It was a slightly different dream than before.
What came into my sight was a desperate battlefield where life and death intersected.
The ground had all been scorched, stained by black and red blood.
Severed limbs and corpses dotted the land.
Scattered weapons were oozing blood and the whole place was a hellscape.
In the distant horizon, shadowy figures could be made out.
Evil things, things that shouldnât exist in this world.
âWho is that person?â
As I turned my eyes away, there were numerous soldiers fronting beasts.
In front of the soldiers, a man who seemed to be the commander firmly planted his feet on the ground.
It was a man resembling Damian.
He was arrayed in blood-stained armor, armed with a longsword in one hand.
It seemed as if he already cut down countless beasts, for the edge of his blade was besmeared in the blackened beastsâ blood.
The blood stuck to the blade and clumped.
Besides the man, was a pale woman who seemed out of place on a battlefield.
The woman glanced back at the man.
Although the manâs scarlet eyes were fixated on the witchesâŠ
His pupils were trembling, thinly harboring indescribable emotions.
âIf it wasnât for me, youâŠâ
At his softly spoken words, the woman smiled lightly and shook her head.
âSo donât say youâre sorry.â
The woman strongly concluded her words with a wide smile.
âIâve never regretted loving you.â
At the same time, three pairs of wings emerged from behind the womanâs back.
Sacred silver wings that embodied the power of the divine beast.
Beating strongly, the wings dispersed a nimbus of bright white light.
The beasts upon meeting the light groaned and flinched backward in fear.
The woman whispered to the man.
The man gritted his teeth before letting out a thunderous roar.
The man was the first to charge ahead.
Soldiers follow behind him.
The blood welled up like spring water soaking the ground.
Severed limbs were torn and thrown across the battle.
Horrendous screams, soldiers shouting, and the grotesque roars of beasts were thrown into the mix, creating a convoluted cacophony.
The man was in the midst of it all.
He desperately wielded his sword, attempting to boost the morale of his soldiers.
It conveyed desperation but also dogged determination.
It was as if he was telling them, âBack away now and you might lose what you hold most dear forever.â
The man lifted his sword, increasing the morale of the soldiers.
âFight to return to your loved ones, endure somehow!â
It was a rallying cry that seemed maddening.
The soldiers wildly raised their weapons.
The edges of both spear and sword shined on the battlefield despite being coated in blood.
The man who watched the scene unfold raised his head.
The woman who had been hovering above the man looked at him with a sunken gaze.
He held out his hand to the woman.
âI beg you, share your strength.â
âIf you die here, everything youâve done so far will be in vain.â
However, the man had already made up his mind.
âYou know why I came here.â
âFor what you dreamed of and what itâll usher in.â
After a moment of silence, the woman nodded slowly.
Her purple eyes were deeply sunken with countless emotions.
âYouâre here for humanity.â
The woman bit her lips until they bled.
A smile spread across her pale face.
âSometimes, I wished âhumanityâ wasnât firstâŠ.I wanted you to put âmeâ first.â
At the end of that sentence, the woman silently closed her eyes.
Then, pure white wings emerged from the manâs back.
Sharp screams, the smell of blood, and the sound of clashing weapons continued.
Even in the chaotic mixture of life and death, his pure white wings shined magnificently.
And the woman remained by the manâs side till the end.
At the same time, I opened my eyes.
After blinking my eyes a few times, my blurry vision slowly began to become clearer.
âŠI guess I lost my conscience?
The sound of torrential rainfall like a hole had been punched in the sky, disappeared without a trace.
After staring blankly at the ceiling for a while, I got up in shock.
Apparently, the last time I saw himâŠ
I hurriedly tried to get out of bed and stumbled on the spot.
At the same time, someone quickly caught me before I fell to the floor.
A voice called me with urgency.
Damianâs wide, scarlet eyes shook with all sorts of emotions.
I licked my lips, swallowing in vain as I realized it was difficult to speak.
A sharp pain came rushing as if someone was squeezing my throat.
Wheezing sounds came from my throat.
But I had to ask him something.
I reached out and grabbed Damianâs arm.
My fingers, which barely had any strength left, kept slipping but I managed to catch hold of him somehow.
The image of Damian alone, blocking the dam that was on the verge of overflowing, resurged.
That precarious situation with his back turned on me was still imprinted in my mind.
I could vividly picture it, like a painter with their canvas.
That pale face and his trembling figure was about to collapse at any moment.
As soon as I recalled that memory, I felt my heart sink once again.
Damian shouted at me but his expression looked like he was about to burst into tears.
âEven in this state, youâre still worried about me!â
As I stared at Damian vacantly, he bit his lip and helped me.
Contrary to his furious voice, the hand he used to lay me down on the bed was gentle.
Then, he quickly rose from his seat and went toward the table with an angry gait.
When he returned to my bedside, in his hand was a glass of lukewarm water.
It was only after I drank a glass of water that my voice started to return.
After clearing my throat a couple of times, I cautiously asked a question.
âYou canât remember anything?â
Mmm. Now that you say thatâŠ
I recollected my memories.
The first thing that came to mind was the distant feeling I had when the power coursed through my body before exiting and then spreading far and wide.
Then the astonished faces of people looking at me.
I pursed my lips as I felt like I had been hit hard on the head.
âDo you remember now?â
Damianâs eyes were full of worry as he watched me.
But unfortunately, I couldnât afford to pay attention to Damian.
Memories that were shattered like fragments started to come back piece by piece.
Three pairs of silvery wings spread from my back.
The rainfall ceased and the water held in the dam rose up into the sky.
In this empire or perhaps even the whole worldâŠ
Only one power is capable of such transcendental miracles.
The power of the divine beast Aurelia.
A blessing she bestowed on the imperial family, starting with the founding emperor Carpel.
I asked Damian with a naive expression.
âDid I demonstrate the power of the divine beast?â
âThatâs how I see it.â
If Damian confirmed that, itâs true that I awakened the power of the divine beast.
And heâs the only person in this empire who can handle its power.
Iâm someone who has nothing to do with the imperial family.
At the very least, wouldnât it be more appropriate for priests to awaken this power instead?
Seeing how bewildered I was, Damian shook his head.
âIf I knew that, would I leave you in the dark? Iâd immediately explain why.â
Well, Damian isnât one to hide this from me.
I clenched my fist and opened it again.
In truth, I have no idea how I used my power.
Thereâs just one thing I should point outâŠ
The dream Iâve had so many times and the dream I had recently.
A dream in which a man resembling Damian and a pale, beautiful woman appear.
I glanced sideways at Damian.
He tilted his head in response.
What was I even going to say?
That I periodically have this dream, that so happens to have this man who looks a lot like you, Damian.
And because of that dream, I can exert the power of the divine beastâŠ
Is that what Iâm going to tell him?
Itâs more than a far-fetched explanation even for myself.