The pitch black sky accompanied the light blue moon as it showered light upon the myriad of trees below. Darkened shadows seemingly hid the wildlife amongst the forest as everything was set still and silent. Trees swayed and brushed against one another as Luther stood beneath them. He awoke from his dazed state as he gazed amongst the vegetation.

‘Where am I?’

He looked around as he tried to find something apart from the countless trees that obstructed his view. Darkened shadows hid everything from sight as his vision only stretched to a few metres before him. Within moment’s notice, he heard an inserene voice that scratched at his ears. It was inaudible and incomprehensible. But yet it sounded as if it called for him, beckoned for him.

The voice soon was enveloped by countless others just as similar which stretched amongst the forest. In greater intensity and speed they assaulted Luther from the shadows. Confused and terrified, he could only stand frozen as he futilely covered his ears. But they just kept on going as they spoke within his mind, driving him into the depths of madness. As he closed his eyes, he yelled with all the breath present within his lung’s. He just wished for a brief moment of peace, an end to the voices which would inevitably drive any normal man insane.

As he yelled to the last of his breath, it stopped. Silence ensued as he had his moment of peace. Opening his eyes, he was met with a darkened creature’s gaze. He fell backwards as he began to tremble before the figure. It’s glossy black skin was accompanied by two dark blue eyes that felt as if they pierced deep into his soul. It stood frozen as the air around it seemed to distort, and along with it, the figure too began to be distorted and turned to particles.

****

Luther’s body jumped up as he sat in a makeshift bed, the morning sun and it’s orange flare woke him from his stupor as he massaged his head. It ached profusely as he finally recovered from the shock of tonight’s dream.

‘What was that?’

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When he remembered the creature’s face, it bore a deep resemblance to his own. The only difference being it’s whole body which was pitch black.

‘Was it really just a dream?’

Luther looked to his palm as he tried to make sense of it. It had felt so real and vivid that he could not remember any difference between the dream and reality. When it stood before him, he could feel the breath touch against his face. He remembered the smallest details of the background and creature. Minutes passed as he recollected himself, getting to his feet. First he had noticed the girl that was no longer here. At her courtesy however, she had managed to leave a note drawn into the ground with a couple of sticks. It said ‘Maple’ as his eyes followed a small trail of footsteps on the forest floor.

‘Seems she understood…’

He didn’t question as to whether why she had left him. During their stay together, he saw how she felt uncomfortable around him. It was no wonder as he looked the way he did. But considering what happened in Misella, he could relate to her feelings of loss and anger towards him. Anyways, it seemed the girl had left hours before, so there was no point to wait here anymore he thought. Having packed his short sword, he longed for a backpack where he could store his foods. Maybe he would find one along his way to the Northern territory. The Demon’s territory.

During the beginning of what Luther and many others came to call ‘The End’. He remembered outbreaks had occurred frequently and that it was linked to the Demons and their innate magic abilities. Luther planned to go there in order to try and warn them. Before the outbreaks, they had lived peacefully in the Northern territory, but as outbreaks continued they were soon targeted for discrimination. Due to their appearance being associated to monsters and their abilities with magic, they were believed to have caused the outbreaks. It relaxed the tension for the other territories and races. Perhaps because they had thought they had found the source to the ongoing monster threat. But as time grew on and the amount of monsters increased. No matter how many Demons had fallen, the monsters only grew and grew. The other territories and races had realised there mistake. It was not the demons, but something that had long been forgotten by the people of this world, something that had faded into history. The origin of the system, only a small few had heard of it and the rumors regarding it.

Luther, being one of the royal guards proclaimed such by the last of the races was given an in-depth explanation. The system was powered by the crimson and cobalt stars, the twin stars. The crimson star birthed monsters which grew and produced unpurified mana themselves. The main races however were birthed through the cobalt star. They purified the unpurified mana through the death of monsters and consumed their mana. It powered the system itself through transactions in the shop to strengthen themselves.

However, due to a new reign of peace having taken place for centuries. The amount of monsters had steadily grown. This resulted in dungeon outbreaks due to the built up energy. And as the population declined due to the unprecedented attacks, the amount of monsters being birthed and slain grew unbalanced. Hence, the gradual but massive decrease in the world’s population as the surface was soon populated by them.

It was known to the rest of the world and Luther as ‘The End’.