A massive ship tore through the sky of a small planet, ripping apart the atmosphere before crashing violently into the heart of the city.
The ground trembled beneath it.
A heavy silence followed—one filled with fear and quiet despair.
The ship's doors opened.
Dozens of soldiers poured out, weapons raised, their footsteps perfectly synchronized, moving like a single machine. Behind them emerged a giant of a man. His towering body alone was enough to crush what little courage remained in the crowd.
He stepped forward.
"My patience has run out."
After a brief pause, he added coldly,
"You were given enough time."
An old man stepped out from the crowd. His body was thin, his steps unsteady, yet he raised his voice with what dignity he had left.
"Our farms have dried up. Our livestock is dead. We have nothing left to give."
The giant smiled—a smile empty of mercy.
"Do not exceed one hundred Oran coins," he said. "That is all we want."
Then he turned to his soldiers.
"Take the men and women. They will be delivered to the kingdom as slaves. Anyone useless—kill them."
The soldiers moved at once.
Screams filled the air. Some tried to run, but hope died quickly.
One soldier grabbed a young man and tried to restrain him. The young man resisted.
In the next instant, the giant moved.
With a single step, he was in front of the soldier. One swift blow sent the man crashing to the ground. The giant seized the young man and began beating him mercilessly—one punch, then another—until blood spilled and the body collapsed at his feet.
He placed his foot on the young man's chest and pressed down hard.
"Is there anyone who objects?"
Silence.
No one dared to speak.
The giant laughed softly, then pressed harder until the young man stopped moving. He turned away.
"Continue."
Then he added, his voice filled with terror,
"And if anyone resists… kill them."
"Yes, Lord Darkos!" the soldiers shouted in unison.
Later — In the City
Whispers spread through the city.
Stories of Darkos.
Of what he had done to neighboring planets.
Of destruction and fear that never faded.
No one spoke loudly. His name itself felt dangerous.
As those whispers filled the streets, a small girl ran through the crowd, crying. Blinded by fear, she crashed into Yami's legs and fell to the ground, sobbing as her tiny hands trembled.
Yami knelt immediately.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently.
She looked up at him through tears, then calmed slightly as he wrapped his arms around her.
"My brother… my brother isn't moving."
"Show me where he is," Yami said.
She pointed, and he carried her toward a small shack barely standing.
Inside lay a boy, no older than ten.
Arkan stepped forward and checked his breathing. He looked at Felix.
"Get the doctor," Felix said at once.
Felix ran.
The girl sat beside her brother while Yami asked softly,
"Where are your parents?"
She lowered her gaze.
"I don't remember… They disappeared a year ago when the strangers came."
Silence fell.
When Felix returned with the doctor, the man examined the boy quickly.
"He's stable," the doctor said. "Severe exhaustion and malnutrition."
Relief washed over them.
"Will he live?" the girl asked Yami.
"He will," Yami replied with a small smile.
Arkan removed part of his coat and wrapped it around the boy.
"You'll live with me and my wife from now on."
The girl stared at him in shock.
"My brother works in the fields every morning," she said. "They don't pay him… but they let him keep some crops."
Arkan smiled.
"He won't need to work anymore."
That Night
After settling the children, Arkan, Felix, and Yami walked together through the quiet streets.
Felix broke the silence.
"You haven't asked many questions today."
"I don't know where to start," Yami answered.
"All beginnings are like that," Arkan said calmly.
Yami stopped walking.
"All I know is that I fell from the sky… and everyone fears a man named Darkos."
Arkan's expression darkened.
"Darkos is not just a name."
He began to speak.
"His name was once Elithion. His father was a just king. His uncle betrayed him, killed his father, and imprisoned Elithion."
Yami listened, stunned.
"They tried to break him," Arkan continued. "They burned his eyelids and locked him in total darkness. But he escaped."
"And that didn't stop him?" Yami asked.
"No," Arkan said grimly. "It created Darkos."
Darkos killed his uncle and displayed his head in the streets. At first, people believed he would rule justly.
They were wrong.
He slaughtered anyone who opposed him. Turned the weak into slaves. Blood became his language.
When Arkan finished, silence returned.
Yami clenched his fists.
"I won't stop," he said firmly, "until I bring back the children's parents… or take revenge on whoever caused their suffering. Even if it costs me my life."
Felix stepped forward.
"I'm with you. I'll teach you everything I know."
Arkan nodded.
"I'd rather die a warrior than live as a coward."
He placed a hand on Yami's shoulder.
"Your training begins tomorrow."
Felix smiled slightly.
"And I'm curious to see what kind of power you're hiding."
The three stood there under the dim streetlights—unaware that this quiet decision marked the beginning of a path that would lead them straight toward a merciless tyrant.
And a fate none of them could escape