen of Crimson Lion.
Be selfish. Be ruthless.
Even if you must kill a million—do not regret."
Alen's heart pounded.
Formless: "You are not a god. But a man with something gods fear:
Purpose."
"And a man with purpose can kill gods...
but only if he lives."
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Scene: Alen's Resolve Reborn
The darkness began to fade.
Time resumed.
Alen blinked as the moonlight returned. His fingers were clenched into his own flesh.
No longer shaking.
"Be selfish… Be ruthless… Protect what matters."
He stepped away from the ledge.
Behind him, the faint echo of the Formless's voice lingered:
"Don't waste the chance given by the Creator. You are more than a sword—you are a storm."
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Scene: Returning to the World
Alen walked back into the academy halls, face calm, but fire in his eyes. Students who once whispered behind his back now turned away in fear—or respect.
He walked straight into Lyra's room, found her curled up on the balcony.
She turned in surprise.
Lyra (teary-eyed): "Alen... where were you? I was—"
Alen: "I'm sorry. I was lost."
He knelt and held her hand.
Alen: "I thought I was a monster. But now I know... I'm a protector."
Lyra (softly): "Then protect me."
Alen (firmly): "I will. Always."
She smiled—faint, afraid, but real.
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