[INT. ELITE TRAINING CHAMBER – DAY]
The chamber was relentless.
Golden light poured from high crystal windows, but it brought no warmth —
only clarity, only judgment.
Elarion stood at the edge of the wide arena, hands clasped behind his back, eyes like silver fire.
Before him, ten students gasped for breath, drenched in sweat.
He had pushed them past every threshold of pain and limitation.
---
> Elarion (voice sharp):
"Again."
The word cracked through the air like lightning.
---
The ten surged forward once more — blades drawn, spells woven, legs trembling.
It had been eight hours straight.
No breaks.
No water.
No mercy.
---
Veloria's breath was short, her hands glowing with time magic just to keep up.
Kairo's chest burned with every step, but he pushed harder.
Lyrion's expression was calm — focused, controlled.
They moved like fire and light — in sync, divine.
---
And then—
Ray stumbled.
His knees hit the stone.
He clenched his teeth, tried to rise… and fell.
Rika, not far behind, collapsed moments later — arms shaking, magic flickering out.
---
> Elarion (calmly):
"Not bad. But not enough."
---
Ray panted hard, his face inches from the cold floor.
He could feel it — the difference.
The eight children of the gods hadn't slowed.
They were still moving, still shining.
He was strong.
But they were something else.
---
[INT. TRAINING HALL – SIDE BENCH – MOMENTS LATER]
Ray sat alone at the edge of the chamber, towel over his head, trying to breathe.
Nearby, Rika was meditating quietly, already regaining her mana.
Ray's heart wasn't in his body anymore.
It was somewhere deeper — trapped in memory.
---
[FLASHBACK – 15 YEARS AGO – RAY'S MEMORIES]
He remembered pain first.
The kind of pain too large for a child's body.
He was two years old, buried under broken trees and cracked stone,
shadows laughing around him,
a beast pressing down on his chest.
He had cried out — but no one had come.
Not until the light shattered the sky.
---
A pillar of radiance split through the canopy.
The monster — huge, with lava veined skin and red glowing eyes — turned in surprise.
And then he appeared.
A man cloaked in divine light —
followed by a woman who seemed made of dawn itself.
He hadn't known their names then.
He only remembered the sound the monster made when the woman roared:
> "You touched a child.
You mocked pain.
Now… I'll make you scream."
---
There had been a battle.
To his young eyes, it was flashes of terror and brilliance.
The monster laughed as he burned…
and then screamed as he died.
Light had swallowed everything.
And afterward —
warm arms had cradled him.
A soft hand brushed back his hair.
> Lyria (softly):
"He's alive…"
He never forgot that warmth.
The woman — Airi, though he now knew her true name was Lyria,
had saved him.
So had Haruto — Alarion, the Light God.
They didn't just save his life.
They saved his soul.
---
He remembered being passed gently into his mother's arms — the Fairy Matron of Light —
and the firm, solemn words of his father — the Knight Commander.
> Alarion:
"Protect him.
He's scarred. But he will live."
> Lyria:
"Don't follow us again. If you do — it won't just be your son who gets hurt."
And just like that, they vanished.
Two gods.
Gone in a flash.
---
[BACK TO PRESENT – BENCH]
Ray's hand clenched around the towel.
He had lived because of them.
Because of Lyria and Alarion.
And now…
their son stood not far from him, still training without a single tremor in his limbs.
Lyrion wasn't just skilled.
He was… divine.
---
Ray wanted to speak to him.
He stood — then paused.
> Ray (thinking):
"What would I even say?
He's… the Light God's son.
Why would someone like that talk to me?"
He sat back down, silent.
---
[INT. TRAINING HALL – EVENING]
Lyrion stood at the center of the chamber, eyes closed, body glowing faintly.
He had not faltered once.
Not a stumble.
Not a gasp.
Ray watched him in quiet awe.
---
[INT. SHADOW FORTRESS – NIGHTFALL]
Far beyond, in a world abandoned by stars, Zyren stood atop his black altar.
Below him — a sea of monsters.
They snarled, howled, fought each other for scraps.
Zyren watched without expression.
Then — he leapt into the pit.
---
Dozens charged him at once.
None lasted more than seconds.
One swipe. One pulse of shadow.
Bones cracked. Flesh melted. Screams were short-lived.
---
> Zyren (to the survivors):
"You're weak. But I'll make you worse."
He lifted his hand.
Chains of black light wrapped around the remaining beasts, dragging them to their knees.
> Zyren:
"They train children.
I train weapons."
His eyes glowed.
> Zyren (whispering):
"When I'm finished —
no light will survive."
---
[INT. TRAINING HALL – LATE NIGHT]
Ten students lay resting.
The stones were hard, but no one complained.
Veloria leaned against Lyrion, eyes closed.
Kairo and Syleria had fallen asleep mid-argument.
Rika curled on her cloak.
Ray lay staring at the ceiling.
Thinking.
Remembering.
Wondering if he would ever speak to the boy whose parents had once saved him.
---
Elarion watched them from the doorway.
He said nothing.
But in his eyes was a quiet storm.
> Elarion (thinking):
"The gods saved a boy once.
That boy now walks beside their heir."
> "Destiny isn't random.
It sharpens itself on those willing to bleed."
---
TO BE CONTINUED...