The village was still, the eerie calm after the storm that had overtaken Hiroto. Days had passed since his resurrection, but Ronan knew that something was deeply wrong. His friend, once warm and courageous, now exuded a strange darkness that was impossible to ignore. Hiroto's temper flared unexpectedly, and he often stared off into the distance, as if wrestling with something far beyond their understanding.
Then, one fateful evening, everything changed.
Hiroto sat by the campfire, silent, his eyes reflecting the flames. Ronan was used to this new, brooding version of his friend, but tonight felt different. The air around them was thick, charged with an unsettling energy. Hiroto stood abruptly, clutching his chest. His face twisted in pain, and Ronan could see the struggle written all over his features.
"Hiroto! What's happening?" Ronan shouted, rushing to his side.
Before Hiroto could respond, a dark, swirling mist began to form around him. The very ground seemed to tremble as shadows danced and twisted, enveloping his body. Ronan's heart raced as he watched his friend disappear into the blackness. The last thing he saw before the shadows consumed Hiroto entirely were his eyes, flickering with both light and darkness, locked in a battle for control.
Suddenly, the mist exploded outward, sending Ronan flying back. When the dust settled, what stood before him was no longer the friend he knew.
Two Hirotos emerged from the explosion—one bathed in light, the other cloaked in shadows. The light Hiroto radiated warmth and hope, his eyes soft yet determined. But the other... the dark Hiroto, was a vision of pure malevolence, his features twisted and sharp, his eyes glowing with a sinister red hue.
Ronan scrambled to his feet, his mind struggling to comprehend the sight before him. "Hiroto?" he stammered, looking between the two figures.
The dark Hiroto turned to face him, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "No, Ronan," he sneered. "Hiroto is gone. I am the darkness he could never control."
Light Hiroto stepped forward, his voice calm yet filled with urgency. "I am still Hiroto, Ronan. This is the darkness that was once within me, separated. But we don't have much time. We must stop him."
The two Hirotos stared each other down, their opposing energies crackling in the air, but before the clash could begin, a familiar, ominous figure stepped out of the shadows: Elandor.
Ronan's blood ran cold. Elandor's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, his presence more sinister than ever. "This is exactly as I planned," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "Two Hirotos—one consumed by light, the other by darkness. But only one of you is of any use to me."
Light Hiroto glared at him, realizing now that Elandor had been manipulating them all along. "You... you planned this from the start."
Elandor smirked. "Of course. It was always about harnessing the true power of darkness. And now, that power stands before me."
Dark Hiroto chuckled darkly. "You've done well, Elandor. But I have no interest in being anyone's puppet."
Ronan's heart pounded as he saw the tension between them build. This was it—the moment where everything could unravel. But just as Light Hiroto prepared to confront his darker half, Elandor stepped forward, raising his hand.
"No, not yet," Elandor said smoothly, his eyes locking onto Dark Hiroto. "Your time will come. But first, you need to grow stronger, to let the darkness fully consume you. Come with me, and I will give you what you need to defeat your other half—when the time is right."
Dark Hiroto paused, his expression hardening as he considered Elandor's words. He turned to Light Hiroto, a wicked smile curling on his lips. "You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over. When we meet again, I will crush you."
Before Light Hiroto could respond, Elandor waved his hand, and a swirling portal of darkness appeared behind him. Dark Hiroto gave one last menacing glance toward Ronan and Light Hiroto before stepping through the portal, vanishing into the shadows.
Light Hiroto rushed forward, trying to stop him, but the portal closed before he could reach it. The village was silent once more, the air heavy with the lingering sense of defeat. Ronan stood there, stunned, trying to process what had just happened. His friend, Hiroto, had been split into two beings—one of light, the other of darkness—and the darker half was now in the hands of the very man who had orchestrated this nightmare.
Light Hiroto, panting from the strain of the ordeal, turned to Ronan. "We have to stop him, Ronan. But I need time to regain my strength. He is growing more powerful with every moment that passes."
Ronan nodded, his resolve hardening. "We'll stop him. We'll bring the real Hiroto back."
But deep down, both knew that the battle ahead would be more dangerous than anything they had ever faced. Dark Hiroto was out there, growing stronger under Elandor's twisted guidance. And when the time came for their final confrontation, it would be a battle not just for the world—but for Hiroto's very soul.