The moon was red.
Like blood.
The sky was orange.
Not the orange that paints the sky between day and night.
This was different.
Darker.
Almost like the colour of a nightmare.
Below it was a battlefield.
Or what remained of one.
The battle had clearly ended only moments ago, yet there wasn't a single warrior in sight.
No soldiers.
No movement.
Just blood scattered across the ground, broken weapons, and burning steam rising from the battlefield.
Everywhere.
Through that steam, a man walked.
Or tried to.
His armour was broken from his knees to his shoulders, barely covering his body anymore. Most of it looked like it was being worn just for show.
His sword was the only thing keeping him standing.
Even that looked like it had been used far beyond its expiry date.
Step.
Drag.
Step.
Drag.
His vision was blurry.
He forced himself to focus.
Ahead of him was a massive boulder.
And beside it—
Someone was sitting.
A body.
Barely alive.
The man pushed himself forward.
As he got closer, he could see him more clearly.
The injured man had no arm.
One of his eyes had been pierced.
Blood covered almost every part of him, so deeply that it looked like it had become his skin.
Yet somehow—
He was still breathing.
The warrior crouched beside him.
"Thank God you're alive."
The injured man slowly lifted his eyes.
His voice was barely audible.
"Not for long."
The warrior looked around.
"What happened here?"
The injured man swallowed.
"A thing appeared."
He paused.
"I don't know what it was."
"Or whose side it was on."
The warrior's expression tightened.
"Then what?"
"It wiped out the entire battlefield."
The warrior stared at him.
"What about the Maha Legion?"
The injured man looked toward the ruined battlefield.
"Gone."
A pause.
"In the blink of an eye."
The warrior's grip tightened around his sword.
"What are you talking about?"
He shook his head.
"Even the strongest beings can't do that."
He looked at the injured man.
"Was it human?"
A pause.
"Or a demon?"
The injured man slowly shook his head.
"No one knows."
He looked toward the battlefield again.
"It wiped everyone out."
Silence.
The warrior looked around one last time.
"Whatever."
He lowered his sword.
"Let's go."
He reached down toward the injured man.
"Let me get you out of here."
"No."
The injured man tried to pull away.
"You go."
His voice trembled.
"I'm not going to make it."
The warrior shook his head.
"Nah."
He grabbed him.
"I've lost more than enough people today."
"I'm not going to let you die."
And he started picking him up.
Which would have been a very heroic moment—
If he wasn't barely able to stand himself.
His sword was literally supporting his entire body, yet somehow he had decided that now was the perfect time to carry another injured man.
(Generic heroic shit.)
The injured man started resisting.
He tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
"What are you doing?"
The warrior said, almost shouting.
The injured man's body suddenly slipped out of his grip.
He fell.
His eyes were wide open.
He was pointing behind the warrior with his finger.
His entire body was trembling.
Not because of the pain.
Because he had seen something.
Something worse than death.
The warrior stared at him.
"What is it?"
He slowly turned around.
Nothing.
Only smoke.
Only fire.
Only the ruined battlefield.
He looked around again.
Still nothing.
He turned back toward the injured man.
"Stop it."
His voice was quieter now.
"You're just hallucinating."
Then he looked down.
The injured man wasn't there.
The warrior froze.
There was no body.
No blood trail.
No sound.
Nothing.
Not even a trace of his presence.
The warrior slowly drew his sword.
His hands were trembling.
But he still raised the blade.
"Whoever is there..."
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Come out."
Silence.
"There's no point in hiding if you have even the slightest bit of courage."
He was trying to sound fearless.
He wasn't.
His entire body was trembling.
As if he knew damn well that if that thing actually came out in front of him, he might just black out.
But apparently—
He still wanted to be heroic.
"Come out!"
The warrior stood there, sword raised, pretending he wasn't one second away from losing his shit.
Then he felt it.
A presence.
Behind him.
Dark energy filled the air.
His breathing stopped.
Slowly—
He began turning his neck.
And—
BANG.
To be continued...