Vigesimal Year

Prologue: New Hope

1st day in the month of Enraja, year 292 of the 30th calendar  (1st of Enraja, 292/30)

In the dimly lit dining room, a man with short golden hair and golden eyes leaned against a weathered lamp desk, casting eerie shadows on the walls. His head was lowered, revealing a menacing smile etched upon his face. At his feet lay a lifeless child, his innocent form sprawled motionless on the cold floor, a single bullet piercing his fragile skull. Across from the man stood a little girl, her short brown hair tied in pigtails, clutching a gun tightly in her trembling hands. Her gaze, too, was lowered, burdened by the weight of the unspeakable act she had just committed.

Inside the room, the air hung heavy with an eerie silence, a stark contrast to the jubilant atmosphere outside. Beyond the walls, people rejoiced, their laughter and the crackling of fireworks seeping through the closed windows. The new year had arrived, but within those four walls, time stood still, frozen in a moment of unspeakable horror.

A small feast adorned the table, a macabre display of untouched delicacies, mocking the tragedy that had unfolded. The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the faces of the motionless figures, as if the room itself mourned the loss of innocence and the shattering of dreams.

Breaking the suffocating silence, the man's voice sliced through the stillness, as he taunted, "How does it feel?"

The girl's voice trembled as she raised her head, her eyes fixed on the man before her. "Who really are you?" she asked, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and defiance.

A sinister chuckle escaped the man's lips, his gaze never wavering from the girl. "I told you my name before..." he paused, relishing in the tension that filled the room. "I... am Husk," he declared, his voice slow and dripping with a chilling certainty.

A flicker of defiance sparked in the girl's eyes as she scoffed, her fear masked by a boldness beyond her years. "That's a stupid name," she retorted, her words laced with a hint of disdain. Her gaze pierced through the darkness, unyielding and unafraid.

The room seemed to hold its breath as the girl mustered her courage, her voice steady and unwavering. "What do you want from me?" she demanded, her eyes locked with the man's. The weight of her words hung in the air, an unspoken challenge to the sinister figure before her.

The man's smile remained, a twisted mask of malevolence, as he met the girl's gaze with an unsettling calmness. The silence stretched on, each passing moment thick with anticipation, as if the very walls of the room held their breath, waiting for the revelation of his intentions.

The man's movements became deliberate as he slowly detached himself from the desk, his eyes fixed on the girl with an unsettling intensity. Step by step, he closed the distance between them, his presence growing more menacing with each measured stride.

Sensing the encroaching danger, the girl's hand tightened around the gun, her finger poised on the trigger. Her expression remained stoic, devoid of any emotion, as she issued a chilling warning. "Don't come any closer or I will shoot you," she declared, her voice devoid of inflection. Though her words lacked emotion, there was an undeniable air of conviction that hung in the room.

Undeterred by the girl's threat, the man continued his relentless advance, his determination unyielding. Without a moment's hesitation, the girl pulled the trigger, the deafening sound of the gunshot blending with the distant fireworks that illuminated the night sky. But the man pressed on, seemingly unfazed by the bullet that whizzed past his body, a mere whisper in the face of his relentless pursuit.

With an unflinching gaze and an expressionless face, the girl stood her ground, her resolve unshaken. She repeated her question, her voice a mix of defiance and desperation. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded, her words echoing through the room, hanging in the air like a challenge to the enigmatic figure before her.

Closing the remaining distance, the man leaned in closer, his breath chilling against the girl's ear as he uttered his response. "I am God," he whispered, his voice laced with a perverse satisfaction. The weight of his words hung in the air, a revelation that sent shivers down the girl's spine.

Summoning every ounce of strength within her, the girl closed her eyes and clenched it tightly, her hands and arms swaying forcefully in front of her, as if attempting to push the man away. As her eyes opened, a yellow smoke enveloped the space where the man once stood, leaving behind only an empty void. The man had vanished, leaving the girl alone with the lingering echoes of his presence.

As the girl stood there, her senses on high alert, a voice resonated from behind her, its tone both familiar and enigmatic. "I told you before," the voice whispered, its words carrying a promise of power. "Just hold my hand, and think of the very thing that you want at this moment, and it will happen."

Startled, the girl spun around, her eyes widening as she laid her gaze upon the man who had seemingly materialized behind her. His presence exuded an otherworldly aura, his features shrouded in mystery. There was an air of authority about him, as if he held the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe.

The man's words echoed in the air, his voice filled with a mix of urgency and empathy. "You long to escape this suffocating predicament, don't you?" he repeated, his gaze locked onto the girl's eyes. There was a glimmer of concern within his own, as if he understood the weight of her burden. With a gentle yet outstretched hand, he implored, "Hold my hand, and with all your heart, wish for the very thing you desire in this very moment."

The girl's eyes fixed on the man's hands, her mind swirling with a mix of emotions. His words struck a tender chord within her fragile psyche. All she truly longed for was to erase the pain and turmoil that had consumed her existence. The allure of making everything that had happened fade away was both tempting and terrifying, like a flickering flame illuminating the darkness of her thoughts.

But just as the weight of this encounter began to sink in, a sudden knock reverberated through the room, jolting the girl from her trance. The sound echoed with an eerie familiarity, calling out the names of both the girl and the deceased boy lying motionless on the ground. The room seemed to hold its breath, the silence pregnant with unanswered questions. The girl's heart raced, her mind swirling with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

As the tension in the room heightened, the persistent knocking on the door grew louder and more insistent. Each rap echoed through the air, a haunting reminder of the world beyond the confines of the girl's shattered reality. Outside, the voice that called out their names carried a hint of worry, its urgency seeping through the cracks of the door.

The girl's gaze flickered towards the living room, where the source of the commotion lay. Her eyes darted back to the enigmatic man before her, a silent understanding passing between them. With a measured calmness, she extended her arms, allowing the gun to slip from her grasp and clatter to the floor. Her hands opened, a silent invitation for the man to take hold.

A smile played upon the man's lips as he reached out, his fingers intertwining with the girl's. His touch sent a shiver down her spine, a mix of anticipation and trepidation. In a voice laced with intrigue, he posed his question, his words hanging in the air like a delicate thread. "Now tell me, what do you really want this time?"

With a voice as soft as a whisper, the girl responded, her words carrying the weight of a profound longing. "I want to forget everything and return to the way things were," she confessed, her voice tinged with a delicate vulnerability. It was a plea to erase the pain and restore the innocence that had been stolen from her.

A chuckle escaped the man's lips, his laughter filled with a bitter irony. As his amusement subsided, he spoke in a calm and measured tone, his voice a stark contrast to the chaos that surrounded them. "Funny... That was the same thing you told me before."