Walking Alone
Cedric moved through the dark forest, his body aching from the fight. The air was cold, and the ground was rough. He had no idea where he was going. He only knew that he needed to find shelter before another demon attacked.
The twin swords in his hands felt heavy. He looked at them.
The golden sword gave off a faint light, enough to let him see ahead. The gray sword felt cold, like it was waiting for something.
"These weapons are mine… but I don't understand them yet."
He continued walking, his stomach growling. He hadn't eaten anything since he was thrown down from Sky City.
Then, he heard something.
A low growl.
Cedric stopped moving. He gripped his swords tighter.
The bushes ahead shook.
Something was there.
A New Enemy
A black shape moved out from the shadows. It was not a Blocker. This one was thinner, with long arms and glowing red eyes.
Cedric knew what it was.
A Pandemonium.
It sniffed the air, then turned toward him.
For a second, Cedric didn't move.
Then, the demon charged.
Cedric jumped back, swinging his golden sword. The blade cut through the air, sending a streak of light forward.
The Pandemonium dodged easily, moving too fast for Cedric to track.
Before he could react, the demon was behind him.
Cedric barely blocked the attack with his gray sword.
The impact sent him stumbling back.
He gritted his teeth. This one was different from the Blocker.
It was fast.
It didn't rely on brute force.
It relied on speed and precision.
Cedric took a deep breath. He couldn't afford to fight carelessly.
The demon vanished again.
Cedric closed his eyes for a brief moment. He focused.
Then, he felt it.
The air shifted—just slightly—behind him.
Cedric turned and swung his gray sword.
The demon appeared, expecting to attack his back.
Instead, it ran straight into his blade.
The gray sword didn't just cut—it drained the demon's strength.
The Pandemonium let out a horrible scream.
Cedric wasted no time. He brought down his golden sword, slicing through its neck.
The demon collapsed, its body crumbling into black dust.
Cedric exhaled, his hands shaking.
This was just the beginning.
Searching for Shelter
He kept walking.
The forest stretched on endlessly, the trees tall and twisted.
Cedric's feet hurt, and his stomach felt empty.
Hours passed.
Eventually, he saw something ahead.
A ruined temple.
The stone was old, covered in cracks and moss. The door was missing, leaving a dark entrance.
Cedric hesitated, but he had no choice. He needed rest.
He stepped inside.
Memories of the Past
The inside of the temple was silent.
Cedric found a spot in the corner and sat down, leaning against the wall.
His body was exhausted.
But his mind was awake.
He thought about Sky City. About Ciara and Orin.
Were they looking for him?
Would he ever see them again?
Then, a memory came back to him.
A memory of before he was Cedric.
A memory of when he was still the Monarch of Light.
He saw a battle—one from long ago.
He had fought alongside the Monarch of Souls and the Monarch of Color.
They had faced an enemy even worse than Raziel.
And they had won.
"Why am I remembering this now?"
Cedric closed his eyes. He needed sleep.
He would think about it tomorrow.
For now, he just needed to survive the night.