End of Heros Part :-1

Every human fears death, yet they live their lives as if it will never come. They chase after fleeting pleasures, build fragile empires, and cling to memories that time will erase. In the end, they are forgotten. What worth is a life that leaves no mark?

The night whispers to the morning, and with it, a new day dawns. David stands beneath a cold, gray sky, watching birds take flight toward the sunlit horizon. He exhales, his breath curling like smoke in the chill air. A hollow laugh escapes his lips as he watches the people below—laughing, smiling, embracing their trivial joys. His voice is a low growl, laced with venom, "No more. I don't want anyone to be happy." His eyes darken. "From today, everything changes. This is the beginning of the end, the first step toward a world where every human must face their true selves—where their masks of kindness and morality will be torn apart. This is the dawn of vengeance against false gods and their fraudulent saviors."

He walks with measured steps toward the tower master's hall. The scent of incense and old parchment fills the air, but another scent lingers—something darker, something primal. As he arrives, his gaze falls upon a sight both ironic and fitting. A goat, silent and unmoving, has entered the hall on its own, as if offering its head for sacrifice. A twisted smile plays on David's lips. "Even the beasts know when it is their time."

Then, he sees him.

Lung Yun, one of the so-called heroes blessed by the gods, stands before him. A man who once laughed like a madman when the gods betrayed him. David has not forgotten that face. Not then. Not now.

"I am David," he says, his voice a quiet storm. "Dark Mage."

Lung Yun extends a hand, unbothered. "I am Lung Yun, one of the heroes blessed by the gods."

David clasps the man's hand, his fingers tightening just enough to let a trickle of his magic seep through. A seed of control. A silent, undetected whisper in the hero's mind. The tower master watches, oblivious. The hero, none the wiser.

From the abyss of his thoughts, the voice of Eternal—the God of Darkness who granted him power—chuckles. "This will get interesting."

David does not respond. He simply lets the darkness fester.

Later, he spends the evening teaching Ruby magic, guiding her hands as she struggles to summon flame. For a moment, just a moment, the world is silent. He watches her, sees the determination in her eyes, the innocence in her smile. The warmth of something foreign curls in his chest—happiness. But then, the ache of sorrow slithers in to choke it away.

"Master, you're sad," Ruby says softly, her golden eyes filled with concern.

David hesitates. Then, with a voice like cracked glass, he asks, "If I am evil... will you still stand by my side?"

Ruby does not flinch. She does not hesitate. "Yes, Master. Even if the world turns against you, I will stay. You are like a brother to me."

A gust of wind stirs the trees. Sunlight glows through the leaves. And David, without realizing it, feels tears slip from his eyes. He pulls Ruby into his arms, holding her close. "Then I will protect you with everything I have."

He does not know it yet, but in that moment, he has changed the course of fate once again.

But fate waits for no man.

The seed of control planted in Lung Yun begins to bloom. The hero walks with a purpose not his own, toward the king's palace. The princess, adorned in jewels and false smiles, welcomes him. She laughs, voice honeyed with deceit. "Welcome, hero. Come, sit with me."

Lung Yun bows, his movements stiff. "Can we speak alone?"

The princess waves her hand, dismissing the attendants. The door clicks shut. And now, David begins his play. He watches through Lung Yun's eyes, peeling away the veil of the princess's so-called kindness.

She, who has ordered the deaths of countless girls—young, beautiful, and a threat to her vanity.

She, who has feigned compassion while rotting inside.

David's voice is a whisper in Lung Yun's mind. "Break her. Show her what true darkness is."

Lung Yun moves, his hands a blur, his power crackling through the air. The princess gasps, confusion twisting to terror as chains of lightning bind her wrists and ankles to the bed. She screams, a shriek of disbelief, of betrayal. "No! Hero, you can't do this to me! Please!"

But Lung Yun does not stop. He tears through silk and skin, forcing agony into her every breath. Her cries become hoarse. The room, once a space of royal indulgence, becomes a chamber of torment.

Then the door swings open.

The king. The hero John. Their eyes widen. Horror chokes the air.

"What are you doing?!" the king bellows, his voice shattering the silence.

Lung Yun turns, eyes wild, a twisted grin splitting his face. Blood drips from his fingers. "Why do you interrupt my fun?"

John lunges, golden chains snapping around Lung Yun's body. The hero screams, writhing. His mind clears. And in an instant, David releases his control.

Lung Yun blinks. The world rushes back. His gaze drops to the blood on his hands. To the lifeless princess beneath him.

"W-why am I here? Why am I being chained?" he stammers.

John's face hardens. "You defile and kill the princess, and now you act innocent? The king has seen it all. Do you deny it?"

The king weeps, clutching his daughter's limp body. "Kill him. Burn him to ash."

Panic grips Lung Yun. "No! Please, I didn't—"

John raises his sword, voice calm. "Oh, God of Thunder, bless me to erase this evil." A smirk flickers on his lips. "Goodbye, my hero friend."

The blade falls.

Lung Yun is no more.

Ashes scatter. The kingdom mourns. And yet, whispers spread—doubt festers. One hero has fallen, and with it, the people's trust in their so-called saviors begins to crumble.

David watches from the shadows. "Well, well," he murmurs. "One piece down. The game has only just begun."

But the game shifts again.

Habil, another hero, storms into the chamber. "Why did you kill him?"

John wipes his blade, expression unreadable. "If we hadn't, the kingdom would turn against us, fool."

Habil clenches his fists. "You're lying."

John only smiles. "Calm down, Habil. This is an opportunity. We will ensure that the world remains in our favor."

But even as he speaks, his mind turns. Habil… I will kill you next. And I will be the only hero left to be celebrated.

David watches, amused. But tension coils in his chest. Habil is moving. And his target is Ruby.

That night, Habil's steps take him toward the orphanage. But Ruby is not alone—she is with the Holy Father. And so, Habil shifts his plan.

Instead, he knocks on another door.

A young girl, just fourteen, opens it with a smile. "Hello, hero. Do you need something?"

Habil's grin is slow, sickly sweet. "The tower master has called for you."

The girl hesitates but nods. "Okay…"

The door shuts behind them.

Darkness swallows the room.

And the chapter ends.