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> In a world painted with light and joy, despair always lingers in the shadows.
From that despair, kings of evil are born.
Arkin walks a tragic road where no hand reaches for him — only darkness welcomes his soul.
As he surrenders to rage and grief, one question remains:
Will he rise as a lord of evil… or be devoured by the abyss within?
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Author's Note:
Hey everyone! It's your boy Arkin, a dark-fantasy lover writing from the heart. ❤️
This is my original story — if something feels similar elsewhere, let me know!
I hope you enjoy this journey through light and despair. 🌙
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Chapter 7: Arkin's Eclipse
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Arkin rested for a while, then woke with a storm of anger and strength. The goddess's rejection had set a blazing sun inside him — a sun that threatened to sink with the world.
Confused by what was happening, Arkin rose and went to the forest to test his strength. He gripped a dull sword and, with all the anger and desperate power he'd gathered, walked into the woods. Each monster he slayed fanned his fury into something fiercer.
He started to learn the edges of his power. Every suffering had made him harder, stronger — his strength grew day by day. So did his despair and his hunger for revenge; Arkin was bent on retribution for what the goddess had taken from him.
He returned to the village to rest and explore the ruins of Nophera. He gathered whatever remained. Not much was left, but under the rubble of his sister he found a pendant with a picture of their parents. He gripped it and let out a long, loud cry that echoed across the broken stones.
That was his last cry — every road he had walked had shaped him into something else. Tremendous and uncertain, Arkin sat in confusion, thinking what to do next.
The pendant trembled in his hand. Memories he'd buried beneath pain surfaced: his sister's laughter, the way she chased fireflies near their old home, her small hands clutching his sleeve during storms. The silence that followed felt heavier than death itself. The smell of ash and burnt soil still lingered, as though the earth refused to forget.
He kept searching the ruins and, at the corner of his eye, found a box. Inside was a map of the world, divided between two continents: the dark realm of the Demon Lord's empire and the kingdoms of the heroes.
The heroes' kingdom had five great cities — Elandor, Riveria, Astria, Serans, and the city of Elkan — and each kingdom had its specialty: elves, dwarves, beastfolk, humans, and dragonids. They were all bent on destroying the Demon Lord's empire.
The Demon Lord's realm was called Draskes and stood backed by a huge army and four main commanders. Flaming Dragon Dralva — the right hand and highest-ranking commander — had a presence that drove humans into despair.
The Demon Lord's forces were strong, waiting for the perfect strike to bring everything down. Their cruelty spread whispers even across the seas, where kingdoms trembled at the mere mention of Draskes.
Arkin had a proper education from his father and was clever. After reading the map, he packed what little he had and set out toward the Demon Lord's continent. The forest greeted him with cold winds and ghostly silence. Fallen trees and forgotten weapons lay scattered, reminders of battles lost to time.
He slew monsters along the way, growing stronger with every step. His presence became darker and heavier each time he took a life. He grew less fearful and more confident — he had surpassed Erin in every way.
Despair consumed him, but he accepted it and forged it into a weapon. Born a talentless boy, he adapted his suffering and made despair his strength. The longer he walked, the more the shadows seemed to follow his steps, whispering promises of vengeance.
Arkin stopped at a small village to sell what he had for food and clothes. His presence made people uneasy; guards grew anxious. He stayed only a short while and then moved on. Even children hid behind doors as he passed, sensing the storm that lived within his soul.
Long journeys followed. With each unforgettable suffering, he kept growing. His swordsmanship sharpened; his endurance became unshakable. He no longer dreamed of peace — only of strength and retribution.
After resting one day, he left the village at dawn and marched toward Draskes. His eyes reddened from lack of sleep; every time he closed them he saw his family and village, and a horrifying scene that woke him hotter and angrier. The forest stretched endlessly ahead, and every step forward felt like marching deeper into his own darkness.
Soon after, he crossed paths with bandits camping to hunt travelers. A flash of Nophera surged in his mind and his fury flared — he slaughtered them all but one.
The last bandit lay unconscious. Arkin dragged him into the woods, tied him to a tree, and waited. When the man awoke, he begged for mercy.
Arkin didn't flinch. He asked if the bandit knew anything about the village of Nophera. The man stammered no, pleading, "Please, please leave me alone. I don't know anything. I don't want to die. I'll give you whatever you—"
"You don't have what I want," Arkin said flatly. "So I don't need you."
The bandit shouted that his leader might know something and begged to be taken to him. Arkin tied the man's arms and forced him to crawl to his leader.
When they reached the bandits' camp, the leader stepped forward. "You have some nerve coming here with my man like this. There should have been twenty men left."
"Killed them," Arkin replied. Before the bandit could speak, Arkin cut his head off in front of the leader.
The bandit leader's eyes widened. Fear grew in every man's face; fifty bandits stood there frozen under Arkin's presence. The air grew cold — the smell of death followed him like a shadow.
Arkin did not waste time. He demanded if they knew anything about Nophera. One fearful bandit lunged at him and was cut down without mercy. The sound of metal meeting flesh echoed like thunder.
The leader ordered his men to stop. He asked if Arkin would leave if he told him what he wanted.
"It wasn't us," the leader lied. "There was a reward and a letter from someone we don't know who sent it."
"It doesn't matter who sent it," Arkin said. "Because I am going to kill all of you anyway."
What happens next — will Arkin slaughter them all, or will his overconfidence be the death that finally takes him? Only time will tell.
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Author: "IT'S ME ARKIN."
Creation is hard! Motivate me with your votes 💪
Your boy Arkin signing out — show me you're worthy of reading this! See you in the next chapter 😎🔥
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