The night lay quiet and serene, the city blazing with light—alive and vibrant long after the sun had vanished behind the horizon.
Click.
The sound of a can popping open with the flick of a finger echoed through the silence. Seated before a massive floor-to-ceiling window, Kyle gazed down at the beautiful city below from the top floor. His eyes were hollow, his hair completely disheveled.
Gulp.
He drained the contents in one go, then tossed the empty can toward the corner.
He sighed heavily, massaging his forehead. "It's been hours already." His gaze drifted to his phone. He picked it up and powered it on. The first thing that appeared was his background image—Nelia with a charming smile, her index and ring fingers held up in a peace sign. They had taken the picture during her deployment to the far southern part of the country, a trip he had accompanied her on. Right after the mission, they had gone to the beach. He was the one who had captured that moment.
He swiped up. The phone made a soft water-drop sound before opening. He navigated directly to his contacts and dialed her number.
"Sorry, the number you have dialed is not reachable at the moment. Please try again later. Thank you."
He heard the automated message, then let the phone drop.
Standing up, he walked toward the transparent barrier—door or window, whatever it was—and leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the cool glass. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said," he muttered. "I should be the one protecting you, not the other way around. I'm so pathetic... so fucking stupid." He cursed, then sighed again. "I can't hold a proper job, can't awaken my powers, can't do a damn thing. And it keeps getting worse."
He punched the glass. "Why?" The word came out raw. "WHY?! DAMN IT!" He struck again with even more force. "WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME?! WHY CAN'T I JUST FORGET THE PAST?!"
He kicked the glass with such violence that he felt something crack.
It wasn't the glass.
"Shit!" He dropped down, clutching his bloodied toe.
Sighing again, he limped back to his chair and collapsed into it. Placing his head against the backrest, he closed his eyes.
.
.
.
.
"Mom... what was that sound?" A young boy's voice cut through the darkness after hearing a loud scream. The house was shrouded in shadow—it was still deep night.
"Edan, my baby!" The woman he called mother rushed forward.
"Mom?" The child was shocked by her sudden panic.
Instantly, he realized something terrible had happened.
"Where's Dad? Liam?" he asked.
"Y-your... dad... your dad..."
DOOM!
A tremendous explosion shook the house. They all fell to the ground as the ceiling began creaking ominously, splinters raining down.
"Edan!"
"DAD?" He managed to struggle to his feet.
Boom!
Suddenly, an explosion occurred.
It was from down stairs.
"DAD!" He tried to run, but a hand seized him.
"No, you can't go down there!"
"Mom? Dad... something's wrong with Dad... something's happening!" he screamed.
"No! I'll go there myself! I need you to hide, Edan."
"What's happening, Mom?" He started crying.
"EDAN!"
"Mom," he whispered.
Her hand began to glow, and she touched his chest. "Your ether will be sealed in the next thirty minutes."
She removed a chain necklace with a strange symbol at its center and placed it around his neck. "You know that spot in the attic, right?" She gripped his shoulders firmly.
"Y-yes," he stammered.
"Once you get there, transfer ether into this necklace. You should have enough time before the sealing begins—they won't find you." She smiled, though tears streamed down her face as she gave her instructions.
"Okay," the boy said.
"Good boy. Now go. GO!" She pushed him away.
"But... Lily... Liam... Where's everyone else?" the boy pleaded.
"Go, Edan... GO!" she commanded.
DOOOM!
Suddenly, a sword manifested from thin air in her palm. She raised it as ether flowed into the blade, making it tremble with power.
"Don't come out no matter what you hear, Edan. Don't."
.
.
.
.
"Haah!" Kyle gasped as he jolted awake.
[Rings]
He looked toward the small table beside him.
"Nelia." He quickly grabbed the phone and answered.
"Nelia...?" he spoke hesitantly, then came the reply.
[El... you called.]
He sighed. "I'm sorry."
[Let's talk when I get back.]
"Sure."
[Are you... crying?]
"No, why would I cry?" he said, wiping his eyes.
[What happened?]
"Nothing."
[Is it... the nightmare?] Her voice carried more concern this time.
"Yeah," he laughed, though the sound was hollow.
[Are you okay?]
"I am."
[No. ARE. YOU. OKAY?]
"No... I don't know. My head's all messed up. I need you."
[I told you not to try the awakening process again,] she said firmly.
"I know. I'm sorry. But the nightmares... they're driving me insane. I'm always afraid that the past could repeat itself. I just want power... to protect you."
[El... calm down.]
He sighed.
[Listen to me. I've said this countless times, and I'll keep saying it—I won't leave you. I will always be there for you. So stop torturing yourself like this. Stop being an idiot.]
"I—"
[Just shut up and listen!]
"Sure." He smiled despite himself.
[What happened today means nothing—not the stranger's words, nor what you said. I won't leave you, and please, let this be the last time you attempt that awakening process..]
"I—"
[I just need a yes.]
"But—"
[El.]
"Just one more—"
[EL!]
"Fine. I won't."
[Good.]
"Thank you."
[You're welcome. And you should thank your lucky stars every day that you have me putting up with your stubborn ass]
"Sure, whatever you say, Miss S-rank." He laughed, then smiled genuinely.
[I should be back soon. Don't forget to eat... Pretty sure you haven't.]
"I..." He tilted his head to the right as something caught his attention outside the window—something happening right before his eyes that triggered a memory from his past.
"No," he muttered.
[El? Hey, El... What's happening there? El!]
[Call Ended]
There was literally a tear in the sky.
A tear in space itself.
And it seemed to be widening.
Now he remembered how he had really gotten to this world.
Suddenly, something began breaking through the spatial tear.
"It's them," he whispered, as more tears started appearing all across the sky.
Now he remembered everything.
He had disobeyed his mother's orders.
He had gone down those stairs.
He had seen her being shot straight through the chest.
The corpses and blood littering the room.
Those men.
They had looked at him.
"He's the one."
That was what they had said, but before they could reach him, something had destroyed the building.
An explosion.
Then that tear in space.
Yes.
That was how he had come to this world.
"They found me."