For the past two thousand years, humans have lived as the dominant species on Earth, never suspecting the hidden truth lurking in the shadows. As they built empires, advanced in science, and reshaped the world around them, something far older and far more dangerous watched from the darkness.
Beings from other worlds, identical in appearance to humans but harboring sinister intentions, walked among them, infiltrating civilizations and waiting for the right moment to exterminate humanity and claim the planet for themselves.
However, the human race was never entirely defenseless. Since time immemorial, a select group of individuals had been born with extraordinary gifts, capable of manipulating the forces of the universe.
Known as sorcerers, the invisible guardians of humanity, they dedicated their lives to ensuring that the aliens never triumphed. Hidden in the shadows, they waged silent battles, casting spells and sealing portals that prevented the invaders from taking full control.
Ordinary humans never knew how close they had come to the end. To them, wars, plagues, and catastrophes were merely accidents of fate, when in truth, they were the echoes of a secret war—one in which the sorcerers were the only barrier between civilization and extinction.
But the balance between these forces began to crumble as fewer sorcerers were born with each passing generation. The gift that once shaped the fate of the world grew ever rarer until only a small handful remained.
And yet, Earth did not fall. For at the most crucial moment, the most powerful sorcerer of all time was born. His mere existence was enough to restore balance. The fate of the world, once upheld by many, now rested upon the shoulders of a single human.
His name alone was enough to make the invaders reconsider their plans. His very presence sent tremors through even the most powerful of them, for they knew that as long as he stood, Earth would never fall.
Until that day came.
***
"You wouldn't happen to have any fresher rolls, would you?"
A man, around twenty-four years old, asked the clerk behind the counter, flashing a relaxed smile.
He was tall, with straight blond hair that fell slightly over his forehead. His eyes, as vibrant a blue as the sky on a clear day, seemed to brighten the entire room. His presence filled the small bakery with an almost magnetic energy, attracting the gazes of everyone around him.
"S-sure, I'll check in the back," the clerk replied, visibly nervous, her hands trembling slightly as she adjusted her apron.
She disappeared through a narrow door behind the counter, leaving the young man waiting. He drummed his fingers absently on the worn wooden surface, watching the movement of the street through the bakery's window.
The warm scent of freshly baked bread hung in the air, mingling with the muffled sound of a poorly tuned radio playing a pop song.
Minutes later, the clerk returned, carrying a metal tray with golden rolls, still steaming. "I found these—they just came out of the oven," she said, trying to keep her voice steady as she placed the tray on the counter.
He tilted his head slightly, examining the bread with an appraising look. "Perfect," he replied, his smile widening. "How many do you think I need to survive until tomorrow?"
The clerk blushed, unsure if he was joking or serious, but his lighthearted tone made her let out a shy chuckle. "I'd say six should do," she guessed, reaching for a paper bag to wrap them up.
The man nodded, as if he fully trusted her judgment. "Six it is. And who knows, maybe I'll be back tomorrow for more." His voice carried a playful lilt, and for a moment, the glimmer in his blue eyes made the clerk's heart skip a beat.
RING! RING! RING!
The sharp ring of a phone cut through the air, and the man clicked his tongue in annoyance, fishing the device out of his pocket in one swift motion. "Seriously? This early in the morning?" he muttered, voice laced with frustration as his eyes flicked to the glowing screen. For a brief moment, tiny white sparks danced in his irises.
The clerk, busy folding the edge of the paper bag, didn't notice the change. "Here you go," she said, holding out the package with a smile.
But when she looked up—he was already gone. "Where… did he go?"
***
"What do you have for me, Jessica?" the man asked, pressing the phone to his ear as he casually balanced on the edge of a building, two kilometers away from the bakery. The wind howled around him, whipping through his blond hair, but he seemed unfazed, his sharp blue eyes fixed on the city skyline stretching below.
[They're trying to open a portal in Los Angeles,] came the firm, no-nonsense response from the other end of the line.
"Seriously? Are you sure?"
[Obviously, Joseph. When have I ever given you bad intel?]
"Never, darling," he replied with a playful smirk, his voice taking on a teasing charm. "Dinner tonight?"
[In your dreams,] she shot back dryly before hanging up abruptly.
Joseph let out a loud laugh before vanishing in a flash of light.
***
After covering the distance from New York to Los Angeles in exactly 64.5 seconds, Joseph appeared before what was known as "the barrier." Small sparks of electricity crackled around his body, flashing for mere moments before fading into nothingness.
In front of him stood the structure invisible to ordinary human eyes—a translucent curtain of energy, erected by the aliens to conceal their presence. The barrier pulsed faintly, like a living membrane, distorting the space around it.
Any other sorcerer would have hesitated before it. A raised Barrier never meant anything good—there was always a long battle waiting on the other side. But Joseph? He just smirked, shoved his hands into his pockets, and stepped through.
"Hel-looo? Daddy's home," he called out, his voice dripping with almost childlike sarcasm.
