"Son, you need to go. You can't stay here. You have to leave with the others!"
His father shouted, voice sharp with urgency. But just as he did, a creature lunged from the shadows. He barely dodged the attack, grabbing Deven and pulling him close.
"Hold on to me."
Deven clung to his father tightly. In the next instant, they crashed through the window together. His father twisted mid-air, shielding Deven from the fall with his own body.
When they hit the ground, they separated. His father pushed himself up and looked back at him.
"Go, Deven! I'll be right behind you!"
Deven didn't hesitate. He turned and ran—faster than he ever had before. He didn't look back. He didn't stop. He just wanted to escape.
But then—his body stopped.
Frozen in place, he couldn't move a muscle. Confused and panicked, Deven's eyes darted around. That's when he saw it.
In the center of the plaza stood a marble statue—something that wasn't there before. It looked too perfect, too still. And as realization crept in, dread followed close behind.
It wasn't a statue.
It was alive.
It didn't match anything he had studied. This wasn't in his books. It could be an evolved variant or something completely new. Whatever it was, it had already trapped him.
Then the pain came.
A sudden, vicious slash tore across his back—like the claws of a lion, ripping through flesh. Deven's mouth opened in a scream, but no sound came out. The world around him was silent. The creature mauled him over and over. Every strike made his vision blur. Every second stretched into an eternity of pain.
His legs buckled. His body collapsed. Darkness crept in around the edges of his sight.
Why... me...? Out of everyone... it had to be me...
Those bastards... the ones with powers... the ones who always took their anger out on me...
If I ever return... I'll make sure they all feel what I felt... every damn moment of it...
And then—
Silence.
Everything faded to black.
10 Years Later
In a forest shrouded in pure darkness, a creature walked slowly across the ground—a Charnsworn. Its movement was sluggish, its steps heavy. With each pace, its body wobbled as if on the verge of collapse.
Then, without warning, it fell forward and dissolved into a black puddle, leaving no form behind.
But the puddle twitched. Then writhed. Then twisted.
Something was forming—no, someone. A body emerged from the darkness. A figure with black hair. A boy, around sixteen.
He gasped, eyes snapping open—pure black. He shoved himself off the ground, breathing hard, gaze darting around in confusion.
"I… I'm alive?" he muttered, voice shaky. "But… how?"
He looked down at his hands, then the rest of his body—unbelieving, trembling. Despite the pitch-black forest, he could see everything around him as clearly as if it were day.
Steadying himself against a tree, he whispered, "Where… am I?"
He wandered for a while, uncertain but cautious. Though he had no idea where he was, the feel of the trees and land told him it was deep wilderness. His best chance was to pick a direction and move.
Hours passed.
Then, at last, he stepped onto softer grass and spotted the dim outline of a clearing. The trees began to thin, and light crept into the sky. Dawn had arrived.
And in the distance—gates.
A city stood tall, etched against the rising sun. Above its massive gates was a name carved in dark stone:
Obsidian Reach
Deven's eyes widened. Obsidian Reach—the elite city known for its unmatched military power and prestigious academy. He had only read about it before. A place for the wealthy… or the extraordinary.
He took a step forward, out of the shade and into the sunlight—And staggered. A wave of weakness slammed into him like a wall. His limbs felt heavy, his chest tight. The farther he walked into the light, the worse it became. Groggy, dizzy—he pushed forward.
He made it to the gates.
Then collapsed.
Minutes passed.
He awoke in a bed, the sterile white ceiling unfamiliar. The scent of medicine hung in the air. A startled voice broke the silence.
"Oh! Uh—h-hello. How are you feeling?"
A nurse stood by his bed, eyes wide.
"Where… am I?" Deven groaned, his body still sluggish and heavy.
"You're in a hospital. Two guards saw you collapse just outside the city gates and brought you in."
He sighed and leaned back, too tired to say more. The nurse hesitated, then quietly left the room, leaving him to rest.
To be continued...