It was said to be the final night of the war. At least, that's what people desperately wanted to believe.
From the shadows, the hidden ones began crawling out once more, yet fear still lingered in their eyes. Many refused to leave their shelters altogether. Who could blame them? Out of nine billion souls, only two—perhaps three—billion remained.
Those who lacked food had survived in the most horrifying way imaginable—by feeding on the corpses of the dead.
Among the scattered survivors stood Keal Draven, a member of the infamous group known as The Blackthorn Oath. Once a brotherhood of fifteen warriors sworn to protect humanity, now only six of them still drew breath.
No one truly knew what they were fighting. Were these enemies demons? Aliens from another world? Or something far worse? One thing was certain—they were not beings of this dimension. These creatures of the Fourth Dimension could emerge from the air itself… or even tear their way out from within a human body.
Keal stood among the frightened masses, gripping the hilt of his blade so tightly that sweat trickled down his arm. His teeth clenched as his gaze locked on a small child—no more than four years old.
Then, without warning, his blade flashed. The child's head fell before anyone could comprehend what had happened.
Gasps and cries erupted. People shouted in anger and despair.
"You claim to be powerful, and yet you do this?! What makes you any different from them?"
But Keal's voice cut through the chaos, cold and unshaken.
> "That smile… it was the same as Zarath Morghul's."
The crowd froze. Silence gripped the air. All eyes shifted to the child's grieving parents.
Keal lowered his blade, his tone grim.
> "This wasn't their fault. His mind was too weak to resist… and it possessed him. Remember this—never let your children sleep for too long."
The words struck terror into their hearts. They all knew the truth—if left vulnerable, anyone could be consumed.
The Blackthorn Oath, once humanity's last shield, was now broken and bloodied. Of the six who remained, Keal stood ranked fifth in strength. Yet many despised him… not for his rank, but because he was immortal.
Immortality, however, was no blessing.
Keal tilted his head upward, his crimson eyes fixed upon the sky. Somewhere above, beyond the veil of stars, the Fourth Dimension stirred.