It was hell.
Pillars of smoke rose high into the sky, staining the clouds black as flames ate away at my surroundings.
Alone, I walked through the chaos ignoring the corpses strewn about. I covered my ears I limped in a feeble attempt to ignore the cries of those burning alive.
I didn't know where to go or what to do as I journeyed through this hellscape. All I had was a desire to escape this nightmare and find a way out.
Each step I took tested both my mind and body as I fought against the pain in my heart eating away at my will to live. I didn't have the strength to save anyone and was forced to watch as they struggled to survive.
"Keep moving forward." Was all I could tell myself in the face of such a disaster. It was hard to stay focused as I walked past children trapped under the rubble of their own homes reaching out their hands and crying out for help. All I could do was walk past them without sparing a glance.
At the time I thought if I stayed strong, and didn't falter in the face of such a disaster I could at least find a way out.
I couldn't be more wrong.
The determination that kept me going was nothing more than a means of prolonging my own suffering. Regardless of how far I walked or what direction I took, I would always end up stopping exactly where I started, the town square.
There was no escape, I was trapped.
At that point, all I could do was stop dead in my tracks as voices of contempt entered my mind. I tried so hard to escape on my own, going so far as to ignore everyone else, yet I couldn't even find a way out.
My legs gave out on me, and I collapsed onto the ground. As darkness slowly began to obscure my view the voices in my head grew louder and louder. I didn't have the strength to fight, nor the will. So I just waited for death to come. Yet even as the flames began to engulf me it didn't come.
All that arrived, was the rain.
. . .
I opened my eyes. Rather than being greeted by the sight of a darkened sky, all I saw was a wooden ceiling. Rising from beneath the covers I took a look at my surroundings. "This is… the dorm." I let out a sigh of relief once I realized that it was just another nightmare before resting against the headboard of my bed.
I took a moment to appreciate the peace I was in.
"Does this need to happen every day?" Years ago, I lost everything to a monster flood. Though the monsters were all killed, what was left was just absolute ruin. Everyone, my friends, family, and neighbors had all died. I was the sole survivor. The merchants who routinely came to the village managed to find me beneath some rubble. They considered my survival to be by the blessing of some god.
"I'm already halfway into the dirt, why do I have to suffer with the little time I have?" I thought the opposite. Every night I was tormented by nightmares and despite surviving my mana heart was shattered. At best, I can live 10 years if I avoid being around mana-rich environments.
"Let's not be so pessimistic..." I told myself. "I can't die yet." Even with the pain that came with being alive I never once gave up on living. Rather all it did was motivate me to live a better life, and it's because of that, I'm here.
"I guess it's time." Looking out the window of my dorm I saw students heading to the main building of the campus.
"Argonaut Academy…" This place was arguably the most prestigious school in the kingdom of Elris. Let alone surviving a whole semester, just managing to get past the enrollment test was enough to guarantee someone the title of baron.
"No matter what it takes... I'll make it to the top." It costed me an arm and leg just to undergo the test. Thankfully I managed to pass it and become a student. Although there were arguably better places to go with my lack of support as a commoner, I wasn't here because of the potential luxuries I could get from being a student. Rather it was the prize that would gifted to the top graduate that caught my eye.
The Holy Elixir, a divine medicine that took the combined efforts of the seven Arch Magicians from the White Mages Tower to create. With it, any wound, even a shattered mana heart could be healed.
As the sole survivor of that monster flood, I couldn't let the lives lost that day be wasted on someone like me who only had a few years to live. I don't care what it takes, I'll do anything in my power to get my hands on that treasure and live a proper life to make up for everyone who died that day.
"It's time to get to work." Without wasting any further time, I got out of bed and put on my uniform. Even if the entrance ceremony was the only thing happening today, I couldn't be late. After all, I am chasing the seat of number one in this school filled with geniuses.