Seven Ways To The Abyss

WHISPERS OF ASH AND SHADOWS

Darkness wrapped around Damian like a shroud as he tossed fitfully on his bed. Flickers of light danced before his eyes, sharpening into a memory he could never escape.

In his dream, chaos was everywhere—smoke and flames as people screamed, ran, and fought in desperation. Buildings burned, the sky choked with ash, and the metallic scent of blood filled the air. Amidst the carnage, his brother’s face stood out, stern and resolute, gripping his weapon tightly. Damian felt his heart race, a desperate urge building within him.

“Take me with you!” he shouted, trying to step forward, but his brother held out a firm hand.

“No. Stay at home and take care of Mum. That’s your job, Damian. Take care of her for me.”

A pang of disappointment lanced through Damian, but he nodded reluctantly. He wanted to be strong like his brother—to fight and protect the people he loved. He watched his brother’s back as he strode into the fray, fierce and unstoppable. But soon, Damian’s heart sank as he saw his brother falter, enemies closing in from all sides. Blood stained his clothes, his steps growing heavy with each wound that sapped his strength.

Damian couldn’t hold back. He rushed forward, screaming his brother’s name, trying to help, only to stumble in the middle of the battle, almost tripping over a fallen soldier. His brother’s eyes flashed with fear—not for himself, but for Damian. And in his desperation to protect his younger sibling, his brother turned, exposing himself to a brutal blow.

Time slowed. Damian could only watch, helpless, as his brother took the hit meant for him. Blood poured from his wounds, his knees buckling. He fell, and with a final, ragged breath, he pulled Damian close, his hands cupping Damian’s face. There was warmth in his brother’s gaze, even as life faded from it.

“Take care of Mum,” he whispered, the words barely audible over the chaos around them. “Please.”

And then he was gone.

The noisy battlefield seemed like a silent graveyard, with nothing but his brother’s ragged breath lingering in the air. Damian’s hands shook, his body trembled as panic set in.

“He’s dead… my brother is dead.”

The thought raced through his mind in horror. He had lost his only sibling.

“Nooooo!” he let out a horrendous scream, the sound swallowed by the chaos around him.

Perhaps he was too small for the soldiers to notice, or maybe they showed him mercy, but no one came for his life as he dragged his brother’s lifeless body, tears streaming down his face.

Damian’s eyes snapped open, his body drenched in sweat. His chest heaved, breaths coming in sharp gasps as he tried to calm his racing heart. The room was still, shadows creeping along the walls, yet the images from his nightmare lingered, tearing at him like an open wound. He ran a trembling hand through his hair, trying to steady himself.

A sudden knock at the door broke the silence, snapping him back to reality. He stiffened, instinctively reaching for his vines as he took a cautious step towards the door. He cracked it open, only to find Mika, his inquisitive neighbour, peering up at him with a curious expression.

“Good morning!” she said, her smile a bit too bright. “I wanted to check in and see how you were settling in… and maybe have a look around. I mean, I haven’t seen Mrs Naila in a while—it’d be nice if I stopped by, don’t you think?”

Mika felt like she was talking to the air; Damian just stared at her with a distant look.

“Naila?” he asked, his reply slow.