You Can Never Go Home

ᴘʀᴏʟᴏɢᴜᴇ

Arc One: Snowfall

"Sometimes the place you are used to is not the place you belong."

Smoke curled and billowed over the treetops, tainting the once-blue sky with its black smog. Once fresh, the air was sour, searing your lungs with each inhale. Raw and bone-chilling screams filled the once quaint village as people scrambled toward the forest.

A growl rippled through the air, cutting through the panic as a blur rushed toward those unfortunate enough to be caught in its inky maw. It was relentless, the creature only looking for blood as its victims' shouts cut off with a sickly snap. With an outstretched hand, an avalanche of ice stopped the shadow in its tracks, melting back into the ground from whence it came.

Blood slowly trailed down the length of your arm, falling from your fingertips to the dirt below you. It took effort to breathe as the onslaught of shadows rushed forward, not relenting for even a moment. Your body screams in protest with every dodge and strike, but you forcefully ignore its desperate pleas.

Barely, you roll out of the way, heart pounding in your chest as a wall of shadows shoots past, the black tendrils grazing your skin like icy fingertips. Struggling to stay on your feet, you groan. The sword in your hand felt heavy in your grip, the aura of blue magic surrounding the blade dimming with each passing moment.

Your throat tightened as a black shadow rushed toward you, the pure magic sickeningly suffocating. Quickly, you raised the sword, the blade pulsating with a vibrant, cerulean glow as it clashed with another. Shakily, your eyes raised to meet those of pure darkness, the eyes of the man you hated with every inch of your soul.

With a snarl, you pushed him back. Your chest constricting and twisting as your soul hummed. A powerful stream of water shot toward him in a sudden burst of magic, the liquid moving faster than a bullet. But the ever-elusive male easily sidestepped the attack, a wicked grin playing on his lips. He moved with a fluidity that almost seemed inhuman, his demeanor bordering on amusement.

"Is that all you've got, my dear?" he taunted, his voice a sinister purr. "You'll have to do better than that to defeat me."

Your eyes flashed, your iris glowing a brilliant blue. Summoning the last reserves of your strength, you lunged forward once more. Both of your blades connect, the vibration reverberating through your arms. With a twist of your wrist, you shifted his dark blade to the ground. Quickly, you darted past his defenses, determination etched across your face. The lives of everyone you loved, of the whole world, lay on your shoulders, and you weren't going down without a fight.

Summoning water once more, you channeled your anguish and anger into your power, forcing the liquid to transform into deadly ice as it hurtled toward him. Without even a blink of effort, he fell into the shadows below him, the ice landing where he once was.

"Such resolve," he mused, his voice dripping with mockery. "But you're fighting a losing battle. I will always win." He growled, his magic spiking as he darted toward you, and this time you were too slow.

A wave of shadows surged forward, slamming into you with a sickening crack. Your body flew, skidding against the broken terrain before stopping as you collided with stone. All you felt was an overwhelming, searing pain coursing through every fiber of your being. You couldn't think, your body screaming in agony.

His cruel laughter seemed to reverberate in your head. A haunting echo as your vision wavered, and you could barely make out the sound of footsteps approaching. With a grunt, you summoned every ounce of remaining strength, attempting to rise again, but you faltered, your body collapsing beneath the weight of exhaustion.

His chilling voice cut through the haze of pain, dripping with malice. "As much as I enjoy this game, [Name], I'm growing tired of this." He approached you, his footsteps echoing like a sinister drumbeat. His cold finger, filled with power, lifted your chin, forcing you to meet his soulless eyes. "Don't be too upset by the loss, little hero. My victory was inevitable. Perhaps you can find solace in the fact you won't be here to witness me destroying this pathetic and cruel world."

His words, laced with cruelty, sent a shiver down your spine. You knew the gravity of the situation. The world as you knew it hung in the balance, and you were on the brink of defeat. Despite that, you still met his gaze. "I won't let you win." You spat. His grin widened, the malice in his eyes growing as he reveled in your defiance.

"Any last words?" he sneered, the shadows around him growing as the aura of dark magic engulfed him. Your eyes fluttered shut, fingers closing around a small, circular object around your neck. Quickly, you whispered an incantation that you had memorized long ago. One you promised you wouldn't use. The man facing you tilted his head, a twisted curiosity gleaming in his eyes as he strained to catch the murmured words.

"What was that?" he wondered, his voice dripping with disdain. "I couldn't quite hear it over your pitiful whimpers." Swiftly, your eyes snapped open, now a blinding white as the device in your hand unfurled, revealing the ancient magic you had been entrusted with long ago. A brilliant white light radiated from its core as you brought the pocketwatch in front of you, letting it hover in the space that separated you both. Recognition flashed across his face as he recoiled. His shadows quivered, in fear or anger you didn't know.

"No." He whispered. His gaze met yours, his eyes lighting up in fury. "You fool! What have you done? It'll take us both!" he hissed, panic seeping into his voice. You smirked, tasting the sharp tang of iron on your tongue as you dropped the pocketwatch onto the dirt.

"So be it." The watch's glow stopped momentarily, seemingly frozen in time, before a blinding light exploded outward. A sea of pure magic washed over the both of you, the white void expanding with unstoppable force. Quickly the male's enraged screams were swallowed by the brilliance.

Your body shifted as the magic pulsed, dragging your body across the uneven ground as you were drawn into the swirling portal alongside him. The world blurred into a mesmerizing and disorienting vortex of light and energy. Weightless and powerless, you felt yourself falling, your vision fading as the overwhelming magic consumed you.

In that fleeting moment, the world fell silent, the sensation of falling lingering as your consciousness slipped away, leaving you in the embrace of darkness.