A night in the endless forest.

Hideo is running around the forest. like a shadow Gallan follows him. 

there are loud noises coming from every corner of the forest. some sounds are those of humans getting devoured and destroyed by the habitants of the forest. others are of the creatures that rest profoundly, waiting for a prey to be stupid enough to wake them up. there is the sound of the wind galloping around like a headless horse trying to find its owner. 

there is smoke in the distance. the eyes of nocturnal beasts focus on the smoke. the creatures start to advance slowly towards the fire.

Hideo let's Gallan know that he is going to stop by the fire. he needs to know the origins of the fire that could consume the innocent. Hideo starts to advance slowly, then he starts to move faster and faster as he fears for the worse. he needs to find the fire.

both men stop in front of the aftermath of a massacre. multiple carriages in flames. it seems to be the product of bandits. there is a scream calling out for help. Hideo walks slowly approaching the origin of those screams of horror. then there is a young lady badly wounded wearing a maid uniform stuck inside of a carriage. the flames become violent and volatile. 

Hideo gets his hands inside of the carriage. he helps the girl get out of the carriage. some of the flames burn his left hand. there are no signs of pain in his face. Hideo carefully asks the girl if she is in pain. he wonders if she got hurt. the girl is too confused to answer. carefully, with the care of a gentleman. Hideo inspects her body trying to see if she is wounded.

out of nowhere a female knight jumps in front of him. she is holding a bastard sword. Hideo stares at the sword that was stopped at the last minute by his companion. Hideo takes two steps back without taking his sight away from the blade aimed at his throat.

"What are you creeps doing at my lady?" the female knight demands answers.

"He may have the face of a creep, but he is no creep, or so I believe. I, for my part. I am not into little noble girls cosplaying as maids. now, if you share a drink with me. then, I may become your personal bed warmer. just for you baby." comments Hideo with a sinical smile, that is only betrayed by his hollow eyes.

"Who are you two?" asks the knight as she refuses to trust either man.

"We are Heroes in a journey to save your world." mentions Hideo with a sinister grin. 

it doesn't take long for some bandits to come forward. Gallan moves around the shadows and puts down the bandits. the four of them keep advancing trying to leave the forest. the journey feels endless as they keep running trying to find the exit.

for now, the female knight decides to trust them, just enough to not cut them down. her priority is to keep her lady alive. but any wrong move, and she will cut them down. 

"By the way what is your name?" asks Hideo as he accidentally touches her hand.

the female knight doesn’t pay much attention to him. She feels sorry for him as he seems to be weak and fragile. She wonders how someone who looks like a walking corpse be of any help.

"The name is Horn. no last name." the female knight whispers.

Hideo shares a forced smile. he nods. he understands that the competent knight next to him is of humble origins. her becoming a knight is admirable of its own. her loyalty for her lady is wonderful and moving. Hideo feels bad for her. the world is unkind to the worthy.

Someone like her who walks the path of the righteous will be forced to face many struggles that will put into question her beliefs. Questioning the moral integrity at the face of true danger. 

the four of them keep walking without stopping. they feel lost for a time. then they stop as the lights of the civilization invites them to a peaceful rest. 

the city seems to be closer and warmer than ever. Hideo stops the others. he tells them that for tonight it would be better to not go inside the city. there is something vile and evil hidden within the walls of the city. he can feel it. he can see it when his eyes are close.

the four of them stay outside of the city. the sky is clear. the smell of freshly baked bread and perfumes are tempting. the stars are bright and charming.

Hideo stays silent for the most part. he thinks about his old friends. the times they went to a bar to celebrate a victory and they all got drunk. which ended in a disaster. then the time in which one of the guys pulled a prank that went wrong in the best way possible. all the dumb and great things they did together as a team. then how most of them died in a horrible way.

Hideo observes the moon as he makes a wish. nothing fancy. nothing strange. he only asked for this war to end in a victory. he wishes to be able to save others. he is tired of running away from the danger as his loved ones die.

Horn sits down next to Hideo. she is holding a jar with strawberry milk. she looks at the same stars thinking that maybe that will help her understand the mystery man in front of her. she wants to know more about him. it isn't love, is more curiosity. she can tell that he has experienced the same kind of pain. the guilt of being the one who survives.

"Can you tell me more about you?" Horn asks as a sea of questions invades her mind.

"Didn't you know. I am the most powerful hero alive." answers Hideo in a broken tone of voice as he avoids eye contact. hidden is the immense pain.

"Is that worth anything? what is the point of being the most powerful men, when you live as a reclusive sinner. there is no glamour in that." comments Horn with an honest smile.

"Power is not strength. and I am not strong enough to accept the responsibility of my power. I am too weak to admit how terrifying it is to be so powerful." 

Hideo looks down at the ground. Hideo has lost way too much. He wishes to make this moments last as long as possible.

Horn starts to talk about the nation in which she works. The nation of a righteous king who sees good in everyone. A king who allowed for a commoner like her to become a knight.

The lady stays silent. She doesn’t have much to say about her beloved nation. She just wants to go back to her kingdom. She misses her dad so much.

Gallan just like Horn has no family. His only family is the master who took him in. The master who guides him on the way of the sword. Gallan feels lonely.

Hideo sighs. He is feeling sleepy. The day has been so long. The day full of surprise and mysteries. Now at night it feels calm.

From the distance the wanderer stands hidden between the trees. He is just observing without saying anything at all. His old friend shows glimpses of the person he used to be.

“Master get ready to return.” Comments an insignificant subordinate. 

“I just wanted to depart with zero regrets. There lies a person who used to respect me. A man who once called me his friend.” Comments the wanderer.

Domitian is a centurion of the Imperial armada. He can’t allow for himself to get distracted when there is a job for him to do. He gasps feeling regret.

“Master, do you want him dead?” Asks one of the servants.

“No, he will be in the final act of my tragedy. We are meant to slay each other as friends turned into tragic enemies.” Comments Domitian feeling confident.

The remaining four subordinates don’t make a single comment. They know what happens to those who defy the word of their master. 

Domitian just stands there. As some creature takes out two of his servants. Domitian orders the surviving subordinates to follow him. 

A small insect flies close to one servant. It barely touches the servant. The men falls dead instantly. The other servant falls unconscious.

Domitian keeps walking. He doesn’t care about a dead subordinate or twelve. He has plenty of loyal men working for him. Men willingly to die for him. Domitian doesn’t care if they all die. Domitian only cares about fulfilling his duty.

The rest of the journey is dark and lonely. There are sinister shadows in the distance. Shadows that fear him more than anything else in the world. 

Domitian is a monster of his own making. Any and every beast should fear him. Domitian is an evil of his own kind. There is nobody aside from the emperor who dares talk to him without fearing him. 

Domitian stops for a moment. He observes the moon. The moon feels pleasant and calming compared to the rest of the world. Domitian smiles. A tear falls.

Domitian keeps walking. The lonely road feels comforting. The echo of the horrors of his own making plays on repeat on his mind. The sound of the cries. 

“A road of perdition is mine.”