On the bottom floor of the World Tower, there is a place called the Abyss. It is a place where violators from the Middle and Upper Worlds are imprisoned, enslaved, or executed.
*
A girl runs, fleeing from her pursuers. "Damn... I have to get out of here soon." Her long hair flutters in the wind.
"Don't be in such a hurry." A voice is heard. "Kuurokawa, the little devil from Astaria who tries to explore the Abyss, hmm..."
'Damn...' Kuurokawa whispers in her heart, her face sweating as she touches the dagger at her waist. "What did I do until the Guardian himself chased me, haha..." She said again while taking a defensive stance.
"Whoa-whoa, don't tell me you don't know? Alright, let's make you remember a little." The figure began to appear from behind the darkness, his body tall and the sound of a large sword dragging could be heard.
Kuurokawa smiles slightly, ready to attack or defend. "I never remember committing any violations, all I did was follow all the rules of this place."
"Is that so? Then, did His Majesty give the wrong order?" The Guardian stuck his greatsword into the ground while thinking about something. "Or, are you deliberately pretending not to do something?" said the Guardian, smiling behind his helmet.
'His aura... Damn, does he know?' Kuurokawa muttered with her hands starting to shake. "There's no way I'm lying or pretending, the Devil from Astaria never lies."
"The Devil from Astaria never lies, but that doesn't mean they can't lie." The Guardian pulled his sword from the ground. "Kuurokawa, you are found guilty of murder, theft, and insulting His Majesty."
The Guardian started jumping towards Kuurokawa while swinging his greatsword from top to bottom.
Kuurokawa stepped back, her heart pounding. The wind from the Guardian's sword swing felt like a storm, breaking the air around her. Her feet slid back with the agility typical of the Astaria Devil race, her body bent low, fast enough to avoid the first swing that hit the ground and created a large crater.
"Murder? Theft? That's not me!" she shouted while pulling the dagger from her waist. She knew this Guardian wouldn't listen, but she had to stay alive. Now, with her eyes narrowed, Kuurokawa tried to analyze every movement of her enemy.
"Nonsense." The Guardian lifted his sword with ease, despite its enormous size. "Devils are always full of tricks."
The sword swung again, this time from the side. Kuurokawa jumped into the air, avoiding the attack with almost impossible acrobatics. She twisted her body, trying to use the momentum in the air to attack. Her dagger gleamed under the dim light, darting towards a small gap in the Guardian's shield.
Clang!
The sound of metal meeting metal was heard as the Guardian turned his body quickly, blocking the attack with the edge of his sword. Kuurokawa's eyes widened. "So fast...," she muttered.
Before she could land, the Guardian attacked again. This time a vertical swing aimed at her landing spot. Kuurokawa frantically changed her position in the air, turning her body to the side, but her movement was too late. The sword slashed part of her black coat, nearly destroying her arm.
'I have to be faster...' she thought, landing with a roll. 'If I get hit once, it's over.'
Without giving her a chance to breathe, the Guardian attacked again. The attacks didn't stop—a deadly rain of sword swings. Kuurokawa dodged as fast as she could, every movement like a dance of life and death. 'I need a strategy...'
'Alright, let's try this,' she whispered while running in a zig-zag, avoiding every attack that came close. Quickly, she drew two other small daggers, gripping them tightly in both hands. Kuurokawa knew her advantage was only in her speed and agility. She couldn't possibly win if she fought at long range or against that greatsword.
The Guardian swung his sword from the side again, but this time Kuurokawa didn't dodge completely. She jumped forward, right in the path of the sword swing. With perfect timing, she twisted her body in the air, parrying the greatsword using both her daggers at once, using the momentum to spin faster. The energy from the impact pushed her towards the Guardian.
"This is it!" Kuurokawa approached the Guardian's helmet with lightning speed, aiming for the gap between the armor. She swung her dagger towards his throat.
However, the Guardian, with extraordinary reflexes, released his sword and grabbed Kuurokawa in the air with his bare hands. "You won't be that easy," he said in a deep voice, gripping Kuurokawa's neck and lifting her high.
Instantly, Kuurokawa felt her breath choke, her body struggling. "Damn! I was too hasty!" she thought, her hands trembling, trying to stab her dagger into the Guardian's arm, but the thick armor blocked every attack.
The Guardian looked at her from behind his dark helmet. "You're fast... but not enough."
The Guardian threw Kuurokawa to the ground with tremendous force. Her body hit the ground hard, her breath gasping. Dust rose into the air, and her body felt like it had been hit by a large rock.
Kuurokawa coughed, trying to get up. But her body felt heavy, and her vision started to blur. She gripped the ground with both hands, forcing her body to stand. "I... can't lose here," she muttered, blood flowing from the corner of her lips.
The Guardian approached slowly, his sword back in his hand. "Enough, little Devil. This is the end."
However, behind the pain that struck, a small smile formed on Kuurokawa's lips. "It's not over... this is just the beginning."
