It was a perfect day, to the commoners and passing merchants. I rode on by, on top of my Gilded horse and my people gave me the fearful look I deserved. My armor shined with the Kingdom’s Holy Emblem engraved upon it. It has been a week since I have supervised that bastard child’s Tower and so now it has become her tomb.

I must stand high because everyone in that room could not.

Not long after the execution was sealed, I departed. I could not bare to see Her future people in such a deep sorrow for a Heretical Saint. How could they be sad over that woman, despite her being so young? That woman’s death marked the end of the false One Religion since all of the Witches were slain years ago. Everything was now Golden and full of Light. So why now, did I feel hollow inside? Was my work not yet finished yet? We were victorious and yet I felt rotten.

The charades continued as I traveled through. We were headed towards the newly rebuilt Palace, its ornate gates open for all to see. Humans had the Light now, even those who cannot see it. The Goddess has blessed us all, Her declaration ringing throughout each of our Skills: Grow our Status and Ascend, in Death you shall be remembered by Me, My beloved children.

It’s been that way ever since I went through the Awakening Ceremony, yet the guilt washed over me anyways. I got off my horse and was attended to in a stuffy room for what seemed like an eternity. The union was at hand and the onus of the Crown awaited my head with this official marriage. There were much more things to worry about than simple feelings. I shall cast it aside and become a better man starting today until the last breath I take—

“It’s time to go, Hero,” a voice chuckled. Female, young, and haughty. I knew that voice and I chuckled.

“What are you doing here, Ruth?” I turned. Ruth, my party’s Shadow Rogue, leaned against the wall with a distant look, flipping a knife in the air idly. The blade flashed in her hand as she caught it.

“Bored!” She exclaimed. “You’re getting tied down, I get it. But does it have to drag on forever like this? We’ve dealt with the Bruhisan embassy and they were slow. Here tops that place by an Age or two.”

“Save it,” I sighed. “We have the Coronation afterwards.”

“You,” Ruth corrected me. “I’m out of this job, Iyun.”

“You’re leaving?” I peered at her face. Expressionless, as usual. She only smiled whenever she was around… “Archie’s leaving too?”

“Smart hero,” she noted. She and the Ranger got along well, too well, but I cared little for them as long as it helped us complete our Holy mission. “Too many spiders and other low leveled monsters in this backwater country. She and I are riding away, where the Light doesn’t shine.”

I paused. Such a strong statement would get us in trouble, but no one was around. We had our hardships in the Demon Realm and every slander against everything that brought us there was permitted. Even against the Goddess’s silence in that land. Suddenly, I realized what Ruth meant.

“That’s gross,” I rebuked her.

“Too smart, hero,” a crack in her lips formed a slight smile. Again, she was thinking of Archie. Or rather, her real name was Aerie.

“Yeah, tell me about it,” I sighed. “What about Habrol?”

“Eh… Well, he’s a Bard, so he’s in the tavern causing trouble,” Ruth sheathed her knife. She sensed someone coming this way before I did, as usual. “And Logan’s well, he’s probably going home to split some wood. See you never again, hopefully, hero.”

“Heh,” I spoke to her shadow. If we were to meet each other that would mean another threat would arise. “See you never again, Ruth.”

Ruth was gone and soon a servant ushered me out. It was time to meet my future Holy Queen and become the King of this land. This was the day of our holy wedding, and I felt like a rock sinking in the Midnight Ocean. Her beautiful smile, I could not help but feel like a knife has been stuck deep inside my back. Where were these paranoid feelings coming from? I have not felt this way since I took it upon myself to defeat the last Witch in this country. They sent their curses upon me, but for the good of the people I will take them all upon myself. Let my sins, O Goddess, be cleansed in the Light.

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I must stand tall when no one can.

This country’s Light Archon greeted me warmly with a smile, but suddenly the sea of soldiers and people in the hall parted. I hardly heard anything the Archon said, because my eyes were fixated on Anna. She was divine, sailing gently through the Hall with a beautiful dress on. Yet, my heart felt nothing? What was wrong with me? Have I spent all this time being guilty to realize how truly important this moment was?

Suddenly, the skies streaked red. Golden light sparked, replacing the clouds. Portals? How can this be!? Only Archons and powerful Priests of the Church could use Light magic! So I thought, but suddenly hundreds of black winged creatures poured out of them and began to descend towards the city. The city and the inhabitants were chosen by the Light Herself! Why was this happening?

