The year was 2070. Flames erupted across the land. Taros was burning. Not just parts of it. Not just the outer districts. All of it.
The entire nation collapsed into itself. Towers folded like paper under the weight of the heat. Streets split open, swallowing what remained of the civilization. Fire crawled across every surface. It was feeding, growing, devouring everything in its path.
The air was thick and heavy. It felt filthy. Each breath carried ash, intense heat, and the metallic scent of blood. Bodies lay everywhere. Some were burned beyond recognition. Some were crushed under the rubble. Blood soaked the ground so deeply it no longer looked like earth. It was just red.
At the center of the ruins, Lexi Deymour was on her knees. Bleeding. Shaking. Struggling to breathe. Every inhale tore through her chest like a jagged blade. Her red-brown armor was shattered, barely clinging to her body. Broken plates dug into her skin, leaving fresh trails of crimson. The straps had snapped. The metal was cracked.
Her short turquoise hair whipped violently in the storm of heat. Strands stuck to her forehead with a mixture of sweat and blood. Her dark skin glistened, not with the glow of strength, but with the wetness of damage. Cuts were layered over old cuts. Bruises were forming under the blood.
Lexi's fingers twitched against the scorched dirt. She tried to push herself up. She failed. Her arms buckled instantly. She hit the ground again, tasting the ash.
"...fuck..."
It barely came out.
"...it's all over..."
Her head hung low for a long moment. Then slowly and painfully, she forced herself to look up. Her brown eyes locked onto Kalista D'vile.
Kalista was floating above the battlefield, untouched by the chaos. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Her long black hair flowed effortlessly. It was untouched by ash and untouched by the wind. It was as if the world itself refused to disturb her divinity. Her blue eyes glowed softly. They were cold. They were watching.
A small, sadistic smile rested on her lips. Her golden armor, tinted with a faint pink hue from the flames, reflected the destruction around her. It was perfect. Flawless. Not a single mark. Not a single crack. As if the battle that ruined a nation meant nothing to her.
"Is that it, Lexi?"
Her voice was light and almost playful.
"Already struggling to stand?"
She tilted her head slightly, studying her prey.
"We've been fighting for almost two hours, and look at you."
A pause followed. Her smile widened just a little.
"A mess."
The wind howled louder, pushing ash across the ground like waves. Lexi stared back at her. Her gaze was sharp but exhausted. She was broken and silent. Inside her head, everything was screaming. She wondered how Kalista was still standing. She wondered why her own body wouldn't listen to her. Her hand tried to clench into a fist. It failed.
She was empty. She had no mana. She had no strength. She had nothing.
Without warning, Kalista vanished. There was no sound and no warning. Then she was there, right in front of Lexi. Her hand shot forward and wrapped around Lexi's throat. It was tight and instant. She lifted Lexi like she weighed nothing at all.
Lexi choked. Her legs kicked uselessly in the air, scraping against the smoke. Her hands grabbed at Kalista's wrist, but there was no strength left in her fingers.
"Don't stop now."
Kalista's voice dropped. It was sharper and closer.
"You're the only one who entertains me."
Her grip tightened. The pressure crushed into Lexi's neck. Air stopped. Vision blurred. Sound faded into a dull hum. Lexi felt the darkness closing in. Instinct kicked in before her mind could process the danger.
"Come..."
The space around her distorted. It cracked and pulled. The Dragon Spear appeared in her grasp. It was fast and desperate. She drove it forward with the last of her will. The blade pierced through Kalista's hand.
For a single moment, everything stopped. Kalista looked at the wound. She wasn't in pain. She was only surprised. Her fingers loosened. Lexi dropped to the ground, coughing violently. She dragged air into her lungs like she was drowning. Each breath burned worse than the one before.
Kalista slowly pulled the spear out of her hand. Blood ran down her fingers. She watched it drip onto her perfect armor.
"...you hit me."
A smile formed. It was different this time. It was interested.
"Well done."
She spun the spear lightly, testing its weight.
"The Dragon Spear. Lipizo's weapon."
Her gaze returned to Lexi. She was focused now.
"Tell me something, Lexi. Is there anything about your power that is actually yours?"
Lexi coughed again, forcing herself to breathe.
"Shut up..."
Her voice shook, but there was something sharp underneath it. It was anger.
"I earned these powers... fair and square..."
She planted her foot down and pushed herself up. Her legs trembled violently. She nearly fell again, but she stayed standing.
"...I'm Rank Z now."
Kalista raised an eyebrow. Then she laughed. It was soft at first, then louder.
"And?"
Her voice dropped instantly. It was cold. She gestured around them at the ruins, the bodies, and the endless fire.
"What does that even mean now? Your friends are dead. The dimensions are gone. Your world is over."
She stepped forward slowly.
"And now, you don't even have mana left."
Lexi didn't respond. Her eyes slowly moved across the battlefield. There was no movement. There were no voices. There was no life. Just silence and ruin. Her hands trembled harder.
"...she's right..."
It was barely a whisper.
"...there's nothing left..."
Her shoulders dropped. Her body felt heavier and empty. She looked back at Kalista.
"Kill me, Kalista. I surrender."
For a moment, Kalista just looked at her. Then she smiled.
"No."
She threw the spear. It tore through the air instantly, aimed straight at Lexi's head.
"You're not dying yet. Fight. Break. Entertain me until the end."
Lexi closed her eyes. She accepted it. Then a voice echoed in her mind.
"Laison."
Her eyes snapped open. The world slowed down. A memory surfaced of Lipizo.
"Remember this, Lexi. Use it only when you have nothing left. It will drain your enemy, but it will drain you too. You will become nothing."
The spear moved slower now, almost frozen in time. Her heart pounded violently. Her fingers twitched. Lexi inhaled deep and painfully. She stood. Her entire body shook, but she stood. Her eyes locked onto Kalista with resolve.
"...so this is it..."
She whispered to herself.
"Either I give up everything, or I beat you."
She grabbed the spear mid-air. It pierced straight through her palm. Blood spilled instantly. Kalista raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"No more options. This is everything."
Lexi clenched her teeth. She looked up toward the sky. The spear began to glow. Her hair shifted color, turning into a bright, violent yellow. Power surged through her. It was unstable.
Then, there was silence. Kalista appeared behind her without delay. Lexi froze. In a single second, Lexi's left arm dropped to the ground. It was gone. Blood exploded outward. Her body shook as she vomited crimson. Her eyes widened in shock. Her knees collapsed.
"Claudio... Liron... sorry..."
Her voice broke. Darkness swallowed her as she hit the ground. Kalista looked down at her with a calm expression.
"It's over, Lexi. The game is over."
Kalista turned her head slowly to look across the destruction. She exhaled lightly. Then she stopped. Something caught her attention. The Ralgin Barrier had a crack. It was small and thin.
"...what?"
Another crack formed, then another. It was spreading fast. The barrier trembled and fragments of light shattered off its surface. Then, everything snapped. The barrier exploded outward in a total collapse.
Kalista froze. Her eyes widened. Her breath stopped. For the first time in her long life, she felt real fear. Her hands trembled. Sweat formed on her skin. Blood slipped from her nose.
"...fuck..."
There was only silence. Something was coming. Darkness.
One year earlier.
To be continued