Tales of END

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Beneath a sky thick with smoke, the night was unnaturally still, broken only by the crackling of flames licking at the remains of a once prosperous city now laid in ruins.

'Crackle'

Survivors huddled together, their eyes gleaming with unshed tears, yet their heads remained high as they gazed upon the scene—a fragile canvas of hope amidst devastation.

The flickering flames cast fleeting light over the vast corpse before them.

The colossal beast, The Most Calamity, the Dark Dragon, lay twisted and broken, its scales dulled by death, their once-mighty gleam swallowed by the abyss. 

The air was saturated with ash and smoke, carrying with it whispers of something darker—an echo of the torment the earth had endured.

Yet there was sadness in the atmosphere as all the survivors knelt.

Amidst the ruin, a lone figure sat upon the dragon's lifeless skull, barely discernible among the wreckage. His body was battered and bruised, draped with exhaustion, his gaze fixed on a distant horizon. 

There was no triumph in his eyes, only the burden of responsibility too great to bear.

The night was suffocating, pressing down as if in mourning, and the ground beneath him trembled, almost as though it too grieved

As life faded away from the Hero, the Lone King's eyes.

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Ting Ting.

I jolted awake, heart pounding, the remnants of a nightmare still clinging to the edges of my mind. For a brief moment, I was back there—amidst the smoke and ash, that day when Dad…

The weight of it pressed down on me, suffocating, until reality slowly bled back in.

Ting Ting.

The sound of my alarm clock blared in the background, but I couldn't bring myself to move. 

My body felt heavy, worn down from all the training and practice. I shut my eyes, willing the dream away, trying to slip back into the oblivion of sleep.

'Knock'

But just as I was about to fall back, a soft knock echoed through my bedroom door.

"Master, are you awake?" A shy voice called out to me, "Your alarm has been going off for a while now. May I come in?"

I couldn't help but smile. 

"Yes, please," I mumbled groggily, my voice thick with sleep. 

I watched as the door creaked open and a wild redhead appeared—first a cautious glance, then the petite redhead slipped inside, tiptoeing carefully. 

She noticed I was awake and smiled softly, making her way over with a steaming cup of coffee in hand.

Layla's cute and shy demeanour was enough to make me forget about my morning grogginess although it was a daily occurrence I couldn't help but get used to it.

"Good morning, Layla," I said with a grin.

She handed me the cup of coffee and I took a sip, savouring the warmth and flavour. 

"You know, Layla," I continued, 

"You don't have to ask permission. We've known each other since childhood" 

As I spoke, I noticed her cheeks turning a shade of pink. "I know, sir," she replied softly, "but I can't help it. You're just too kind to me."

"Well no Sir, Layla"

I chuckled and patted her head gently. "Well, you're too cute for me to resist teasing you a little, I said playfully. She smiled shyly and looked away, but I could tell she enjoyed our banter as much as I did.

Layla is a shy and timid girl of about sixteen with long, dark reddish hair that cascaded down her back in soft waves. 

Her big, doe-like eyes were a warm, chocolate brown that seemed to sparkle whenever she smiled. She was petite and slender, with delicate features.

Her shy demeanour only added to her cute and innocent appearance but beneath her timid exterior lay a heart of gold, and a quiet strength that belied her delicate appearance. 

It was no wonder that I found myself drawn to her kindness and gentle nature, and that she had become such an important part of my life.

She is the daughter of Aunt Nora who has been in mom service for as long as I can remember and they are practically family.

"Come on, Master," Layla said, her impatience showing through her usually timid demeanour.

"Your mother has been waiting for you to join her for breakfast. You need to get freshened up and ready." 

She had a cute pout on her face, and her foot was softly tapping impatiently. "I made your favourite pancakes this morning, and they're getting cold. You don't want to disappoint your mother, do you?" 

Despite her impatience, there was still a hint of shyness in her voice, and a gentle concern for my well-being. 

I couldn't help but smile at her, feeling grateful for her care and attention.

"Alright, alright," I said, giving in to her coaxing.

 "I'll get freshened up and be down in a minute. But you have to promise to save me some pancakes, okay?" 

She grinned and nodded, happy to have gotten her way. "Of course, Master. You can always count on me."

