Dark's Pre Crisis

Echoes Of The Past And Cron's Entertainment Battle.

Dark found himself standing in the heart of a dense forest, the familiar sounds of nature surrounding him. The air was filled with the scent of pine and damp earth, the leaves rustling softly in the gentle breeze. But there was something different, something off. The usual comforting silence was thick with an eerie stillness, and the shadows seemed to pulse with a life of their own.

Dark: (thinking) Where am I? This place... it feels familiar.

He took a step forward, the ground soft beneath his feet. As he moved, the scene around him began to shift and change. The trees grew taller, their branches intertwining to form a canopy that blocked out the sky. Suddenly, he was no longer in the forest of his childhood, but in the grand hallways of the Academy of the Elites.

Dark: (looking around) The Academy... how did I get here?

In the distance, he saw a younger version of himself, no more than a boy, walking alongside Leona. They were laughing, their faces lit with the carefree joy of youth.

Leona: (younger version) Dark, you have to see this! It's amazing!

Young Dark: What is it, Leona?

The scene shifted again, and Dark was now standing in a training yard, watching as his younger self sparred with Tier. The camaraderie and competition were evident in their movements, each pushing the other to their limits.

Tier: (younger version) Come on, Dark! You can do better than that!

Young Dark: (laughing) Only if you can keep up, Tier!

Dark felt a pang of nostalgia and sadness as he watched these moments from his past. He had pushed these memories aside, focusing only on his quest for power. But now, seeing them again, he realized how much they had shaped him.

Dark: (thinking) I never wanted this... I never wanted to be alone.

The scene darkened, the vibrant colors fading into shades of gray. Dark turned, sensing a presence behind him. There, standing in the shadows, was Retsyu. His eyes glowed with a malevolent light, and his form seemed to blend into the darkness.

Retsyu: (echoing) You cannot escape me, Dark. You stepped into the wrong home.

Dark: (angry) What the hell?! It's not my fault that I had to-

Retsyu cuts him off.

Retsyu: (smiling) To show you the truth. The power you seek comes with a price. Are you willing to pay it?

As Retsyu spoke, the shadows around Dark grew darker, closing in on him. He felt a cold dread seep into his bones, the weight of his choices pressing down on him.

Young Dark: (pleading) Why are you doing this? Why push everyone away?

Dark turned to see his younger self standing before him, eyes filled with confusion and sorrow.

Dark: (desperate) I... I didn't want to lose anyone. I thought I could protect them by staying away.

Young Dark: (softly) But you lost yourself in the process.

Retsyu: (echoing) Embrace the darkness, Dark. Only then will you find the strength you seek.

The vision began to blur, reality and memory merging into a swirling vortex of emotions. Dark felt himself being pulled in every direction, the conflict within him reaching a fever pitch.

Voice: (distant) Dark... wake up...

The voice grew louder, cutting through the chaos. Dark's eyes snapped open, and he found himself back in the cave, his body drenched in sweat. Tier and Gilmuar were by his side, their faces etched with concern.