As I crossed the threshold, a thick, nauseating stench of decay enveloped me. The air was stale, thick with putrefaction, as if the entire place had been permeated with death for days. The structure of the orphanage seemed to rise from a substratum of dark ruins, blackened stones engraved with unknown symbols that emanated a disturbing energy.
The ancient blackness that sustained it seemed to nourish the building. Aron had mentioned "monsters," but what I saw surpassed that designation. Mutilated remains lay scattered everywhere, evidence of merciless carnage. In the center, three entities radiated palpable power.
The first of them was a warrior in dark, spiky armor, his presence dominant and menacing. The armor appeared to be made of black metal plates, with sharp edges that reflected the surrounding reddish light. His face was hidden behind a visor, giving him an even more intimidating appearance.
The second entity was shrouded in shadow, wielding an ebony spear with a sharp, deadly point. A deadly aura emanated from it, as if ready to extinguish lives at any moment. The spear appeared to be made of a dark, heavy material, and its length seemed ideal for close-range combat.
The third creature was a beast with sharp claws and incandescent eyes. Its dark fur was bristling, and its attitude was that of a hunter about to attack. A scarlet glow pulsed around it, dyeing the ground with a hellish brilliance. Its claws seemed to be made of a material similar to a predator's nails, and its eyes glowed with an intensity that seemed supernatural.
There was no time to hesitate, with the terrified children inside. Without hesitation, I advanced, sword in hand. In that instant, a surge of dark energy erupted from the warrior, a pure destructive force that seemed destined to annihilate everything in its path.
I intervened, parrying the attack with my bare hand. The power collided with my palm, but I resisted without flinching. The energy dissipated, leaving a tense silence in the air.
The three figures scrutinized me with a mixture of surprise and hostility. Their gaze seemed to be assessing me, trying to determine whether I was an enemy or a worthy adversary.
—Not one step further.
The air distorted around me. A blink, a split second, and the sordid reality of the orphanage vanished. I was no longer in the corpse-strewn courtyard, but in a different space, a place that throbbed with a strange, oppressive energy.
The abrupt change caught me off guard. A king like me, accustomed to exerting control over my surroundings, suddenly found himself at the mercy of unknown forces. I realized my companions had disappeared. Alexander and Aron were nowhere to be seen. Only the one in the dark armor remained.
The creature raised its sword, the moonlight reflecting off its blade. Its stance, though menacing, had a strange elegance, a martial courtesy that contrasted with the brutality of the previous scene.
A voice echoed in the space, deep and resonant, like the tolling of an ancient bell. It wasn't a sound that reached my ears, but something that vibrated directly in my mind.
—I am Zarthus, Lord of the Crimson Moon. I recognize your strength, stranger. You are a being of undeniable power, even amid the carnage you have just witnessed.
The creature paused, its eyes fixed on me. Then it continued speaking in a deep, resonant voice.
—Therefore, I challenge you to a duel. Single combat, here and now.
It wasn't a question, but a statement. A challenge issued with the confidence of someone who can't imagine defeat. My answer emerged before I could fully analyze it. The pride of a king, the blood of a warrior, the certainty of my own ability.
—I accept.
Meanwhile, somewhere else in that twisted dimension, Alexander came face to face with Morgath, the Wielder of the Ebon Spear. The darkness emanating from the spectral figure seemed to absorb the light around him, leaving Alexander in an eerie gloom.
The spear, long and sharp, pointed at him like the accusing finger of death, and Alexander felt a chill run down his spine, a premonition of the battle to come.
Aron, meanwhile, encountered Kryll, the Scarlet Scourge. The boy instinctively recoiled at the sight of the beast. His eyes filled with terror as he beheld the sharp claws, the tearing teeth, and the bloodlust emanating from every pore of the creature.
Fear paralyzed him, trapping him in a cocoon of dread as the creature approached, ready to unleash its fury.
I showed up with my sword in hand and my white hair blowing in the wind.
—I'm Sora, a Demon King. And I swear I'm going to end your fucking life today.
Zarthus looked at me. Then, he snapped his fingers and pulled two chairs and a table out of thin air. On the table were a teacup and a chess set.
I was surprised by his move, but my confidence didn't waver. "A duel of intellects, what fun is that?"
—I want to see if you are as skilled with your mind as you are with your sword.
I thought of my battle companions: "Alexander and Aron, two useless guys I just met."
—My companions will finish off your companions. I'd bet Morgath will win his fight against Alexander.
Zarthus smiled, but I didn't flinch. "I have no friends, only loyal soldiers."
—I don't have any friends.
Zarthus smiled, and I could see on a mental screen that Alexander was fighting Morgath. Morgath seemed to have the advantage.
"I'll bet my sword that Morgath will finish Alexander off without a hitch. Victory is his, and mine too."
Meanwhile, Alexander and Morgath were locked in direct, close-quarters combat, where there was zero margin for error. Technically, at that range, the sword held the advantage. It was faster, more versatile, and allowed greater control in tight spaces. Alexander knew this and moved with pinpoint precision, exploiting every angle of the cut and every dead space between Morgath's movements.
The spear Morgath wielded, however, was no ordinary spear. At first glance, it was already anomalous: its structure vibrated with a visible energetic resonance, with active layers of compressed red energy coursing along the weapon's shaft. It was an epic-grade weapon, forged from materials beyond the physical plane, imbued with defensive and shock-absorbing properties. Every time Alexander struck with his sword, the spear not only blocked but completely neutralized the attacking energy, as if its edge were canceled before it could do any real damage.
The battle took place within the Blood Moon World, an artificial dimension deployed by Morgath from the start of the fight. The atmosphere changed as soon as Alexander entered. Reality was replaced by a bleak and oppressive environment, where the sky was a motionless dome tinged with absolute red and a colossal blood-stained moon projected a dense light that seemed to press down on the combatants. The earth was a solid, black surface, formed of rock saturated with compressed energy. There was no vegetation, no wind, no life. Only pure energy that responded only to Morgath.
This unique ability, Blood Moon World, granted Morgath immediate and overwhelming advantages. His strength, speed, endurance, and agility were all increased by 1000%. His body became partially invulnerable to physical, magical, and spiritual attacks. He could alter the structure of the battlefield and absorb his opponent's magical energy. In Alexander's case, this latter effect was lethal. Upon entering the domain, he lost 90% of his total magical energy, and his connection to his more advanced abilities was severed.
Despite the disadvantage, Alexander didn't back down. He closed the distance and slashed upward at Morgath's torso. The spear blocked the attack with ease, and Morgath thrust back with the force of a missile, knocking Alexander back several meters. Alexander steadied himself and counterattacked with a series of precise thrusts, but Morgath parried them all with fluid, efficient movements.
The fight continued, with Morgath pressing and Alexander fighting for survival. Morgath's spear sliced through the air with a sharp sound, and Alexander narrowly dodged. The earth shook beneath their feet as Morgath advanced, his spear tracing a deadly arc toward Alexander. Alexander defended himself with difficulty, but the domain's energy continued to drain his power, slowly weakening him.
As the battle dragged on, Morgath's superiority became increasingly evident. His dominance over the Blood Moon World made him nearly invincible. Alexander, on the other hand, struggled to maintain his position, his energy, and his life. However, despite the overwhelming disadvantage, Alexander refused to give up. His determination and willpower drove him forward, even on the brink of collapse.