High above the clouds, upon a majestic flying castle crafted from darkened stone and ethereal magic, two figures engaged in a fierce battle. One was a man donned in silver armor, wielding a radiant blade in his right hand. The second figure, in stark contrast, was dressed in a pitch-black suit of metallic armor. The atmosphere pulsated with tension as the two formidable beings locked eyes and disappeared just before colliding and unleashing a spectacular clash of magical energy.

Gripping his enchanted sword tightly, the man in gleaming silver armor faced his opponent with unshaken determination. His piercing blue eyes locked onto the fiery gaze of the adversary, whose twisted, horned visage exuded pure malevolence. As the confrontation intensified, the ominous figure's obsidian wings unfurled, casting a foreboding shadow over the battlements of the soaring fortress.

A thunderous roar echoed through the air as the clash between the two warriors unfolded, forcing both men to momentarily retreat. Strangely, they seemed to have sustained a comparable amount of damage. One left behind trails of radiant energy, a testament to the holy power coursing through his enchanted blade, while the other exuded fumes of shadowy darkness, a manifestation of the malevolence that fueled his dark prowess.

“You are strong hero but haven’t you realized it, are you this much of a fool?”

“Be quiet demon, the time for words has ended, accept your fate at the end of my blade!”

“I see… Then die!”

The demon clad in pitch-black armor unleashed a terrifying surge of dark energy, materializing into demonic heads that hurtled themselves toward the so-called hero. However, just before the ghastly heads could collide with the handsome man, his silvery armor emitted a bright glow. Mysterious symbols emerged, weaving into a luminous shield that dispersed the fiendish spell.

“How are you able to counter my death spell?”

“I am protected by the goddess; your demonic mana has no hold over me!”

The demon posed the question, swiftly met with a response as the hero charged forward. The clash of these two beings, each wielding immense magical power, unfolded in a more direct and upfront battle. The once-majestic castle walls began to crumble under the relentless pressure of their magical and physical attacks. Before long, the combatants burst through the ceiling and continued their fierce duel beneath the vast expanse of the night sky.

The confrontation between the hero and the demon elevated to new heights as they soared through the open air, exchanging blows and magical projectiles that illuminated the night. The once-gigantic flying castle became riddled with holes from the relentless barrage of attacks before they both landed on a large, flat section of a collapsed roof. As the battle unfolded, it became apparent that one individual was gradually inching toward victory, signaling the impending conclusion of this epic clash.

The hero swung his radiant blade with precision, each strike guided by the divine energy coursing through him. The demon countered with dark and twisted spells, yet the blade drew near with every clash. Soon, the demon's arm was severed and disintegrated into rays of light. The demonic individual collapsed onto his knees in defeat. Despite being out of breath, the hero grinned triumphantly and pointed his sword at his fallen adversary.

“This is the end for you, Demon King Aburdon. Your reign of terror ends today; humanity has won, and I shall guide them!”

“Haha…”

The demon king began laughing while clutching his shoulder that had been severed along with his arm. Even when he tried to activate his regenerative abilities, it would not regrow due to the corruption of holy energies that had invaded his wound.

“What’s so funny, fiend? You have lost!”

“You are indeed a mighty hero, but your sheer stupidity overshadows your might. Have you not realized it yet?”

The hero didn’t release his grip on his blade and his gaze remained fixed on the weakened demon king. Though his opponent was in a weakened state, the hero understood that it didn't necessarily mean the demon king was devoid of one last trump card. However, the demon remained on the ground, his eyes fixed on something unfolding behind the hero.

“Realized what? I’m not going to fall for your tricks. At least try to die with some dignity.”

“Oh, I will but it seems that your so-called ‘allies’ wish to bury you with me.”

Laughter erupted from the demon king's mouth, and it was followed by a brightening of the night sky. The hero, sensing something amiss, turned his head to take a glance. His eyes widened as he saw numerous bright rays streaking through the sky, resembling a massive meteor shower.

