"Humanity is like a caged bird. The only difference is that they hold the keys to their own cage."
A teenage boy, around sixteen years old, murmured to himself as he watched the buzzing streets of his hometown gradually empty under the weight of the rain. It was a random thought, yet there was truth in it.
A storm had struck the city of Lycran, the capital of the Verdentia Kingdom. As the storm engulfed the city and its serene surroundings, people hurriedly closed their shops, dashed for shelter, or prepared for the aftermath of the downpour. The potholes that would litter the roads afterward were a common nuisance.
Kai sat by the window of his room, watching silently with an unreadable expression. Raindrops trickled down the glass, muffling the faint sounds coming from below—his father shutting down his blacksmith shop.
Rain—some called it the tears of a weeping dragon from an ancient, forgotten era. A dragon grieving for his lost kin. At least, that was what the ancient stories claimed. Modern scholars, however, dismissed it as mere folklore, offering scientific explanations for the phenomenon instead.
Humanity had come far, so far that it no longer relied on gods to make sense of the world.
Or did it?
Kai sighed, shaking the thought from his mind. He hated the rain. The only thing he liked about it was the excuse it gave him to stay indoors, far from the chaos of the world outside.
A cup of hot coffee would be nice right about now—
Suddenly, a flash of lightning struck near the forest of Lycran. The sky glowed briefly, and startled birds fled their nests. Kai flinched, his eyes widening. It wasn't the lightning itself that shocked him, but its color.
Crimson?
What the hell was that..? Crimson lightning? Aren't they supposed to be like white or blue? And it striked near the forest...I don't think anyone saw it in this area. They possibly can't, majority are in their own business.
I need to check it out!
Kai hurriedly opened his window as he took out a monocular from the drawer of his wooden desk. He rolled the monocular and pointed it at the direction where the lightning struck and could only be left taken a back by the phenomenon he saw. His hand started to tremble as he keeped his monocular aside.
"C-crimson fire that isn't getting extinguished by the rain?" He muffled in a deep and scared voice. There's no mistake about it, this was a work of a higher being. Namely one of the 'Gods'.
I need to check it out!
Curiousity will always beat any type of fear or feeling of anxiety. Well at least that was the case for Kai. He took out a black cloak as he wore it over his white formal shirt complimented by a black tie and black pant. It was a look of a gentleman indeed. Before the rain started, Kai planned on going somewhere hence such an outfit. But right now he didn't have any time to change, he hurried down the stairs and was wearing his shoes.
"Dear where are you going-" A woman in her early thirties could be seen besides a teenager who was curiously peeking out from behind the wall of the living room as she watched her ravenhead brother wearing his shoes.
"Not the time, mother! It's something urgent!" Kai stated as he opened the doorknob and rushed out.
"At least take an umbrella with you-" the woman, now recognised as Kai's mother stopped mid-way as she realised her son had already left. She sighed.
"That brat sure is reckless." She said as she went back into the kitchen.
"I wonder where he went in this storm." His sister pondered and said.
"Let's just hope he doesn't come back injured..." After all, a mother couldn't feel anything but worry for her child.
Kai's sister laughed at the sentence.
"Big brother getting hurt in a storm? That's highly unlikely! He has been through a lot worse!" The youngest of the family stated, showing confidence in her brother's capabilities. But what were these 'worse' things which Kai went through?
"He has changed ever since he came back from 'that' place...I also believe he won't be hurt but as his mother I cannot ignore the feeling."
"Well, I would be lying if I don't feel a bit worried myself. Big brother is reckless after all." The youngling said.
The door opened again as both the women in the house came out of their respective places to check who it is.
"Where did that young lad run out in this storm? He blatantly ignored me! His father!"
The youngest in the family just shrugged. And the mother just sighed at the sight of her husband, his pants were covered in mud and so was half of his attire. Drops of water were dripping from his head and clothes, he was completely damped in water.
"You should worry about yourself first dear."
...
The scene changed as we see Kai running through the muddy roads of Lycran, the path led to the forest which surrounded the capital. It had just been around a minute, yet this maniac was almost out of the city already.
There's no way I was the only one who saw it...the lightning made the sky glow red for a second.