My eyes recognized the monsters I was sent to destroy before my own future subjects’ screams. The people being ripped and pierced to shreds terrified me to my core. This was all a nightmare, right? I could not wake up! A scream tore my attention away from the bloodshed. It was hers! I had to protect Anna! Come to me, O Everbright!

I raised my hand and summoned the Bringer of Light once more. It glowed with a vicious aura, but as soon as my hand touched the hilt the largest portal opened right above the stage. A large hand, as big as a Star, reached through it and grabbed her!

“Anna!” I screamed. No, I can’t let you do this!

A loud voice boomed from the portal where the hand came out. The pillars of the palace collapsed and the palace gate’s entrance gave way, revealing the streets and buildings outside shattering to peaces. Demons were slaughtering everyone outside! My ears did not know Demon, but I could understand it perfectly.

“I AM THE WISH BRINGER. THE ALL BORN. I COME WITH A DECLARATION, THEN I SHALL DEPART FROM THIS REALM. BLOOD FOR BLOOD, QUEEN FOR QUEEN. AMEN.”

“Iyun! Help me!” Anna screamed and flailed, but it was useless. I was useless. She became engulfed under the demon’s burning grip. I still had a chance to swing my sword. I destroyed your so-called Queen, Demon, then what are you? Wish Bringer? A mere demon was nothing to me, no matter what size you are!

“Skill: Divine Slasher!” My hands rattled as the sword acted on its own.

Divinity is an odd element from the Goddess herself. Its power was devastating to everything and especially demons. Anna would be safe after this beast’s hand was cut off because of her Passive Skill, Divine Immunity. Everbright soared with wings of flame, slicing the wind apart with its white hot blade towards the giant demonic hand, but something was wrong! My sword stopped as soon as it hit this demon’s watchtower sized index finger. All of the energy colliding against me vanished and I was left stark before a black claw. A small gust of black smoke spread from the tip of my sword, but it bounced off the unharmed demon’s finger nail. It cannot be! How could a creature be immune to Divine Damage? After a short silence, the hand lifted Anna in the air.

“HOW PITIFUL. WAS THAT THE BEST THIS REALM HAS TO OFFER?”

Let her go! I mouthed, but I could not utter a word. The red hand squeezed, and my skin and armor became stained with Her Blood. No…! It cannot be! I fell to my knees as the hand retreated back through the portal. The world froze before me and everything I felt emptied out of my heart. My useless sword clanged on the ground as her beautiful crown rolled over and hit my knee. I have nothing without her! I mouthed another scream, scraping the pieces of Anna’s flesh and torn dress in my hands. Is this what I deserve for killing that woman?

Yet she was the Demon Queen, the very thing rising up in that cursed Realm to seize the Light!

“Hero, we need your help!” Someone’s voice yanked me out of my thoughts. I was in a nightmare, right? I stood up, gripping my sword. Since it was all useless in the end, I turned to see that the city was sunless and the world was covered in an ominous red. Just like the Demon Realm.

A maddening thought rang through my head over the noise. I demanded silence over this horrible nightmare and obedience from my sword. A guard’s severed arm splattered in front of me as I walked, but I walked down the Palace’s steps with Everbright in my hands.

“Make yourself useful, Everbright!” I raised it. The air warped into a cone of light as all of my Mana poured into the blade’s sheen. The gold was as bright as the sun, but I did not need my eye sight to use this one final attack. “Skill: Gilded Blast.”

My world went white, but the amount of experience I gained almost made my Status double in level. Oh right, I thought. What good was a blessing from a silent goddess? The Goddess of Light could not even save Anna!

“You were right, Ruth,” I opened my eyes and saw what I have done. Everything was razed in golden flames. I was surrounded in a massive crater of destruction I caused. Every ashen bone, scattered ruin was because of my Skill’s power alone. Still, the sky was blue and all was silent as I wished it to be. “Ruth. Archie, Habrol. Logan. You were right to leave me behind, now I…”

Before I could mutter my plea for forgiveness a portal of light opened before me. Instead of anything coming out of this one, this portal beckoned me to enter. I had nothing left inside this realm. It was time to forge my destiny within wherever this portal of Light will bring me.