The Fall of the Dawn Guardian
A young man Kale with a lean body that had been built through years of training despite his lack of cultivation talent. His skin carried a light tan from working outdoors within the Dawn Clan.
His hair was dark black and slightly messy, often falling over his forehead. His eyes were unusual...a calm gray color that sometimes appeared silver beneath sunlight. Many people believed his eyes lacked spirit because he possessed no spiritual power.
The mountain was burning. Kale ran through the broken streets of the Dawn Clan. Everything was fine early but sudden an enemy attacked. Smoke covered the sky.
Ancient buildings that had stood for hundreds of years collapsed one after another. Flames climbed the stone walls while disciples desperately carried the wounded toward the shelters.
The air smelled of blood. Screams echoed throughout the valley. Kale’s breathing became uneven. He had never seen the clan like this. He had never seen people afraid. Above the mountain, the night itself seemed to split apart.
Golden light clashed against endless darkness. The battle shook the heavens. Every strike sent shockwaves through the valley the earth trembled. Kale stopped in the middle of the street.
High above him, a single figure stood against the darkness. Altas. His white robes were stained with blood the sword in his hand shone like a small sun. Even wounded, he stood alone before an enemy hidden inside the darkness.
Kale could not see the person’s face. Only black mist a pair of glowing eyes and a voice that seemed to come from everywhere.
“You cannot protect them.”
Altas raised his sword. “I only need to protect one.”
The mountain shook darkness swallowed the sky.
Several elders beside Kale fell to their knees. The spiritual pressure alone made breathing difficult.
“Master Altas...”
Kale’s hands trembled. For sixteen years he had believed his master could never lose. Altas was the strongest cultivator of the Dawn Clan. The hero who protected countless cities the sword that defeated monsters the man who had saved Kale years ago.
Suddenly the darkness moved.
Kale could not even follow it.
The world flashed black. A terrible sound echoed through the valley. Altas staggered backward his sword cracked blood fell from his lips.
The disciples below screamed. Kale’s heart stopped.
“Master!”
The dark figure remained hidden only its eyes could be seen. Altas looked down toward the burning clan.
Toward the disciples toward Kale their eyes met for a moment, everything became quiet. Altas smiled the same gentle smile he always carried.
He slowly raised his hand. Run. Kale understood but his feet refused to move. The darkness struck again.
The mountain split apart Light exploded. Kale covered his eyes.
When the light disappeared Altas was falling the sword slipped from his hand his body descended through the night the world became silent.
The hero had fallen. Kale ran he ignored the screams. Ignored the collapsing buildings.
He ran toward the forest beyond the clan. Altas crashed into the ground among the ancient trees the earth shattered. Kale fell beside him. Blood covered the master’s robes his breathing had become weak.
The sword was gone. The enemy had disappeared. Kale’s hands trembled. “No.”
Altas slowly opened his eyes. “Kale.”
Tears filled the boy’s eyes. “Please don’t die.”
The old master smiled. “I was never afraid of death.”
Blood flowed from his mouth. Kale tried to stop it. His hands shook.
“I’ll call the elders.”
“No.”
“The healers”
“No.”
Altas slowly looked toward the burning mountain the Dawn Clan their home. His eyes carried sadness. “They’ve come.”
Kale looked back. Black figures moved through the flames.
The clan was under attack. Altas grabbed Kale’s hand. His strength was disappearing. “Listen carefully.”
Kale nodded. His tears would not stop. “There will come a day when you desire power.”
The forest became quiet. “There will come a day when hatred feels easier than forgiveness.”
Altas’s breathing weakened. Kale leaned closer.
“Master?”
The old man’s eyes seemed distant. “As long as you walk your own path...”
He coughed blood. “...you will never become me.”
Kale did not understand. Altas smiled one final time. “Live.”
The hand holding Kale slowly fell. Kale felt his world had stopped. He was an orphan but today he really felt that he had became an orphan. His master was his only family and he was gone.
Far away, footsteps approached through the darkness.
Kale raised his head. A shadow stood among the trees. Only the eyes could be seen. The figure spoke.
“So this is the child.”
Kale could not move fear froze his body. The stranger looked at Altas then at Kale.
After, several moments the figure turned away.
“Not yet.” Darkness swallowed the forest.
The forest became silent. Only the crackling of distant flames remained.
Kale knelt beside Altas’s body, unable to move.
The stranger’s final words echoed in his mind.
Not yet.
Not yet for what? Why had he spared him?
None of it mattered. His master was dead.
Kale slowly looked toward the burning mountain. The Dawn Clan was still fighting.
Still waiting. Still hoping. But no reinforcements came.
No banners of the allied clans appeared upon the horizon. No elders from the Seven Clans arrived. No armies came to answer the Dawn Clan’s cries.
A bitter laugh escaped his lips. “So this is all our years of friendship were worth...”
His voice trembled. “Master protected them... saved their cities... fought their wars...”
He clenched his fists until his nails drew blood. “And when we needed them...”
His eyes filled with tears. “...they didn’t come.”
The mountain that had always felt like home suddenly seemed cold and unfamiliar. Kale looked down at Altas.
The man who had stood before every danger alone. The man everyone called a hero.
For the first time in his life, Kale understood something terrifying. The world praised heroes while they were useful. But the moment darkness fell upon them The world turned its back.
He gently took Altas’s lifeless hand. “I don’t understand any of this, Master.”
His voice broke. “I don’t know who that man was...”
“I don’t know why he spared me...”
“And I don’t know why everyone abandoned us.”
Tears fell onto the old man’s hand. “But I swear...”
He lowered his head. “I will find the truth.”
Kale remained beside Altas’s body until sunrise. And when the first light touched the mountain The Hero of the Dawn Clan was dead. And the world would soon learn a truth that would destroy everything Kale believed.0 The Chamber of Choice
