2-1. A New Reality
Solen Pyrex opened his eyes slowly, the world coming into focus. He found himself in a beautifully decorated, pristine recovery room. The memory of the demon, the blood, and the final burst of light rushed back, causing him to struggle immediately to sit up.
The door slid open, and a man with short yellow hair and a sheathed blade bearing mythic inscriptions at his hip walked in.
"Hi. My name is Lucen Crossveil," the man said, extending his hand.
Solen took it firmly. "Solen Pyrex. Where… am I?"
Lucen withdrew his hand, his gaze thoughtful. "Do you still remember what happened two nights ago?"
"Two nights ago? I've been asleep that long?" Solen rubbed his chin. "It felt like a bad dream. My clash with a demon woman…"
"That demon is known as Belva the Blood Queen, a rather high-class demon," Lucen confirmed, moving closer. His gaze was locked onto Solen, sharp and dissecting. "How did you slay it?"
"I—I'm lost?" Solen chuckled awkwardly, feeling strangely safe in this room devoid of any dark Vice energy.
"Demons of that class are only killed by a Holy Equipment after their insane regeneration is completely worn out," Lucen explained, his confusion evident. "You did that with only your fist."
"I don't even know how I did it," Solen replied, rubbing his head, genuinely confused.
As the conversation continued, the door opened, and an old man in a priest's robe walked in.
"Father Lucent!" Lucen immediately bowed his head in respect.
"Hehehe… don't bore this young lad with questions, Lucen, he needs more explanations," Father Lucent said, his voice calm and serene.
The priest settled himself comfortably. "We've done the necessary paperwork and adopted you from the orphanage to this noble Sanctuary."
Solen's heart sank slightly. "I see… I didn't even get to tell anyone goodbye, huh?"
"You've been chosen by the Almighty to become a Saint—one that guards humanity from the forces of evil that spawn from the demon realm," Father Lucent continued, his voice taking on a precise gravity. "You can see it, can't you?"
"See what?" Solen asked, confused.
"The Vices that grow within the heart of humanity," the Father replied. "With you, we can stop demonic gates from opening even before Vices energize them enough."
Solen gripped the sheets. "I still don't know what's going on! It's all so sudden. One night I'm fighting a demon, the next I'm called to be a member of some elite force?"
Father Lucent took Solen's hand and led him gently toward a room dominated by a large, illuminated globe. Large areas of the globe were covered in churning darkness.
"All those areas covered in black are the parts of the world enveloped in darkness," Father Lucent lectured. "Vices grow stronger within the hearts of man every day, feeding to get stronger. We've been blessed by the Almighty with the power of Wonders to stand as a singularity against this ever-rising darkness. The scales of balance is no longer in equilibrium, and the forces of darkness have started to win this holy war."
Solen was suddenly engulfed in a vision: a nightmare of weeping people, widespread bloodshed, burnt homes, and countries in shambles. When the vision wore off, a look of profound terror was etched onto his face.
"That's what will inevitably happen if we… the Saints… don't make moves now," Father Lucent finished, his voice somber. "You, being a creature devoid of blemish, I believe you've been sent by the Almighty himself to join this fold."
"Even then, I have no combat experience of any kind! How would I slay demons!?" Solen questioned, his mind reeling.
"You'll be joining my squad as a Saint and undergo training under my supervision here in the Sanctuary," Lucen interjected smoothly. "Don't worry, your fellow cadet would be glad to meet you."
"I see… show him around then," Father Lucent said, leaving the two alone.
2-2. The Junior Saint
As Solen and Lucen walked through the main hall of the Sanctuary, Solen was awestruck by the sheer number of people working in various departments.
"Woah! This place is huge!" Solen exclaimed.
"Hehe… guarding humanity isn't one man's job, after all," Lucen replied.
A young teenager with bright, short yellow hair and an almost feminine face, ran towards them, a lance strapped to his back.
"Senior Lucen! Senior Lucen!" he shouted, finally catching up. "Is this the new guy you talked about earlier?"
The boy immediately flashed an excited grin at Solen. "Hi! I'm Orin Seraphis, your teammate! Senior Lucen must have told you a lot about me!"
