Rai: Dark & Light

Brushing It Off

"Eh, I must be imagining things."

Rai shook his head, forcing himself to push the thought away. Maybe it was just a wild animal. Maybe he was just overthinking.

Vael was strong, sure, but he was just a retired warrior, nothing more.

…Right?

He sighed, rolling his shoulders before focusing back on his training.

And just like that—a week passed.

Breakthrough

"I did it! I did it! I made a blade!"

Rai's excited shout echoed through the clearing, his energy glowing in the air before him.

A few seconds later, Vael pushed open the tavern door, looking half-annoyed, half-curious. "Why are you yelling?"

Rai grinned, raising his hands. Between them, a shimmering weapon hovered—its form unstable, flickering, but undeniably real.

It wasn't a sword. It wasn't a dagger. It was something in between—a thin, jagged-edged blade that pulsed with both light and darkness.

"I finally did it! Look!" Rai spun the weapon in his hands, his excitement practically radiating off him.

Vael took a slow step forward, studying the energy-made blade.

"Hmm."

Rai's grin faltered slightly. "What? What's that face?"

Vael rubbed his chin. "Try cutting that tree." He gestured toward a thick, sturdy trunk standing a few meters away.

Rai nodded determinedly.

Gripping the blade tightly, he lunged forward, swinging the energy weapon with all his strength.

The edge met the bark—

And barely scratched it.

The blade flickered, unstable.

Rai's shoulders slumped. "Tch."

Vael exhaled through his nose. "Figured."

Rai turned to him. "What does that mean?"

Vael crossed his arms. "It means you need to train until you can cut that tree clean through."

Rai groaned. "You're joking, right?"

"Nope."

"You do realize this tree is like, a hundred years old?!"

"Then it shouldn't take you more than a hundred years to cut it."

Rai stared at him, horrified.

Vael smirked. "Get to work."

Meanwhile, in the Demon Realm…

Far from the peaceful lands of Eden, in the depths of Netharos, a Demon Lieutenant stood in silence.

His golden, slit-like eyes narrowed.

Ten warriors.

Gone.

No reports. No signals.

No survivors.

The lieutenant's fingers drummed against the stone throne before him. He was not a patient demon—but he was a careful one.

"Something is wrong."

The warriors he had sent were not weak. They weren't elites, but middle-class warriors should not have simply disappeared.

He exhaled slowly, his mind already calculating.

Do I send more troops? Or do I go down there myself?

He stood, stepping forward, his heavy armor clanking softly against the cold floor of the fortress.

His instincts screamed at him.

Someone powerful was down there.

A presence he had not felt in centuries.

"No. I won't send anyone else. This time, I'll go myself."

A Hard Choice

Back in Eden, Vael sat alone in his dimly lit room, staring at the floor.

The candle on his desk flickered, casting shadows along the walls.

His thoughts were heavy.

They must have caught on.

If those ten warriors never returned, the Demon Realm would send reinforcements. It was only a matter of when.

And when that happened, he would be forced to fight again.

Vael ran a hand down his face, his fingers trembling slightly.

"I haven't taken a life in a hundred years…"

He exhaled.

"And it has never felt worse."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

Rai had no idea what was coming.

And Vael… Vael wasn't sure what to do.

Do we move? Do we run? Or do we stay and fight?

He shut his eyes.

If they stayed, they risked drawing more attention.

If they ran, they risked being hunted down.

But one thing was certain.

They were in danger.

And Vael… had to decide.