That night in Aetheria, the sky was gray, dark gray clouds covering the vast kingdom full of plans. Blaze stood silently in a black robe in a corner of the castle where there was no one around him. The cold night wind danced around him while his gaze was fixed on the thick clouds covering the moon. Shadows swirled around him as if mourning with him for what was hidden in his heart. From a 3-year-old child to a young man, Blaze had been raised by his teacher, Master Kael, a teacher who was a very wise person, who trained him in martial arts and the deadly dark shadow fire. This grueling training transformed Blaze into a formidable fighter, the archetype of a deadly shadow. However, this long-awaited peace was shattered after Master Kael was murdered by the Carmesim Order, a group of legendary and infamous warriors.
The death of his teacher had caused extreme anger that made Blaze uncontrollably furious. The memory of Master Kael's warm smile and cheerful laughter enraged him. If the night wind gently touched him, he would feel him speaking, reminding him of the promise he had made to himself.
Blaze clenched his fists, fully aware of his determination. His fingers felt cold, but a wave of vengeance sent tremors throughout his body. The intensity in his eyes was comparable to the darkness surrounding him. With hatred and vengeance flowing through his veins, Blaze vowed to avenge the death of his beloved teacher.
The information Blaze obtained that night led him to Darius, a powerful member of the Carmesim Order, a renowned swordsman in the city. Darius was a swordsman whose strength and fighting skills were well-known among many people. Revenge was Blaze's motive, but here was also mixed with the matter of Master Kael's honor and the justice that the Carmesim Order had trampled on. As midnight approached, Blaze moved like a shadow infiltrating the city with unusual speed. His shadow magic ability made him disappear among the shadows, silently and without a trace. He then approached Darius' house and felt the pulse of energy from his enemy, which he considered an advantage and a weakness.
A small gap in the window became his entrance. He walked through the dark corridors, his steps light and sure. The faint scent of blood and sweat hung in the air, indicating the traces of violence that had occurred in this place. Blaze's heart pounded, not out of fear, but because of the adrenaline that surged through him. In the grand hall, he stopped, his eyes sharp, scrutinizing every corner, looking for signs of Darius' presence. The silence was oppressive, broken only by his own heartbeat. Then, the soft sound of the quiet night.
"Finally, you've come," Darius' cold voice pierced, echoing in the grand hall. "You think you can defeat the Carmesim Order alone?" Cynicism was implied in his tone, but his eyes still showed caution. Blaze took a deep breath, calming his pounding heart. His face was flat, without the slightest doubt. "I've come to avenge the death of my teacher, Master Kael," Blaze replied, his voice very cold. "And you are the first on that list." Instantly, Darius emerged from the darkness, his form illuminated by the moonlight breaking through the window. A large sword, seemingly too heavy for a normal human, gleamed sharply in his hand, intimidating. The air vibrated as Darius attacked, his first strike swift and accurate. The blade of his sword danced, forming a complex and deadly pattern. Blaze parried the attack deftly, his sword clashing with Darius' sword, producing a small but dazzling spark. A fierce battle ensued, their movements so fast, they were almost invisible to the eye. Blaze felt Darius' immense strength, but he was not intimidated. He had to win. With full concentration, Blaze activated his shadow magic, his body faded, almost invisible, moving with incredible speed.
"Shadow Step,"
Blaze whispered as he vanished into the shadows, then reappeared behind Darius, his shadow sword poised to strike his enemy's heart.
Darius parried Blaze's shadow sword attack deftly, but the shadow magic power embedded in the attack made him stagger. His body trembled, as if burdened by an invisible weight. Blaze didn't give Darius time to regain his balance. He immediately launched a "Dark Flame Strike," a deadly technique that combined dark fire magic with a swift and accurate sword strike. Dark flames, a deep purple, erupted from Blaze's sword, forming a wave of heat that swept over Darius' body. The flames were not ordinary flames, but flames filled with dark energy, burning not only flesh and bone, but also magic energy. Darius was pushed back several steps, falling to his knees with burning wounds all over his body. His skin was red, peeling, and emitting a thin smoke. Despite being severely injured, Darius still stood, his gaze full of determination. "You are indeed strong," his voice gasped, "but I will not give up!" He gathered the remnants of his energy, drawing on the white magic power stored within him. Bright white light shimmered around him, trying to fight the encroaching darkness. Seeing an opportunity, Blaze activated "Shadow Bind." The shadows around the room reacted, flowing like thick black liquid, forming a strong bond around Darius, stopping his movement. The shadow bond was not just a physical bond, but also a magical bond, pressing and inhibiting the flow of Darius' white magic energy. Darius struggled hard, trying to break free, but the power of the shadows was too strong. Blaze then launched a powerful attack,
"Eclipse Flame."
Darker flames than "Dark Flame Strike" erupted, creating a terrifying purple fire vortex. The temperature in the room rose drastically, the air felt burning. The dark flames engulfed Darius' body, burning the remaining white magic in him, destroying his defenses. The intense heat wave felt so scorching that it burned everything around the room, even beginning to burn Darius' Soul.
Darius' scream echoed in the hall, a sound of despair as "Eclipse Flame" burned away the remnants of his strength. But Blaze showed no mercy. With a movement faster than lightning, he launched "Void Slash," his ultimate move. This was not just an ordinary sword slash. As Blaze's shadow sword moved, the space around it distorted, creating small cracks that were like gaps leading to nothingness. Time seemed to slow down, or perhaps stop for a moment, as the cracks grew larger, attacking Darius from all directions. Darius' physical body was continuously attacked, his energy, and even his existence in reality. The cracks were like miniature black holes, sucking up magic energy, destroying molecular structure, and tearing Darius apart to the basic level of existence. The white light that had previously protected Darius was now extinguished, swallowed by the darkness of "Void Slash." Darius' body shattered, disintegrated into dust then disappeared into the void, and his remaining magic also vanished into the void. Not just physical death, but total destruction leaving no trace whatsoever, once the magic storm ended, only a biting silence remained, Blaze still stood tall, his breath slowly returning to normal, showing how he remained fully in control of himself, Cold sweat flowed down his forehead, but his gaze remained cold, "This is for Master Kael" he muttered softly in the middle of the silent hall, he left Darius who had been completely destroyed without a trace, but there were still many involved in his teacher's murder, there were still many enemies he had to face, it was far from over to avenge his master's revenge, the Carmesim Order and the Aetheria kingdom were the masterminds of it all. But he also realized that it was impossible to fight against that great power now."