"Senior Lucen?" Solen repeated.
"Well… yeah, he's currently a Senior Saint here, and we're his juniors," Orin explained matter-of-factly, as Lucen stared with a clenched fist.
"Don't you think Master is more appropriate, though?" Solen replied, trying to be respectful.
Orin burst into laughter. "Hahahaha… nah, I think my skills are even better than his! The Sanctuary usually pairs one senior and two juniors in a team for security purposes. A Master would be one who has become a member of the Knights of Wonder!"
Orin's voice grew reverent. "The Knights of Wonder are the strongest Saints to ever exist. Their presence alone is said to drive away the forces of darkness. Their existence has become the very pillars of humanity's existence."
"WONT YOU JUST SHUT UP!" Lucen yelled, his composure finally breaking.
"Looks like someone is angry 'cause I spoilt his show, tehehe," Orin teased.
The two launched into a childish skirmish, arguing loudly as Solen watched, a drop of sweat rolling down his temple. "Hehehe… please tell me I hit my head hard and started hallucinating or something," Solen muttered.
Nonetheless, it feels good being in a world where I'm not choked by the guilt of Vices being born as a result of my existence… it's like a dream come true, Solen thought, chuckling.
A female worker approached them. "Are you Solen Pyrex?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied.
"Ah, that's great then! Someone wishes to meet you."
Solen looked at Lucen and Orin, who were still engaged in their absurd argument. The worker rolled her eyes. "They literally do this every day." Solen chuckled and followed her.
2-3. The Forgiven
In the visitor's room, Solen saw him: Oberon, now sitting with bandages wrapping the stump where his arm used to be.
The moment Oberon saw Solen, he burst into tears and knelt down, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I'm so sorry," Oberon cried. "I'm so sorry for everything, I'm sorry for how I treated you… I saw all you did for me that night! Please forgive me, Solen!"
Solen gently pulled him up and gave him a large hug. "I have never had any grudges against you, Oberon. And as long as I live… I'll fight! I'll fight to protect the beautiful radiance that glows within humanity!"
"Father Lucent changed my name to Ansel Vered," Oberon—now Ansel—said, wiping his tears. "He said I've now become a new person."
"I believe you can make that orphanage a better place, Ansel. Now go… and let everyone see your light!" Solen replied, parting ways with his first friend and last enemy.
2-4. Seraphine Luxora
Three weeks later.
Solen had undergone intense training on how to channel his Wonder and received a crash course in the history of the Saints and the Sanctuary. Thanks to his focused nature, he learned at a blinding speed.
In the training field, Solen and Orin were locked in combat, while Lucen and Father Lucent watched. Solen had been given holy gauntlets as his divine weapon, which perfectly suited his close-quarters, fist-based fighting style.
Pierce… Pierce… Pierce…
Every thrust of Orin's lance was met with a precise dodge or counter from Solen's gauntlets. Orin always plays attack and, due to his speedy nature, he's very good at it, Solen analyzed instantly.
Solen dashed forward, landing a heavy punch that was blocked by Orin's lance, followed immediately by an anticipated roundhouse kick, which Orin managed to dodge. Clash… clash… clash… Their battle was a brilliant scene of speed, power, and calculated precision.
"Divine Thrust!" Orin screamed. His lance became a blur, dashing toward Solen in a radiant blue light.
"Seraphine Luxora!" Solen's fist glowed with a blinding light as he dashed to meet the attack, ready to counter it with his ultimate technique.
"Chrono Hold!" Father Lucent snapped his fingers.
Time itself paused. Orin and Solen froze mid-clash, their ultimate techniques vanishing the moment Father Lucent unfroze time.
"What just happened?!" Solen asked, stunned.
Father Lucent chuckled joyfully. "I froze your time to stop you both from making a mess here. Solen, you've become so good in such a short while—a truly commendable result."
"A wondrous ability that can freeze time is truly astonishing!" Solen commented.
Father Lucent smiled. "All Wonders ever possessed by humanity are but little fragments of the Almighty's power given to humanity. To Him, we owe our eternal gratitude." He clapped his hands together. "All that being said… let me brief you on your first mission as a team