“No… why would they… they were supposed to only activate the magitech cannons if I failed… but I’m still alive; they should know this.”

After exclaiming in disbelief the man took out a white medallion from beneath his armor, adorned with a symbol representing the alliance that he was fighting for. Frantically, he activated the medallion, attempting to communicate with his supposed allies and halt the impending disaster. However, to his horror, there was no response. His once allies in his quest against the demonic forces, seemed to have turned a deaf ear to his desperate plea.

“You see, hero, your allies have abandoned you. Did you really think those bastards would allow someone with as much power as you to exist? You probably don’t even know why this war was started in the first place; you were nothing more than a puppet for them all!”

The hero’s eyes widened in realization, and a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. The meteor shower wasn't meant for the demon king alone; it was meant to obliterate both the hero and the defeated demon in one fell swoop. Betrayal stung deeper than any wound he had suffered in the battle.

In a desperate bid for survival, the hero channeled every ounce of his remaining energy into a protective barrier, creating a shimmering dome around himself and the demon king. The celestial meteors collided with the magical shield, causing a spectacular explosion of light and energy that sent shockwaves through the sky.

For a moment, it seemed like he might actually survive, but he had used up most of his energy in the previous battle. In his current state, he was not much stronger than the average high-knight, and soon the explosions engulfed the entire area, shattering the radiant shield that was supposed to protect him. His body was tossed towards the demonic being he swore to defeat. The last thing he saw before everything went black was the demon king's eyes filled with pity.

Both of them would die this day, and the true perpetrator of their demise would go unpunished. Both individuals were filled with immense rage, but their screams were quickly silenced by the mass of explosions, along with the demon castle exploding with them. The hero and the demon king, once bitter enemies, now found themselves entwined in the same tragic fate. As the remnants of the flying castle rained down from the sky, the once-majestic structure now resembled a celestial funeral pyre and marked the end of an era.

The hero's entire life flashed before his eyes, beginning with his arrival in this strange world. Memories of the beautiful princess who welcomed him flooded back. He reminisced about the years of training and hardships he endured to reach this point, only to realize that everything may have been a lie, perhaps planned from the beginning.

Yet, his thoughts weren’t the only ones present. Strange visions of a younger horned boy filled his dying mind. He witnessed the boy crying over the charred remains of other horned beings, presumably his parents. The boy's sadness and indignation were something he could perceive, along with many more old memories of his past deeds. However, this feeling didn’t last long, as both men soon faded away into the void, their consciousness along with them.

From a safe distance, the people responsible watched as the shockwaves collided with their armies and magical weaponry responsible for this disaster. There were many individuals here, some showed faces of triumph, others of disgust or uncertainty. The demon king along with the hero were presences that couldn’t be ignored. They all quickly rallied their troops to investigate the crash site.

“Could he have survived?”

A woman asked, her voice resonating with authority and a touch of sadness. She stood amidst the gathered group, adorned in an intricate nun’s habit that seemed out of place amid the war-torn landscape. Her eyes, however, were sharp and discerning, revealing a depth of wisdom that surpassed her outward appearance.

“It is unlikely, Sister Seraphina. The explosion was immense, and even someone of his prowess would struggle to survive such a cataclysmic event. We planned to eliminate both the hero and the demon king and it seems to have succeeded.”

A man with a stern expression, clad in elaborate mage robes, responded to Sister Seraphina’s question. The moment he brought up the planned assassination, a deep scowl adorned her lovely face.

“Please don’t say it like that, it was all god’s will. He would have brought ruin to the kingdom…”

“Hah, whatever makes you sleep at night, lass.”

A third person decided to chime in, he was shorter than the mage and priestess but a lot wider. In his hand, he was holding a large axe and his red beard covered most of his face.

“Think what you will, Ungrim.”

