Two days passed.
Michael continued walking through the infinite Vastyrion realm. He did not rush. He did not tire. His steps were calm and steady as he entered a small village resting between open fields and low trees.
Villagers noticed him immediately. Some paused. Some whispered. Others only watched. Michael did not react. He simply walked forward.
Near a stall, a small child stood quietly, holding a few coins. The vendor shook his head. It was not enough.
Michael approached the child and knelt slightly.
"Open your palm."
The child hesitated, then obeyed.
Michael placed his hand over the small palm for a moment. When he pulled away, eight coins rested there.
The child stared, eyes wide, then smiled brightly.
"Thank you mister"
Michael nodded once and stood. He watched as the child ran toward siblings, sharing food and laughter.
Michael turned and continued through the village.
People worked everywhere. Farmers carried baskets. Merchants sold fruit and tools. Men lifted timber for new homes. Life moved simply and honestly.
Michael stopped at a small restaurant and lowered his hood. Though only fifteen, he looked closer to twenty. Dark blond hair rested behind his head, his expression calm and mature.
He observed. He listened. He learned.
This was part of his purpose.
One year passed.
Michael was now sixteen.
He wore a new cloak with a hood, a long sleeved tunic without buttons, dark slacks, and sandals. His sword remained hidden, carried as if it were only a traveler's pack.
He stood beside Baldrick near a wide river behind the kingdom of Aldervain. The water was clean and calm.
Baldrick spoke quietly.
"I had a dream. I am certain it will come true."
Michael turned his attention to him.
"What did you see"
Baldrick answered slowly.
"Demons. Not like before. They dwell in layers of infinite hell. And above them all stood a silhouette. I could not see its form, but I know it was their ruler."
Michael nodded.
"You know what must be done."
"We rely on you," Baldrick said. "You are the Sentinel. Even with armies, it is never enough without one."
Michael placed a hand on Baldrick's shoulder.
"I will handle it. Do not worry."
Baldrick looked surprised.
"You have not fully mastered your power."
Michael replied calmly.
"I understand my abilities. I have not completed the full path, but I know enough."
He paused.
"These demons are not only dreams. I will find them before they reach this realm."
Back in the palace, generals reported steady training. Recruitment continued despite the absence of demons.
Baldrick approved.
"Preparation is survival."
A young captain stepped forward and bowed.
"Your Majesty. I am Fred. Newly assigned to the fourth division."
Baldrick nodded and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder.
In that moment, Baldrick felt something stir.
In his mind, he thought quietly.
"This boy will matter. His path will cross fate."
Far beyond the palace walls, Michael walked onward, his journey far from finished.
-
Michael stepped into another realm.
This realm felt old, far older than the others he had seen. It carried the weight of a forgotten society. The sky above was dark, not storming, just lifeless, as if light itself had abandoned the heavens.
Something terrible had happened here.
Michael walked forward slowly, his footsteps echoing through ruins and broken land. Structures stood half collapsed, worn by time and violence. No voices. No movement. Only silence.
"Did Baldrick know about this realm" he wondered.
The destruction was complete. An empty world. No life. No warmth.
Michael's expression remained calm, but his mind was certain.
Demons were the reason.
This was not decay.
This was annihilation.
And this was only the beginning.