The grievous battle carried on across the plains of Fluxton. Houses were set ablaze, civilians were massacred at a frightening pace, and their already desecrated streets were quickly metamorphosed into a sinister arena of combat and bloodshed. No one knew anything about the enemy—their origins, nature of their powers, and intentions—all were masked in an odious visage of despicable malevolence.
Ezeikel maneuvered his way through the ensuing conflict, the focus of his conquest emerging in sight as his jaws clenched harder. Just a few meters away, lying helplessly along the rocky path, an old man remained unconscious, a gaping wound stretching across his chest and abdomen, and a swelling pool of blood expanding all around him.
'Father…!' he covered the distance, grabbing his father's still body before departing from the battlefield immediately. He ran as fast as he could, hoisting Kennedy atop his back as he swivelled past the deathly exchange of attacks between vampires and creatures unknown.
Soon, he arrived back at his enclosure. There, he could still make out the notes of violence dancing melodiously through the ash-infested air. His frown deepened as he gently placed his father against the ground, concerned eyes scanning his body as a barrage of thoughts assaulted his mind once more.
He remembered his time falling in a seemingly endless abyss, along with his resignation from life. Back then, he believed that all he fought for, everything he wished to achieve in life, all of it was simply a waste—a fool's errand.
But now, after realizing that he wasn't infact dead, and now witnessing his father in his current state, something inside him cracked—something that had been strained for an unimaginable amount of time ever since that wretched day.
"Please… don't die…" his voice cracked, the words barely managing to escape his mouth. The tears he struggled so hard to hold back descended in a ferocious deluge, his eyes squinted shut as a tide of painful memories flashed before his eyes.
His legs lost their strength, and he fell to his knees. He reached out with trembling hands, grasping his father's arm.
He remembered all the wonderous memories they shared together—all the advice, guidance, and light-hearted conversations they shared over the years. Ever since she left them, he'd become the sole person responsible for his wellbeing. But to Ezeikel, he was more than just a parent. To him… he was a friend, his only friend within this accursed world.
"If you die… who will I have left to talk to, huh? Who… who will lecture me when I say something stupid? Who will I talk to when I'm sad… or angry? Who will I eat my meals with? Who will I have by my side…?" He mumbled non-stop to himself, feeling his vision swayed slightly as the monument of emotions pressed down upon him. "I'll be all alone… Is that what you want? You said you'd always be here to protect me, right? But then, if you go, I'll be all alone. And then someday, I'm gonna die too.
"We both know it's not gonna be a natural death. Our world is too damned flawed for most of us to even live to see old age in the first place. At least people like you were lucky. You lived for so long, went through so much, and still have the courage move on. Even after mum died… you didn't stop living… for me, for both of us. You were always strong… unlike me.
"Please… just don't die, okay?"
His persistent cries fell on deaf ears, the world progressing in its crude regime of sickening madness. The ramblings of a feeble juvenile were inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, as far as reality was concerned.
Carnage continued unimpeded amidst the dark lands.
The world around Ezeikel seemed to have stilled, noise muffling out as his vision grew hazy. And then, in a deep, reverberating voice, a profound presence interrupted his period of lamentation.
"Do you wish to heal him, Ezeikel?" The voice questioned, its tone carrying a hint of concern and curiousity. Caught off-guard, Ezeikel's eyes darted all across, yet found no one around who could have spoken to him. Slowly, his thoughts shifted, realizing that the source of the strange voice wasn't something that resided within the living realm. At least that was his hypothesis. He still had no idea about that place he was in after being brought so close to death's door.
He still had so many questions, but in that moment, he was just too pained, exhausted, and worried to care. He drew in ragged breaths as he replied, his tone filled with anguish and desperation.
"Yes, please! I don't know who you are, or even what you might be, but please! If you can heal him, then I insist! I don't care whatever your demands are! His life right now is the most important thing to me! Even if I have to give my own life to save his, then I'll do it!"
A brief period of silence reigned until the voice responded.
"A life for a life? My, you are quite an interesting one, Ezeikel," the voice mussed. "Like I said, I am but a manifestation of your powers. I am here to guide you on how to use them. And so, since you're still far too inexperienced, you will have to listen to my instructions if you wish to save him."
Ezeikel listened intensely to the explanation, forcing himself not to cut off the mysterious presence in his speech.
"Alright, then. Please, tell me what to do," he eventually said.
"Very well, then," the voice replied, its tone filled with urgency and approval. "First, place your hands stop the wounds and concentrate. Feel the power within you—that new energy coursing through your veins. Will yourself to channel it from your core, through your limbs, and then into the body of the one you wish to save.
"Mind you, concentration is highly important. Failure to properly channel your energy can lead to unwanted consequences. You might end up misdirecting that energy in your body or that of the other person and end up causing more harm than good. Let me tell you that power is itself a neutral force, and that the way it is handled determines whether it is good or bad.
"So now, follow my instructions, and don't break your focus for even a moment. Hurry, he doesn't have much time left. Still, I'm surprised he even remained alive for so long. He must really have a strong will to live."
Ezeikel's lips curled into a weak smile as he quickly went ahead and followed every instruction he had been given. His eyes closed, forcefully pushing all restricting thoughts to the further reaches of his mind. All that remained was a single string of information, its articulation echoing furiously within an echoing vacuum.
'Focus on channeling on your energy!'
Soon enough, he could perceive a strange force swelling within himself. He willed himself to link with that force, and then mentally guided it through his body. He remained surprised as he performed all of this, but reminded himself not to stray from his concentration.
Gradually, the energy flowed from his chests, up to his shoulders, through his arms, fingertips, and then finally, it found it's way into Kennedy's body. A brilliant orange glow enveloped his wounds, then shrouded his body in a voracious mass of luminescence.
Ezeikel's focus intensified, tracing the ardrous transport of energy to a glowing oval mass spiralling around his heart. He gazed in surprise as the crystalline orb emitted a flickering wave of light. He struggled to hold back a shocked gasp, feeling himself drawn back to the regular world as he witnessed his powers performing wonders right before his veiny eyes.
Eventually, he heard a cough, and then several more. Kennedy's body jolted, a dreadful mass of blood surging from his lungs as his body sprang forth. He shook his head, eyes slowly flickering open as they took in the environment around him. And then, he looked back at his son, taking in the relieved expression visible on his face. He crack a slight smile, forcing himself back onto his feet.
"What do you think you're doing?" Ezeikel asked, pressing his father's shoulders against the ground. "You just escaped death by your fingertips, and now, you're trying to casually get up like it was nothing. Stop asking so damned invincible. You're sure as heck not fooling me!"
Kennedy shook his head, chuckling to himself as he replied.
"Oh, Supreme Sovereign. You can't be serious. Are you actually going to treat me like a child just because you saved my life? Alright, fine. I'm in your dept, but that doesn't make you superior to me. I'm still your father—you better not forget that," Kennedy explained, his voice laced with concern and a slight hint of frustration.
"Anyways, besides that, let me ask you this. How exactly were you able to save me? Last I checked, your blood magic was despicable, so you shouldn't be able to use blood weave. So then, what exactly did you do?" Kennedy asked.
Ezeikel's gaze fell, his mind remembering the profound voice that had spoken to him not just on one, but two instances now. He shook his head, pushing those thought away as he turned back to face his father.
"It's a long story, and it starts with me falling in a seemingly endless abyss…"