Ivan walked toward the village gate. A single ray of sunlight broke through the thick clouds, painting the sky with a golden glow that already signaled the coming dusk.
As he approached the exit, he found an unusual commotion. Several knights were gathered there, their silver armor gleaming under the faint light, and their blue cloaks fluttering in the cold wind.
They were the Knights of the Aurora.
Ivan instinctively lowered his head and quickened his pace, trying to avoid any unwanted attention. However, a voice stopped him:
"Hey, you there."
He froze. Slowly turned and lifted his gaze, only to find a towering man watching him. Dark-skinned, bald, with a deep scar running across his face in a menacing line. On his chest, the insignia of three stacked arrows marked his rank: sergeant.
"Y... yes?" Ivan replied, his voice slightly trembling.
"If you're heading out, be careful," the knight warned. "There might be a demon on the loose."
"Ah... right. Thank you very much," Ivan answered, trying to keep his composure.
Demons.
No one really knew where they came from. They appeared 103 years ago, without warning, like a living curse. Since then, they've plagued the world.
To hold them back, humans and elves built the Frontier, the first line of defense. But fearing it wouldn't be enough, the human king created the Knights of the Aurora, a second line — more selective, more ruthless.
Ivan glanced briefly at the knights, then muttered to himself:
"Demons. That explains why the Aurorians are here..." he whispered.
"If one got past the Frontier, it must be a strong one."
He cast one last look toward the forest ahead.
"I hope they find the bastard soon."
The cold deepened as the sun vanished completely below the horizon. The road back home, now shrouded in twilight, seemed longer and quieter than before.