Dark's Pre Crisis

Returning Home Only To Find More Problems.

The journey back to Tier's house was long and filled with silence. Each member of the group was lost in their thoughts, the recent battles weighing heavily on their minds. The forest path was familiar, yet it felt different, as if the shadows of their past encounters still lingered around them.

Leona: (quietly) It feels strange to be going back. Like everything's changed.

Gilmuar: (nodding) We've been through so much. It's hard to believe we're finally heading home.

Cron: (sighing) If you can call it home. It's more of a temporary refuge.

Dark: (determined) It's still a place where we can regroup and plan our next moves. But I need to check on something first.

They continued walking, the familiar sight of Tier's house coming into view. The once sturdy structure now seemed a bit more fragile, as if it too had borne the brunt of their battles. As they approached, Dark stopped and turned to face the group.

Dark: I need to go to my first home. I haven't been there in a long time, and I need to check on it. Make sure it's still standing.

Tier: (concerned) Are you sure? It might not be safe.

Dark: (nodding) I have to do this. I'll meet you back here soon.

Leona: (worriedly) Be careful, Dark.

Dark gave a reassuring nod before turning and heading down a different path. His first home wasn't far, but it felt like a world away. Memories flooded his mind as he walked, recalling the days when he was just a child, raised by nature itself.

As he neared his old home, a sense of unease crept over him. The once peaceful clearing now buzzed with energy, the air thick with the scent of magic. Dark slowed his pace, his instincts on high alert. As he approached, he saw a group of students and a few teachers from the Academy of the Elites gathered around his home, their hands glowing with magical energy.

Teacher 1: (commanding) Remember, this exercise is to help you strengthen your control over destructive spells. This area seems abandoned, so it's a perfect practice ground.

Student 1: (hesitantly) Are you sure no one lives here? It feels like it's been untouched for a long time.

Teacher 2: (firmly) Focus on your spells. This is a valuable training opportunity.

As the students began to channel their magic, Dark's eyes widened. He couldn't let them destroy his home, a place filled with precious memories. Just as their spells were about to make contact, a sudden force canceled out the magic, causing it to dissipate into the air.

The entire area was suddenly enveloped in thick smoke and mist of darkness, obscuring the view of Dark's home. The students and teachers gasped, trying to understand what had just happened.

Student 2: (panicking) What's going on? Where did this smoke come from?

Teacher 1: (shouting) Stay calm! Hold your positions!

Amidst the confusion, glowing red eyes began to pierce through the darkness. Slowly, a human figure emerged from within the smoke. As the mist started to clear, the figure's cloak became visible, and the realization struck the onlookers.

It was Dark.

The smoke and mist swirled around Dark as he stepped forward, his eyes glowing red with intensity. The students and teachers froze, their spells forgotten as they stared at him in shock.

Dark: (coldly) What do you think you're doing here?

Teacher 1: (recovering from the shock) We... we thought this place was abandoned. We were just using it for training purposes.

Dark: (stepping closer) This is my home. It is not abandoned, and it is certainly not your training ground.

Student 1: (nervously) We're sorry, we didn't know...

Dark: (firmly) Leave now, before I lose my patience.

Teacher 2: (hesitating) Wait, Dark. We're from the Academy of the Elites. We're not here to cause trouble. Our intention was to help our students become stronger.

Dark: (eyes narrowing) By destroying my home? You should be more careful where you choose to practice your spells.

The tension in the air was palpable. The teachers exchanged worried glances, realizing they had underestimated the significance of the place they had chosen.

Teacher 1: (sighing) We apologize. We truly didn't know. We'll leave immediately.

Dark: (nodding) Good. Make sure this doesn't happen again.

As the teachers began to gather their students and prepare to leave, one of the students stepped forward, looking at Dark with a mix of curiosity and admiration.

Student 2: (respectfully) Dark, sir. I've heard stories about you at the Academy. You're a legend. Why are you out here, away from everything?

Dark: (softening slightly) Legends have a way of getting twisted. I'm just trying to protect what's important to me.

Student 2: (nodding) Understood. Thank you for sparing us.

Dark watched as the group from the Academy of the Elites left the clearing, their expressions a mix of embarrassment and relief. As the last of them disappeared into the forest, the tension began to dissipate, and the mist slowly cleared.

Dark: (thinking) This place holds too many memories. I can't let it be destroyed.

He walked around his old home, checking for any signs of damage. Everything seemed to be intact, and a sense of calm washed over him. He needed this moment of peace, a reminder of simpler times. The memories of his childhood flooded back, moments of innocence and wonder before the chaos of his current life.

Dark: (thinking) It's hard to believe how much has changed. This place... it's like a sanctuary amidst the storm.

As night fell, Dark rejoined his friends at their camp. They gathered around the fire, sharing stories and strengthening their bond. But as they settled in for the night, Dark couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to do more.

Dark: (thinking) I need answers. Maybe the academy can provide some insight.

The next morning, as the first light of dawn broke through the trees, Dark made his decision. He approached his friends, who were beginning to stir from their sleep.

Dark: I've decided to go back to the academy.

Leona: (rubbing her eyes) Are you sure? It's dangerous out there.

Dark: (nodding) I have to do this. I need to revisit that place....

Gilmuar: (concerned) We'll hold down the fort. Just... come back in one piece.

Dark: (smiling) I will.

With a final nod, Dark set off towards the academy. The journey was long and filled with memories of his time there. As he walked through the dense forest, the path seemed both familiar and foreign, echoes of his past mingling with the present.

The sun rose higher, casting dappled light through the canopy of trees. Birds chirped, and the forest gradually came to life. Dark's pace was steady, his mind focused on the task ahead. He knew the journey would be challenging, but he was determined to find the answers he sought.

Dark: (thinking) The academy....that's the only modern structure that caught my attention back then....

Hours passed, and the forest began to thin, giving way to open fields. Dark's heart quickened as he saw the distant spires of the academy, rising like sentinels against the sky. Memories of his time as a student flooded back—training, friendships, challenges overcome.

As he approached the gates, he felt a mixture of nostalgia and apprehension. The grand entrance of the Academy of the Elites loomed before him, imposing and familiar. The iron gates, intricately wrought with symbols of knowledge and power, stood ajar, inviting yet foreboding.

End Of Chapter 19.