The sun began to rise above the horizon, the sky was filled with vibrant colors ranging from deep orange and red to golden yellow and pink. A white horse was galloping early in the morning through the streets of the eastern border city, Ixtal.
As the horse moved, its long, flowing mane and tail rippled in the wind, creating a sense of movement and energy which was a breathtaking and graceful sight. The white of its coat gleamed in the early morning sunlight.
The horse came to stop below the city wall. The Deputy General jumped off the horse in a hurry and ascended to the top of the city wall.
"His Highness hasn't returned yet?"
Seeing how everyone avoided looking into his eyes, the Deputy General, Garen Virac turned his head to look toward the other side of the city wall. The city wall was a massive, imposing structure that stretched across the horizon separating the desert that lay behind it from the rest of the world.
On one side, the light from the sun casts a warm glow over the landscape, illuminating the trees, plants, and other objects in its path. As the sun broke through the clouds and cast its rays down onto the earth, it seemed like an indication of a new day and a new beginning.
But once you looked on the other side of the wall, it sent chills down your soul. Because beyond the city wall lay the coldest desert. The cold desert was a barren, unforgiving landscape that was wracked with strong winds and freezing temperatures. It was a place of desolation and darkness where the air was heavy with demonic energy and malevolent forces that lurked in this thick fog that rolled across the dunes.
Perhaps, the cold wasn't the worst aspect of this cold desert, it was this thick fog that made one feel suffocated.
Currently, a tall figure stood in this thick fog with a piece of cloth wrapped around his face, covering his nose and mouth. In this dark atmosphere, it was difficult to see him clearly. In fact, one could barely see the person standing next to them in this eerie land of demons.
The man's obsidian eyes seemed to be imbued with a red color and slowly the flames of fire lit up the patterns on the sword he held. The sword seemed to be made of special metal and as the inner heat ran through it, it shimmered beautifully.
The wielder of this majestic sword, swung it around destroying everything in his path. The ground he stood on was hard and cracked. There were no signs of life in this no man's land except for some gnarled, twisted bushes and shrubs that clung to the sandy soil.
The air that was filled with demonic energy was harmful. So, staying for too long in this thick fog or inhaling the demonic energy could do serious damage.
The man looked up towards the sky. Even during the middle of the day, the sun seemed like a dim orb in the sky, barely able to pierce the veil of fog that hung over the desert, much less now that it was early morning. All he saw was darkness like the middle of the night.
But suddenly the darkness shattered. Slowly, the thick fog started dissipating right before his eyes. He sheathed his sword as he looked at this phenomenon indifferently.
"It's finally over," he said in a deep voice.
-----
Garen watched attentively and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Commander returning unscathed. He had always admired the commander and understood his strength, yet he couldn't help feeling uneasy whenever the Commander walked into 'The Icy Hellscape'.
The Commander stood tall and proud, his broad shoulders and chiseled features a testament to his strength and determination. He carried himself with confidence and poise, radiating an air of authority and command. His piercing gaze tore through the invisible magical barrier that lay between 'The Icy Hellscape' and the City wall of Ixtal and landed precisely on Garen.
As the gates were opened of the city wall, Garen rushed to his Commander's side, "Your Hi..." Meeting that piercing gaze once more, he tactfully changed his way of addressing, "Commander, congratulations! The season of astral is here. We no longer have to live on tenterhooks every night."
Indeed, it was something to celebrate. Once the season of astral began, 'The Icy Hellscape' would turn into just another cold desert and nothing else. The thick fog that enveloped it or the demonic energy that lurked inside would disappear during this season and they wouldn't have to fear being attacked.
After the painstaking and bitter four months, they could finally relax a little.
"Bring the injured ones to the infirmary."
"Yes, Commander!"
"Also, send someone to see if you can find the remains of the brothers we lost tonight."
"I'll arrange it right away!"
After saying that, the Commander walked away leaving the Deputy General to deal with the aftermath. The Deputy General looked at other soldiers who came out with the Commander. Some of them were almost frozen after staying in a cold desert for the whole night. Some had serious injuries, fighting the enemy that hid in the dark. And some would never come back. Then he looked at the straight back of his commander who was still prim and proper without a single speck of dust on him, he could only shake his head.
His Highness Rhys Crown, the Prince of the Empire of Sadal. He was the Commander of the army stationed at the most dangerous border of the Empire. He was the most respected and admired Commander to the soldiers but the most feared existence to the nobles and the royal family. And to the commoners? He was just a devil!
But they often forgot since he lived in the hell known as 'The Icy Hellscapes' how could he not be a devil? When you live in darkness for too long, you either become it or it consumes you. He certainly chose to become a part of it rather than getting ruled by it.