The moment Kaal Grimheart stepped through the gate, the world vanished.
There was no sky above him and no ground beneath his feet. He stood in endless darkness, suspended in a space that felt neither warm nor cold. Time itself seemed frozen. Even his own breathing sounded distant, as if it belonged to someone else.
Then a crimson light ignited in the void.
It did not glow gently.
It burned.
"Kaal."
The voice no longer whispered. It echoed from every direction, ancient and overwhelming.
"Who are you?" Kaal asked, forcing himself to stand despite the crushing pressure in his chest.
"You stand where power sleeps," the voice replied. "Long ago, three forces shaped the fate of this world. Infernos. Astra. Veil."
As each name was spoken, the darkness shifted.
Behind him, a towering red flame roared into existence, wild and violent.
Above him, golden light shone like a distant sun—calm, steady, and pure.
Around him, space twisted and folded inward, bending reality itself.
"Infernos," the voice said, and the crimson blaze surged forward. "The demon flame. Absolute destruction."
"Astra. The light of order. The force that protects and purifies."
"Veil. The authority over space. The power to seal and control."
Kaal's heart pounded. "Why are you showing me this?"
"Because you were never powerless. You were sealed."
Before he could react, the red flame rushed toward him.
Pain exploded through his body.
It felt as if molten fire was being forced into his veins. His muscles tightened violently. His vision blurred. He tried to scream, but the heat stole the air from his lungs.
At the same time, the golden light descended, piercing into his back like a beam of sunlight.
The silver distortion wrapped around him, binding his body in invisible force.
The three powers collided inside him.
"Balance them," the voice commanded. "If Infernos dominates, you will lose yourself."
But Infernos was already roaring.
The crimson blaze overwhelmed the golden light.
The silver Veil cracked under the pressure.
And Kaal screamed as the darkness shattered.
He was back in the village.
Flames spiraled around his body, rising high into the night sky. The ruined streets glowed red beneath the heat. Soldiers searching the area froze in shock.
"What is that?!" one of them shouted.
A wave of fire burst outward from Kaal, faster than thought.
The soldiers were thrown back as their weapons melted and their formation collapsed. The flames did not flicker like ordinary fire. They devoured everything they touched.
Inside his mind, Kaal struggled.
Stop… please…
But another presence answered him.
Destroy.
His arm lifted on its own.
A pillar of crimson fire surged forward, swallowing the charging soldiers. Their cries faded quickly beneath the roar of Infernos.
The king arrived moments later, shouting orders from atop his horse.
"You dare defy the crown?!"
Kaal's vision was completely red. The king looked small and meaningless before the raging fire.
Infernos responded instantly.
A violent surge of flame shot forward and engulfed the king before he could escape. When the fire receded, nothing remained of his authority.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
The soldiers were gone.
The king was gone.
But the flames did not stop.
They grew stronger.
Slowly, Kaal's body turned toward the village.
Villagers who had returned cautiously froze in terror. The heat radiating from him forced them back. Children cried as their parents shielded them.
His eyes burned crimson.
His arm began to rise again.
A massive wave of fire gathered above his palm.
Then someone stepped in front of the villagers.
Rion.
His sword trembled in his hand, but he did not step aside.
"Kaal!" Rion shouted. "Wake up! This isn't you!"
There was no response.
The flames intensified.
Rion gritted his teeth and rushed forward. He had fought beside Kaal many times. He trusted him more than anyone. He refused to believe this was the end.
"I won't let you hurt them!" he yelled.
He swung his blade, trying to knock Kaal's arm away.
For a brief second, Kaal's eyes flickered.
But Infernos reacted.
The flames exploded outward violently.
Rion was caught in the blast and thrown across the ground.
"Kaal…" he breathed weakly.
Infernos did not hesitate.
Another surge of crimson fire erupted, overwhelming everything in its path.
When the flames faded, Rion no longer stood.
The world became silent.
Through the red haze, Kaal saw his best friend lying motionless.
The laughter.
The teasing.
The loyalty.
Gone.
"No…"
The word echoed faintly inside him.
But Infernos still demanded more.
His body turned once again toward the villagers.
The flames gathered.
Then—
"Kaal!"
Elina's voice cut through the chaos.
It was not powerful.
It was not loud.
But it was real.
"Kaal, please! Look at me!"
She ran toward him despite the heat, tears streaming down her face.
"This isn't you!"
The golden light inside him flickered.
Astra.
The silver distortion trembled.
Veil.
Memories rushed through him—training with Rion, laughing together, protecting the village.
Grief pierced deeper than rage.
"I won't let you take anyone else!" Kaal screamed inside his mind.
Astra surged brighter, breaking through the crimson blaze.
Veil tightened around the raging flames, compressing them, sealing them.
Infernos roared in resistance, but this time it was forced back.
The fire spiraled inward violently, collapsing into his body.
The ground cracked beneath him.
Then everything went silent.
The crimson light faded from his eyes.
Kaal collapsed forward, unconscious.
Elina caught him before he hit the ground.
Behind her, the villagers stood frozen in shock.
The soldiers were gone.
The king was gone.
And Rion was gone.
When Kaal finally opened his eyes, night had fully fallen.
The first thing he remembered was Rion's voice.
Then the fire.
Then the silence.
He did not need to ask.
He already knew.
Infernos had saved the village.
But it had taken his best friend.
From that night onward, Kaal Grimheart feared the power within him.
Astra and Veil answered his will.
Infernos did not.
And deep within his heart, beneath the ashes of that night, a silent vow was born.
He would never lose control again.