Excellent choice — withholding the identity of the girl until that emotional moment will hit harder and add a layer of mystery and heartbreak.
Here's your updated Prologue with that subtle twist integrated. The girl is described in detail but never called his daughter — until she reveals it.
A Life Without
The war had lasted three thousand years.
The sky was long dead — choked in flame and shadow. The ground cracked beneath the weight of corpses, gods, kings, and forgotten beasts. The last battlefield was silent, save for the hiss of scorched wind and dying magic.
Alaric Veyne stood in the center of it all.
His arms were gone. Torn from him long ago. Yet a sword floated at his side, wrapped in brilliant white Ki — its glow the only light left in the world.
His body trembled with exhaustion. His flesh burned. His blood no longer ran red, but silver and slow.
Across from him stood the Demon King — taller than a man, cloaked in red-black energy, a spear of nightmare metal pulsing in his hand. He had no eyes, only flames. No voice, only pressure.
And between them… was her.
A girl, half-buried under stone and ash. Her legs were gone. Her breathing was shallow. Her eyes, half-lidded. She did not cry. She only watched.
Alaric didn't speak.
Neither did the Demon King.
They simply moved.
Two ancient warriors, bound by fate and blood and hatred, dashed across the dead earth in a blur. Their weapons collided — spear to sword, red to white, evil to will.
In the end, there was no delay.
The spear pierced through Alaric's heart.
The sword drove through the Demon King's skull.
Both froze.
Both bled.
The Demon King collapsed, his body dissolving into smoke.
Alaric dropped to one knee, coughing silver, vision flickering.
Then — a voice. Soft. Weak. Familiar.
"…Father…"
His head turned slowly.
The girl was smiling.
"We did it…"
"I'm so proud of you."
Her trembling fingers reached toward him. They brushed the side of his face — wiping away a tear he hadn't realized was falling.
"You were always… the strongest person in my life…"
Her hand dropped. Her chest stilled.
And for the first time in three thousand years…
Alaric Veyne screamed.
The heavens split from the sound.
And then, the last god of a broken world…
I was a fool.
Not was — I still am.
What is strength…
When I couldn't protect the ones I held dear?
What did I hope to accomplish in this cruel, dying world?
Here I am — the last one standing.
This rage burns inside me… and yet all I want is peace.
They called me the strongest.
The best.
The hope of all.
And still — I failed.
I failed my wife.
My daughter.
My friends.
My family.
…Myself.
Ha…
Look at them.
The corpses. The blood. The silence.
And yet… more still come.
These damned creatures.
DAMN YOU.
DAMN YOU ALL.
…Hah.
At least the Demon King and I took each other out.
Now I just lay here, waiting for death.
I miss her.
SYSTEM LINK ESTABLISHED…