The Hero's Hall was quiet in the early morning, save for the distant clang of swords and the rustle of wind against banners. Serian stood alone on the balcony, watching the sunrise. He hadn't slept.
He couldn't.
> Each time he closed his eyes, he saw her.
A girl with crimson eyes. A throne of bones. A voice like velvet and fire.
She called him by names he didn't know. Whispered words that filled him with both dread… and comfort.
> "We are not enemies… we are halves."
He clutched the edge of the railing, knuckles white. "Who are you?" he whispered.
---
A Growing Rift
Later that day, Serian walked through the training yard. Everywhere he went, people smiled. Cheered. Called him a true hero.
But their voices felt far away—like static beneath the storm building in his mind.
The love interest, Aria, approached him with a gentle smile.
"You're distracted," she said. "Nightmares?"
He nodded faintly.
"Do you want to talk?"
He opened his mouth to speak… but paused. Something told him not to. As if sharing it would make it real.
Instead, he gave a small smile. "I'll be fine."
But she didn't smile back.
---
The Mission That Changed Everything
That night, a call came from the Hero Council:
A demon stronghold had been found—small, remote, perfect for a test run before larger campaigns.
Serian and a squad were dispatched.
But when they arrived… something felt wrong.
The stronghold was already burned. Lifeless. Quiet.
Inside the ruins, he found a single torn flag—a symbol he didn't recognize, but it made his chest ache.
And then, he heard it:
> "You don't belong to them."
The voice echoed in his mind. Soft. Feminine. Familiar.
He spun around—nothing. No enemies. No traps. But in the center of the room, a single child sat curled in the ashes.
A girl no older than ten.
She looked up at him and whispered:
> "The Demon Queen said you'd come."
Serian's heart skipped.
"What did she say?" he asked, kneeling.
"She said you were lost… but you'd come home."
---
The Hero's Fracture
That night, Serian dreamed again.
But this time, he wasn't watching Malveth.
He was her.
He felt her rage, her sorrow, her love. Her obsession.
He woke with a scream, drenched in sweat, and stumbled to the mirror in his room.
And for the briefest moment—his reflection changed.
Not Serian.
Not Malveth.
But someone else.
Someone… real.
---
Back in the tower, the real MC opened his eyes. He felt it.
The threads pulling tighter.
Serian was close.
Malveth was awakening.
And the stage was almost set.
> "Soon," he murmured. "I'll be complete."