Another year passed since Arkanon met and dueled Mira. Now sixteen years old, his height was 1.8 meters tall, his body constantly growing from training nearly every day. His figure was slim and defined, with muscle present but not overly muscular. However, traces from the past could still be seen on his body, from the light bit of scarring on his left forearm to the scar on his neck and across his chest.

It was midday and he was heading out to meet up with Jetark, Mira, Veld, and Cel’Mian, whom Arkanon trained with.

As he was walking, Dark Arkanon spoke up out of nowhere. “Hey, keep your guard up today. Something doesn’t feel right.”

Arkanon stopped walking and checked his immediate surroundings. ‘Why? What’s wrong?’

“I don’t know. I can’t explain it, but keep an eye out for anything strange.”

‘You’re telling me to be careful when you don’t even know what I need to be careful of. Any way you can elaborate on that feeling you have?’

“There’s an approaching darkness.”

‘What kind of darkness?’

Dark Arkanon snorted. “The ones who carry it, the bringers of destruction.”

Only one thought came to Arkanon’s mind. ‘Demons. But how?’

“I don’t know. Just do as I said and keep your guard up.”

Arkanon was startled, but continued on his way. He went on to meet his friends and trained with them for most of the day, but was constantly unsettled by what Dark Arkanon said earlier. He then went back to his cabin and slept for a while.

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Arkanon woke up later that night, got up and clipped on his sword before heading out to meet Berok. He still felt worried about what Dark Arkanon said earlier, but he still decided to head out.

As Arkanon walked, he felt like something was watching him. He hand was twitching slightly, ready to grab his sword should something happen. He reached the training grounds, where Berok usually was.

Arkanon looked around for Berok, seeing if he was out tonight.

“Berok, are you here?” Arkanon called out.

At this point, a pair of dark red eyes appeared from the dark and glared at Arkanon, then disappeared.

Arkanon stood there for a while longer, waiting. All the while, he had a feeling in his gut something was off. He was alert, keeping an eye on his surroundings. When he felt that Berok wasn’t going to show up today, Arkanon sighed and was about to head back, until he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Without any hesitation, Arkanon drew his sword, turned around and swung.

Berok, who snuck up on Arkanon, was about to giggle until he saw a sword coming at him. Quickly ducking and rolling back, he held his hands up immediately said, “Arkanon, it’s me! It’s me!”

Arkanon saw it was Berok was frozen for a second. He then relaxed his body and sighed.

“You nearly sliced right through my head there. What has you so jumpy?”

“Why are you sneaking up on me?”

“You never even noticed I was here. So I thought it’d be funny to poke you and scare you.”

“Well you certainly made me jump, but nearly lost your head in the process.”

“Just be happy it was me, since I’m fast enough to dodge. If it had been anyone else, they would’ve been decapitated. What has you so jumpy, Arkanon?”

Arkanon glanced around quickly before speaking. “Doesn’t something feel off, Berok?

“Feel off? Like what?”

“I can’t explain it, but something is wrong.”

“Are you okay?”

“No, no I’m not okay. My gut is knotted, my body is shivering and my instincts are telling me to run. Truthfully, I’m scared. I don’t know why, but I am.”

“Arkanon, I think you need to head back and lay down.”

“I…” Arkanon sighed and rubbed his eyes. “You’re right. I’m probably worried over nothing.”

“Hey, I’ll head back with you, in case that ‘something’ that’s bothering you shows itself.”

“I appreciate it, Berok.”

“Don’t worry about, we’re friends after all, aren’t we?”

Arkanon smiled slightly. “Of course. Let’s go.”

Arkanon started walking back to his cabin with Berok following right behind him. They walked in silence.

Arkanon’s mind was in disarray. ‘He said be warned of an approaching darkness, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything could happen right now, he may have meant in the future. But if so, why am I so scared of facing demons again? I’m stronger now, I shouldn’t have any reason to be afraid. Arkanon thought back to when he encountered the three demons. Their merciless red eyes. Their cruel smile. That feeling of complete evil coming from them. He shivered as he remembered the encounter that haunted him still.

As Arkanon was thinking about such things, he heard a dull thump come from behind him. Arkanon turned around and noticed that Berok’s outline wasn’t there anymore. “Berok?” Arkanon drew his sword and started to look around. “Hey, Berok, don’t mess around.”