As soon as he said that, Kai noticed a few people on a horse. There were 5 men in a red uniform and black pants, the red uniform had a symbol on it, two shotguns crossed against each other with a crown. As soon as he saw the symbol he immediately hid behind a wall near by.
Lycran's Imperial Police Force? This matter has reached the Royalty, I doubt I can get enough information with them here. I have to find a way to sneak behind them.
Besides they seem clueless about the exact location, as a guy who has explored the forest around the city many times I already know the route to the destination!
One of the officers with blonde hair striked a few step forwards with his horse before looking around.
"Do you really think any citizen has not already entered the place?" The blonde officer said.
"It's hard to say, but we immediately arrived at the scene. It's highly unlikely that someone from this district of commoners could get here so quickly, but even though as a precaution and until we find the exact location of the incident we should seal the forest off." A brown haired man likely in early thirties speculated and suggested.
"Traders and mercenaries from different cities always take this route...the chances of someone not arriving at the scene before us is highly unlikely." The blonde man said.
"Do you think they would bother to check out the unknown in such a storm? Remember, people always fear the unknown. In fact, if the prince hadn't already informed us with necessary explanation beforehand I would have been frightened to check it out too." The brown man stated.
So they knew about this lightning beforehand?!
Kai simply was deducing from their discussions. He observed the five officers as they used a sign with the words 'Do not enter'. A wooden sign to be precise, they left out two of the officers to guard the place as three of them entered the forest with their horses.
Well this makes things easier for me, I only have to get past those two officers and get to the location before those three baffoons.
Kai looked around to find something that could help distracting the two guards. He could also use the rain to his advantage. Before he could think of anything else Kai noticed a red stone near by. It didn't glow or anything and was covered in mud, Kai simply declared it as an ordinary stone but he planned on using it to his advantage.
If I just put some power into this...
After concentrating for a few seconds, the stone started to glow red and a smirk formed on Kai's face as he got up. He took his right arm back and throwed the stone with full power in the opposite direction of where the previous officers went.
Whoosh!
The rock simply penetrated through air as it left a red trail behind it. It immediately caught the attention of the two guards before the trail disappeared into the woods. Kai, now satisfied went back to his position.
"What was that red glow just now?" One of the guards asked his subordinates.
"I don't know. But it seems related to what's happening here...should we check it out?" The other guard asked. It indeed was sensible send one of them to check it out whilst one stays behind.
"You go, it didn't go that far I believe." Whilst they were conversing and focused onto different things Kai had changed his position and was behind a tree near the two guards.
The other guard nodded as he whipped his horse and went to check out the red stone. Kai simply smirked as he sneaked in on the other guard and instantly cracked his neck from behind before the guard could react.
Thud!
The body of the guard fell on the ground, he wasn't dead. Kai just made him go unconscious. He then proceeded to swiftly seat on the guard's horse as he jumped over a small wooden face to enter the woods.
...
The three horses of the royal guards soon started to sweat and so did their owners. The heat in the surrounding was increasing second by second, that's how the guards knew they were getting closer to their destination.
"The heat is killing me!" A guard said. The other two didn't comment anything on that, they just simply held their own ground against the heat and moved forward.
After some time they were greeted with a very terrifying, violent, and an unheard phenomenon. They immediately stopped their horses, their faces depicting horror as their mouth was agape and eyes wide open.
Suddenly, a crimson flame engulfed the three men and horses before they could even react. It all happened so fast, they didn't even have enough time to look at each other one last time.
"AAAHHH!" Their screams of agony and pain echoed throughout the forest. Once again crows could be seen flying away from the mountain because of their loud screams.
"What was that...scream?" Kai asked himself as he stopped the horse he was riding dead in the tracks. His eyes widening in horror, coming to a conclusion.
The guards...oh no don't tell me... just what happened?! I have to check it out, damn it!
Even though Kai knew it wasn't a good idea, he decided to follow the echoes of their screams which gave him a sense of direction. The screams had stopped after a few seconds, but the rain didn't as it continued to pour down upon the capital of Verdentia Kingdom.
...
After a few minutes Kai stopped his horse and climbed down. Looking at black skeletons in horror, they were surrounded by the crimson flames. He didn't know what was happening with him...
