Once upon a time, a king who had just been murdered by his own brother found himself drifting in a vast, endless expanse of stars.
"Ugh... where am I?" His eyes scanned the surroundings; there was only an infinite, boundless void.
Then, something manifested, heralded by an overwhelming pressure of immense energy. A colossal hand appeared as if grasping him, and a four-winged dragon materialized before his eyes.
"Fallen king, I have saved you from the cold embrace of death."
"Your death is the beginning of everything. ReusNoraMontlucis!"
The dragon spoke his name in a deep, authoritative voice. Meanwhile, Reus remained silent, struggling to stand.
"The beginning... what do you mean?!"
"Why has my suffering still not ended?!"
He screamed at the dragon in sheer rage, his face wearing the profound exhaustion of the life he had endured.
"Your destiny is bound to mine. I have watched over you since the moment you came into this world."
The dragon answered Reus, only to be met by a slow, bitter laughter that gradually grew louder.
"Bound... you must be joking, hahaha!!"
"Allowing me to be cast out, staying silent when I prayed to you. And of course, just watching as I saw my mother die right before my eyes."
"Is that your idea of watching over me, oh great Light?!"
Reus glared intensely at the Light, his fists clenching tightly. Yet the dragon merely watched in silence, prompting Reus to finally make his move.
"In that case..."
In a flash, a crystalline purple spear materialized in his right hand.
"I will show you..."
His shattered left side slowly began to regenerate.
"...the resolve of a king forged from this suffering!" His eyes flared with sharp determination.
"Bahamut!"
Swift as lightning, Reus lunged forward. Before him, a massive horde of light soldiers appeared, preparing to block the king. But Reus did not falter; instead, he accelerated.
Dozens, hundreds, thousands of light soldiers surged, but the king cut through them with ease. The battle escalated rapidly, their numbers dwindling. And in the distance, stood seven figures, ready to strike the king down. But Reus only smirked as he stared at the seven figures, and charged straight at them.
"Heh, you deployed them just to fight me? Pathetic!"
Even though Reus lunged forward, their power was monumental, dwarfing his own like heaven and earth. His spear shattered into dust, his arms were severed once more, and his body was blasted far backward.
"D-damn it..."
Reus struggled to stand, blood pooling around him. But his regeneration relentlessly healed his body; even his severed arms sprouted anew.
"RAAAAGH!!"
With the last of his strength, he rose and lunged once more. Slowly, his body began to transform, shifting into something else—something that would prove his worth in the eyes of the Light.