Darkness. From below to above, columns of smoke and dust, carrying the smells of gunpowder, blood and death. Not only the skies were covered by the signs of the ongoing war, but also the land was filled with darkness of another kind. The darkness of people’s hearts. But what is it to be defined the “darkness of people’s hearts”? Is it their negative feelings? The hate, anger, sadness, sorrow and despair they feel within them? Or is it just the unseen side of them, which is manifested only when rules, morals and ethics decay? Perhaps, as the columns of smoke hid the sky and its brightness, maybe in the same way feelings and emotions of humans hid their true nature, the ‘pure sky’. Then, maybe ‘darkness’ wouldn’t be anymore associated with ‘evil’ so easily, as ‘light’ shouldn’t be always synonym of ‘righteousness’.

I walk these lands after the fire of a long war has consumed most of this world, only to testify the consequences of the result of another war, from another world. I saw them, falling from the sky into this world, creating further chaos among men. They, inhabitants from another world, from my same world, defeated in a fratricide war and their remains falling into this realm of existence. This world was on war too, like many other times, as I saw many centuries ago. My armor, so different from those worn by the falling soldiers at my feet, testifies my identity as outside of this world. If there was someone to see it. I’m far from the battlefield and, nonetheless, this place was as ruined as it was the frontline. Falling like shootings stars, granting wishes of death, those remains from another world fell everywhere, causing destruction for many kilometers. I just cannot find any survivor in this place, nor Human, nor Shadow, nor Light. Our war has ended, and even if our enemy was defeated, I just can say this was a victory for us. And I can tell without doubt, the human war ended the moment those flaming celestial bodies cut through the sky. Perhaps, now that they are on the verge of destruction, they will search peace and harmony among them. Like they always do, after a great conflict. To them, it is the same history, the same cycle, again and again.

Uh? What is this?

A voice. A child’s voice. So, there were survivors here, after all. Humans are creatures that hang on life with a strong will, sometimes doing unbelievable actions in order to survive. And there, before my eyes, a proof of such determination: a little girl, holding in her arms a little boy. She’s crying. She’s asking for help. Now that she have found me, she asks for my help. And I, due to my nature, cannot ignore a child’s request. Such pure heart, free of any corruption… it is such a beautiful sight in the middle of this dreadful place. Even in the darkest of places, even in the hardest of times, their hearts shine of unique light. This girl wants me to save him. He is… I see. So it’s like this. He has been contaminated. His soul is tearing apart. He’s losing his true self. And his body… His physical and astral body is doomed to perish. He’s not going to survive. Unless… I do something. I’m the only one that could save this child from his fate. And this girl is begging me to do it. Perhaps… It was destiny that made me meet this young human. Perhaps is just a coincidence. Whatever the reason, I know I’m here to help this boy. I couldn’t stop the war. I couldn’t save the others of such terrible end. I couldn’t protect this world of such cataclysm. At least, saving this boy, I hope I would be able to atone for all my previous mistakes. Indeed, this will be the first step to amend all of this. After all, I cannot deny, this is all my fault.