ADEXANDER: THE CRIMSON ASCENDANT
Volume 1 – Chapter 1: The Ashes of the King
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[Darkness. Then—flames. Crimson eyes flicker open. Screams echo in the distance. The silhouette of a man stands surrounded by swords pierced through his body, betrayed.]
Adexander (thoughts):
So this is how it ends? After all I gave... they took it all and left me to rot.
[Scene fades to black. A bright light pierces the void.]
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[Present Day – A distant world. A young man gasps awake, panting, drenched in sweat. He's in a run-down room, bandages covering his chest.]
Adexander (reborn, weaker):
"...Where am I?"
[He looks at his hand – small, fragile. Nothing like the monstrous strength he once held.]
Adexander (thoughts):
This body... this power... it's all gone.
They killed me. The traitors. But this... this is no hell. This is life. I've returned.
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[Cut to a bustling village. Low-level adventurers, merchants, shady mercenaries.]
Old Man Tavernkeeper:
"You awake, kid? You nearly died out there. What were you thinking entering the Mistfang Hollow alone?"
Adexander:
(quietly) "I was testing something."
Old Man (laughs):
"Testing? With what, a wooden sword and guts? Hah! You're lucky we found you before the wolves did."
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[Adexander walks out, watching a group of adventurers brag about slaying a Rank-C Beast.]
Adexander (thoughts):
Pathetic. I used to destroy legions. Titans trembled at my name. Now I can't even kill a wolf.
No matter. I'll rise again. Stronger than ever.
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[Scene shifts: far away, in a dark throne room.]
??? (shadowed figure):
"He has returned. Crimson energy was sensed in the Hollow."
Another voice, elegant, cold—female:
"The Crimson King dares return to this world? Shall we kill him again?"
???
"No... Let him crawl. Let him remember how powerless he is... until he comes begging to die."
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[Final panel – Adexander alone on a cliffside, staring out into a storm.]
Adexander:
"This time, I'll burn them all. I'll climb back from the abyss... and no god, no demon will stop me."
To Be Continued....