Fire.
The acrid smell of burning wood filled the room, stinging the inside of his nose. He watched as everything he loved crumbled before his very eyes. It all fell apart quicker than he could move.
"Mom!" He desperately shouted, "Dad, Misha, Draven!" He quickly rose to his feet, ducking low, the smoke was choking him, he let out sharp, painful coughs. Followed by quick gasp for air.
What happened? How long was I out for?
A shriek in the distance.
"Misha!" He darted toward the direction of the sound.
A second scream, this time from draven,
"Draven! I'm coming!"
what can I do even if I make it there?
How can I win?
Slam!
He burst through the door. The faint glow of the moon illuminated the horrid scene infront of him. The cold wind of the night brushed against his skin.
Those familiar red eyes glared at him from a distance, as it held his brother by the arm. His brother fought, desperatly to free himself but the nightmare didn't even flinch.
His parents lay sprawled on the ground battered and unmoving.
Misha helplessly watched as draven struggled in the brutes maw. Paralyzed with fear, her eyes glimmered with tears. Blood gushed, draven struggled, yet it remained.
Elias' froze at the door, everything he loved, every smile, laugh, tear, shattered. This was his fault. All of it.
His breath quickened and his heartbeat fluttered an unstable rhythm, he nearly fell to the ground.
I.. can't do anything..
I didn't mean to.. I..
Something broke. Not a scream, not a sound. His mind shattered, and flooded.
Do something—Move..—Why can't i move..?—I didn't mean for this..—How could this happen—Please—It's all my fault—I should have—I cant—I..
He blamed himself, and all of his thoughts collapsed into a single, painful question.
Why can't i save them..?
Silence.
The world seemed to slow for Elias, his vision blurred, the world twisted and the sound of his heart grew louder, this was the end. Deep down, he knew that he was weak, that he couldn't save his family. There was nothing he could've done to make himself better. He belived he was destined to fail.
Weak.
Useless.
He was cursed, trapped in an unbreakable loop.
But he didn't want that, he denied that fate with eveything he had. All for a single reason. He wanted to protect them, his family, everything he knew.
A memory flashed, Draven slowly carried a large bowl, and slipped on a puddle of water, flour covered every surface, the room erupted in laughter.
The warmth of home, the safety of family. Gone.
Crack!
He didn't want to live like this, he didn't want to die.
Another memory flashed, His dad adjusted his form he aimed for the target in the distance, He released. The arrow veered of and slapped his mom. She rose, an angry expression smeared her face. He and his dad both ran.
Crack! Crack!
He wanted to live, to see them smile and to feel their warmth.
A recent memory, The feast they had, those faces, full of joy. He wanted to protect that. He wanted to keep it safe and dreamt of a peaceful life, one where he was content. One where he could protect his family from any danger, even if it meant facing the impossible.
Shatter!
Something in his chest throbbed, not like his heart. It pulsed, releasing unbearable pain through Elias. It shook violently. Heat raced through his viens, a strange yet, strangely familiar feeling.
A breath. His vision blurred.
He let out a piercing scream, one of rage, malice. Then came the light, it erupted from his core dawning a brilliant gold, It shifted, wildly flashing white, something inside of him fought for power.
The light flooded the night, as if the sun had risen one last time only to die with a single, burning breath.
Finally, it faltered. Though, it wasn't from fear, Draven stopped fighting, he hung limply from the thing. It slung him away, ripping his arm from his body.
It was no longer intrested in him, it only hunted the strongest.
And right now, that was Elias.
It crept toward him, baring its teeth while letting out a gutting growl.
Elias opened his eyes, scanning his surroundings. It was like a new world awakened before him. Things that he couldn't see appeared in front of him as if they had been there all along. Colors—so many of them, swirling through everything. They shifted and and blended, yet never mixed.
His eyes wandered, then stopped.
The red eyed brute had no color, it was all black.
Elias glanced down at his hands, glowing different colors, then something caught his attention, it was the smell of blood. Before he could understand anything, it lunged at him, he stooped low narrowly avoiding it's razor sharp claws.
Woosh— Crash!
The creature slammed into the wooden home, splintering it apart. Pieces of wood flew into the air, the foundation of the house shook, barely holding up.
It was the same feeling from before, that feeling as if he'd known what the monster would do. The warm sensation opposite to his heart. But he had no time to bask in the feeling. The creature had already recovered, prepared to strike again.
Step.
Elias took a step back, the hulking beast mirrored taking a step forward. It stooped low, a faint sense of blood spewed from it's thick black fur, it's eyes narrowing. Elias caught on, but couldn't react as the towering creature had already lauched another attack.
Elias didn't think he moved. His body shot forward, fast.
Too fast.
He couldn't control the speed, and slammed into the wall head first.
"Agh.." Warm blood trickled down his forehead, the world spun.
"ELIAS!" Misha shouted, he snapped out of the haze and quickly turned to face the attacker.
Slam!
The towering creature brought down it's paw with incredible force, Elias struggled to hold it back, sparks flew from his sickle as if he was pressing down on iron. The smell of blood grew stronger, the pressure doubled.
"I don't want to die.. I don't want to die!" He gritted his teeth, just barely pushing the hulking claws back. But it wasn't enough, The brute trippled the pressure on Elias, nearly crushing him.
Stab!
The pressure on Elias vanished, and it let out a deafening roar. Misha had stabbed the beast on it's neck, The only weak spot it had. It staggered backward, widly clawing at its back trying to rip her off of it.
She held on tight, doding it's claws by inches. That is, until she couldn't anymore. The creature finally caught her, and dug it's razor sharp claws deep into her leg.
She let out a heartwrenching scream, "AAAH! NO!"
"MISHA!" Elias screamed,
The beast flung her off like an annoying bug, she flew through the air,her body flailing before abruptly crashing into a tree. Her body going completely limp.
Elias felt completely hopeless. He wasn't strong enough. He was never strong enough. Tears blurred his vision. This was the most he could amount to.
A scream tore through him, broken and visceral that was all he could let out. He clenched his fists, slamming his head on the ground, feeling no pain.
"No.. No.. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry.." He muttered. The colors in his hands shifted and turned, fading into a deep blue.
The red eyed beast crept forward, watching as Elias clawed at the ground in desparation.
"I only wanted to protect you... I.." His eyes drifted toward Misha.
Her colors haven't faded. But they were. He looked over to where his mother an father were, their colors weren't gone either, even draven. He hasn;t failed yet. He could still protect them.
Though, in order to protect his family, he had to do one thing,
"I must kill the beast."
With that though, he pushed himself to his feet, a fire ignited in his eyes. No fear, only malice. He couldn't fail, not again. If death stood before him, then he would walk toward it without flinching.