After that dark power surged and shattered the magical portal, its fragments scattered like glowing ash in the air. Everyone emerged from it thanks to this magical explosion, finding themselves dropped into an icy region belonging to the Spear Tribe. However, Andrei was not with them.
On the other side of the dimensional rift, Maurice emerged, but his condition was horrifying. His lower body and his left arm were completely severed by the demon's power. Slowly and sickeningly, his flesh and bones were being reshaped from nothingness by the secret magic of time reversal.
When his body was fully restored, Maurice fell to his knees, panting, and laughed hysterically as he wiped the blood from his face. "Demon Lord... you are truly powerful! I have become infatuated with this destructive power! Hahaha! What am I saying after enduring all this torment? I would have died if I hadn't teleported myself at maximum speed and used time-reversal magic. Demon Lord... it is true that you do not want to be a tool in my plan, but unfortunately, I have already placed you in it. For I am preparing the entire stage for you and your vessel."
Shadows of the Past: Clash of Demons
In a distant, isolated place, the Demon Lord, having taken over Andrei's body, stood alone, looking up at the full moon in the clear sky.
The Demon Lord whispered to himself with a voice carrying the weight of thousands of years, "I wonder... when was the last time I looked at the moon this freely? It is true that I used to see the moon often when I was in my youth."
He gave a calm, uncharacteristic smile, but that smile quickly morphed into a terrifying grimace. He reached his hand toward the sky and began to rotate his palm left and right, as if controlling the stars. With the movement of his hand, the moon began to be covered in pitch-black darkness, making the area gloomy and desolate, illuminated only by his crimson eyes.
"But now... I want to destroy it. I want to cover the world with my darkness, to burn it to ashes."
The moon kept cycling between being covered in total darkness and returning to a luminous moon, under the Demon Lord's eyes, which were filled with wrath and indignation.
His solitude was interrupted by a deep, icy voice coming from behind him. "Are you still the same, Ourg?"
The Demon Lord, Ourg, stopped rotating his hand and turned slowly. "No one has called me by that name in a long time... Doraios. Why were you following that masked sorcerer? Have you become his subservient follower?"
Doraios emerged from the shadows and answered, "No. But it is a direct order from the Lord of Death."
Ourg furrowed his brows in anger. "You say the Lord of Death? So he has learned of my existence and return. Tell him I am coming for him inevitably, and I will burn his world."
Doraios replied with provoking coldness, "The Lord of Death is not interested in you at all, Ourg. Rather, he is interested in Andrei... the vessel."
Ourg's crimson eyes widened. "What are you saying? That the weak human I possess... the Lord of Death is more interested in him than in me?! Is the Lord of Death's vision failing him, or what?"
Doraios warned him, "Careful what you say, for that will expose you to certain doom."
Ourg roared with blind rage, "Doom? I am doom!"
Ourg gripped his black sword and attacked Doraios with lightning speed. In response, Doraios drew his sword as well. The swords clashed with terrifying force, slicing through every rock and everything near them like butter. The shockwaves of their clash were so intense that every monster and creature around them felt the chill of death run through their bodies, and even those residing in distant villages felt that terrifying tremor.
After moments of fierce engagement, Doraios stepped back and calmly sheathed his sword. "This is enough for now."
Ourg lowered his sword and said threateningly, "I am coming to the Forest of the Dead soon, to tear off your head just like I did last time, and I will add to it by cutting off the Lord of Death's head and throwing it to the dogs."
Doraios placed his hand on his sword at his waist and said with deadly calmness, "The Lord of Death is eager for the battle... but, perhaps fate has written for someone else to end you."
Ourg laughed mockingly. "No, I am the one who will end that old man's life! We will see."
Doraios said as he faded into the darkness, "For now... it is farewell."
The Struggle of Consciousness and the Eagle's Return
Andrei woke up and slowly opened his eyes, finding himself lying in an icy region near the Spear Tribe.
