The air was dense, charged with an almost supernatural silence. That night, the city seemed dead, as if holding its breath. I was alone, sitting on a forgotten park bench, a place abandoned by time, far from the chaos of the city. Around me, only the shadows of twisted trees and the distant whisper of the wind. Then, the sky split.

A red light, cruel and blazing, tore through the horizon. It wasn’t a common lightning bolt, it wasn’t a natural phenomenon — it seemed alive, hungry. The sky, once black and harmless, twisted as if it were bleeding, and the light that descended upon me burned like pure fire.

My vision was invaded by this brutal brightness. Time stopped. The air around me became heavy, oppressive. My heart started to beat uncontrollably, fear crawled over my skin like an invisible parasite.

And then, came the pain.

— AAAAAH! — My scream broke the silence of the night, echoing through the deserted square. It was as if the very sun were burning my eyes.

I brought my hands to my face, desperate, but what I felt was far worse than any pain: something was running through my fingers — hot, thick, blood. My eyes were... bleeding. I fell to my knees, the cold ground contrasting with the burning heat that scorched my mind. But the worst of all was the emptiness. I couldn’t see. The red darkness settled in, suffocating, devouring the world around me.

I was blind. All I could see was crimson red. The world, my surroundings, even my own perception were distorted, as if reality itself were being torn apart by the cursed light that had crossed the sky.

In the middle of this chaos, I felt a presence. Something... someone... was there, watching me.

— I know you’re there! — my voice came out trembling, a mix of anger and desperation. — HELP ME!

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Nothing. Just silence. The presence remained still, watching. Cold, indifferent. The fear was replaced by a primal rage.

— DON’T LEAVE! HELP ME! — I shouted, my voice echoing through the deserted square. But it was too late. The presence had vanished, leaving me alone in the bloody darkness.

And then it happened. An invisible pressure, but overwhelming, descended upon me. My lungs compressed, the air grew too dense to breathe. A vision struck me violently, like a blade piercing my mind.

The battlefield was covered in blood. I was alone. The wind howled around me, carrying the metallic scent of decaying bodies. Every one of my allies had fallen. The ground was saturated with the blood of those who fought by my side. I could feel the weight of death on my shoulders, but there was no room for mourning. Not now.

The sky was as black as the soul of the Eye of Darkness pulsing inside me. Nine opponents lined up before me. Legendary warriors, each more deadly than the last. Their eyes were fixed on me, determined to crush me. Among them, the two members of the Society of the Rising Sun, their faces covered by cloaks of sickly light, moved like predators waiting for the right moment to strike. I was alone, but not helpless.

The Eye of Darkness glowed on my face, its darkness almost tangible. The power I had sworn never to let control me was now consuming me, and this time, I wouldn’t fight it. The time for hesitation was over.

— You... — my voice was low, hoarse. — All of you... will die.

The sky began to tremble, as if reality itself was about to break. The wind cut like invisible blades, and the shadows around me started to dance erratically, as if responding to my anger.

They advanced.

Suddenly, everything was gone.

The battle, the dead, the black sky — all disappeared, swallowed by the darkness. And then, reality returned with a shock. I was back in the square, kneeling, bleeding, and blind, the sound of my own breath echoing in the darkness around me. My hands were still pressed against my eyes, trying unsuccessfully to stop the blood that kept flowing.

— What is happening? — my voice was a desperate whisper. The memories of the battle — was it real? Or a cruel illusion?

No answer. The silence was absolute, as if the entire world was ignoring me.

But something inside me had changed. That vision... the battle... the death of my allies... I knew that wasn’t just an illusion. It was a glimpse of what was to come.

My breathing grew heavier, fear slowly turning into cold determination.

What I saw, what I felt... it’s going to happen.

And when it does, I will be ready.