— Come on, everyone! The dome is just ahead! — Ruby shouted as she climbed a hill.
Behind her, around seventy wounded people followed, limping, their clothes torn and faces covered in ash.
---
FOREST — AT THE SAME MOMENT
Among trees bathed in moonlight, Sebastian walked with a group of children.
— Keep going straight — he said, pointing ahead. — You'll see a big round metal structure. When you get there, don't look back.
A deep roar echoed through the trees.
The ground trembled.
From the vegetation, a colossal serpent emerged — its scales pitch black, eyes glowing red like embers.
Sebastian stepped forward, spear in hand.
— Get out of here, now! — he yelled. — I'll handle this and catch up later!
The children ran off, vanishing into the woods.
Alone, Sebastian spun his spear and leapt toward the beast.
---
RUINED STREETS — NIGHT
Kevin dashed across the shattered rooftops.
— Haven't found anyone else... guess I'll head back to the dome — he murmured.
Suddenly, a cut opened on his right cheek — like a living mouth.
From it came Melissa's voice:
— That would be the sensible choice. You haven't eaten or drunk anything for hours, Kevin. You could die.
He jumped down from the roof, landing amid rubble.
— You're right. After everything I've been through, dying of hunger would be... shameful. — he said, staring at the horizon.
— I could fly there, but... better to save my energy.
The mouth disappeared. Silence followed.
Then, an explosion thundered in the distance.
The shockwave threw him through the air, slamming him against a broken wall.
Dazed, Kevin stood up.
And then he saw it:
A humanoid creature wrapped in black smoke watched him from afar.
Its hair moved like living mist.
— That thing's hair... it looks like smoke... — Kevin muttered through gritted teeth.
Further ahead, a wounded man — missing his right arm, covered in blood — struggled to stay upright, gripping a sword with his remaining hand.
Around him, burnt and decapitated corpses littered the ground.
Kevin raised his hand. A green crystal stake materialized.
He hurled it.
The projectile hit the monster's abdomen — barely scratching it.
The creature slowly turned to him.
Silence. Then, a guttural laugh.
— You... were the one who killed my apprentice, weren't you? — it said with hatred.
— What?! — Kevin snapped, confused.
The monster lifted its hand.
A pool of black water opened beneath it — and it dove in.
In the blink of an eye, it emerged before Kevin, bursting from the ground.
— Do you have any idea who I am? — it asked, voice distorted.
Before Kevin could answer, invisible claws slashed him — once, twice, three deep cuts across his body.
— That... that wraith... it's the same type I fought before... — Kevin thought, gasping.
The creature grinned, showing sharp teeth.
— You noticed, didn't you?
Behind it, Kevin saw survivors trying to rise from the rubble.
— "There are still people alive... If I don't stop this thing, they'll all die." — he thought.
He gathered essence in his hand, manifesting a green sword, and charged toward the enemy.
He leapt — but in midair, another pit of dark sludge opened.
Kevin was sucked in like a vortex.
A second later, the ground split open — and he crashed down, covered in black mud.
He barely had time to breathe.
The creature grabbed his neck.
— Too weak. — it hissed.
With a swift motion, it sliced off both of Kevin's arms.
His scream echoed through the ruins.
— That's it! Scream! — the wraith mocked. — Feel the pain of the one who dared touch my apprentice!
It hurled him into the debris.
Then, picked up Kevin's severed arms... and devoured them.
The sound of tearing flesh filled the air.
Grinning grotesquely, the monster lifted the green sword that had fallen.
— This is the end, boy.
Kevin tried to stand.
His body trembled. Sweat and blood mixed.
He breathed heavily, eyes empty.
The bleeding stopped — his body struggling weakly to regenerate.
The creature lunged again.
The impact sent him crashing down.
More cuts. More pain.
The metallic sound of the blade echoed alongside the distant screams of survivors.
Kevin, groaning, could only think:
— "I... can't... die here..."
The wraith crouched close, watching him.
— It's so good to see you like this... — it whispered, laughing. — I'll let you die... slowly.
Its laughter faded into the dark.
Kevin, face down, bleeding and mutilated, barely breathed.
Without arms, missing a leg, he muttered weakly:
— If it weren't for hunger... and thirst... I... I...
Before he could finish, the wraith stepped closer, smiling wickedly.
— You won't do anything. You're so weak, so useless... it doesn't matter whether you live or not.
My student died because of you. Accept your death, worm.
No answer came.
Only the crackling of fire devouring what was left around them.
