A great flame consumed the city.
The night sky glowed red as houses collapsed under the weight of fire, the air thick with smoke and the cries of people begging for help.
"Arghh!" a man screamed, pinned beneath the rubble.
A knight rushed through the inferno, his armor scorched, eyes stinging from the smoke. He knelt beside the man, straining as he pushed away a fallen beam. "Hold on!" he shouted, his voice rough but firm.
With a final heave, the debris rolled aside. The knight grabbed the man's arm and pulled him free.
"Phew… are you okay?" he asked, panting, his face smeared with soot.
The man nodded shakily, eyes full of tears. "Y-yes… thank you, Sir Knight."
The knight's expression hardened. His instincts screamed danger.
"RUN!" he roared.
The man flinched, then turned and fled through the burning street.
A metallic clang rang from the distance — the sound of steel striking stone.
"Tch…" The knight turned toward it and sprinted into the heart of the flames.
This was the Kingdom of Abeion — once humanity's final fortress during the world's darkest era.
Long ago, a calamity known as the One Disaster Hero nearly wiped humanity from existence. His name was Rohan, the Hero Disaster. Just hearing that name once made people tremble in fear. But the world changed because of three saviors — the Three Heroes of Salvation.
Now, monsters appeared before the walls of Abeion. Their howls shook the ground, echoing through the city.
"The monsters! They're here!" a woman cried out.
Panic spread like wildfire. People clutched their children and prayed. Hope was fading—until light burst through the clouds above.
A radiant glow of pure gold illuminated the night sky.
"What's that!?" someone shouted, pointing upward.
Three silhouettes descended from the heavens, wrapped in holy light. Confusion turned into awe. Then, one trembling villager fell to his knees.
"Th-this is our savior!" he cried.
The crowd followed, their despair replaced by a fierce spark of hope.
The Three Heroes stood above them like angels. Two bore wings of brilliant white and gold, but the third was different—his wings were skeletal, shrouded in dark aura, his presence colder and heavier than the others.
"Is… is he a hero too?" someone whispered.
Without a word, the noble warrior raised his glowing hand.
A radiant blast erupted, annihilating the monsters that surrounded the city. The ground trembled from its power.
The people erupted into cheers. The monsters fled, terrified by the light. The heroes descended slowly, their wings shimmering in the golden haze.
"You're safe now!" the noble warrior declared.
The city roared in triumph. Laughter and tears filled the plaza.
The king approached and bowed deeply. "Thank you, heroes! You saved us! What are your names?"
The noble warrior smiled faintly. "We have no names… but together, we are called Abeion."
The king's eyes widened in admiration. "Abeion… a name worthy of heroes!"
He turned to the people and shouted, "All hail our saviors — Abeion!"
The crowd cheered the name over and over, their voices shaking the heavens.
The noble warrior's expression hardened again. "It's too early to celebrate. We must attack before they rise again."
The king steadied himself and called out, "People of the Heart Kingdom! Prepare for battle! With our heroes' aid, we take back our world!"
And for the first time in generations, humanity roared with courage instead of fear.
Fast forward.
The three heroes stood before Rohan, the Disaster Hero, impaled upon his throne by a holy blade. His breath was shallow; blood pooled at his feet.
The noble warrior glared down at him. "You're finished, demon hero."
The female hero trembled with anger. "Wh-why did you do this!? Why cause such slaughter!?"
Rohan's eyes were distant. His lips trembled, but no words came.
The gloomy hero said nothing, though fury burned in his gaze. The silence stretched — heavy, sorrowful.
Then Rohan lifted his head weakly. His bloodshot eyes fixed on the gloomy hero.
"Y-you… do you still remember me?" he rasped.
The two other heroes glanced at each other, confused.
"What are you saying!?" the female hero demanded.
Rohan ignored her. His final words came out broken, trembling.
"So… sorry… I… failed you…"
His eyes dimmed. The once-feared Disaster Hero fell silent forever.
Present Day
Years passed. The world, once saved, began to rot again — not from monsters, but from men.
The wind howled across the plains, carrying the distant thunder of hooves.