The flames seemed to have engulfed the three guards and killed them. Kai could feel his surroundings being hot but he himself didn't feel anything at all. What is happening? That was all he could ask himself in that moment.
The guards...the horse...they all...died.
The remnants of their bodies spoke for themselves. Black skeletons all over the grounds, he was surprised they didn't turn into ashes.
Suddenly a bush moved.
Kai averted his eyes immediately as he saw a white rabbit come out. It was going to the black skeletons...
"Wait...don't!" Kai shouted whilst taking his hand forward. But it was too late, the rabbit simply was engulfed by the crimson flames. Kai only reflexively put his hands in front of himself so that the flames don't get to him.
That didn't work as the flames retreated back, but there was still a small flame on Kai's cloak. But...it didn't seem to burning. Kai now understood something...
I...why am I not burning or feeling hot? This is...no.
"I have been chosen by the crimson flames...to enter this domain." Kai declared with his eyes widened upon realisation or so he thought.
By domain, he was referring to the area of 1 square km which was affected by the lightning.
He looked back at the horse he had brought with himself, it was clear that the horse was affected by the heat. If the horse took even two steps ahead, it'll get engulfed by the crimson flames. And Kai had also realised that so he simply decided to keep the horse here.
He took a deep breath and calmed himself down. It was something he always did in the past when he got into similar situations, this wasn't the first time he had seen someone die.
The single flame on the sleeves of the right arms of his cloak burned brightly, not even slightly affected by the rain. Kai had forgotten that it was raining at this point as he stepped into the crimson flames as his eyes widened in horror.
All he saw was a black ground, result of the burning grass. No life around the circle he saw, yes a circle. The area which was struck by the lightning had formed a circle, with raging crimson flames surrounding it from the outside. Ensuring no-one else but the one chosen enters the circle.
As it can be interpreted, Kai saw no flames inside the circle but something more terrifying. It was not raining inside the circle at all, the sky above the circle was pitch black.
Kai then saw something at the centre. An ancient black stone tablet which was surrounded by mysterious black flowers which resembled the colour of the ground and the sky. He decided to slowly walk towards the tablet but stopped...as he saw a figure limping towards the tablet.
The figure was wearing a black ancient Armor which perfectly fit him and didn't look bulky. He had crimson long hair which went till his knees, his eye colour being the same as his eyes glowed brightly. But something was different, the guy was visibly injured...
He had no skin near the right side of his chest, his rib cage was visible and its bones were black. The heart was replaced by a crimson flame...it burned brightly. No red blood dropped from the figure, it was instead black. His skin was pale white and his right arm was non-existent. One would say he's a survivor of war who is in his last moments.
The figure was desperately approaching the tablet but suddenly stopped in his tracks. He stood with no movement whatsoever.
Why did he stop...? Kai thought to himself as he silently observed the figure from afar.
Crack!
Suddenly the figure turned his head and looked at Kai with a scary expression. At that moment Kai felt a frenzy, violent and stronger aura. He was sure he heard the figure's neck being snapped just by looking at him but it didn't make things better for him.
Kai's body started to tremble in fear, his mind was going blank as indecipherable murmurs started to take over his head. The amount increased each second as Kai held his head with his hands, if this went on for at least a minute Kai was sure he would go crazy. The pain in his head caused him to fall on his knees as he looked at the figure.
"..."
The figure smiled menacingly, his every tooth was visible as his lips were going as wide as it could. It was terrifying indeed. Kai's eyes started to tremble as the murmurs increased.
"Stop...no stop!" He agonised in pain.
"The day has come...the day has come...the day has come...the day has come..." The murmurs in Kai's head were now decipherable as it gradually got louder, masses were screaming the same thing inside his head. Kai's eyes were going blank and so was his mind.
"The day has come...'he' is here...'he' is here...'he' is here...'he' is here...'he' is here..."
Kai couldn't handle it anymore as he screamed on top of his lungs in pure agony. He screamed and screamed, blood running down his eyes instead of tears. The nerves in his eyes were visibly red and his dark brown eyes suddenly having crimson glow in them.
