After wandering for a long time, I finally caught sight of a medium‐sized rabbit. I watched it until the very last moment, then hurled my spear at its belly. Rowane was delighted. When I slung it over my shoulder, its hot blood was still flowing copiously, soaking down my back. But I had no choice but to hurry; I sensed the presence of some demonic creatures nearby.
Once we'd gathered all the ingredients we needed, the unexpected happened: we were surrounded by a horde of demonic monsters, from raging lightning wolves to winged serpents and many more. Rowane trembled with fear, clutching at my tunic. I remained calm, without a hint of fear; I smiled at her to reassure her that everything would be all right. Then I set out to exterminate those demonic beasts.
Fortunately, my power efficiency was a bit higher. I still remember it: one hundred. I had slain a hundred demonic monsters back in the Western Desert, and this group wasn't very large—only about thirty. So I stepped forward and began to wipe them out. It took only a few minutes before they were all dead.
Rowane was astonished; she hadn't spoken a word on our walk back to the cave. In contrast to now, our sunrise journey had been the most dangerous. We raced inside.
After lighting a fire, Rowane took charge of the rabbit, preparing whatever we could eat. She remained silent until mealtime finally arrived. Then she asked, "How did you become so strong? What is the secret of the spear you never let go of? Can you tell me?"
I was honest with her—perhaps before I lost my memories concerning this power, I told her everything. But my mind grew muddled whenever I tried to recall where I had gained it.
Once we finished eating, I stepped outside the cave with Rowane by my side. I began cutting trees to craft a table, some crates, and barrels to store water and supplies. I also made a door to block the cave entrance so we could sleep in peace.
When I finally finished, the clouds overhead had turned reddish, signaling that sunset was upon us.
After a while, I decided to take a walk to clear my mind. Rowane accompanied me, of course—I would never leave her alone.
Days and months passed in the blink of an eye. Our relationship began to deepen gradually; we forgot our sorrows and worries and immersed ourselves in one another. But nothing lasts forever.
On a full‐moon night, when the gray clouds had drifted away to reveal a sky studded with sparkling stars, I stood atop the highest green ridge, the pale moon glowing overhead with a faint bluish light illuminating the heavens. Before me lay the rolling green plains—a magnificent, breathtaking vista.
Rowane stood beside me, the breeze gently stirring her golden hair. In that moment, I could only confess my love; I could no longer hold back my feelings. With her eyes glittering in the moonlight, I spoke the words I'd kept inside me:
"Rowane, I love you more than anything, and you are so beautiful."
Those words made my heart pound, and my face flushed as red as a tomato. Rowane looked at me, startled by my trembling voice; I hadn't heard a reply yet, and I was terrified of rejection. She looked back out at the stunning panorama, then finally said:
"I love you too, Oran. You've always protected me and cared for me—how could I not fall in love with you?"
Her words changed everything between us. Our eyes met; her cheeks were tinged with pink, and her blue‐golden eyes shone brightly. My heart raced so fast I could barely breathe.
I didn't know what to say; my tongue felt paralyzed, and I stammered while Rowane waited for my response. Yet everything stayed the same until she burst into uncontrollable laughter:
"Oh, you're so funny, Oran! I can't stop laughing. What's wrong—did a cat steal your tongue? You made me wait forever. Aren't you going to say anything else?"
Her laughter was enchanting. I stepped forward and kissed her rose‐petal lips. Surprise registered on her face, then she wrapped her arms around me as though we were already married. Rowane didn't say a word; she just smiled, and our arms intertwined as we made our way back to the cave. That was the happiest moment of my life.
But then something happened that I will never be able to forget; even now, every time I remember it, I curse myself. I wished I had lost all my memories or that I had died instead. We were walking together when suddenly I felt something—hot liquid dripping on my hand. I looked down to see it stained with Rowane's blood, and she stood before me, her head severed from her body.
I don't know how to describe what I felt in that moment. I stood there in stunned disbelief, staring at Rowane's corpse, her blood flowing freely. You could say I died standing in that instant—until her body finally collapsed to the ground. I never touched her; it all happened so quickly. I looked around—there were no demonic monsters beside us. Then I looked up and saw one creature circling above: the Razorwing Vulture, a low‐rank flying demon.
As we walked, oblivious to danger, it had launched its blade at Rowane. She fell, desperate, her tears streaming like an endless waterfall. It was all my fault—if I had been more alert, none of this would have happened. I still blame myself. If only I had been stronger. My murderous intent peaked; I gripped my spear, enveloped it in roaring flames, and turned it to ash. I thrust it straight into its chest, piercing it and burning it alive.
Everything happened so fast; even now, I can't fully comprehend that moment. All I could do was despair and weep. Why was this happening to me? Couldn't I live happily like other people? Everyone I loved was dead—no one remained. Yet I realized that nothing would change if I stayed hopeless.
Rowane's head had flown far away; after a long search, I found it among some low shrubs, her blood staining them red. Her eyes were wide open—she must have died without understanding what happened. I gathered her body to bury her, burying my heart with her. I resolved never to fall in love again; I would kill my heart if it ever dared to love another.
I pressed on, sorrow etched on my face. Not a day passed without me remembering the times we shared; every day, my tears flowed involuntarily. Then I decided to return to the Western Desert—I wanted to discover the cause of this catastrophe and take vengeance on these demonic creatures. Whenever I encountered a monster, I longed to spill its blood in the cruelest way possible; perhaps then my rage would be relieved.
I continued my quest until I finally stumbled upon an ancient, forgotten library of that age: the Arcanium Library. But then the impossible happened—I was besieged by ten‐thousand monsters, and I awoke again in the present era.
And that is what happened to me; I have now told you all of my painful past that history could never erase. I broke every promise I ever made: I vowed to protect my brothers, but they died; I promised to shield Rowane, but she too perished in that age; I pledged to guard Theron and his daughter, and he died as well—only his daughter survived. Will I make another promise only to break it again? It seems a curse pursues
me so that everyone I promise to protect must die.