The moment he passed through, the world changed. The bright Los Angeles sun, shining outside, was swallowed into deep darkness, as if the barrier had devoured the daylight. Joseph blinked, adjusting his eyes to the dim surroundings, and quickly realized that the barrier had been placed over a park.
"A park, huh? Well, at least they picked a spot with a view," he muttered to himself, strolling casually toward the center.
***
"Are you sure this is going to work, Klyraxis?" asked a woman with hair as white as ice, her narrowed eyes filled with doubt as she glared at the man beside her.
"98% sure, Syl'rahn," Klyraxis replied.
"That's not 100%," a third voice interjected, arms crossed, foot tapping anxiously against the ground.
"Torvakk's got a point," Syl'rahn muttered, rubbing her temples.
"And what do you want me to do?" Klyraxis threw up his hands in frustration. "The Empire assured us this weapon will work against that monster. We just need to… hold him off until it does."
"And how exactly are we supposed to do that—"
"I will hold him off long enough," declared the fourth man, who had remained silent until then, as still as a statue. His black armor gleaming under the faint light. "You, Syl'rahn, and you, Torvakk, will support me while Klyraxis activates the device."
"Yes, Commander," the three responded in unison.
"Well, well, four of you, huh? And all rocking that Frozen look," came an unexpected voice—light, mocking, and entirely out of place.
The four of them turned at the same time, their eyes locking onto Joseph, who stood just a few meters away.
With his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket, he stared at them with a relaxed smile. Small white sparks lazily danced around him, and his blue eyes shimmered with a mix of amusement and challenge.
Klyraxis narrowed his eyes while Syl'rahn instinctively took a step back. Torvakk, arms still crossed, stopped tapping his foot, his silence now filled with tension. The Commander, however, stepped forward.
"So," Joseph continued, tilting his head as if he were counting heads in a line, "who's going first? Or are you all just gonna stand there looking like you forgot your lines?"
"Joseph, the Stormbringer," the Commander said through clenched teeth. "Your arrogance will be your downfall."
Joseph chuckled, pulling one hand from his pocket to scratch the back of his neck. "Arrogance? No, no. This is confidence. Because... you know, I'm strong as fuck."
Before the Commander could respond, the air around Joseph exploded in a cascade of electricity, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of the Commander, throwing a quick punch, the air crackling with electricity around his fist.
But the Commander leaned his body to the side, dodging the blow as if he had anticipated the movement. Joseph laughed, spinning his body to throw another punch. "Ah, you're one of those who can predict my moves? I've killed at least five like you."
The Commander responded with a swift gesture, launching a blast of fire that swallowed the space where Joseph had been.
Joseph dodged by leaping to the side, laughing loudly as Syl'rahn rushed forward, the air around her freezing as she fired ice spikes in his direction. Torvakk also attacked, swinging his sword, which pulsed with a green aura, slashing toward Joseph's neck.
Joseph danced between the attacks, white sparks bursting from his body as he dodged the Commander's flames, shattered Syl'rahn's ice with lightning, and blocked Torvakk's sword with an electric barrier. "You guys are fun," he said, his tone still light, almost playful.
But then his eyes gleamed with a new intensity, and his smile faded into a firm line. "Alright, warm-up's over." He moved—not like before, but with a speed that made the air explode in a sonic boom.
First was Syl'rahn—he appeared behind her, and before she could react, an electricity-charged punch struck her back, sending her crashing to the ground with a sharp crack.
Torvakk was already on him, swinging his sword. Joseph let the blade touch his electricity-covered hand, instantly shattering the green aura as lightning surged through the blade and into the alien's arms, dropping him into convulsions.
The Commander roared, conjuring a storm of fire. But Joseph walked through the inferno untouched, lightning engulfing his body, and with a single movement, he struck the Commander's chest with a blow so charged with energy that the black armor shattered into fragments.
The impact sent the Commander flying backward like a broken puppet, his body crashing violently through three trees before collapsing to the ground.
Joseph adjusted his jacket, the sparks on his body calming as he blew a stray strand of blond hair from his eyes. "When I take things seriously, it's no fun."
"I did it!"
The excited voice made Joseph remember the fourth alien. "Oh yeah, there was you—"
Before he could finish the sentence, a blinding light engulfed him, and then... everything went dark.
***
Joseph woke up with heavy breathing, his lungs expanding forcefully, trying to catch his breath while his heart pounded uncontrollably. He blinked several times, his eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness surrounding him.
His head was dizzy, and a feeling of disorientation took over his body. The air was cold, damp, and the sound of rustling leaves and small nocturnal animals breaking the silence around him, but something felt... wrong.
He tried to stand, but it was as if his body wouldn't obey. Instead, he fell to his knees on the forest floor. The ground was uneven, full of roots and small stones. The earth was wet, making his knees ache. Joseph swallowed hard, a strange sensation that something was out of place.
With difficulty, he looked down at his hands.
They were... small. His fingers were thin and his arms short. Confusion flooded his mind.
He looked down, and his stomach churned as he saw his body — or rather, the body of a child.