"Hail the mighty crimson devil...hail the mighty crimson devil...hail the mighty crimson devil...hail the mighty crimson devil...hail the mighty crimson devil...H̸̙̳͇̕a̸̽̚͠ͅï̸̢͍͕l̷̖̬͚͐̅ ̴̡̝̊̎t̸̛̺͚̣̕̕h̶͍͎́̀ê̷͕ ̵͔̃͛̏c̶͉̬̫͛r̶̦͈̮͌̆̕i̸̬͎̽͜m̷͇̈́̏͝s̷̍̐ͅò̷̞̩͠͝ͅn̶͆͝ͅ ̸̨̩͒d̶͙̃͝è̶̢̮̬͝v̴̼͊̓̅i̷̬̋̊l̶̼̄͐̅"
Suddenly the murmurs again became indecipherable. Kai was subconsciously fighting back to the voices in his head but it wasn't enough to stop the murmurs. But he was now able to control his body, enough to ignore the voices in his head.
Cough cough!
Kai violently coughed up blood. As he saw his own blood he was terrified, it was black. The black blood dripped from his nose and mouth whereas red blood had gushed instead of tears from his eyes. Kai was in both physical and mental torture. The blood from his mouth and eyes finally stopped as he immediately took off his cloak and wiped the blood with it and threw the cloak with the single flame away on the ground.
The red tear marks were not gone, so were the voices in his head. Kai looked at the mysterious figure...
The figure's smile suddenly vanished as his face took an expression of disappointment yet was impressed.
"You're stronger than I perceived..." The figure said in a deep voice before snapping his fingers and smiling maniacally again!
Kai's eyes widened in horror.
"NO!"
Crimson moonlight took over the place, as a crimson moon hung in the black sky.
The black flowers bloomed from the grounds, the tablet soon disappeared and a throne rose from the ground. The ground was replaced by a pool of red blood. Black skeletons arose from the ground in a zombie like manner, they were all chanting the same thing...
"All Hail the almighty lord of flames! All Hail the almighty lord of flames! All Hail the almighty lord of flames!"
The voices in Kai's head increased as he failed to stop it. He looked at his reflection in the pool of blood, his eyes were turning crimson and his hair were turning white. He could feel his organs turning inside him, he screamed in indescribable amount of pain.
Kai repeated the same thing in a low voice, he had lost his voice from screaming. Only a small murmur was available.
"Forgive me...forgive me...forgive me..." was all he said. He was an inch away from diving into insanity but held onto his sanity.
Kai looked at the figure in desperation and hope. He could see the figure slowly ascending towards his throne, the black throne. It didn't have any special features, it was just a normal demonic throne.
But before he could sit on the throne, a muffled scream could be heard from the outside of the crimson flames as Kai's eyes widened.
T-the other guard just came and died..!
Suddenly a stone landed besides Kai who was on his knees on the ground. His eyes widened at the sight of the familiar stone, it was the same red stone from earlier!
In his pain and agony, whilst the skeletons chanted the name of the devil and the devil himself ascending to the throne, Kai picked up the stone and chanted some inaudible things. The red stone started to glow...
The figure looked at Kai and the 'almighty devil's' eyes widened.
"Is this outcome always inevitable?" He said before the red stone pierced through his body, specifically from his right abdomen causing him to collapse on the ground, was the 'almighty devil' really this weak? The flame which burned brightly in his chest suddenly extinguished as the throne, skeletons and the crimson flames surrounding the circle suddenly disappeared.
Kai got up with no expression on his face, his hair and eyes returning to its normal state as the voices in his head slowly stopped. The rain still hadn't stopped and two black flowers from the previous field still remained on the ground, the red stone and Kai's cloak with a single flame burning on it also were still present and so was the body of the 'almighty devil'.
Kai approached the mysterious figure as his body now back at its previous state. It was as if he had healed completely. Kai himself didn't understand what was happening but decided not to question it.
"Just who- No...what are you?" Kai looked down at the mysterious figure as it sat leaning against a tree half-dead with its hair covering its face, two black flowers at each side of him. The figure was slowly vanishing in golden particles, half of his body from the left side already gone.
"A day shall come when humanity will pay the price for the mistakes of those measly beings who call themselves 'Gods'. An era where the old God's legacy collapses and new figures appear is about to come. With a raging flame of war will come the inevitable awakening of 'him'.
'He' who shall judge the 'Gods' will destroy everything just to create something anew. A new dawn will rise upon this world. And this is the genesis!"