— He must be dead already. — the creature muttered, turning away.
A cruel grin spread across its face as it saw the wounded soldiers crawling.
— Let's have some fun... — it said.
Screams echoed.
Some tried to run; others, hopeless, threw themselves into the flames.
The monster laughed — until a voice called behind it:
— Stop right there, trash. We're not done yet.
The voice was familiar.
When it turned, the wraith saw Kevin standing — unharmed, arms and legs restored, his clothes intact.
His eyes glowed.
— Impossible... — the creature stammered, stepping back. — I killed you! How are you alive?! Who are you?!
Kevin began to float slowly, the wind stirring the ashes around him.
His voice came out firm, filled with conviction:
— I am the light within the darkness itself.
I don't fight for recognition... only to protect those I deem worthy.
I am the star that never stops shining — even when surrounded by shadows.
I am Dark Star.
— Dark Star, huh? — the wraith sneered. — Then it'll be a pleasure to crush that pathetic light.
The creature lunged, claws slicing the air.
Kevin blocked with his fists, dodging and countering with a direct punch to its face.
The impact cracked the ground.
He then materialized two greenish daggers, and his eyes changed —
the silver irises split by a glowing vertical green line.
The Hagan was active.
— What's changed in you, boy? — the monster growled.
Kevin took a deep breath.
— With the gift I received from the heavens... I'll end you! — he roared.
He threw one of the daggers.
The creature dodged easily — but Kevin vanished at the same instant.
When it turned, Kevin was already above, holding the dagger midair, spinning.
In a flash, he plunged the blade into the wraith's back.
The dagger glowed — and exploded, leaving a smoking hole in its body.
— Didn't even scream, huh? — Kevin muttered, annoyed.
At a distance, the one-armed man — the last survivor — watched.
"That thing doesn't feel pain... and that kid, even wounded, keeps fighting... incredible."
Kevin charged again, cutting off one of the creature's hands.
But a new arm grew from its back, grabbing his left arm.
Predicting the move, Kevin leapt and sliced off the new limb with his other dagger.
Before he could react, a fireball struck his face, exploding.
He was thrown back hard.
On the ground, barely standing, he saw the wraith rushing again, claws slashing his flesh.
Kevin kicked its head, forcing it away.
— Those... hands... — he muttered, watching. — They regenerate... now there are six.
The creature laughed, spreading its arms.
— Feel the poison in my claws, boy?
Kevin fell to his knees, breathing heavily.
The daggers dissolved into green dust as he tried to heal with what little energy remained.
The monster stepped closer, ready to finish him off.
But then, the ground beneath its feet began to crack.
A rift of dark earth opened, sucking everything nearby.
— Well, damn... — the wraith chuckled. — My time here's up.
See you around, Dark Star...
The ground swallowed it whole.
Then closed — as if nothing had happened.
Kevin, still on his knees, let out a weak laugh.
— That bastard almost killed me... and the world decided to swallow him instead.
HAHAHAHAHA!
His laughter broke into pain. His wounds throbbed again.
— Hey, kid...
Kevin lifted his head.
The voice was hoarse, aged — an old man's.
Through the fire and debris, the one-armed warrior limped toward him.
— Can you make it, sir? We need to get to the northern dome! — Kevin shouted.
They walked side by side, slowly.
— That was an incredible fight, boy. — said the old man. — I swore you'd die a dozen times.
Kevin gave a faint smile.
— Thanks... at least someone's happy about it.
— Why the sad face, huh? — the man asked.
— I... — Kevin lowered his head. — I couldn't kill that wraith. I'm too weak.
The old man stopped.
— Dark Star, isn't that what you said before? That you'd protect whoever you wanted?
Kevin looked up, listening.
— That hood covers half your face, so I can't tell if you're crying... — the old man continued softly. —
But don't blame yourself for what you couldn't do.
The difference between those who fall and those who win... is standing up and trying again.
Think about what you'll do next time.
Believe me... that's what keeps you alive.
When he finished speaking, his body fell to the ground — motionless.
Kevin dropped to his knees.
— Hey! Hey, stay with me! — he shouted.
But the body began to burn with black fire, disintegrating.
— Damn it... damn it, damn it! — Kevin screamed, clenching his fists.
The sun began to rise.
Exhausted, he kept walking, limping, until the metallic dome appeared in the distance.
When he reached the gates, the morning light wrapped around him.
And for the first time... Dark Star felt that the dawn was watching him back.