Before the towering walls of Abeion, banners of the Holy Empire and the Southern Alliance stretched across the horizon like a tide of steel.
The chevalier commander sat tall upon his horse, silver armor gleaming under the pale sky. He raised his sword high and called out, his voice echoing for miles.
"New King of Abeion! Surrender your kingdom to the Holy Empire — or face annihilation at the hands of both the South and the Empire!"
From atop the wall, the king of Abeion looked down with defiant eyes. His golden cloak fluttered in the wind, though his heart carried the weight of dread.
"We will not surrender to monsters who experiment on humans!" he shouted. "I will not let my people become tools of your cruelty!"
The chevalier smirked — a sharp, joyless grin. "Then may the gods witness your fall."
He turned his steed, riding back to his army as laughter trailed behind him.
The king's hands clenched at the rampart. Below, the enemy encampments glimmered with firelight — tens of thousands waiting for dawn. He stood in silence for a long while, the echoes of war drums haunting the wind.
His knight commander approached quietly. "Your Majesty… what are your orders?"
The king did not answer immediately. His gaze lifted to the gray sky, to the clouds that drifted like ash.
"When will our saviors appear again?" he whispered.
"Your Majesty?" the knight asked, uncertain if he had heard correctly.
"Ready all troops," the king said at last, his voice calm but heavy. "We will defend our walls until the heroes return to us."
The knight kneeled, bowing his head. "As you command."
A week later, the siege began.
Abeion was surrounded — its shining walls now shadowed by siege towers and catapults.
The chevalier's voice thundered across the battlefield once more.
"King of Abeion! This is your final chance to surrender!"
The king stepped forward, his voice cutting through the air.
"You think you can breach these walls!? Even the ancient monsters led by the Disaster Hero could not!"
The chevalier's grin widened. "We shall see."
Moments later, a messenger rushed up the stairs to the ramparts, panting. "Your Majesty — a message. From the Holy Empire."
The king took the sealed letter, tore it open, and began to read aloud:
"Dear Majesty,
This is the commander of the Holy Empire. Your alliances have betrayed you. Your kingdom stands at the brink of destruction. Surrender, and we may still grant mercy—"
The king's hands trembled. He crushed the paper in anger. "Mercy?" he spat. "They call this mercy?"
He shouted over the wall, his voice echoing with fury.
"We will never surrender to tyrants!"
The chevalier below laughed. "You haven't read the last line, Your Majesty!"
The king froze. Slowly, he unfolded the crumpled paper. His eyes traced the bottom line, and his heart turned cold.
"The heroes you await will not come — for they now serve us."
The world fell silent.
The king's breath hitched as if struck through the chest. "No… that can't be."
He whispered again, weaker this time. "They would never…"
A shadow moved behind him.
A cold whisper brushed his ear. "Forgive me, Your Majesty."
The steel tip of a blade rested against his throat.
It was his knight commander — the man who had fought beside him since the rebellion, the man he trusted most.
The king's eyes widened, a thousand memories flashing in an instant.
"You…" he said hoarsely. "So it's true."
The knight's expression twisted with guilt. "I did what I had to do… to save this kingdom."
The king's voice broke — not from fear, but grief.
"To save yourself."
The knight said nothing. His silence was an answer heavier than betrayal.
Beyond the walls, horns sounded. The great gates of Abeion groaned as they opened — not from force, but from within.
The chevalier smiled, raising his sword toward the sky.
"Advance! For the Holy Empire!"
The armies surged forward.
Flames and screams returned to Abeion — just as they had centuries ago.
The king stood frozen, the weight of failure crushing his soul.
As steel clashed and fire consumed the walls, he whispered one last prayer:
"Heroes… if you can still hear us…
forgive what we've become."
And so began the Second Fall of Abeion —
a tragedy not of monsters or demons…
but of men who had forgotten what it meant to be saved.
The flames devoured the sky. Houses burned like torches, and the air was filled with screams—raw, desperate cries for help that tore through the night. The proud kingdom of Abeion was under siege.
The bells rang violently from the watchtower, a sound that once symbolized protection now echoing despair. "Alert! Enemy has entered the kingdom!" The call spread through the streets as armored knights clashed in chaos.