I reluctantly got up from the bed, giving Layla a small smile before heading to the bathroom. 

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As I passed by the mirror, I caught a glimpse of my appearance. Dark circles had formed under my pale blue eyes, making them look tired and haggard. 

My dark hair was a mess, sticking out in all directions. Despite my sharp features, my dishevelled appearance made me look more like a wild ruffian than royalty. 

' What are you doing? Alexis, Gotta keep appearances man.'

I sighed, realising that I had been working too hard lately, neglecting my health and well-being, but that was also necessary if I don't improve my understanding and techniques, mom gonna beat the hell out of me again.

"Ufff", I sighed

"Ahemm",

 "Master hurry up!"

I decided to take Layla's advice and moved on from all the dilly-dallying to freshen up, hoping that it would make me feel better and more presentable, hopefully.

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I made my way down to the dining hall, feeling more refreshed after my quick shower.

My sister was already there, sitting quietly with a book in her hands. She looked up and gave me a small smile as I entered, her platinum blonde hair falling in soft waves around her cute round face.

Despite her reserved nature, I could see the affection for her family shining in her big, blue eyes.

Sebastian, the family butler, was busy preparing breakfast dishes on the table. Despite his age, which is in 50s, he looked as fit and athletic as someone in their thirties, with his silver hair slicked back neatly. 

"Good morning,Young Master," he greeted me with a nod. 

"Good morning, Sebastian," I replied with a smile, taking a seat at the table. 

My sister looked up from her book and greeted me as well, her voice soft and gentle. "Good morning, big brother." 

It was good to be surrounded by my family, even if it was just for a short while.

'Bro why am I being so melodramatic, the nightmares probably…'

As we sat down to breakfast, the grand doors to the dining hall opened in time, and in walked a woman who commanded respect and attention. 

It was my mother, Artoria Aurae Drakesier, the Current Ruler of Europa. She is quite tall and athletic, with a fit toned figure that spoke of her battle-hardened past.

Her cold and distant nature was well-known to those outside of her family, but for us, she was a stern but loving mother. With her long platinum blonde hair and pale blue eyes, she exuded a beauty befitting of an Empress. 

Walking beside her was Aunt Nora, her closest confidant and mother's aide. Noralyne Heart is the House Saintess and Advisor of the Darksire Royal family.

She's a sweet and motherly figure who loved to spoil my sister, me similar to her children.

Aunt Nora's long, dark crimson hair fell in curls around her bespectacled face, and her fit figure spoke of a life spent serving our family. 

Together, they took their seats at the table, joining Layla and Sebastian in our morning ritual.

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The world as we know it was forever altered 50 years ago when World War 3 erupted and almost every country resorted to nuclear warfare, leaving the world in ruins. 

However, the nuclear fallout left a lasting impact, causing mutations in all living beings, particularly animals who mutated uncontrollably.

What changed the future was the voice which resounded in every being's mind. The World evolved using cosmic energies leading to a cataclysmic event.

The sky was turned dark as the very fabric of space was torn and rifts were born which housed countless monsters of once a prosperous world now turned epitomes of destruction ravaged by the whips of fate and time.

This was a dark period of the earth's history and we came to know The Darkest night.

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"Good morning Mom! "

"Good morning Aunt Nora"

Both me and my sister said at the same time.

"Good morning!" Mom said with a warm smile.

As we began to eat, the conversation turned to our plans for the day. My mother informed us that she had a meeting with some foreign dignitaries and would be away from the castle for the day after finishing with my training.

"Uggg", I groaned knowing that it was impossible to escape.

Seeing the mood, aunt Nora promised to take us to The Market to buy some new clothes for the World gala. 

My sister, who was engrossed in her book, piped up and asked if she could come along. 

Aunt Nora smiled at her and said, "Of course, my dear. We will make it a little one's day out!" 

Sebastian chimed in with his usual witty banter, making us all laugh. 

And Layla, who had been quiet up until then, nervously suggested that she could make us some lemon tarts for dessert. 

We all agreed that it was a wonderful idea, and the conversation turned to which of our favourite flavours we would like to try.

It was a simple, but warm family moment that we all cherished.