Shadow Child

Chapter 1

Heyyy
I'm back!

This is the rewrite of "I Know the Future" and as you may notice, I changed A LOT. The Kazengan doesn't exist anymore. It's a different power now and that's why I gave it another name. Originally, I wanted to start a new fic with this ability, but then I thought: Hey, why not combine it with this story?
So that's exactly what I did.
I'll try to be more active, but I can't promise anything. Sorry.

//Warnings for this book: Death, gore, blood, abuse, trauma.//

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Exhaling slowly, I stared at the blue sky which looked particularly bright today. Quite ironic, considering how this was supposed to be my darkest day. I had hoped for rain so I could prolong this pathetic life. My life. But seeing the clear sky now felt like even the weather was mocking me, waiting for my struggling to finally end. My eyes followed the few birds flying above me. I used to envy them for their wings and their freedom but now my mind was eerily calm and for the first time in what felt like — and probably was — forever, I relaxed, leaning my head against the wooden pole I was tied to. The rope cut into my wrists when I tried to adjust my arms, and I felt splinter digging into my skin.

Ah, the weather was so nice today. What a shame I'd be dead soon.

The pressure in my ears suddenly disappeared with a pop and I could hear the cheering again. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about them. I stopped staring at the sky and fixated my gaze on the crowd surrounding the stake I'd soon be burned alive on. What a fun way to go.

One of the knights approached me, a lit torch in his hand. A smile stretched on his face, excited he'd be the one to light the fire that'd kill me. Sick bastard. Anger bubbled in my stomach, and I glared at this weak shithead who would burn me, not the mage that actually caught me. The coward didn't even finish the job. Pathetic. I gritted my teeth to the point it hurt when I looked back at the crowd. They acted like I was the worst criminal even though none of them even knew who I was. It wasn't like I was wanted. I hated them, I hated all of them. It made my blood boil seeing them so happy and healthy, while the rest of the world starved and rotted away. Just because they were rich. Just because they were born into wealth. Disgusting.

Counting to ten, I took a deep breath, probably my last one, considering how the knight already lit the straw under my feet. I'd love to kill them all, but it was already too late. There was no way I'd survive this. And this wasn't even a fun death. Truly a shame.

First came the heat, making me sweat and cough from the smoke. But I'd have gladly inhaled all the smoke, if that meant I didn't have to experience the pain that followed. Oh, the pain. I thought I knew what being hurt felt like. I was wrong. Never in my life could I have imagined this pain, this agony. I screamed and cried, until the fire reached my vocal cords, and I couldn't scream anymore. The smell of my own burning flesh filled my lungs, engraving itself in my mind. I could feel how the fire slowly ate through the layers of my skin, then my flesh and muscles, then my bones. The pain grew worse and worse, causing my whole body to shake violently. Then it suddenly stopped, alongside my heartbeat.

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Screams. Someone was in pain. Why? What happened? A frown tugged on my eyebrows when I heard cheering and laughter. Someone was hurt, why did no one help them? But the voice kind of seemed familiar, who was that? Wait, where was I? Why couldn't I see? It didn't feel like my eyes were closed. I tried grabbing something, anything, but I couldn't move. Panic latched onto me, the gravity of it seemingly pressing me down and sending my mind into a spiralling mess. I couldn't understand what was happening, as the screams grew louder and louder, piercing my brain. Please just make it stop.