"Don't do this, Kyle! We can find some other way back. "

A boy pleaded hysterically as he stared at the people surrounding him. All the while, heavy, earth-shaking footsteps made the ancient walls tremble.

"Isei, listen to me. We can't miss this chance, this is the only choice we have."

As the loud footsteps gradually got closer, the tiny window of time they had, also got tighter.

The man turned around, look at the end of the corridor they came from. A creature they had no way of killing was fast approaching.

The narrow walls gave the group no chance of escaping.

Except for one.

"Isei."

The man looked at Isei once more. His voice strained, knowing what comes next.

"Look at me."

He smiled, although a little forced. Still, he smiled. The sadness in his face as he looked at the boy who has been with him since the start.

He must be the one to go back. Isei was different. The sins will follow him back to Earth.

It had to be him.

"I came here for a purpose, while you were just dragged in. But now... "

The man patted Isei's head. All of them knew...

"You can go home."

That it was goodbye.

"Invi. Take him through."

His expression changed back to being solemn instantly as he commanded the girl beside Isei.

They had no time, and only one person could go through.

"Everyone, this is goodbye."

The man turned around and slowly walked.

"I hope that someday..."

He glanced back one last time.

"We meet again."

Then...

"Kyle!" The boy wept as he stared at the back of the man who taught him everything.

...The footsteps arrived.

"Invi, go!"

Kyle shouted at the girl. The girl then grabbed Isei and dashed towards the portal that shimmered in blinding light.

Isei screamed and flailed with tears in his eyes when something came flying towards them as he was going through the portal.

They tried to block it...

But it could not be stopped. It struck the frames of the portal and quickly shut it down.

It was fortunate that Isei got through beforehand. What was not so fortunate, however, was the fact that the man had to face an unkillable creature with no path of retreat.

Still, the man, no, Kyle stood his ground.

He held his shield up and unsheathed his blade. He controlled his breathing before immediately running towards the enemy.

He wanted the first strike.

"2nd Virtue, 1st form. False Hope!"

The corridor shook when the creature parried his sword. It did so while making it look like it wasn't even a threat. It did so merely by using its nails. And then...

It smiled.

The phantom-like creature revealed a blood-curdling grin as if playing with its food.

It pushed Kyle back while laughing. It's a face filled with contempt and ridicule.

"Kuhahaha! To think you were able to slip past me!"

Kyle jumped back and took a guarded stance.

"No matter, I'll just make this fun."

The fight must have lasted hours. No, it wasn't even a fight.

Granted, Kyle, who was once a feared fighter across the land, showed his strength and experience accumulated through countless battles.

Still, with no way of dealing a lethal blow to his opponent, he slowly faltered.

First, it took his arm.

"Keuk!"

Kyle gritted his teeth through the pain. He roused his aura once more and continued to fight.

"5th Virtue, 2nd Form. Unyielding Justice!"

Earth-shattering explosions rang out, and Kyle's wounds grew more and more before finally...

"Ugh!"

The creature struck a mortal blow.

"Finished, huh?"

Kyle's torso was impaled by the creature's claws bleed non-stop as he coughed up dark-colored blood.

The creature lost interest and slammed him on the wall.

"Too bad, the others disappeared. Reinforced aura... "

It muttered as it walked away like nothing ever happened.

***

Somewhere on earth.

A frail-looking boy laid in bed. That boy, who will later change the course of the world's destiny, was on the verge of opening his eyes...