⚔️ EDITION 15 — "THE FIRST WAR"
Part 2: The Storm of Steel
The battlefield erupted.
The peaceful Council Hall was gone.
In its place stood a land scarred by countless wars.
Rain poured from the heavens.
Lightning illuminated broken castles and shattered monuments.
The cries of battle echoed across the endless plains.
The First War had truly begun.
Barbaric Author swung his enormous blade.
The force alone split the earth.
A massive trench raced toward Nemesis.
Nemesis jumped into the air.
The ground exploded beneath him.
Before he could land—
Three Versions launched themselves upward.
Version Soldier
"Now!!"
Their chains wrapped around Nemesis from every direction.
For a brief moment...
He was restrained.
Writer
"Don't kill him!"
"Capture him!"
More Versions rushed forward.
They reinforced the chains.
One.
Ten.
Fifty.
Hundreds of magical chains wrapped around Nemesis.
For the first time...
He stopped moving.
Barbaric Author
"We got him."
Silence.
Nemesis slowly looked down at the chains.
He sighed.
Nemesis
"You never learn."
His crimson eyes began glowing brighter.
The chains started cracking.
CRACK
CRACK
CRACK
Then—
BOOM!!
A wave of dark energy burst outward.
Every chain shattered instantly.
The nearest Versions were thrown across the battlefield.
Futuristic Author
"Formation Delta!"
Mechanical warriors marched forward.
Floating drones filled the sky.
Energy barriers surrounded the army.
Hundreds of crystal cannons aimed directly at Nemesis.
Futuristic Author
"Fire."
The battlefield became daylight.
Thousands of beams rained down.
The explosions swallowed Nemesis completely.
Smoke covered the battlefield.
Nobody moved.
Barbaric Author
"Did we..."
The smoke slowly cleared.
Nemesis was still standing.
His cloak was torn.
One arm was bleeding.
He looked at the wound.
Then smiled.
Nemesis
"So..."
"I can still bleed."
Without warning—
He disappeared.
Futuristic Author
"Where—"
Nemesis appeared behind him.
Nemesis
"Found you."
He struck the machines with a single punch.
The ground exploded.
Metal scattered across the battlefield.
The drones fell from the sky like burning stars.
Futuristic Author rolled across the ground before regaining his footing.
Futuristic Author
"Everyone!"
"Keep your distance!"
Nemesis looked around.
Nemesis
"You fight well."
He glanced toward the Writer.
Nemesis
"But why?"
Writer
"Because this is the only way left."
Nemesis looked disappointed.
Nemesis
"No."
He pointed toward the battlefield.
Versions helping wounded allies.
Others dragging injured companions away from danger.
Broken weapons everywhere.
The rain mixing with mud.
Nemesis
"This..."
"...is what happens when people stop listening."
Suddenly—
Redeemed Author stepped between both armies.
He raised both hands.
Redeemed Author
"STOP!"
The battlefield fell quiet.
Only the rain could be heard.
Redeemed Author
"We are destroying ourselves!"
Nobody moved.
Redeemed Author
"We were created for the same purpose!"
"We are all parts of the same Author!"
Some soldiers lowered their weapons.
Others hesitated.
Hope...
began returning.
Then—
A spear flew through the rain.
It struck the ground inches from Redeemed Author.
Everyone turned.
Barbaric Author stood with another spear in hand.
Barbaric Author
"If he walks away today..."
"He'll return stronger tomorrow."
Nemesis slowly lowered his head.
Nemesis
"You still choose fear."
Barbaric Author pointed his blade.
Barbaric Author
"I choose survival."
Nemesis looked at him.
For several seconds...
Neither moved.
Then—
The Dreamer finally arrived.
He stood between the two armies.
Rain soaked his clothes.
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
Dreamer
"ENOUGH!!"
Every Version turned toward him.
Even Nemesis looked surprised.
Dreamer
"The First Author told us to understand each other!"
Silence.
Dreamer
"If we continue..."
"There won't be anyone left to protect!"
For a brief moment...
It seemed the war would end.
Then the sky split open.
A deafening crack echoed across the battlefield.
Dark energy poured from the heavens.
Everyone instinctively looked upward.
Even Nemesis.
Even the Writer.
Something...
was watching the battle.
A pair of enormous eyes opened within the storm clouds.
Unknown Voice
"So..."
"The first war has finally begun."
The battlefield froze.
Nobody knew who—or what—had spoken.
TO BE CONTINUED...