The woman replied while turning away from the laughing dwarf. Soon a fourth member approached the three, a man dressed in intricate armor with a crest adorning his chestplate. The moment he did, many of the surrounding soldiers started to bow and just the three individuals that were previously talking retained a more casual air about them.

“If Malakai believes that we were successful, then it is probably so. However, it won’t hurt us to verify his death.”

“If it’s Prince Leander’s wish.”

Seraphina nodded while also looking out into the distance. There a man of unprecedented beauty and elongated ears stood. An elven man of unparalleled grace, observed the aftermath of the cataclysmic event from his vantage point. His keen eyes scanned the horizon, searching for any signs of movement or survivors. The once mighty flying castle had been reduced to smoldering debris, and the area below was scarred by the impact of the celestial meteors.

As the armies closed in on the crash site, the elf turned around to leave. Everyone else ignored him and instead ventured towards the scene of devastation. It took them many days to sort through the rubble, but eventually, the mage named Malakai approached the epicenter of the crash, examining the charred remains of the once-proud flying castle. His trained eyes scanned the area for any lingering magical residue. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke.

“There is no doubt. The hero and the demon king are no more. Our plan was successful.”

A heavy silence hung in the air as the gravity of their actions settled upon the group. Prince Leander, however, remained composed. His regal demeanor betrayed none of the internal conflict that may have brewed beneath the surface.

“The hero fulfilled his purpose, and so did the demon king.”

Prince Leander said, his voice carrying a sense of closure and relief.

“The kingdom is safe from the threat they posed. We have accomplished what needed to be done. Gather up their remains, we shall return to the kingdom with good news.”

Seraphina nodded, her expression conflicted but resolute. Ungrim grunted in agreement, still uninterested in the moral intricacies of their actions. Malakai, though seemingly satisfied, couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

As the group prepared to leave the desolate scene, a faint whisper of wind carried an echo of distant laughter - a haunting sound that seemed to linger in the air. The three remaining members of the group exchanged uneasy glances, unsure if they were merely imagining things or if the remnants of the hero and demon king still lingered in some form.

Little did they know that the consequences of their actions would unfold in ways they could not anticipate, and the threads of fate were not so easily severed. The epic tale of the hero and the demon king might have reached its tragic conclusion, but the journey of another was just about to begin.

*****

A new life had awakened - a creature without a form, resembling a gray amoeba. It floated comfortably in a void filled with nothing but darkness. The being had just been born, and it had no idea where it was or what it was. It simply floated around without a care for the world, lacking much intelligence to ponder its existence. Having just been created, it knew not of its purpose or whether such a concept was even relevant.

It had no care in the world, lacking any real senses besides feeling some sensations on its outer shell, rendering it unable to perceive anything. From time to time, it bumped into other beings just like it, their amoeba-like bodies bouncing off each other as they floated in the vast open space. However, this one, in particular, was a bit more curious than the others. It attempted to bend its body to maneuver around or even poked the other shapeless creatures whenever it collided with them.

In the middle of one of these curious outbursts, something novel occurred. A phenomenon made its way into the space filled with shapeless creatures. It was a strange occurrence that elicited a reaction from the many beings in this dark expanse. Most saw it as unfavorable and utilized their limited capabilities to move away, but the curious bundle of gray matter was different. Instead of fleeing, it moved toward the cluster of strange energies, eventually colliding with it.

After the contact was made, a bright light flashed, illuminating the void. For a moment, it showcased the endless expanse that these creatures had found themselves in, along with the countless numbers of them. Resembling jellyfish with a more pale coloring, they seemed to be composed not of flesh, but of some other form of energy. The moment the light appeared, they began to scatter and reacted as if the radiance caused them pain.

The curious one from among them, who had approached this strange phenomenon, felt something new. Emotions that it had no capacity to comprehend started rushing in. For a moment, it felt anger, then quickly switched to sadness, and again rage took over. Strange visions of worlds and events that it never knew were rushing into its very core, altering it. The entity it made contact with looked like a bundle of white and black energy, and its gray body was now absorbing this peculiar energy form which was causing changes.

