The cold wind howled as it passed through the towering cliffs of the precipice. The faint moonlight cast eerie shadows on the ground. Two girls stood behind each other, gasping for breath. Their faces were twisted with exhaustion and anxiety, but above all, their eyes were filled with fear.
Behind them, the twisted trees of the forest cast long, menacing shadows on the ground, yet there was no place left to hide. In front of them, a dark abyss yawned open—deep, endless, and filled with jagged rocks.
They had no escape left.
Elise placed her hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath. Her heart pounded violently, but not just from exhaustion… it was fear.
Lunaryl, standing slightly behind, gazed at her with shining emerald eyes. Her long, pointed elven ears twitched slightly—a sign of unease. Her silver hair, shimmering under the moonlight like a flowing waterfall, swayed gently with the wind.
She whispered, "Elise…?"
Elise lifted her amber eyes, which blazed like untamed fire in the darkness, to meet Lunaryl's. Her pale skin, once a sign of nobility, now only displayed fatigue and pain. Her long, dark brown hair, tinged with deep crimson highlights, cascaded over her shoulders.
But what burned in her gaze was something beyond fear and despair.
Hatred.
The sound of clanking armor and heavy footsteps shattered the night's silence.
From the shadows, a group of church knights emerged. Their white armor stood in stark contrast to the darkness of the night.
And among them stood the one who drew Elise's attention the most.
He wore a long golden robe, holding a staff embedded with dazzling magical gems. His face was calm, even kind—piercing eyes, a gentle smile devoid of hostility.
But Elise knew him.
Rogar, the High Priest of the Church.
The murderer of her family.
At the sight of that familiar face, memories buried deep in her mind resurfaced.
"Father!"
A golden sword slashed through the air, cleaving through the wall. Her father, using the last of his strength to defend the castle gate, fell to his knees. Blood stained the ground.
"No…" Elise took a step back, terror filling her eyes. She saw her mother, tears streaming down her face, pulling her into an embrace. "We have to go, my love!"
But before they could move, the gates shattered with immense force. And through the crimson flames, he appeared—draped in gold, wielding a radiant staff, with eyes void of emotion.
Rogar stepped forward. Her father, barely breathing, muttered with fury, "Why…? What did we do…?"
The High Priest smiled gently. The same smile he wore even now.
"Everything is for the sacred will."
And then, Elise's world crumbled amidst the screams and flames.
Elise gritted her teeth, clenching her fists tightly.
Rogar, ever composed, took a step closer.
"My child…" His voice was soft and warm, yet there was something venomous beneath it. "How long have you been running? You must be exhausted."
Elise didn't avert her gaze. "Shut up."
Rogar let out a deep sigh, as if genuinely saddened. "I regret that you harbor such resentment toward me. But believe me, I only did what was right."
Elise sneered. "Right? Was massacring my family the right thing to do?"
Still smiling, Rogar replied, "I only did what was best for the world." His gaze fell upon the book in Elise's hands—the Black Sacred Tome. "And now… you still have it."
Elise gripped the book tighter.
With the tone of a parent coaxing a stubborn child, Rogar said, "That book is born of darkness. Even you should fear it."
Elise shouted, "I hate this book! Curse this book, and curse you! But this book is the only thing keeping me from dying!"
Still composed, Rogar took another step forward. "If you give it to me, everything will be over. You'll be free. No more running."
Elise gave him a bitter smile. "Do you think I'm that stupid?"
Rogar's eyes narrowed slightly, but his smile remained. "Stupid? No, just… desperate."
Elise shuddered.
He was right. She was desperate.
And for someone desperate, only one path remained.
Elise closed her eyes.
Hatred, pain, rage… all of it condensed into a single thought.
She despised this book with every fiber of her being—after all, it was because of this book that her family was killed.
Whispers of darkness rose from its ancient pages.
The knights took a step back.
Lunaryl shouted in alarm, "Elise! Wait! You don't know what you're doing!"
For the first time, a flicker of fear appeared in Rogar's eyes.
He raised his staff and yelled, "Stop! You have no idea what power you are unleashing!"
But it was already too late.
The sky darkened. The earth trembled. An unknown force surged from within the book, a wave of energy that engulfed existence itself.
Lunaryl barely managed to keep her balance. Her heart pounded faster.
What had her friend done? What even was this book? Why had she never seen it in Elise's hands before?
For the first time, Rogar's voice wavered. "You… have summoned destruction."
Elise looked at him.
And whispered, "Then let the world burn."
At that very moment, as the book opened, an invisible wave of darkness spread across the world.
In the frozen mountains of the north, glaciers that had remained unbroken for millennia cracked open, awakening the ancient beasts within.
In the Divine Church, stained-glass windows shattered, and terrified priests fell to their knees.
In the depths of the ocean, long-forgotten creatures let out bone-chilling roars.
In the mage towers, every enchanted crystal shattered, plunging them into darkness.
All across the world, forbidden beings that had slumbered for ages opened their eyes.
Storms raged, the seas roared, and time and space twisted in turmoil.
Suddenly, the world lost its color, and the sky split open.