Living Nightmare--the Trilogy (special content!)

Prologue

He had lost. He knew it.

Deep down, he always had a hunch he would be defeated in the end. Both literally and metaphorically.

Every action came with consequences. Sometimes severe consequences.

When he realized the End Crystals' true power, he thought he would be helping everyone. But instead his choices ended up hurting those he cared about. Hurting him.

He had become ignorant. How foolish.

Pain radiated through his spine as Ceris slammed his back onto the End Stone. It was the end of the line. He was finished. Part of him desperately wished he could turn back time before he had even thought to do what he did.

Another part of him wanted to summon his karambits and slash Ceris through the stomach.

He couldn't bring himself to do that.

So instead, he let her yank him roughly up by his collar, suspending him in a very painful position. "Lance," her voice echoed with force around them. "You are a rogue End mage, with serious crimes behind your name."

She yanked his collar again, forcing his face closer to hers so that they were eye-to-eye.

He could still remember how her lips felt and the proximity brought the feeling back all too vividly for his current liking.

"These crimes must be punished. So I, Ceris, the End Matriarch," Oh, he could remember the days she first earned that title. "Banish you to the Overworld."

His heart dropped into his stomach. Of course. He stared back at her, forcing his expression into one of detachment. He could see in her eyes, however, that she was weak.

A portal opened beneath him, his feet now dangling over the pure unknown. The only thing keeping him from falling in was Ceris' strength alone.

She leaned closer to him. "Why did it have to be like this?" Her voice was a whisper and he savored it, knowing it was probably the last time he was ever going to hear it. "Why, Lance?"

He said nothing and she let him go.

His heart shattered.

As he fell into the darkness of the portal, all he could hear was the rushing wind and Ceris' voice echoing through his soul.