From the shadows behind her, a magic circle began to form on the ground, ancient symbols glowing around her feet. Kuurokawa took a deep breath, letting her demonic power flow through her body. 'Time to play more seriously,' she whispered, looking at the Guardian who stopped in place, realizing the new threat that was coming.
Kuurokawa straightened her body, her gaze turned sharp, no longer full of fear. The magic circle beneath her continued to shine brightly, emitting a dark and mysterious aura that slowly filled the surrounding space. In the ancient language of Astaria, Kuurokawa began to chant her spell.
"Ilūma vīscerium, otera thūriath! Dormīna Tenedrith—Asūra, Altem Rākha!"
Kuurokawa's voice boomed, its resonance echoing throughout the Abyss. Her body emitted a shimmering black light, like lightning flashes at night. From the magic circle, a giant shadow began to appear, a vague figure of an entity that was not entirely in this world.
"Vīndar Sarūm, Laktharēn vīsalum! Serātāni, Dīvoran Astra!"
Kuurokawa's body was enveloped in a black fog that grew thicker. The air around her felt heavy. At the same time, the Guardian was stunned, his eyes fixed on the shadow that continued to appear behind Kuurokawa, an unknown entity towering with two large horns and glowing red eyes.
"Hand of the Devil, Rise from eternal darkness! Soak the world in despair, master the eternal power! Devil Soul Splitter, Nagathīr Voletrius!"
In an instant, the large shadow moved with lightning speed, swinging its large hand towards the Guardian. The Guardian tried to lift his sword, but the impact of the shadow's blow immediately threw his body back, destroying the ground and creating cracks around him.
Kuurokawa smiled slightly, blood still dripping from the corner of her lips. "You think I'm just an ordinary Devil?" Her voice was low and full of conviction. "This is the Hand of Darkness of Astaria, an ancient technique that can only be used by Devils of royal blood. And I am its heir."
The Guardian, though badly injured, slowly rose, anger visible from behind his helmet. However, Kuurokawa gave no more time. She raised both her hands to the sky, and the magic circle beneath her shone even brighter.
"Vīsmalūth... Finalus Sanctarath!"
With that final spell, the large shadow behind Kuurokawa disappeared, but not without results. From the darkness, a series of black chains appeared, wrapping around the Guardian's body and locking his movements. The chains moved like living creatures, binding his body tighter and tighter until the Guardian was unable to move.
Kuurokawa approached, her breath gasping. "This is the end of your game. Never underestimate the Devil from Astaria."
Kuurokawa stepped forward, looking at the Guardian who was bound in black chains that vibrated with anger. The Guardian's face, hidden behind his helmet, now showed despair, cold sweat running down his face. Kuurokawa gave a cold smile, raising her hand towards the shackled Guardian, the chains that bound him further penetrating his skin and flesh, leaving prominent black marks.
The chains seeped deep into the Guardian's body, absorbing his life energy until the Guardian lay limp, in pain. "These chains are not only for binding, but also for destroying," Kuurokawa said in a low, firm voice. "This pain will break your body and soul before the end."
With a sharp and quick movement, Kuurokawa directed her hand towards the magic circle on the ground. Ancient symbols shimmered, and a Greatsword covered in blue light slowly emerged from within the circle. This greatsword, the Greatsword of Astaria, shone with mystical power, a dark aura surrounding it as if hinting at immense power.
Kuurokawa grabbed the Greatsword with a slightly trembling hand, feeling the weight and power of the sword. "Now, it's time to end this," she whispered, looking at the Guardian who was trapped and slipping into the power of the chains.
With one big swing, Kuurokawa lifted the Greatsword, her sword touching the air with almost unmatched speed and power. The shining blade passed with deadly precision, piercing the Guardian's armor and body with a single slash. Blood and light mixed, and in an instant, the Guardian was split in two, his body shattered into small pieces.
Kuurokawa lowered her Greatsword calmly, looking at the remains of the Guardian scattered on the ground. "This is the price of injustice," she said, her voice full of satisfaction and coldness. "Never try to challenge the power of Astaria again."
With a slow step, Kuurokawa turned, leaving the destroyed battlefield. The magic circle on the ground slowly faded, leaving only darkness and emptiness around her.
Kuurokawa staggered, her body tired after the fierce battle. Every step felt heavy, and the pain that racked her body threatened to bring her down. Although the Greatsword was still drawn in her hand, the physical and magical burden she carried made it difficult to move.
With the remaining determination, she continued towards the exit of the Abyss, a crack that emitted a faint light in the distance. Every step was like crawling through the darkness, but finally, she reached the threshold that led to the outside world.
When she managed to cross the threshold, the sunlight greeted her face with an intense ray. Kuurokawa felt a warmth that contrasted with the coldness of the Abyss. However, the exhaustion and pain that plagued her were too heavy. Her steps became more unsteady, and without being able to bear the weight of her body any longer, she fell to the ground hard, her body lying unconscious outside the Abyss.
At that moment, the sounds of the new world began to enter her fading consciousness, and she felt the gentle vibration of the wind and a strange aroma. Kuurokawa didn't know what would happen next, but for now, she could rest, free from the suffering of the Abyss.