1 Love and Betrayal

In a realm shrouded in darkness, three brilliant lights suddenly appeared, each radiating a radiance a thousand times more intense than the sun.

"Damn, where the bloody hell has that thing disappeared to?" exclaimed one of the lights, its voice resonating throughout the surrounding void.

"Calm yourself, Omega Two. The primary threat to us is gone. Now we must explore the universe we've created and locate that entity," another light replied with composure, as the trio's luminosity intensified.

"Did you sense it? We are growing stronger, which means Omega One is no more," chuckled the third light.

"It's all thanks to that entity that it took us a hundred millennia to vanquish Omega One," Omega Two angrily retorted.

"We must locate it before it falls into the wrong hands. After the battle with Omega One, I can't face another Omega," Omega Two fretted.

"Even though the entity possesses the power to birth another Omega, it can't do so until we find it. Besides, what if it falls into the hands of our own creations? We created them, and we can certainly destroy them and reclaim what is rightfully ours."

"Now, let's divide the universe into sectors for our search, and don't forget our agreement."

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(Meanwhile somewhere else)

The village lay in ruins, a gruesome scene of carnage, with blood-soaked earth and lifeless bodies strewn about. What was once a hidden sanctuary had been transformed into a nightmarish battleground.

The air, which usually carried the soothing scents of herbs and the sounds of nature, now resounded with anguished screams, thunderous explosions, and the chaos of battle.

Men, clad in formidable battle armor, mercilessly cut down hooded figures, while others in armor formed a ring around the last remaining hooded individual.

"Drop your sword, Abras. Without you, we would never have discovered this place. The least we can do is grant you a swift, painless death," declared the man in full metal armor, as he removed his helmet to reveal a sinister grin and a scarred visage. Abras, however, was in no state to assess the man's appearance; he was covered in wounds and consumed by guilt.

Surveying the lifeless bodies of those who had once been his comrades, Abras harbored a desire to end his own life in the most agonizing manner, for he believed that everything that had transpired here was his fault. To the outside world, this sanctuary had remained a mere legend until he had fallen in love with a woman who had used him to lead them to this hidden refuge.

Although his rational mind told him that all was lost and that the cosmic stream they had sworn to protect now rested in the hands of the King of Thusia, his heart refused to accept it, compelling him to fight to the death.

The toll on both nature and the sanctuary was immense, and it would likely take generations for the village to recover. The temple where he had prayed, the schools where he had studied, and the humble houses he had shared with his brethren were now engulfed in gore, rubble, and flames.

For generations, the Elders had protected this sanctuary and its secrecy. Yet, it had taken only one girl and his love for her to bring about its destruction. The cosmic stream, held by whoever controlled it, had the power to tip the balance of the world. That was precisely why the first-generation Elders had founded this sanctuary and guarded the stream for centuries.

Now, with no Elders left, Abras stood alone as the sole guardian.

"Come on, kid, drop your sword. Don't make this difficult," urged the general.

"NO!" Abras shouted defiantly, summoning the last reserves of his strength, and charged toward the general.

"So be it." Booth would have faced a challenging battle against Abras at the peak of his strength, but now, weakened and disheartened, Abras posed less of a threat. Even so, Booth was taken aback by Abras's speed as he narrowly evaded a thrust aimed at his throat. Booth was grateful that the princess had seduced Abras, turning him into a carrier of the disease that had weakened the Elders.

The alchemists and healers had specially crafted the Flu to debilitate the Elders. Without the weakening effects of the flu, the Elders would have been formidable opponents, and even a student like Abras would not have stood a chance.

Recognizing that Abras still possessed some strength, Booth promptly harnessed his Arch Energy, forming a golden shield around himself.

"Now we can dance."

Meanwhile, the other armored guards had begun to search the bodies of Abras's fallen comrades for any valuables, as Abras wiped away the blood flowing from his mouth.

As his heartbeat slowed and his muscles began to fail, Abras sensed that his time was running out.

Booth observed Abras's movements slowing down and swiftly closed the distance between them, landing a powerful blow to Abras's ribs.

The impact sent Abras hurtling through the air, and he crashed into the ground after colliding with a burning tree. Abras's vision dimmed, and he coughed up more blood, all while hearing the mocking laughter of the armored men.

"General Booth, finish off that kid. His Majesty is on his way."

"Yeah, yeah," Booth responded, waving his hand dismissively as he approached the wounded Abras, struggling to clear his vision.

"Forgive me, Elder Wright. Forgive me, Elders."

Abras could vividly see the smiling faces of Elder Wright, his teacher, and all those who had cared for him since infancy. But as their faces gradually faded, Layla's image replaced them in his mind. His anger surged like a volcano. Once, he had remembered her face and dreamt of a future with her. Now, all he felt was overwhelming fury at her betrayal.

When he had first encountered Layla, he believed her to be an innocent farm girl from a nearby village. As a disciple of the sanctuary, he was forbidden from interacting with outsiders. However, when he saw a destitute girl facing death at the claws of a wild panther, he couldn't stand idly by and saved her.

The mistake he made after saving her was agreeing to meet her again at the place where he first saw her, allowing his feelings for her to grow. He didn't fully understand why he did it; perhaps it was because he had no friends or interactions with the world outside of the sanctuary, or maybe her pure and innocent appearance had charmed him.

However, he wasn't the only one who made a mistake. When Elder Wright discovered his relationship with Layla, he chose not to inform the other Elders, who would have condemned them both to a death sentence. Instead, he granted his permission for Abras to leave the sanctuary and start a new life with Layla in a distant land.

Elder Wright, having found Abras as a baby in the middle of the forest and raised him for twenty years, was more like a father than a teacher. This deep connection clouded Elder Wright's judgment, ultimately leading to a disaster for the sanctuary and the world at large.

Even when Elder Wright was bedridden due to the mysterious flu, he ordered Abras to leave the sanctuary and meet Layla as originally planned. It was his last wish, and Abras felt compelled to honor it. Reluctantly, he left the sanctuary to rendezvous with Layla at their usual meeting spot.

However, Layla was not alone when he arrived. Instead of the farm girl he had expected, he found Princess Victoria of Thusia waiting for him, accompanied by a battalion of soldiers and mages. Despite the shocking betrayal, Abras couldn't bring himself to believe it until Victoria plunged a dagger into his chest and departed without a word.

There was no love in her eyes when she committed the act, and though the dagger missed his heart, it shattered it into a million pieces. Abras was left with nothing but guilt and anger, and in his desperation, he decided to resort to the forbidden spell Elder Wright had taught him.