Loyal knights of Abeion fought with everything they had against the invading forces of the Holy Empire and the Southern Alliance. Steel struck steel, sparks flew, and betrayal hung heavy in the air.
"You traitor! How can you still call yourself a knight of Abeion!?" shouted one of the loyal defenders, his sword trembling with fury.
The opposing knight only smirked, his expression calm, almost prepared—as if he'd been waiting for this moment. "This kingdom is fighting against one of the strongest empires!" he spat back, tightening his grip on his blade before lunging forward.
"You've thrown away your dignity just to save yourself! You're no longer a knight of Abeion!" The two blades met again, their clash ringing out through the smoke-filled streets as the fires consumed what once was their home.
Far from the burning capital, deep within the Northern Forest, a man and a boy ran through the darkness. Branches whipped against their skin, and the sound of pursuit echoed behind them.
"Stop!" The shout of their pursuers echoed through the forest.
But the man didn't slow down. "Just run! Don't look back!" His voice was deep, commanding—one that could only belong to a soldier or a father.
I ran as fast as I could, my lungs screaming for air. The man beside me—my father, the one who adopted and trained me—ran with unshakable focus. To him, this was nothing. To me, it was survival.
After what felt like an eternity, he stopped near a small clearing. "Let's rest here."
He wasn't even breathing hard. But I collapsed to my knees, gasping for air. "Th-thank god..."
My father smiled faintly, resting a large hand on my head. "Catch your breath first. We'll continue north soon."
I looked up at him, still panting. "You should rest too..."
He chuckled softly. "Just rest there. I'll guard you."
Then my stomach betrayed me—growl. I turned red as he laughed, even in this desperate time. "Haha, you should've said you were hungry." His face softened, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes. "Wait here, I'll look for food."
"W-wait! Don't go!" I reached out, but he only patted my head again.
"This place is far from the Empire's reach. You'll be safe here."
And just like that, he disappeared into the dark forest, leaving me by the campfire's faint glow.
Time passed. The fire crackled softly as I hugged my knees, waiting for him to return. Then, from the shadows, a tall figure stepped into view.
"Father! You're back, that was fas—"
I froze.
It wasn't him.
The man looked similar—tall, muscular—but his armor gleamed with the crest of the Holy Empire. His eyes were sharp, his smile unsettling.
"Hello there, young one. Done warming yourself?"
I fumbled for my knife, my hands trembling. "Wh-who are you!?"
He tilted his head, amused. "You shouldn't be holding that, kid."
He took a step forward. My breath caught. Then—a sharp rustle.
Grass shifted.
My father burst from the darkness, a dead rabbit in one hand, fury in his eyes. In a single motion, he placed himself between me and the man.
"RUN!"
That voice… I'd never heard it so serious before.
Instinct took over. I turned and ran—through the trees, through the darkness, through tears. "FATHER!" I screamed, but I didn't stop. Even as my lungs burned and my legs gave out, I kept running.
He never caught up.
By the time my body gave out, I'd reached an old, abandoned church hidden deep in the northern woods. Without thinking, I stumbled inside, collapsing beside a cracked altar.
"Fa…father…" I whispered as darkness swallowed me.
When I opened my eyes, sunlight streamed through broken glass. Birds chirped softly outside.
"Hey, Elion! Wake up, it's time for meals!"
I shot up, disoriented. "Father!?"
But he wasn't there. Only silence.
Memories of last night hit me like a blade to the chest. I ran outside, hoping, praying—but the forest was gone.
The land was barren, dry, empty—only two lonely trees remained. "Where… where am I!?"
A voice answered from behind me. "What's a person doing here?"
I turned. A gloomy old man stood near the path, shadows clinging to him like mist. His eyes were cold, distant.
"Do you know where I am right now, old man?" I asked.
He stared at me but said nothing.
"Old man? Are you deaf?"
Without replying, he walked past me—straight to
ward the church. His presence sent a shiver through me.
"H-hey! Wait!" I called out, chasing after him.
Inside the abandoned church, his steps echoed quietly on the cracked floor. I didn't know it then, but this man…
was the one who would change everything.
The one who would teach me power.