Realms of Destiny: Shadows of Caligo

Chaos Crawling:

As the cosmic decree echoed through the heavens, its resonance reached the mortal realm, where the threads of destiny locked with the lives of ordinary beings. Ren Larking strides the chaotic streets with purposeful strides in a bustling metropolis amidst the shadows of towering skyscrapers.

Ren is a young woman who possesses an indomitable spirit and fierce determination. She lives a life of unrest and longs to find her place in society. Beneath her stoic face and silvery eyes lies a heart burdened by the weight of unfulfilled dreams and untold sorrows.

On this evening, as the city pulses with life and energy, Ren finds herself in the quiet of a dimly lit cafe nestled in a forgotten corner of the urban landscape. Entering the quaint establishment, she is greeted by the soothing aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the gentle hum of conversation that fills the air.

Quickly, her eyes dart around the room, scanning for a quiet seat. Finally, sitting by the window, Ren gazes at the bustling thoroughfare beyond, lost in contemplation. Her thoughts drift to the trials and tribulations of her own life—a past scarred by loss and a future shrouded in uncertainty. Although she was only twelve, life had handed her a cascade of tragedy and fears, leaving her lost in a world of her own, forever searching for her place to belong.

Coming back into reality, she sips her steaming cup of hot chocolate; just as she did, a sense of serenity washes over her like a shiver down her spine, as if the universe were whispering words of comfort and reassurance and in her eyes, the cosmos was alive. In that fleeting moment, Ren feels a glimmer of hope stirs within her weary soul—a spark of light amidst the encroaching darkness.

At this moment, Ren was oblivious that her seemingly ordinary existence was about to be irrevocably altered as the forces of fate converged to thrust her into the heart of a cosmic struggle that transcended time and space. Unbeknownst to Ren, she is destined to become something indescribably significant, the chosen one—the beacon of hope foretold by the gods themselves—a revelation that will forever alter the course of her life and the destiny of all existence.

Thinking no more of it, she gazed at the clock and glanced outside with a realisation. Quickly, she shuffled out of her seat, left a ten on the counter for the service and walked back into the chaos of the cityscape. Ren quickly took in the environment and gazed at the sky with a deep and disdained sigh. A block away, she had arrived at a school just before the end of the day when all the students were making their way home.

Without hesitation, Ren stopped in a specific area of the gate, looked up at the dark grey sky, slumped leaning against the gate, and waited. Finally, she gleamed with a smile, catching the sight of a familiar face.

"You took your time, didn't you?" she noted as she approached a rather weedy-looking boy.

"I thought you said you wouldn't skip school today?" He acknowledged her presence in his usual tone of disappointment as he pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

"I am like an ally cat; you know that, Luke. I come in when I want; the rest of the time is irrelevant. Now tell me what I missed, and I will tell you when I found out about the fog." Ren smiled warmly, a smile that Luke typically couldn't resist wanting to know more about, so he flowed along.

Luke had met Ren years ago; they practically grew up together. He met her when he kept noticing her hanging around the back of his parents' flat in the alleyway between the two buildings. When the pair first met, they were about five. He couldn't help but feel drawn to the curiosity that trailed her; Luke had always known she was remarkable for some reason.
One thing that always impressed Luke was Ren's avoidance of getting snatched by the fog. It was one of the deadliest things known to all mortal beings; no one knew where it went or what happened to those who were taken. Luke had always assumed that Ren's parents were snatched by the fog one horrifying evening. But Ren would avoid the topic. He also thought that Ren witnessed it, but her darkest parts were always enigmatic to Luke.