(Before the End, I Returned)
Chapter 1
"Love. Pain. Happiness. Guilt.
I left them all behind when I realized the impact I could leave on others' lives.
Yet here I stand—hopeless, powerless—against the forces that threaten my universe, my planet, my former family." — Pryan Gwanar
These were his final words.
A thousand figures of darkness moved toward him—creatures that were no longer human, if they ever had been. Pryan knelt on the shattered ground, his breath uneven, each inhale burning his chest as the air grew thick and hot, warped by the force pressing toward him.
There was no sound of battle anymore.
Only the faint whistle of wind moving through broken stone, and the wet, distant echo of something collapsing far beyond sight.
The smell of blood hung heavy in the air—metallic, suffocating—clinging to his senses with every breath. Beneath it lingered the stench of scorched earth and ash, the aftermath of power that had already passed and was now returning.
In the distance stood the Five Supreme Beings. Majestic silhouettes wrapped in shadow, observing him in silence, untouched by the chaos they had unleashed.
The place where Pryan drew his last breaths was once his hometown. Now, it was nothing more than dust and ruins. Nothing remained. The land had turned red, soaked with blood that no longer belonged to anyone alive.
Pryan had lost his leg, the wound crudely sealed by burned flesh. His right eye was gone, leaving only a dark, aching hollow that pulsed with every heartbeat. Blood ran down his face, warm against his skin, yet he did not move.
He could feel the heat now—an oppressive, crushing presence rolling toward him with the dark forces, stealing the last traces of cool air from his lungs.
Yet he still watched.
He watched the end of humanity.
As Pryan began to lose consciousness, the world around him faded, and his final memory surfaced.
[When Pryan was five years old]
Pryan and his father stood on a mountain—the very same mountain that now lay shattered, broken into countless fragments scattered across the land.
"Father, why are we here?" Pryan asked as they hiked toward the peak, his small legs struggling to keep pace.
"Just wait," his father replied gently. "We are almost there."
When they reached the summit, a sweet scent filled the air. Birds chirped softly, their voices echoing through the open sky. The trees swayed with the wind, as if dancing in quiet joy.
"Look there, Pryan," his father said.
Pryan followed his gaze and froze.
Below them, the entire city stretched into the distance—alive, peaceful, shining under the sun.
"Beautiful," Pryan whispered, his eyes wide with wonder.
His father knelt beside him.
"Pryan, one day this land will be yours to protect," he said. "The people who live here are your people. The Emperor has entrusted us with a responsibility—to protect the smiles of those he holds dear. And we feel the same."
He placed a hand on Pryan's shoulder.
"I don't ask you to be powerful," his father continued softly. "I only want you to be a good person. Remember this, Pryan. I am your father, and I will always stand by you."
Pryan felt the weight of his father's words, even at that young age.
"Father," he said with quiet resolve, "I am your child. And the people of this land are mine too. I, Pryan, swear on my name that I will protect those who are dear to me."
A gentle smile crossed his father's face.
"Good," he said. "That makes me happy."
[Current Time]
As the force closed in, Pryan's vision blurred.
"Father… I tried everything, but I still failed," Pryan whispered. "What was the mistake I made? I fought… but for whom, I don't know. I see it now. I am weak. I never truly had a reason left to fight. Or perhaps… I never formed one."
He clenched his remaining hand.
"Levitate," Pryan said.
His broken body rose one last time into the air.
"I will not lose until my final breath," he said, his voice trembling yet firm. "I don't even know what I am doing anymore. But Father, you said you would always stand by my side. That alone is reason enough for me to fight those who destroy the peace of my land."
"Come forth: Valcan."
Flames erupted around his hand as the sword of fire took form—the last flame sword of its generation. Heat rippled through the air as Pryan surged forward.
"I shall take as many of you with me!" he roared.
He tore through the advancing dark forces, slicing through anything that stood in his path. But the horde was never his true target.
The Five Supreme Beings stood beyond them.
Pryan flew faster, pushing through the pain, piercing the front lines as his wounds deepened with every strike. Blood trailed behind him, yet he did not slow.
One of the Supreme Beings spoke.
"Fool."
Its voice did not sound human. It did not sound alive.
Without moving, the being raised its power. Pryan's body froze midair, locked in place by an unseen force.
"You insolent human," the voice continued. "You dare challenge us? We already struck down the Supreme Being who protected this universe. Who are you to defy us?"
The pressure tightened.
"That fool refused to let us use your kind for our amusement. And now, when we were enjoying ourselves, you refuse to die. Die already, so we may continue to play with this universe."
Pryan barely heard the words. His consciousness faded, slipping away from his broken body.
In that moment, his soul drifted into the Soul Medium—the passage where souls linger before death, the road that leads to the afterlife.
There, a presence called out to him.
"Pryan."
It was Alferd, the Supreme Being of Pryan's universe. He had not died—but he stood on the edge of death himself.
"Human… no. Pryan," Alferd said. "I acknowledge the bravery you showed today. Regretfully, it was in vain. From the moment of this universe's birth, I have watched life struggle—its joy, its sorrow, its endless fight to exist. I cannot accept this end."
Silence followed.
"So I ask you," Alferd continued, "do you accept this reality?"
Even as Pryan's consciousness flickered, he answered.
"I do not accept it."
"Then tell me," Alferd said, "do you accept a second chance? I will send you back to the past—when you were five years old. Grow stronger. I will grant you my power and my knowledge. I will hold the Supreme Beings at bay for years while you grow into someone capable of defeating them."
His presence weakened.
"Remember this, Pryan. You cannot win alone. You must gather allies. I can restrain the Supreme Beings, but not their influence."
Alferd's voice softened.
"I will give you my power: Imagine. I cannot wield it—but you can. Use it. Lead the living to victory. I entrust everything to you."
"Do you accept?"
"I accept."
"Very well."
Space shattered.
"Revive and Restore."
Time began to rewind.
[The time when Pryan was five years old]
Pryan stood once again on the mountain beside his father.
So… it worked.
Father is alive. I am truly in the past, Pryan realized.
Alferd… I won't fail this time. I will do better.