“On your right!” Dark Arkanon yelled.

Arkanon stepped back as a dark clawed hand passed in front of him. Arkanon could only glimpse at what he saw. It looked just like Berok, except Arkanon could actually see more than just the outline on his assailant. A pitch black figure with dark red eyes. A Spectre.

“Who are you?! What have you done with Berok?!” Arkanon gritted his teeth. ‘A Demon! How?!’

The Spectre only narrowed it’s eyes and charged towards Arkanon.

Arkanon was at a disadvantage since his opponent blended in with the surrounding darkness. The only way he could tell where it was, was by it’s red eyes, which shined in the dark. He could only dodge as the Spectre continued to strike at him with it’s claws. Sometimes it’s claws would hit him and leave a row of light wounds on his body.

Arkanon kept attempting to dodge it’s attacks. Once an opportune moment showed itself, he gathered energy in his left hand, formed a small ball and threw it at the Spectre.

The Spectre sidestepped the small ball, but was still close to it. Arkanon then sent a large amount of energy to the ball and exploded it. A large boom could be heard as an explosion shook the surrounding area.

Arkanon stood there, covering his face and his body with his arms. Once the dust started to settle, Arkanon looked around for the Spectre. He eventually found it, with it’s right arm blown away and heavy burns covered the right side of it’s body.

Upon seeing Arkanon approach it, it attempted to get up. Arkanon swapped his grip with his sword and kicked the demon in the head. The Spectre’s head weakly flopped to the ground. Arkanon then brought his sword down and struck right into it’s head. Without a single noise, the demon Spectre had died.

Arkanon pulled his sword out it’s head and yelled, “Berok! Where are you?!”

“I’m right here, Arkanon.” A voice came from a rooftop to Arkanon’s left.

Arkanon looked to where the voice came from, and saw Berok’s blue eyes shining in the dark.

“Berok! What happened?”

“Same thing that seems to have happened to you. A demon Spectre tackled me and tried to kill me. Unfortunately for him, my Spectre blood is more pure and I was able to turn on him rather quickly.” Berok sighed. “We have to let the instructors know about this.”

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“You two, what happened?!” Arkanon and Berok heard a frantic voice coming towards them. They turned and saw Areath running up. At this point students started to come out of their cabins and were seeing what happened.

“Areath, they’re demons here!” Arkanon said immediately.

“What? Demons? Show me, quickly.”

“Check that body there.”

“What body?”

Arkanon walked over to the dead Spectre. “Right here. This one attacked me. Berok, where’s the one that attacked you?”

“He’s bled out back here.”

Areath walked over and checked the body next to Arkanon. “No need to show me. Just what the hell is happening?”

A large explosion suddenly shook the ground underneath the three as a large black flame reached towards the sky somewhere else on the academy grounds.

“Shit! We’re under attack! All students head immediately for the large building! Instructors will lead you to evacuation ships!” A terrifyingly powerful aura emanated from where the explosion just happened, which caused Areath’s face to blanch. “All of you, go! Now! NOW!”

The students that had come out were frozen with fear, but recognized Areath’s words and started to bolt for the building.

“Areath, let me help!” Arkanon said without hesitation.

Areath turned to Arkanon and said in a low voice, “Arkanon, you listen to me. Your life is extremely important, we can’t lose you here. There’s no hope of beating the monster that just showed itself, us instructors can only hope to hold it off while you students escape. Now go.”

“Damnit.” Arkanon gritted his teeth. “Berok! Let’s go!”

“Y-yeah.” Berok dropped down from the roof.

Arkanon and Berok started to run for the building. They then ran into Veld, who looked around shocked and confused. When he noticed Arkanon, he immediately asked, “Arkanon, what the hell is going on? Where’s everyone going?”

“We’re under attack, we need to head for the building!”

“Attack? But how?”

“I don’t know and it doesn’t matter, we need to go!”

“Shouldn’t we try and help the instructors fight off the invasion?”

“Areath told us to go.”

“I don’t like leaving them to fight without assistance, but okay, let’s go.” As the three of them continued on, they came upon a terrifying sight.

Multiple students were cut apart. Some in half, others in different pieces. There stood a draconic in pitch black armor wielding a blood-stained longsword. Noticing three more people, he turned towards them. His cruel, merciless red eyes chilled Arkanon to the bone.

