Chapter 1: Two Earths
ARC I - THE LOST FLAME
The world was wrapped in endless white.
Floating gently through the silent sky was a tiny white dragon. Unlike the fearsome dragons of ancient legends, lies another world..."
"Hollow Earth."
"A hidden land where people are born with elemental powers. Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning... each village is blessed by its own Elemental God, who grants strength and protects its people."
"For thousands of years, these two worlds remained separated."
"They were never meant to meet."
The dragon's smile slowly faded.
"But destiny had already chosen otherwise."
"And our story..."
"...begins with a single child."
---
Darkness swallowed the white world.
A lonely figure walked across an endless wasteland.
Half of his body had turned into solid stone, while an ancient pendant hung from his neck. Without stopping, he continued walking toward an unknown destination.
His face remained hidden.
Suddenly-
Raizen's eyes flew open.
He sat upright, breathing heavily.
"...That dream again."
The same dream.
He had seen it countless times.
Even after waking up, the image of the mysterious man refused to leave his mind.
Raizen climbed out of bed and stepped outside.
The morning sun painted the Fire Village in warm shades of gold. Smoke drifted lazily from stone houses while villagers greeted one another with cheerful smiles.
At the highest tower stood a beautiful woman wearing crimson robes.
Brenda.
The respected leader of the Fire Village.
Raizen hurried toward her.
"Mom..."
"I had that dream again."
"I've seen it so many times."
"What does it mean?"
Brenda looked at her son quietly.
For a brief moment...
Sadness filled her eyes.
She gently placed her hand on his head.
"I..."
Before she could finish-
Her expression suddenly changed.
She slowly turned toward the entrance of the village.
Night had fallen far too quickly.
Silence.
No birds.
No wind.
Even the flames burning across the village seemed strangely weak.
A single figure walked through the darkness.
Step...
Step...
Step...
Every footstep echoed through the silent night like the beating of a giant heart.
The village guards immediately reached for their weapons.
As the stranger came closer...
Two enormous black horns emerged from the darkness.
Brenda's breathing stopped.
"Raizen..."
"Go inside."
"Now."
Before Raizen could move-
A black spear shot through the sky.
Brenda raised one hand.
A wall of blazing fire burst into existence, stopping the spear only moments before it reached them.
"Protect the Chief!"
The Fire Village soldiers charged without hesitation.
The stranger didn't even move.
Within seconds...
The battlefield turned silent once again.
Bodies collapsed one after another.
Not a single soldier remained standing.
Raizen's hands trembled.
"M-Mom..."
"We have to run!"
Brenda slowly smiled.
"I am the leader of this village."
"My duty is to protect everyone..."
"...even if it costs my life."
Then-
A deep voice echoed from behind her.
"It has been a long time..."
"...Brenda."
Brenda slowly turned around.
Her face became completely pale.
Her lips trembled.
"...Demon Lord."
The Demon Lord smiled.
It wasn't a smile filled with anger.
It was the smile of someone who already knew the outcome.
Without wasting another second, Brenda removed the ancient bracelet from her wrist and fastened it around Raizen's arm.
"Listen to me carefully."
"I love you more than anything."
"No matter what happens..."
"Keep living."
Golden flames burst around her.
An ancient portal appeared before them.
Raizen's eyes widened.
"M-Mom...!"
Brenda pushed him forward.
"No!"
Raizen fell into the portal.
As he was swallowed by the light...
He saw his mother drawing her blazing sword before charging toward the Demon Lord alone.
"MOOOOM!!"
Darkness.
Raizen struggled desperately inside the collapsing portal.
He punched its glowing walls.
He screamed.
He tried everything to escape.
But the portal had already lost control.
Space itself twisted.
Its destination changed.
Far away...
On another Earth...
A crack appeared in the sky.
Raizen's unconscious body fell through the portal before crashing onto the cold ground.
---
At that exact moment...
Inside Humanity's Central Scientific Research Facility...
Emergency alarms echoed throughout the enormous building.
Scientists rushed toward their monitors.
One researcher stared at the impossible readings.
"W-We detected it..."
"A dimensional portal!"
The entire control room fell silent.
Another scientist looked at the screen with disbelief.
"That's impossible..."
"The legends..."
"They were real."
The head scientist slowly smiled.
His hands trembled with excitement.
"Finally..."
"Our world..."
"...can be saved."
Far above the sleeping city...
The unstable portal slowly disappeared.
Neither world realized...
That this single child would one day become the storm that changed history.
End of Chapter 1
