1. Collapse of the Darkconian Empire
The World of Lushterra, 1542
Amid the trillions of stars scattered across the endless void of space, billions of galaxies formed in the vastness of the universe. On countless planets, life emerged, each with its own unique inhabitants and civilizations.
Among these many worlds, beyond the limits of human understanding, lies a place known as 'Another Earth,' hidden deep in a faint corner of the galaxy. This is the world of Lushterra—a planet teeming with life and civilization, much like the Earth we know.
In the year 1542, when Lushterra's civilizations were still unfamiliar with advanced technology and the power struggles of kingdoms dominated, a great tragedy struck. A massive continent, known as Amerta, was engulfed in waves of fire.
Under the light of a full moon, thick smoke filled the sky as flames consumed the Darkconian Palace. The heat was so intense that it turned people to ash.
The red bricks of the palace blackened, wooden beams and walls crumbled into charred remains, and the burned bodies of the palace's inhabitants lay scattered. In the midst of this destruction stood a young man, wearing a silver mask covering the right side of his face. He held a long sword, its black blade decorated with gold patterns, and a deep red gem on the hilt.
His cold eyes gazed at the dying people around him. His long black hair, soaked in blood, clung to his face. Despite the screams and cries of the palace soldiers, he showed no hesitation. Driven by rage, he killed them one by one.
His grip on the sword remained steady as flames wrapped around the blade. He was ready to strike again when the ground suddenly shook and split, as though something massive was about to emerge from beneath the Lushterra.
Roarrr!
The young man quickly leaped onto the roof, avoiding the sharp fangs of a giant serpent spirit with the head of a dragon. The massive creature tore through the andesite temples, crushing everything in its path as it chased him.
The giant creature charged at Kiran just as a beautiful spectrum of lights swirled around a red star, known as Luminous Remnants, in the Phoenix-shaped constellation.
Waves of colorful light dotted the horizon as Kiran cast Radiant Soulforge Awakening. A red beam of cosmic resonance radiation shot down from the skies, penetrating Lushterra and channeling into Kiran's body.
His bare upper body was wrapped in a thin red mist, while the Phoenix totem tattoo on his back came to life. The red Phoenix flapped its wings, igniting into flames.
In an instant, a giant Phoenix spirit erupted from Kiran's body, lunging at the dragon serpent spirit charging toward it.
Screech!
Boom!
A violent explosion shook the palace as the two spirits collided, sending the area deeper into a sea of flames. The giant dragon serpent spirit slowly dissolved, swept away by the wind, along with the body of an emperor, barely clinging to life in the chaos.
That emperor was Ardika, Kiran's father. Kneeling weakly on the ground, his body covered in blood, he's clutching a large black sword.
He looked up at Kiran, who stood coldly, his presence filled with a death aura. "Kiran... do you really want to kill your own father?"
"You're not worthy of being my father," Kiran replied, his voice flat but seething with rage.
Suddenly, a laugh echoed through the ruins. Ardika wiped the blood from his mouth, grinning as he glared at Kiran. "Have you forgotten who raised you?"
Kiran didn't move, his eyes burning with fury. Meanwhile, Ardika quietly prepared his attack, using his blood to cast Dragonblood Mummify Curse.
A spectrum of light swirled around a bright red star in the constellation of the dragon serpent. Waves of multicolored light filled the entire dark sky, and then a black beam of Cosmic Resonance Radiation shot down from the skies, striking the ground before flowing directly into Ardika's body. A black mist spread over him, and a dark dragon-serpent totem began to coil and slither across his back.
With one swift motion, Ardika sliced through his own veins, letting the dragon serpent blood flow freely from his wrist. He flicked his hand, sending several spheres of the blood flying toward Kiran.
Swish ...
If Kiran's skin had been touched by the dragon serpent's blood, his fate would have been the same as Ardika's other victims—dead, with his body dried up like a mummy.
But Kiran skillfully deflected every drop of blood that threatened his life, flicking his sword with precise movements and dodging effortlessly through the air.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Roarrr!
The Luminous Remnants in the Dragon Serpent constellation suddenly brightened. The dragon serpent spirit reappeared, descending from the sky with its sharp fangs bared. At the same moment, the last sphere of blood rushed toward Kiran.
A loud cry echoed through the palace, followed by the blast of hot wind from the flapping wings of Kiran's Phoenix spirit, sensing its host was in danger.
Just as the two deadly forces were about to strike him, the Phoenix spirit flew in front of Kiran and transformed into a giant shield.
Boom!
Another powerful explosion shook the palace. The dragon serpent spirit let out a final roar before dissolving into the wind.
Ardika's battered body was thrown again, crashing into a temple and shattering the andesite stones.
Kiran gripped his sword tightly as the dragon serpent's blood on the blade was consumed by the flames, turning into molten lava that dripped to the ground.
"You should know, my life is far from over. It will be more than 400 years before my time comes," Kiran said coldly, glaring at Ardika. "But it seems like you're hoping for my death, aren't you?"
Ardika laughed loudly despite his labored breathing. He straightened up, and through his torn, ember-filled robe, the black dragon-serpent totem on his back was fading away. "Right, right. It's only been a few years since your brother gave you a decent name, hasn't it?" Ardika smirked. "Kiran, you may have the heart to kill me, but could you kill your brother, who loved you so much?"
Kiran paused, his eyes reflecting deep inner turmoil. "I can eliminate anyone," he said quietly.
He grabbed the silver mask covering the right side of his face and let it fall to the ground. Ardika, still alive but weakened, was stunned by the deep scar on Kiran's face.
The moonlight shone down, illuminating the cursed mark on Kiran's skin.
As Ardika locked eyes with him, his body froze. His skin began to crack, and embers slowly surfaced from beneath.
Even in this state, Ardika's laughter rang out, mocking. Though his body was slowly turning to ash, he grinned. "It's fine... it's fine. After all, your blood will revive me, won't it?"
"Never!"
Fueled by rage, Kiran shot forward from the rooftop and swung his flaming sword. In one swift stroke, Ardika's body completely turned to ash.
A gust of wind scattered the remains of Ardika into the air. Kiran stood motionless, watching the ashes of the once-mighty Astral Conjurer disappear, his anger still burning.
At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence.
Kiran quickly put the mask back over the curse symbol on his face before turning to see a figure arriving, devastated at the sight of his father's remains.