The drums of war were nothing but the beginning…
And as soon as they subsided, silence prevailed, and everything turned into dark ashes. Then, suddenly, the fires of war erupted once again. Screams filled the air.
The ground was cloaked in a shroud of blood, and smoke rose like a black cloud, choking every breath. The enemy horses' hooves pounded the ground with a fury, like angry thunderclaps.
From afar, the legions of the Wolf and Human Kingdoms appeared on the horizon, advancing swiftly. Their swords sliced through the bodies of my soldiers and my people without mercy.
My heart trembled. The sky darkened, and light plunged into deep shadow. I shouted inwardly:
"It is not the time to retreat now… Weakness is for the powerless, and the village needs me. I am the king, and protecting my kingdom is not just a duty… but a vow I must uphold."
The cries of my people rose, pleading for help, and the blood of my men poured onto the ground like bloody rain from the sky.
My village — once known for its strength and glory — stood before my eyes, melting and fading as if it had never existed.
I gripped my royal flute tightly and began to play, summoning the Black Hawk, the majestic ruler of the mountains…
But he did not come.
"Strange… this is the first time I've called him and he doesn't answer…"
The bond between him and the flute was not merely an agreement, but an ancient connection that had lasted for thousands of years. His power was tied to my rhythm, and even his wings would not move except to my melody.
I played with determination… but silence was his only response.
My vision blurred to white, my body grew unbearably heavy, and shock seized my heart.
"How could he abandon us at a moment like this?!"
Dark thoughts gnawed at my mind:
Did he hear my call and choose to ignore me?
Did he betray the oath?
Did he ally with the enemy?
Not once did I consider that he might have been harmed… Instead, I sank into the worst possibilities, like any desperate being.
In times of hardship, we do not seek the truth, but someone to blame. All that matters to us is our own survival… We see anyone who extends a helping hand as a servant, not a partner.
Our nature… mirrors that of humans — selfish and fragile.
At that moment, the enemy's cries rose with savage fury:
"Kill them! Leave no one alive! Take your vengeance — avenge your ancestors!"
My heart clenched. A sense of impending doom approached.
Humans — driven by greed and stained by their history — now wore the mask of victims to hide their sins.
Amid the chaos of battle, I saw him.
A mysterious figure cutting through the ranks.
A terrifying aura surrounded him, making my chest tighten every time my eyes fell upon him. He was clad in iron armor, his face hidden behind a mask engraved with runes and intricate patterns — as if they were forbidden spells.
He rode a black horse, charging madly. Then, he raised his hand toward me, marking me with a silent sign of death.
My gaze was drawn, almost against my will, toward Elena.
Amidst the blood and smoke, she stood like an unextinguishable beacon. Her blue eyes gleamed. Her hair was tightly bound. Her gaze… unwavering.
In the heart of hell, her mere presence awakened something within me — something I thought had died long ago.
But the masked man leveled his spear at her.
Time slowed.
The air grew heavy.
My heartbeat thundered like war drums in my skull.
Without hesitation, I rushed through the corpses.
My sword sliced through the air as the spear's gleam drew closer to her.
I moved like I never had before.
I collided with a force that shook the ground and deflected the spear from its path…
But what I hadn't expected happened.
Pain erupted like fire through my chest.
The spear pierced my body...
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-To be continued...-