He sat up, clutching his head in pain. "Was I transported here? The last thing I remember... is that I almost died and my bones were crushed by the goblin... then I saw that masked person step out and use that magic on me, and then I lost consciousness."
His eyes suddenly widened as the realization hit him. "Wait! That person... masked and uses time-manipulation magic? Could it be him? Is he the one who killed Sister Olette and Uncle Albert?! Impossible... The person who killed the two dearest people to my heart in my past life... has saved my life now and healed my body? You have got to be kidding me! How could this happen? Why did he save me?"
While I was in a deadly internal struggle with myself, tears welling up in my eyes, I suddenly felt something land on my shoulder. I looked to find a small blue eagle, bearing the insignia of the Ice Eagles Squad.
"Who is this? Is this..."
Before I could finish my sentence, the eagle suddenly grew back to its massive, normal size, until its giant foot was on my chest, pinning me into the snow! Sora the eagle let out a loud, distinct screech as a signal.
The entire squad came rushing toward the sound.
Julian shouted with a relieved smile, "Well done, Sora! You found him. You are truly a skilled eagle."
The eagle began to boast, holding its head high with pride, but I screamed from beneath it, "Sora! Move your foot... I am suffocating here!"
The eagle stepped back, and I caught my breath with difficulty. But as soon as I stood up, Henry and Oliver grabbed me tightly in a clumsy bear hug, making me lose my breath again!
Oliver said, wiping a slight tear from beneath his glasses, "Oh, my friend! I am so glad you are okay, we were worried about you!"
I shouted with a muffled voice, "Oliver... stop! Please, I am dying!"
Henry tightened his grip even more and said, "No, he is right! We were very worried."
Then Henry grabbed both Andrei and Oliver, squeezing them together in one crushing hug. "I am glad you both are okay!"
I said, my face turning blue, "What is with the suffocation today? Henry, you are really crushing us with your muscles!"
Henry let us go and said with a broad smile, "Oh, sorry! I got a little carried away."
Julian said with a calm smile, "I am glad you are safe, guys. But... that trap and its maker, we must find whoever did this as soon as possible. There are dangerous things happening in the shadows."
Henry said with sudden seriousness, "I agree with you. But right now, we have to go to the village, for we still have to clear it of the remaining goblins."
Julian sighed, "That will take a long time. Henry, do you have any objections?"
Henry replied respectfully, "No objections, sir. Let us go then."
"Your orders, sir."
Days of Training and the Story of Heroism
Days passed quickly. Julian created a detailed report about the goblin incident and the magical portal, and sent it to command. Then he ordered us to conduct continuous investigations. I had to join the patrols, and then train ruthlessly with Volak every day.
During one of our training sessions, Volak said as he wiped the sweat from his face, "Well done, Andrei! Your sword performance has improved remarkably."
I answered while panting, looking at my perfectly healed hands, "Yes, but not much, Volak. I almost died when I faced the goblin alone, and by some miracle, I found that my fingers and all my severed parts were exactly as they were, completely regenerated. That was a terrifying miracle. But... I wonder if this miracle will always happen? Maybe... maybe I am not worthy of being a hero."
Volak patted my shoulder and said seriously, "Heroism, Andrei, is a very difficult thing, and its word is heavier than mountains. If you want to know its true meaning, tomorrow you will accompany me to my tribe. There, you will learn what it means."
The next day, Volak and I went to the Spear Village. When we arrived, we caught sight of the Ice Lord, Hyuga, walking quietly toward an old, modest cabin, then he knocked on the door and went inside.
I asked Volak curiously, "Why did the Ice Lord enter this cabin? It looks abandoned."
Volak looked at the cabin with a sorrowful gaze and said, "Andrei... this cabin is not just a cabin. It is the place where my sister and I were raised after my mother's death. It is the place where my sister, the hero... Rose, was raised. She too wanted to become a hero to save people from death, and she got what she wanted. Since you are new and events have passed so quickly, you do not know her story. Well... let me tell it to you