A fire lit up the dark so strong it outshone the sun. The sky glowed long after sunset had faded away.
Beneath the glow of a swollen moon, rooftops gave way to roaring flames. Cracks tore through roads while homes fell silent under ash. Screams cut across the dark, each one swallowed by the burn that raced without pause.
A figure in dark clothes floated high above, still and silent, hands loose at his sides. Destruction spread below as if staged just for his eyes. He did not move, only observed.
He laughed.
Light burst without warning. Then nothing.
A figure fell out of nowhere, slamming down so hard the soil cracked apart. Clouds of dirt burst up like thunder without sound. After silence settled, someone rose gripping steel, gaze locked ahead.
"Now!" he shouted.
A child pressed against her ribs while she stood still. Her arm bore red streaks down the fabric, though she did not stop. Words slipped out through shaky breaths, low and urgent. The air split apart when light burst into shape ahead.
Out of the smoking hole stood the dark figure, wiping soot off his sleeves. Eyes fixed on the one holding steel.
"You're turning your back again," he said calmly. "Still reckless, Nakamura."
A glow built up in his palm, shaping itself into a blade made of nothing but power. In one swift move, the weapon flew forward.
"MIO!" Nakamura shouted.
A sudden slice caught her shoulder when the gateway yanked her forward. Light swallowed them both she held the child tight as everything disappeared.
A glow unlike anything before pushed against Mio as she fell through. Blood traced down her arm, sticky and slow. Each movement pulled at her like stones in her pockets. A building appeared far off wooden walls, smoke curling from a chimney. Her knees scraped forward, one after another. The child stayed pressed to her chest, unmoving. Closer now, the door looked worn but solid. She reached out, fingers trembling.
Baby placed slow on fluffy cloth, her face wet with quiet crying. Between shaky inhales, words came out like whispers while fingers tucked a bright little ring into his palm.
"Zack… my son… take this ring. Never forget who you are. This ring will help you when you need it most… I… love you, my boy."
A shiver ran through her fingers as the bell clanged one last time. Down she sank, into the dirt, eyes closing before the echo faded.
Fourteen years later.
A cold scent hung in the air, sharp like bleach, mixed with something stale. Alone, Zack stayed seated on a hard chair. Walls around him gave off a pale, lifeless glow. The silence pressed close, broken only by distant clicks. Nothing moved except his breath, slow and quiet. Metal tinged the back of his throat with every inhale. This place did not feel temporary.
Smooth walls. Almost too perfect. Not a window in sight. Not even a single crack. Cold, flawless surfaces built to contain what lurks within.
"Bring in Subject 31."
Tension built in his face, teeth pressing tight. That word stung every time.
Faces empty of emotion, the scientists moved in. A single figure broke from the group skin ashen, gaze cutting through the air.
Fingers tapping slow on the table, he spoke. A faint grin showed as his eyes locked on the figure before him. Grow it now, that one must, came the quiet demand. The room waited, still
On the table rested a flower that had stopped living.
Zack fixed his eyes on the thing. It held him still.
Nothing happened.
The smile vanished.
"…Activate the device."
A sharp pain ripped into Zack. Shaking hit the walls like a pulse. Whirring came from machines nearby, while light blinked without warning. Pressure built inside the space, closing in. His scream tore loose when he fell to the floor - knees hitting hard as noise pounded behind his eyes.
A sudden silence followed when the scientist spoke his words cracked across the room, sharp as glass breaking
"Take him back to the cell. And remember when you fail, everyone suffers!"
His mouth curled sideways, sharp like a hook. The air around him seemed to freeze. Eyes narrowed, cold and steady. A quiet laugh slipped through his teeth. Something dark lived behind that look.
Footsteps pounded close, metal links shaking loud. Up he got hauled, boots scraping on stone as they pulled him down long halls lit dim. The door clanged shut behind him, leaving silence broken only by his breath catching sharp. Cold bit deep where bruises bloomed across his ribs. Stillness settled, heavy and slow.
A whisper slipped through the iron gaps, thin as air, worn down by days without food
"Did you… manage to do it?"
Zack looked down at the floor, ashamed. "I'm… sorry. I couldn't do it… we're getting no food today," he whispered.
A chill crept into the back of his mind, slow and quiet. Not loud, not sudden just there, like breath on glass. It did not rush, instead choosing each motion with care. Sight failed him, yet the sense of approach thickened the air. Distance shrank without sound, one stretch at a time, inside those walls.
A cold ripple crept from his neck downward. "This sensation... what exactly is it?" His words came out shaky.
Flickering crimson filled the room as sirens screamed without warning. Then silence broke again light after light erupting in jagged pulses.
A low creak rose from the metal doors. Inch by inch, under pressure, cracks started to form across their surface.
Zack's heart raced.
He had never felt it before. A moment like this showed up out of nowhere. It caught him by surprise, standing still, unsure what came next
It hit him someone else was there.
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Thank you for trying out my story it's my first time writing hope you enjoyed. Please share the story if you liked it:)