Its once gray and lackluster body began to shift; the creature was transforming. Initially, the surface turned pure white, shedding the gray tone, and made the amoeba appear as if it were made of pristine white snow. However, not long after, it began to darken. It was as if the absorbed dark and radiant energies were engaged in a battle inside this new being's body.

The newborn creature was experiencing something new: pain. Its entire body was being torn apart by the conflicting energies, and during the ordeal, strange images presented themselves. At one point, it saw a peculiar being with pointy things protruding from its head. This being was surrounded by other similar individuals, all bowing before it as if in worship. Shortly after, the vision shifted to a new individual, this one devoid of any pointy extremities and surrounded by fewer creatures that were showcasing peculiar expressions that it didn’t understand.

Together with these images the formless being was receiving a lot of information. It senses were becoming overloaded with everything it was experiencing and its body was about to collapse. To preserve itself, it attempted to counteract these two conflicting energies by attempting to contain them within its body. Miraculously, it succeeded, and its form, which had been shifting between two colors, settled into a darkened silver luster that remained.

Something echoed throughout its being as it finalized its form. The shape of its body remained somewhat similar, but it had grown twice in size. The grayish tone was no more, replaced by a shiny dark silver shell. The information overflow that it had been fighting against had settled down, but the energies were still present. However, before this being could ponder its situation, a new occurrence hit the empty void.

Suddenly, strange rifts started appearing everywhere. They produced various colors and beckoned to the residents of the void. The other grayish amoebas were drawn to these rifts and willingly entered through them. The curious one didn't feel as compelled as the others, but one of the openings seemed to be calling out to it. Slowly, it ignored the previous events and headed toward the rift, answering the beckoning call.

‘ A… R… ISE!’

As it went through the rift in space, it felt as if it were traversing through something akin to a strange membrane, requiring effort to push itself through. Due to its enlarged body, it became momentarily stuck within the rift. After shifting back and forth a few times, it managed to squeeze itself through. Suddenly, a strange sensation washed over it as it found itself in an unfamiliar place. Its senses expanded further, and it felt as if it were changing its shape to fill something up.

‘SER …VE … PROTECT … DES …TROY … ARISE!’

The voice became more audible than before, and the commanding tone was apparent. The being was instructed to arise, and so it tried. It managed to open its eyes, or in this case, something different which allowed it to fill its vision with the new scenery. The void from which it came was no more, replaced by an unfamiliar landscape. As it attempted to move, it sensed that the shapeless body it had previously occupied had also transformed.

It observed strange protrusions that weren't malleable but instead allowed only rigid movement. The newborn being attempted to move these new limbs, and when it did, a strange screeching sound was produced, followed by a lot of rattling as the being tried to propel the new body forward. Progress was slow, but it was beginning to understand how to use this new body which was somewhat similar to the memories it had been given. The being identified the upper limbs as arms and the lower ones as legs, which it could move.

The only problem was the loud, distinct sound that it could now hear whenever it tried to do something. After a few moments, this same sound attracted some unwelcome guests - more creatures walking on two legs but somewhat different. These creatures weren't identical but shared similar parts from which its body was created. They were draped over their limbs, and one was even wearing an almost exact replica of its own body.

“⏁⊑⟟⌇ ⋔⎍⌇⏁ ⏚⟒ ⍙⊑⟒⍀⟒ ⏁⊑⟒ ⌇⍜⎍⋏⎅ ☊⏃⋔⟒ ⎎⍀⍜⋔.”

“⟟⏁'⌇ ⟊⎍⌇⏁ ⏃ ⍀⎍⌇⏁⊬ ⌇⎍⟟⏁ ⍜⎎ ⏃⍀⋔⍜⍀.”

