Prologue

In an endless cycle, a single star will die and be reborn again into a life of its own, but the same cycle must repeat itself many more times before any new stars arise. This is the cycle that binds the stars into the very fabric of space and time.

It is the cycle that creates a vast galaxy. It is the cycle that causes galaxies to spin around each other, slowly orbiting each other in the same orbit as their sun. As the cycle begins anew, so too must the stars. They cannot exist without each other; they are merely sparks of light floating across an infinite expanse of blackness.

For the stars, the cycles can only be endured for so long. Eventually, even these tiny sparkles will die out, until there are no more sparks remaining. There will then be nothing left. That is what happens when an entire universe dies out one day. But that does not mean the cycle is over yet, nor do the stars themselves know this.

For the stars, the cycle continues.

But for the people who live in the Empire, the cycle is over. The Empire is gone.

They were destroyed by the demons.

Demons of all shapes and sizes, with all sorts of extremities and maws, appeared out of thin air. They devoured all that looked at them, no matter who they were. They are a race of evil, pure evil in fact. Mindless creatures who devoured and never stopped their gluttony. They are a hivemind connected to the "Queen bee", The Demon Lord named Beelzebub. She controls unholy magic, capable of creating and controlling this demon horde.

The Empire is completely destroyed. The Emperor is dead. So now it falls to the remaining Imperial heirs, Hannah and Derrick.

***

Before what was dubbed "The Great Calamity", The Empire of Talon was prosperous and peaceful. The capital city of Altea, a large city in the northern regions, thrived. Altea had a thriving market, merchants traded regularly with one another, and every day the people went about enjoying the sights surrounding them. The inhabitants lived their lives in harmony. Many loved their beloved Emperor, who ruled with compassion and honor. Everyone knew that he was the kindest ruler in the history of the empire, the best ruler, and the most powerful man in the world. His name was spoken reverently, and if there were ever a time for peace to prevail, it was during those times.

A young man could be seen walking the halls of the Imperial Palace. He walked with dignity in his step, the grace of a person of a higher class if you will. Though proud in his stride, there was no hint of arrogance, but a humble and gentle aura. He would pass by servants, and they smiled as they bowed and curtsied toward him. And the young man would smile back, a lovely sight, especially for the younger women. One could say he was "Prince Charming" himself. His blonde hair gently danced as he walked, and his eyes shone with a majestic gold. He was tall, but not lanky in the slightest, nay he was mighty fit. It was as if he could defeat an army of 100,000 men strong just by looking at them.

"I'm not sure anyone could do that, Aerith." Said the young man.

"But Derrick! As your personal chronicler and bard, I am duty-bound to make you sound as amazing as possible!" The young maiden replied.

Derrick rolled his eyes and sighed.

"You never change, do you? Didn't you say you wanted to travel the world? You won't be able to do that if you keep following me."

"You don't have to worry about me! Right now, I need you to keep on walking and I'll just keep on writing!" Exclaimed Aerith, the young bard and "official" chronicler of Derrick.

The lively duo could be seen and heard passing through the halls of the Imperial Palace, for today is but a special occasion. It has come the time for the Emperor to pass his throne on to the next in line. According to tradition, the heir must drink the blood of the Emperor to officially succeed to the throne.

"An odd tradition, and frankly gross." Mused the young prince to himself.

Yes, Derrick is indeed one of the heirs to the Imperial throne. However, he is not quite legible. In fact, he is the second-born child of the Royal Family. The one to claim the throne would be his elder sister, Hannah.

At the humble age of 21, Hannah has accomplished what many could ever deem possible. She is one of the few women to be given the title of "Sword Saint" and the 8th woman to be named High General of the Imperial Army. Her skill in combat is second to none but herself. She once sparred the entire Imperial Army at once and never earned a single scratch, nay she was never even touched once! It would be only fitting for the throne to be passed on to someone as dignified as her.

Standing outside a large pair of doors, embroidered with the finest material that would make any man greedy, Derrick felt apprehensive. Though he was certainly happy and proud of his sister, he was not sure she could lead an Empire. An army, certainly, but a whole populace? Derrick has been close to Hannah since birth. They know each other very well and certainly know their capabilities. Though Hannah may be unmatched in terms of strength and leadership, that only applies to the battlefield. She can be sometimes clueless in terms of logistics and bureaucracy.

"Come on Derrick! The ceremony's starting soon!"

With a push, the door flew open and the sounds of cheering could be heard for miles.

"Ah, so you've joined us. Come, Son. And, oh? Is that you Aerith?"

"That's me, your majesty! Don't mind me, I'm just here with Derrick."

"But of course. Come, Derrick, stand by my side."

In front of Derrick, was his own old man. Long grey hair, boisterously flying through the wind, with a long beard that would put Dwarfs to shame. His strong blue golden eyes as they speak of years of wisdom.

As Aerith slipped to the side, Derrick found himself next to his father but found his gaze upon a woman clad in white armor. She stood in place as if she were a statue, carved from marble. Her pose is that of bravery and majesty, ready to be painted and sold for an absurd amount of money. The figure could be ever so slightly seen shaking as if they were paralyzed with fear.

"The fearless Sword Sait herself, scared of giving a speech? My, how low have you fallen?" Mused the prince.

"S-Shut it, Derrick..." Stuttered, Hannah.

"Oh come on, lighten up a bit, will you? It's your big day, isn't it? Think about it this way, you're just getting a promotion in the army and your taking more responsibility and now every decision you make will affect the Empire as a whole."

Hannah could be seen shaken at the thought.

"...Some promotion."

"Listen, my big sis is unstoppable. I can guarantee that the first time you stepped out into the battlefield, you felt nervous..."

"Nervous? Not one bit." Said Hannah in a deadpan voice.

"Really..." Said Derrick wry.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that this is just another fight. And I know for a fact that you won't lose in any fight. So get up there and give that crowd hell!" Smiled Derrick

"Pff, that's lame even for you Derrick." Chuckled Hannah. "Thanks for the pep talk little bro."

"No problem. Just make sure I get paid back, with interest."

"Yeah, yeah, sure..."

With a deep breath, Hannah walked up the steps to a podium and looked over the crowd. At the sight of the Empire's greatest warrior, the crowd quickly hushed and gave Hannah their absolute attention.