The Battlefield — The Borderline
The battlefield stretched endlessly beneath the fading sky. Roars of monsters echoed like thunder across the burning plains.
Beasts of every kind swarmed from the shadows — massive, fanged hounds, scaled leviathans, and serpentine horrors with ember-like eyes. The Empire's forces were surrounded.
Emperor Vireon, the Crown Prince, and their elite knights fought desperately, blood-slicked swords flashing under the dying sun. But no matter how many monsters they felled, more surged forth — rising from the black mist like a never‑ending tide.
The ground was soaked with blood. More than half the knights had already fallen.
Some were torn apart.
Some were crushed under monstrous claws.
Some… were simply gone.
"Your Highness!" Commander Geralt shouted over the chaos. "The sun is setting! Once darkness falls, the monsters will go mad — we won't survive the night!"
The Emperor turned, face grim, blood staining his armor. "We must retreat. Now. Before the sun disappears completely!"
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince — crimson cape torn, sword streaked with blood — fought with blazing fury. He had no time to rest, no room for fear.
Then it happened.
A monstrous beast lunged from the shadows behind him — claws poised to tear through his back.
At the last moment—
"Your Highness!"
Knight Jin‑Woo dove in, shielding the prince.
The beast's claws tore into him, ripping deep. In an instant, half his body was devoured.
"Jin‑Woo!" the Crown Prince screamed, blood spraying across his face.
With a roar, he slashed the monster down and dropped beside his knight, catching Jin‑Woo's limp body.
"Why? Why would you do that?" he cried, voice breaking.
Jin‑Woo, barely breathing, gave a faint smile.
"You're… our future…"
The prince shook as he held him — eyes full of pain, hands trembling.
The sun dipped beyond the horizon.
A new wave of monsters surged forth — ten times more than before.
The remaining knights tried to hold them off, but they were outnumbered, exhausted, broken.
From the shadows, a massive beast emerged — twice the size of the others.
It lunged at the Emperor.
The strike landed.
A deep, savage wound tore across the Emperor's chest. Blood gushed from his mouth as he staggered back.
He watched as his men fell, broken and bleeding. And still, the monsters surged closer, a growing shadow across the blood‑soaked ground.
Then he turned to his personal knight.
"Take the Crown Prince to safety. Now."
"But, Your Majesty—"
"Do it! Now!"
The Crown Prince tried to resist.
"Father, no! I won't leave you like this!"
The Emperor gripped his shoulder, voice hoarse, fierce even as his body shook.
"Stop being stubborn like a boy."
He coughed, blood dripping from his chin.
"Protect your mother. Your brothers. The Empire. That's your duty now."
Varek stepped forward, voice shaking.
"You're hurt. I can't just abandon you —"
The Emperor glanced at the knight and gave a slight nod.
The man faltered for a moment… then tightened his grip and stepped forward.
With a heavy heart, the royal knight clenched his jaw — and struck the Crown Prince from behind.
The prince's eyes widened for a brief, stunned second… and then he collapsed.
The knight caught him swiftly, hoisting the unconscious heir over his shoulder. He looked back one last time — towards the blood‑soaked field, towards the man still standing.
The Emperor.
Emperor Vireon turned to face the oncoming swarm, his sword rising, stance unshaken.
He surged forward — not to run, but to carve a path.
To make sure no monster would reach his son.
He fought like a blazing storm, each strike a beacon of defiance in the waning dusk.
With every step the knight took to escape, the Emperor advanced — shielding his son's retreat with his own body.
His blade danced in the growing darkness, a flash of glory amid despair.
The growls of beasts grew louder. The darkness closed in.
Still, he stood.
Unmoving.
Alone.
And then… the tide of night swallowed him whole.