There were three beings in total, and they produced a strange sound from their upper orifices, which this new being identified as mouths. The memories continued to flow in, but it could not yet understand the language being spoken. Its contemplation was interrupted by the voice it had previously heard, giving it a direct order.

‘PROTECT, KILL, DESTROY!”

The message was quite clear, and when it glanced into its right hand, it noticed some type of metallic object there. In response to the voice's demand, it felt somewhat enraged. It raised the object it was holding and started moving towards the trio. It felt an urgent need to protect this place, to kill whoever was here, to destroy everyone in its path.

It charged forth, producing various screeching and clacking noises. Its footsteps echoed throughout the place, and it took in the new sensation of sound while trying to fulfill the order. Soon, it swung the metal object at the first person in front of it, ready to take the head with one quick movement. However, it did not go as the newborn being had planned. As it swung down to hit its target, the person just moved out of the way.

“⊑⏃⊑⏃, ⏁⍜⍜ ⌇⌰⍜⍙!”

Instead of hitting the living being, the metal weapon collided with the ground. At this point, something struck its chest area, sending it flying against the wall. The moment it collided with the wall, a metallic clang echoed through the area, and it could feel that some of its limbs had been torn apart. One of them landed on the floor, while another one rolled into the distance, where one of the beings it was trying to attack stepped on it.

“⟊⎍⌇⏁ ☌⟒⏁ ⟟⏁ ⍜⎐⟒⍀ ⍙⟟⏁⊑, ⋏⍜ ⎍⌇⟒ ⌰⍜⌇⟟⋏☌ ⏁⟟⋔⟒ ⍜⋏ ⌇⎍☊⊑ ⏃ ⌰⍜⍙ ⍀⏃⋏☍ ⋔⍜⋏⌇⏁⟒⍀.”

Unable to fully comprehend the words of the other beings, it could identify that the tone was mocking its demise. Before it could stand up again, a fast-moving object collided with its head, sending it flying into the air. It rolled around the area before coming to a stop close to one of its enemies' feet. At this point, it could see the rusted-over body that it once occupied - a strange metallic shell that mimicked the humanoid form.

It began to blame the voice that had ordered it towards its demise for this failure. The enemies it faced were far too strong, and the body it was given was far too weak. It could only remain in that spot as the beings it now identified as humans clobbered it over the head with a heavy metal object. It could not resist, nor could it restore itself back to its previous shape. Soon, its vision went blurry, and nothing but the void awaited it.

This place was different, it was not the same void that it had been created but something much colder and devoid of anything else. The feeling was uncomfortable but soon it heard the same voice once more.

‘ARISE MINION’

It was much clearer than before and it found itself being summoned yet again. As the being was called forth from the void, it felt a surge of energy. This time, it emerged in a different environment. It found itself standing in a dimly lit chamber surrounded by strange symbols and runes on the walls. The air was thick with an otherworldly essence, and the being realized that it had taken the same form as before.

The more it existed, the clearer the memories became. It started comprehending its existence as some sort of metallic creature. It looked at its limbs, mostly rusted over plates of metal. Many small holes within its body continuously produced loud sounds, something it now realized was not conducive to survival. Learning quickly from its last encounter, it understood that the more it moved, the more likely a group of humanoid assailants would arrive to slay it.

Not sure what to do, it observed the changed scenery and found itself in a collapsed temple. Before it was a small circular basin with some water, and upon glancing into it, it saw its head, which looked like a helmet that would be adorned by something called a knight. With the help of the memories it was gaining, it acquired more knowledge, allowing it to identify itself. It was a monster found in places called dungeons, categorized as living armor.

This revelation didn't help much, but as it focused on the reflection showing a rusted piece of armor, a strange feeling washed over it. The creature desired to know more about itself and what it was. Suddenly, as it tried to decipher its origin, something strange appeared before it. Floating words with strange symbols began to materialize, and it started to slowly understand. If it was correct, then this thing before it was called a status screen, and it had all the information that this creature desired…