Daybreak

I never thought my life could take such a chaotic turn. I thought it was unreal-a fever dream, a figment of my imagination, something I'd wake up from any moment. Until now, I'd treated it that way. But as I stood there, my hands wreathed in impossibly white flames, staring down the huntress, I knew this was no dream.

She had already hurt the one who mattered most in this story. I was late, and she knew it. His blood stained the floor, and the scent of it hung heavy in the air. The reality of my situation hit me like a bucket of cold water, finally waking me up.

Isn't this the wish of every teenager? A fantasy world where you have superhuman powers, where you're the chosen one? That's what my old self would've said. But now, standing on the edge of life and death, I knew better.

If I had never followed that voice-the whistling flame that lured me into this mess-I wouldn't be here, ready to sacrifice my life for someone who belonged in this world far more than I ever would. And yet, despite the fear clawing at my chest, I couldn't bring myself to regret it. When life offers you a dream that goes beyond all your expectations, it's not unreasonable to mourn its end.

The huntress smiled at me, almost kindly, as she lunged. And for the first time, I understood what it meant to truly be afraid. But as the flames in my hands roared, I was ready. To reach the end of the story in my own way.