“Oh, little guardians! Where do you think you’re running?” The demon said with a playfully malicious tone.

“He, he killed them all…” Veld muttered, shocked by the bloody scene in front of him.

“Shit… Veld, Berok, I’ll handle this guy, you two go.” Arkanon whispered to them.

“What? We aren’t leaving you.” Veld rejected the idea.

“I agree with him, Arkanon, we aren’t going to leave you behind.” Berok also rejected it.

“You two go! I can handle myself just fine!”

“Are you children done chatting yet?” The demon asked as he started to walk towards them.

Veld took out his claws. “Forget it. Ready yourself! He’s coming!”

“HAAAAAA!” A Trethian with silver hair and a two-handed sword dropped from a rooftop, aiming to cleave the demon in two.

The demon dodged to his left and the sword went past him slamming into the ground, causing a shockwave.

The Trethian, Areath, swung his sword in his right hand in a wide horizontal arc, giving the demon only enough time to bring his sword up to block the attack. As Areath’s two-handed sword collided with the demon’s longsword,   the demon was blown back by the force of Areath’s sword.

As the demon hit a cabin, it’s body was blown through the wall, causing a gaping hole to appear.

Areath picked his sword up and rested it on his right shoulder, then turned and looked the three. “The three of you, go! I’ll handle this!”

The demon had gotten back up and was standing at the hole, absolutely livid. “You dare disrupt me?! I’ll force you to your knees and make you beg for-“

Areath gathered a large amount of wind energy and shot it at the demon, blowing him back into the cabin and out the other side. “GO!”

Arkanon, Veld, and Berok ran past Areath, who kept his sword in front of him, ready to strike.

“Areath, don’t you dare die to him.” Veld muttered quietly.

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A furious roar could be heard as the demon blew away everything in his surroundings. A black flame covered his body and pure rage was in his red eyes. “Guardian, twice you have forced me back. Not only that, but you let my play things escape. You’ll pay for that.”

Areath snorted. “You sure talk a lot. Do you think you have the power to back up those words?”

“I, General Kal Medren, will be your death.”

Areath put both his hands on his sword and held it up in front of him. “If you really think so, bring it. I’ll rip your fucking spine out for hurting my family.”

Kal charged forward and swung his sword. Areath adjusted his sword and took the attack head on. When the swords clashed, the force from the collision shook the ground beneath them and thin cracks appeared.

Areath retaliated with a two-handed strike that passed through the air like blur. Kal dodged barely dodged the attack, startled at how fast Areath’s attack was. Kal then took a swing, which Areath blocked with ease. The fight continued with the Areath blocking and Kal dodging.

Areath and Kal seemed to be fighting evenly, but Kal started to lose his ground slowly. Areath’s attacks became faster and seemed to have more and more force behind them.

As Areath took another swing, Kal attempted to step back but Areath’s blade caught him on the waist and sliced halfway through. Kal’s face knotted up in pain. Areath then took a step forward and let go of his sword with his left hand. He punched Kal in the face and a crack could be heard as Kal’s jaw was shattered.

Kal fell back as he gripped at his jaw. Areath then kicked him in the face forcing Kal to flip over so his back was facing up. Areath planted a foot on Kal’s back, pinning him there.

“As I said, I’m going to tear your spine out.” Areath was about to reach down and do so, but a voice froze him in his tracks.

“You disappoint me Kal, even though I gave you some of my power.”

Areath turned towards the voice, ready to strike. As he turned, a black lightning bolt hit his right shoulder, blowing his arm off and sending it flying.

Areath’s face twisted up as blood started to flow out of what remained of his shoulder. He looked to see who attacked him. What met him was a red clawed hand that reached out and grabbed Areath’s head and lifted him up.

“This guardian has given you trouble, hm?”

Areath tried punching at the arm holding him up, but the creature just laughed.“You think you can break out of my grasp? Well since you seem so adamant in wanting to escape, I’ll let you know who ended your life. My name is Faldren the Corrupted, leader of the demons.”

Areath gave up his struggle after hearing that. His left arm dropped to his side and he weakly smiled. ‘It’s up to you kids now.’

Areath heard a blade unsheathed and silently, a blade sliced through his neck, separating his head from his body.