In the silence of the night, the threads of fate were being woven anew. There was no turning back after that night… something had risen whose story had yet to be told, and I had unknowingly opened the door for it.
Villiam and I rushed out of the carriage. My chest felt heavy, my body bound, as if tied with an iron thread. Each breath came tighter than the last.
Once outside, my gaze immediately fell on the driver and the horses. Blood flooded the area… the horses' heads were severed, as if struck by lightning. The driver's body lay torn apart, as if wild dogs had ravaged him.
My pulse raced, my breath caught in my throat. I couldn't look away from the sheer horror before me. My body froze, controlled by some unseen phantom.
Villiam's voice was tense.
"The driver was no ordinary man… he was one of my master's most formidable assassins. His bloodline belongs to the blue demon lords…"
A scream pierced the night:
"Watch out!"
I lifted my head. A flaming arrow tore through the air toward me. I gripped my sword and deflected it, splitting it clean in two.
Instinctively, my eyes moved forward. Amid the darkness, I saw them: eyes glowing like embers from hell. Fangs shone like pearls, their small bodies grotesque, monkey-like—but far worse. Even looking at them hurt my eyes.
"They're a group of red imps," Villiam said quickly. "But this is the first time they've broken the rules to attack us. We weren't enemies… not allies either. So why now?"
The air turned foul, smelling like rotting animal waste. They muttered strange words, almost like incantations. One word repeated, clear as day: "Dragon…"
I turned to respond, but my heart dropped. Villiam was injured—deeply. His abdomen was ripped open, entrails scattered on the ground.
A heavy weight pressed against my chest. Him? Villiam? The man who was supposed to be invincible?
Time seemed to freeze. My eyes widened as I shouted sharply,
"Who are you? And why—"
I didn't finish. Suddenly, the air thickened, and I looked up to see claws pierce my body like sharp blades. I swung my sword, but they attacked all at once, sinking their teeth into my arms as if trying to tear them away.
I hesitated. Should I unleash my power and end them? Or ignore them and flee? Using my power here would violate the laws, revealing my presence to the entire village.
I exhaled sharply, kicked at the air, tore several off with my free hand, and with my sword cut some in half.
I had broken the rules… and killed one of them. Bewildered, I wanted to flee—but my worry for Villiam burned inside me. I could not leave him. I had to save him, no matter the cost.
Before I could move, something emerged from between the trees and shifted the balance of the battle.
His footsteps were unlike anything I'd ever heard, as if the night itself had parted to clear his path. Shadows recoiled, and the air changed.
In that moment, I realized my life before this encounter was one thing… and everything after it would be something entirely different.
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-To be continued...-