The majestic and imposing Draven Manor stood proudly beneath the clear sky. Its white stone walls gleamed under the sunlight, reflecting the wealth and power of the family. But today, the atmosphere inside was slightly unsettled.
Seated in the grand salon, Elyna Draven, Kael's younger sister, sipped her tea peacefully. Her silver hair cascaded elegantly over her shoulders, and her golden eyes shone with a serene glow.
"Milady, a visitor insists on seeing you," a maid announced, bowing respectfully.
Elyna raised an eyebrow slightly. She didn't need to ask who it was. Ever since her brother Kael had left for the Varta Empire, a certain individual had relentlessly haunted the manor's gates.
"Let him in," she said with a sigh, delicately placing her cup down.
Moments later, Dorn Welfer appeared. Tall and slender, with black hair and piercing blue eyes, he exuded the appearance of a noble. His richly adorned coat bore testimony to his status. Yet, despite his refined look, a faint nervousness lingered around him.
"Lady Elyna," he exclaimed, stepping forward with an expression full of emotion. "I've come… once again… to express my feelings!"
Elyna narrowed her eyes, visibly exasperated.
"Dorn, you came yesterday. And the day before. And every day for the past two weeks."
"That's because my love for you is sincere!" Dorn declared, clenching his fist as though delivering a heroic speech. "I know you think I'm persistent, but I cannot ignore the beating of my heart."
"And I cannot ignore my headaches every time I see you," Elyna replied with a sarcastic smile.
Dorn tried to mask his embarrassment by straightening his shoulders.
"Lady Elyna, I swear I will do anything to win your heart. I will face any challenge, overcome any obstacle!"
"Perhaps you could start by ceasing to harass the servants to find out if I'm home."
Dorn had no time to respond. The door suddenly swung open, and their mother, Liana Draven, entered. She wore a dark velvet gown that heightened her commanding presence. Her silver hair was meticulously styled, and her stern gaze pierced through Dorn.
"You again?" she stated coldly.
Despite all his declared bravado, Dorn seemed to shrink before the Draven matriarch.
"Lady Liana, I… I've come once more to request your daughter's hand."
"Once more?" Liana repeated with a touch of irony. "I could fill a library with all your proposals."
Elyna averted her eyes to hide her amusement.
"Know that I have no intention of giving my daughter to someone like you," Liana continued. "You are nothing but a stubborn boy who confuses obsession with love."
"But Lady Liana," Dorn pleaded, "I… I've had a revelation!"
The room fell eerily silent.
"A revelation?" Liana repeated, narrowing her eyes.
"Yes! A divine voice told me that to become stronger, I must marry Lady Elyna! It's my destiny!"
Liana laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Dorn's spine.
"And I reveal to you that your presence here is now forbidden."
Dorn opened his mouth, but no words came out.
"Guards!" Liana ordered. "Escort this young man out of the manor. If he dares cross this threshold again, treat him as an intruder."
The two knights stationed at the entrance swiftly approached, flanking Dorn, who had no choice but to retreat.
"Lady Elyna! I won't give up!" he cried as he was led away. "I will prove myself worthy of you!"
Elyna let out a long sigh before picking up her teacup once more.
"He is incredibly persistent," she murmured.
"And incredibly foolish," Liana added.
But for Dorn Welfer, the humiliation of the day only served to fuel his obsession further.
"Kael Draven…" he whispered to himself. "If you think you can keep Lady Elyna away from me, you're wrong. I will become stronger. Stronger than you."
And without knowing it, Dorn had just set foot on a path that would lead him to his own destruction.
Night had fallen over the Welfer estate, and a heavy silence reigned within Dorn's luxurious chamber. Dark navy velvet curtains blocked the light of the stars, leaving only the flickering glow of a lantern to timidly illuminate the room.
Lying on his bed, Dorn tossed and turned, his face contorted in pure torment. He was trapped in a strange dream, a vision that seized him with terrifying brutality.
