Jae Hoon awoke slowly.
His body trembled violently, every muscle tight with the lingering weight of the memories he had just witnessed. The betrayal of the Divine Flames still echoed inside his skull like distant thunder.
His breath was uneven.
Cold sweat covered his skin.
For a moment he didn't move.
The horror of what he had seen still clung to him.
Then his eyes opened fully.
And the world had changed.
He was no longer in the endless black void.
Jae lay on rough dirt.
A training ground stretched around him.
The scent of sweat, steel, and dust filled the air.
Knights trained across the field—dozens of them.
Metal practice swords clashed again and again as warriors sparred in organized formations. Their movements were sharp, disciplined, powerful. Every strike was precise, every step measured.
They were skilled.
Highly trained.
Jae slowly pushed himself up.
His fingers curled into the dirt.
"What the hell is this place…?"
The warriors didn't react to him.
They couldn't see him.
Jae stood slowly, his gaze scanning the training field.
And then he saw him.
A small boy.
No older than ten.
The child stood alone near the edge of the training ground, gripping a wooden practice sword with shaky hands.
His stance was terrible.
Feet unbalanced.
Arms stiff.
When he swung the sword, his body moved awkwardly, like someone imitating something they barely understood.
The blade whistled weakly through the air.
Then—
It slipped from his grip.
The practice sword flew away and landed several feet away with a dull thud.
The boy stumbled forward and fell face-first into the dirt.
"Guh—!"
Jae blinked.
"…That kid…"
Before he could say more, a familiar voice echoed in the air.
"He was my student."
Jae froze.
His eyes lifted.
The Divine Flame of Curses.
The voice existed everywhere and nowhere at once.
Jae stared at the struggling child in disbelief.
"That… kid?"
"That's the one who killed my father…?"
It didn't make sense.
The boy looked weak.
Fragile.
Hopeless with a sword.
Jae's confusion deepened when he heard voices behind him.
A tall man approached the field.
Old.
His hair was grey, long and neatly tied behind his back.
A golden robe draped over his shoulders, embroidered with symbols of royalty.
A crown rested upon his head.
He was a king.
Beside him stood a young man.
Tall.
Straight-backed.
Confident.
His armor gleamed under the sun.
His presence alone made the knights around them stand straighter.
The king placed a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"You are the pride of this kingdom, Prince Caelan."
The prince bowed his head respectfully.
"I try my best, father."
Jae watched the interaction carefully.
Then both the king and the prince looked toward the struggling boy in the dirt.
The king sighed in irritation.
"And then… there is your useless brother."
His voice held no affection.
Only disappointment.
"Our family's greatest shame."
The boy froze where he bowed.
"Despite the intense training I give him," the king continued coldly, "he is too weak to even hold a sword properly."
The king turned and walked away.
The prince remained behind.
His eyes lingered on the boy.
The boy slowly stood and retrieved his wooden sword again.
He tried swinging it once more.
But his grip slipped again.
Mud splashed upward—right onto Prince Caelan's pristine royal robe.
The boy gasped.
"Huh—"
He froze.
Then panic overtook him.
"Brother!!! I'm so sorry!!!"
The prince looked down at the mud staining his expensive clothing.
Then he smiled.
A gentle smile.
"You have impressive focus, little brother."
Jae blinked.
The boy stared up in confusion.
The prince crouched beside him.
"One day you're going to become strong," Caelan said softly.
"Maybe even stronger than me."
The boy's eyes widened.
"But father says I'm—"
"Don't listen to father."
The prince reached forward and adjusted the boy's stance.
"Your balance is wrong."
He positioned the boy's feet properly.
"Like this."
The prince lifted the wooden sword and placed it back in the child's hands.
"You just need someone to teach you."
The boy sniffed quietly.
"…Thank you, brother."
The Divine Flame of Curses spoke again.
"His name was Eryndor."
Jae listened carefully.
"Prince Caelan was different from the rest of the kingdom," the flame continued.
"He loved his little brother."
"He protected him."
"He was the only one who did not blame him for their mother's death."
"He was the only one who did not see him as weakling."
The training field faded.
Jae started to get dizzy again.
Then the sky darkened.
Smoke filled the air.
Flames rose across the horizon.
Jae staggered as the vision shifted violently.
His head spun.
And when the world stabilized again—
Hell had arrived.
The kingdom burned.
Buildings collapsed.
Screams filled the streets.
Yokai flooded the city.
Thousands of them.
Grotesque beasts clawing through soldiers and civilians alike.
"AHHHH—!"
"RUN—!"
"HELP—!"
The Divine Flame of Curses spoke again.
"But one day…"
"The monsters we created came."
Jae saw them again.
Prince Caelan.
Prince Eryndor.
The older brother stood before a sea of Yokai.
Thousands.
He was breathing heavily.
His sword was already covered in blood.
Behind him stood Eryndor.
Frozen in fear.
Caelan sighed.
Then he turned to his little brother.
"Run, Eryndor."
The boy shook his head violently.
"B-But—"
Caelan dropped to one knee.
He placed both hands on the boy's shoulders.
"You have to survive."
His voice softened.
"You are the future of this kingdom."
He smiled gently.
"My brother."
Tears filled Eryndor's eyes.
"Brother…!"
Caelan pushed him away.
"Go."
Eryndor turned and ran.
Through burning streets.
Through chaos.
Through death.
Behind him—
Caelan stood alone.
He faced the army of Yokai.
He smiled.
And then tears rolled down his face.
"Guess this is it…"
He tightened his grip on his sword.
Then he charged.
Straight into the flames.
Straight into the monsters.
And disappeared.
The Divine Flame of Curses spoke quietly.
"When the Yokai destroyed the kingdom…"
"Eryndor fled."
"While Caelan stayed."
"He fought until the flames swallowed him."
Jae stood frozen.
His chest tightened.
The vision shifted again.
Now a forest surrounded him.
Eryndor ran through the trees.
Branches cut his face.
His breath came in desperate gasps.
"I'm a failure…"
He stumbled.
"I'm a coward…"
He tripped over a branch and slammed into the dirt.
The boy didn't get up.
He just lay there.
Crying.
"I ran away…"
"I left him behind…"
The Divine Flame of Curses spoke again.
"That was the day we met."
A warm red light appeared beside the boy.
"That was the day I accepted him as my student."
"That was the day everything changed."
Jae watched silently.
The flame's voice lowered.
"That was the day he chose strength."
"That was the day he vowed to avenge his brother."
The boy slowly lifted his head.
His eyes were different now.
No longer weak.
No longer afraid.
Only one thing remained.
Hatred.