A cold night breeze brushed against my face as pale moonlight washed over the sky above. It should have been a peaceful night—the kind meant for quiet rest. Instead, the acrid stench of burning wood and the metallic tang of fresh blood filled the air, choking the quiet atmosphere.
Below me stretched a nightmare that felt almost unreal. In the distance, a massive castle burned, hungry orange flames devouring its stone walls while thick smoke curled endlessly into the dark void above. Below, bodies lay scattered across the courtyard like discarded ragdolls, the cobblestone ground slick and dark with crimson.
A heavy necklace rested against my chest.
My fingers moved toward it instinctively. But the moment they brushed the metallic chain, a sickening warmth coated my skin.
Blood.
My hands were completely drenched in it.
Yet, looking at the stain, the sight stirred no surprise within me. No panic. No scream. Only a quiet, suffocating heaviness settled deep in my chest—the kind of hollow weight that came from already knowing the truth.
Memories lingered beneath the surface, years of them bleeding together. Rage. Desperation. Devastating loss. Bitter regret. It was the wreckage of a lifetime that had already run its tragic course, and the smoldering ruin beneath me was merely its final chapter.
Yet, the last thing I actually remembered was something far removed from this blood-soaked world.
A modern cinema.
I could still hear Jiana's bright laughter echoing beside me as we stepped out into the night, teasing me about the terrible movie we had just finished watching. Then came the blinding flash of light beneath our feet, swallowing the sidewalk whole.
After that…
Darkness.