Reno was burning alive.
That was the first thing he knew, no pain or heat just painless burning -if that even made sense.
He quickly scanned his surroundings fire stretched endlessly in every direction, roaring like a living ocean -as expected.The sky was split open, cracked like broken glass, spilling crimson light across a battlefield that looked more like the corpse of a world than a place that had ever been alive.
Ash drifted through the air like gray snow.
Every breath tasted like metal and smoke.
Reno stood in the middle of it barefoot.
His feet rested on scorched stone that glowed faintly beneath the surface, pulsing like dying embers. Cracks spread across the ground, filled with molten light. Somewhere in the distance, something collapsed with a thunderous roar.
He turned slowly.
Bodies so many lay scattered across the land like discarded toys.
Humans in torn uniforms. Their faces frozen in terror. Weapons still clutched in lifeless hands.
And others.
Creatures that should never have existed.
Twisted horns. Blackened wings. Armor fused to flesh. Eyes burned hollow by fire.
Blood soaked everything.
It pooled in the cracks of the earth, glowing faintly red, as if the planet itself was bleeding.
Reno felt sick.
"Where… am I?" he whispered.
His voice sounded small. Fragile. Completely out of place in this ruined world.
No one answered. Instead…Forty figures moved.They stepped forward
from the smoke and flames, their armor battered, cloaks torn, weapons shattered. Each of them looked like they had crawled out of hell itself yet they stood tall.
One by one, they dropped to one knee in a kneel all before him. Reno froze."H-Hey… wait," he said nervously. "You've got the wrong guy. I don't—"
A heavy presence immediately descended and the air itself seemed to bend in response, soon from behind the kneeling warriors, a towering figure emerged.
He wore crimson and black armor, etched with ancient runes that glowed faintly.
Cracks ran through the metal like scars. His cape was burned to tatters and he had a fractured helmet concealing his face but Reno felt his eyes.
They were watching him. 'Not this scene again' Reno thought in exasperation just as the being lowered his head."My king," he said.His voice was rough, worn down by centuries of battle and loss.
The others followed.
"My king."
"My king."
"My king."
The words echoed.
They layered over each other.
Again and again.
Until the sky itself seemed to chant them.
Reno's heart began to race.
"N-No!" he shouted. "Stop that! I'm not your king! I'll even kill you if I had the chance— I'm just some guy!"
He stepped back.The ground trembled beneath his feet."I don't even know who you are! I don't know this place! I don't belong here!" The armored being raised his head.
Through the broken visor, two golden eyes burned like miniature suns. "You are the last," he said quietly. "The final heir."
Reno shook his head violently.
"That's impossible! My parents were normal! I'm normal! I—" And that was true at least as far as he knew his mum as for his dad… well his mum couldn't do anything so vile right? Right?
A deafening crack split the sky.
The heavens tore open like paper, revealing endless darkness beyond. A massive vortex formed, pulling flames, ash, and debris upward.
The world was collapsing. The armored being walked toward Reno, each step shook the ground. He stopped in front of him and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder.
The touch was warm.
Solid.
Real.
"Survive," the man whispered. "Even if the world hates you for it."The flames surged and soon darkness swallowed everything.
Then Reno screamed and woke up gasping. Air rushed violently into his lungs as he bolted upright in his single bed, chest heaving, heart pounding so hard it hurt. Sweat drenched his shirt. His hands shook uncontrollably.
Darkness surrounded him there was no fire, battlefield or kneeling warriors. Just his tiny apartment. "…Again," he whispered hoarsely. He ran a hand through his hair and leaned forward, elbows on his knees, same nightmare, every time.
For as long as he could remember. 'Why do I keep dreaming of this?'. He wondered and grabbed his phone.
6:07 a.m.
"Fantastic," he muttered. "Late again."
He dragged himself out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom. The cold tiles sent a chill through his feet. He flicked on the light.
The mirror reflected a tired young man with
Messy black hair and sharp gray eyes,
Scars he couldn't remember getting, along his arms and chest..
He touched one near his collarbone.
"…How do you even heal like this?" he murmured. Doctors never found anything wrong. Tests always came back normal.
Too normal.
After a rushed shower, he dressed quickly and grabbed his jacket but before leaving, he paused.
His gaze fell on the framed photo on his desk. In it there were three smiling faces; him, his twin brother and their mother. The picture reflected a life of sunlight and laughter.
Now that life no longer existed. Reno swallowed."I'll be careful," he said softly.
He didn't know who he was saying it to and then promptly left for work.
Reno was an underground streetfighter working for Iron fist arena. He'd been on the streets begging at the age of twelve when the only family he knew -his mother and twin- died…
It had been a particularly nasty day, Reno hadn't eaten for a day and so when some little cash fell into his hands he was immediately accosted by a bully.
A hour and bloody nose after, Reno laid limp from the thrashing he'd received but still glare at his bully with pure defiance.
'Another day of hunger it is' he'd thought.
At that moment a figure who'd been watching their fight emerged, the bully ran from the fear and the figure who'd later turn out to be his boss asked in a cool monotone.
"I think you've got fire and enough senses twerp so I'd ask you this once. Do you want a better life"...
As far as this went, even if he had to get himself beaten over and over, he did at least have a better life. He had a small apartment to call his own, suitable clothes on his back and some money to get himself food.
Someone cursed loudly in the distance."Reno!" Taro shouted. "You're late!" "Time is a suggestion," Reno replied lazily.
"You're gonna get fired!". "Not today."
Reno dove into work. By lunch, the joints in his fists flared from the strain they'd endured and his stomach was growling.
Soon night fell and Reno walked home alone earbuds in, music low.
Halfway down a narrow road, he slowed. Something was wrong.
The air felt thick almost like a second presence, he immediately removed his earbuds.'I might actually be going crazy" Reno thought.
Then he saw it right at the edge of his vision, he spotted a shadow clung to the wall. Too dark.
Too sharp.
It moved slithered and stretched toward a couple ahead of him. " I'm actually seeing things" Reno muttered to himself with a self berating smile.
Soon it's form twisted and from it he spotted claws, horns and a grotesque face.
A demon.
Reno froze."…You've got to be kidding me."Fear surged.Then something else.
Anger.
Excitement.
" Finally, I've got proof that I'm not mad" he smirked while a dark thrill unfurled within him,The demon meanwhile having a surprising feeling of being watched immediately turned.
Red eyes locked onto his, Reno felt his lips curl upward. A smile spread across his face. "Well," he whispered, "guess it's not boring tonight."
He dropped his bag and his body moved on its own.
Perfect stance.
Balanced.
Ready.
High above, Kuroda Rei watched.
"…He can see it?" he murmured, mind racing wi
th the implications
The demon screeched and charged.
Reno didn't flinch.
"Come on," he muttered. "Let's find out who you really are"