No one noticed him.
The One they loved. The protector of Gaia.
As shadows gathered around him, the sky darkened, as if the heavens themselves mourned.
He thought, quietly at first, then louder in the recesses of his mind:Why am I protecting them?For what?What do they mean to me?
The questions came, relentless, and with them, a chill spread through his soul.Until the darkness closed over him completely.
He drifted into sleep.
Far away, the gods noticed.
The sky blackened like spilled ink, and for a heartbeat, the world held its breath.
Then, in an instant, a village was drenched in blood.
The darkened sky shattered into brilliance again, as if Gaia itself could not bear the shadow.And the figure, bathed in darkness, looked upward and laughed.
The darkness receded from him as his eyes opened.
The One now stood among the bodies of those he had sworn to protect.The streets were red with life extinguished.And he asked himself the question that would haunt him forever:Who… why…?
And then they arrived.
First came Kaelthar, God of the Sword. His silver armor gleamed even under the dimmed sun, and the weight of a thousand battles hung in his gaze. He raised a blade of light so sharp it could pierce the sky.
"Surrender, or face justice," he commanded, voice like steel against stone.
Next, Isyara, Goddess of Magic, descended like a river of starlight. Her robes shimmered with constellations, each movement weaving spells in the air. With a whisper, she warped reality around her, bending the battlefield to her will.
Then came Hadrion, God of Martial Arts, steps silent but powerful, energy flowing visibly around his body. His fists and feet glowed faintly, promising a discipline perfected over eons.
From the north wind blew Nayara, Goddess of Elements. Fire danced in her hair, water wrapped around her arms, wind bending in obedience. The earth trembled beneath her feet. With a single gesture, storms and earthquakes rippled outward.
Kaiven, God of Summoning, appeared next. Shadows twisted into creatures of all shapes and sizes around him. Each summoned being hissed and bared teeth at the One, yet they all obeyed his godly master's command.
Then came Ruvath, God of Beasts. Half-human, half-primal, with fur and scales blending seamlessly. Beasts of the forest, sky, and sea rallied at his call, snarling and circling, instincts sharpened to kill.
Finally, towering above them all, Seranth, God of Dominion, radiated raw power. Darkness and light twisted around him like molten energy, his eyes blazing with authority. Even the air seemed to bend to his will.
The One looked at them.Their weapons glinted with divine intent. Their presence was absolute.
A laugh escaped him—cold, echoing, unbound.
The darkness that had consumed him swirled, forming a cloak that hid his features. And from within that void, he drew a sword, black as the void yet blazing with the brilliance of the sun itself.
"It is you who failed to see me," he said to the gods, voice calm yet terrifying."You call yourselves protectors, yet you could not protect him. You could not protect Gaia."
The gods tensed, uncertainty flickering in their eyes.Even Kaelthar gripped his blade tighter.Even Isyara's hands wavered slightly.
But duty could not hesitate.
"Surrender, One," Seranth thundered."Or prepare for battle."
The clash began.
Kaelthar's sword met the One's black blade with a sound like thunder. Sparks of light and shadow collided, sending ripples across the land.
Isyara's magic twisted reality around them, but the One moved effortlessly, shadows swallowing spells before they could land.
Hadrion struck with disciplined force, each movement a perfect strike, yet the One's blade danced between blows with impossible precision.
Nayara unleashed fire, wind, water, and stone in waves. The One laughed, deflecting torrents with a single swipe of his sun-black sword.
Kaiven's summoned beasts lunged, only to vanish into darkness before reaching him.
Ruvath roared, calling every predator and monster in Gaia to attack, yet each creature faltered, confused by the void surrounding the One.
Seranth, with a sweep of molten energy, sought to crush him entirely—but the One countered, his sword blindingly bright, splitting the aura like the sun breaking night.
The gods paused.
Never had they seen such power, such speed, such mastery.Their faces were a mixture of grief, anger, and helplessness.
And through it all, the One laughed.
"I am the one you swore to protect," he said."And yet I am the one you failed."
Gaia shivered beneath the clash of gods and darkness.
And somewhere, in the shadows of the battlefield, the first whispers of a future yet to come began to stir.