The crimson sun breached the horizon as Arthur stirred from his restless slumber, his eyes heavy from a night spent wrestling with his thoughts. The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of decay that permeated this forsaken realm.
He sat up slowly, muscles aching from sleeping on the cold stone floor of the temple that had sheltered them through the night. The pain was welcome—physical discomfort distracted him, however briefly, from the hollow ache in his chest where grief had made its home.
Luke was gone. His parents too. Their faces haunted his dreams, their absence a weight he carried with every breath.
Yet something had shifted within him during the long, dark hours. Aziel's words from the previous evening had burrowed deep into his consciousness, taking root in fertile soil.
'Dying here won't do anything for them.'
Arthur ran a hand through his disheveled hair, exhaling slowly as the realization crystallized. His grief wasn't diminished—it remained an open, painful wound that throbbed with every heartbeat. His guilt still lingered like a shadow at midday, impossible to escape. But rather than allowing these emotions to consume him whole, perhaps he could transmute them into something else. Something useful.
'I'm going to live,' he thought to himself, the words taking shape like a solemn vow. 'I'm going to live for Luke... for my parents.'
But mere survival felt hollow, insufficient. If he was going to continue breathing in a world where they no longer existed, he needed purpose—something beyond just drawing his next breath.
'If I'm going to live,' Arthurs resolve was growing stronger with each word, 'I'm going to do it right.'
He clenched his fists, nails digging half-moons into his palms. 'I never want to lose anything again. And to do that, I have to get stronger.'
The Seven Realms stretched before him in his mind's eye—each more perilous than the last, each holding secrets of power beyond mortal comprehension.
'I'll conquer these Seven Realms,' he declared. Not for some grandiose notion of heroism or world salvation—those dreams belonged to others. 'I'll conquer them because only at the Seventh Realm will I stand at the pinnacle of strength. And only there will I be able to live freely.'
His resolve hardened like cooling steel. 'I will get strong and live free for those who died so I might live.'
Arthur rose to his feet, stretching his stiff limbs, to find Aziel already awake and preparing the meager provisions. His movements were precise and practiced, sorting through the supplies with methodical focus.
Aziel glanced up, his expression stern, eyes narrowed as if attempting to peer into Arthur's soul. "So... you coming with me or not?" The question hung in the air between them—simple words weighted with significance.
Arthur looked down at the worn stone floor, tracing the ancient patterns carved by hands long turned to dust. Then he raised his gaze to meet Aziel's, a newfound determination burning within him.
"I'm coming," he said firmly. "I'm going to survive this damned realm, and then every realm after."
The transformation in Aziel was immediate and startling. His severe expression melted away, replaced by childlike excitement that crinkled the corners of his eyes. "Now that's more like it!" He sighed dramatically, a grin spreading across his face. "What a relief. I'm glad I'm not gonna have to travel this realm alone—that would have been boring." His gaze swept over Arthur appraisingly. "Although I would have preferred a hot chick or something, you're fine too."
Arthur's determined expression gave way to skepticism, one eyebrow raised as he regarded Aziel like he'd sprouted a second head. The absurdity of the comment in their dire circumstances was almost refreshing.
Aziel laughed, the sound echoing off the temple walls, and handed Arthur a portion of meat and a jar of water. "Here."
Arthur accepted the offerings gratefully, his stomach reminding him loudly that grief had caused him to neglect his body's needs. He tore into the tough meat with renewed vigor.
Between bites, Aziel spoke. "Alright, first things first: before we leave, we should combine what we know about where we are."
Arthur nodded, swallowing a mouthful. "I agree."
They sat cross-legged facing each other as they compiled their knowledge of the Field of Dead Roses. The sacred ground housed five temples and once contained four monks who had fallen to corruption. The roses that were once seen as divine were now twisted manifestations of death, tempting you to consume them, slowly corrupting any who succumbed—except, for some reason, Arthur.
"The field is littered with the corpses of Grimhounds," Aziel explained, tracing a rough map in the dust. "And when night falls, Nightreavers own the skies."
Arthur nodded already aware of these facts "What about during the day?" Arthur asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"As far as I know, there are no dangers in daylight... besides the Reaper himself."
"The missing fourth monk," Arthur said grimly. "Yes, he's corrupted beyond recognition. He possesses insane physical strength and durability, and has the ability to resurrect things in a radius around him." He paused, frowning. "But for some reason, he rarely uses that power on anything but the roses. He just wanders the fields, killing anything that disturbs his precious flowers. Eternal warden duty, so to speak."
Arthur digested this information as he finished his meal. From the middle temple where he had started, there were two additional temples on each side. He had found one where Luke had been. Now they were at the second, which meant no more shelter before they left the field—no more protection from the Nightreavers or the corrupted roses.
"Water won't be an issue," Aziel continued. "We have eight jars, and we can scavenge and cook meat along the way."
Finally, they discussed their abilities. Aziel revealed his lightning-based powers that granted him extreme physical enhancements and an electrified touch. His soul weapon manifested as the intricately crafted spear he carried.
Arthur detailed his own capabilities: Dark Sense—the ability to detect any movement or sounds in dark spaces within a 20-25 foot radius; Realm Storage—a power to store small items like water jars; his soul sword; and the physical enhancements he gained in darkness, especially at night.
Aziel gave him an odd look. "You have darkness-based powers?" He smirked. "That's creepy. What are you, a void creature?"
Arthur gave him a deadpan stare. "Yeah, I'm a void creature."
Aziel laughed heartily, slapping his knee. "Alright, seriously though, I think we've got everything covered." He rose to his feet in one fluid motion. "What do you say we get moving?"
Arthur sighed and stood, stretching his back until it popped satisfyingly. "Yeah, let's go."
With that, they gathered their meager supplies and stepped out of the temple's protection, into the field of dead roses where danger lurked with every step. The journey through the First Realm had truly begun.