In this vision, the sky was pitch black, covered with swirling storm clouds. Crimson rain fell upon a ravaged world. Crumbling cities, rivers of blood, and the echoes of despair resounded through the darkness. Nightmarish creatures roamed freely, and at the center of this chaos stood.
Kael Draven.
The young man, clad in obsidian armor, sat upon a colossal black throne. Surrounding him were seven monstrous figures, the Demon Kings. Their piercing gazes seemed to strip away all hope, and their mere presence inspired terror. But what shook Dorn to his core was the sinister aura radiating from Kael.
His crimson eyes gleamed with a malevolent light, and a predatory grin twisted his face. He was no longer human. He had become the embodiment of darkness.
"Bow before your sovereign."
Kael's voice echoed like thunder. Thousands of chained souls wept and pleaded for mercy. And among them...
"Elyna!"
Dorn saw his beloved, her silver hair dirtied with dust and blood. She tried to flee, but Kael seized her effortlessly.
"Please, Kael! You don't have to do this!"
A cruel laugh escaped Kael's lips.
"It's too late."
Without hesitation, he raised a black dagger and plunged it into Elyna's chest.
Blood splattered across his face, yet Kael showed no emotion. Elyna collapsed in his arms, her golden eyes dimming with the loss of life.
"NOOO!"
Dorn awoke with a gasp, drenched in sweat. His breathing was ragged, and his heart pounded violently. For a moment, he stared at the ceiling, disoriented, until reality caught up with him.
"It was just a dream… No, a revelation."
He bolted upright. This couldn't be a mere nightmare. Every time he received a revelation, it had come true in one form or another. But this time… this vision was far too horrific to ignore.
"Kael Draven… You are a threat to this world."
His eyes darkened. It didn't matter that Kael was his elder or a celebrated hero in the eyes of others. Dorn would not stand idly by.
Throwing aside the covers, he pulled on a shirt and grabbed the sword resting beside his bed. The polished blade gleamed, reflecting the fierce determination in his gaze.
"I will become stronger. I will protect Elyna. And if I must face Kael to do so, then so be it."
Without wasting another moment, Dorn strode from his chamber and made his way to the training courtyard. The guards on patrol glanced at him in surprise, but none dared to question him.
Beneath the pale moonlight, Dorn raised his sword. His breath steadied, and he began to move, powerful strikes, precise parries, swift evasions. Every swing of his blade carried the weight of his fury and resolve.
"I will not let that future come to pass."
Hours passed. Sweat dripped from his brow, his muscles screamed in protest, but Dorn did not relent. The image of Kael, Elyna's lifeless form, and the twisted throne haunted him. It fueled his drive.
He repeated the same motions tirelessly, vowing to become a man capable of facing any enemy.
And though the night remained silent, within his mind, one singular thought echoed endlessly.
"Kael Draven… I will destroy you before you destroy this world."
Meanwhile, at the Varta Empire, the 6th Princess Lysandra Solstice stood in the grand hall of the palace, furious and red with rage. She paced the room back and forth, her heavy footsteps echoing on the cold stones.
The banquet that was supposed to mark Kael Draven's grand return had been a total disaster. Not only had the majority of the guests fallen seriously ill—suffering from abdominal pain and uncontrollable diarrhea—but the entire event had been interrupted in chaos. The carefully prepared feasts, the enchanting music, the refined dances… everything had been reduced to nothing.
Lysandra knew that Kael was behind all of this. She had seen him, she had watched him, and there was no doubt in her mind that this sabotage had been meticulously orchestrated. The worst part was that he had done it with such ease that she felt deeply humiliated. She turned to her entourage, who looked just as confused and disgusted, and her scream pierced the air.
"KAEL DRAVEN! I WILL KILL YOU!"
Her voice trembled with anger, and her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into the palms of her hands. She would have given anything for Kael to be there, at that very moment, so she could make him pay for this humiliation.
Every detail of the banquet, every forced smile from her guests, every shameful glance thrown in her direction was a slap to her honor. She couldn't let this pass. She wanted revenge, and she wanted it now.
With a determined step, she left the hall, her mind boiling with rage. He couldn't continue to play with her like this. He had to pay.