It was on his fourteenth birthday when someone had finally stepped out from the observation deck. It was Okina, someone who was skilled in the dark arts. She always had a suggestive smile on her face, and it made sense why. Her intentions were always wicked, whether that be sexually, or otherwise.
This time, it was otherwise. She approached the platform Higara was hanging above, and soon after the chains had lowered him down to her level. He glared daggers at her, for he knew what she had done to his parents.
"Why...?!" He asked through clenched teeth. "Why am I here!? How could you do such a thing!!"
He tried to launch himself towards her, but the chains held him back. He struggled over and over, while Okina stood there, amused.
"You sure are a feisty one.~" She said, bending down to look at him, as he was leaning forward, trying to move forward to attack her.
"Tell me, what is your name?" She asked, putting a finger on her chin.
Higara growled, as he backed up, the chains going slack.
"My name is Higara..." He launched himself at her again, stopping short in front of her as the chains held him back. "Higara Seikatsu!" He backed up, as he continued throwing himself at her to no avail.
She watched him for a long moment, still looking quite amused.
"Higara Seikatsu, of course! That'd explain the Plasma Current running through you."
She put her hand on his chest, and he froze in his tracks. He wanted to launch himself at her while she was close, but he felt as though he had been trapped in clay.
"Yes." She said. "The lightning Arcane runs through you." Her devious smile turned into a salacious grin. "I'll have it out of you soon enough. Then, maybe I'll have another use for you.~"
Just then, Higara's eyes went wide as he felt a jolt go through his body, starting at his neck, going down towards his feet. His body went limp soon afterwards. Okina removed her hand from his chest, and backed up as the chains raised him high into the air.
She had walked back into the observation deck, and as she did so, the routine continued. He screamed in agony, as each day, more and more electricity was sapped from his body.
About four days afterward, late one night, when production was halted, Higara's body was suddenly lowered back down onto the platform. He awoke soon afterwards, finding that the cuffs had opened as well.
He only realized this when he had stood up in confusion, and the cuffs on his arms slid off and hit the ground with a loud clatter, making him jump hard in the darkness.
"Shh!" He heard a voice say, and he stopped dead in his tracks. "Keep it down, or else I'll never get you out of here!"
Higara knew that voice, and to confirm his guesses, a face became visible in the darkness near him. It was his sister, Crystal. Her hand was glowing softly, and she was using it to help Higara see who it was.
He breathed a sigh of relief. He was happy his older sister was here. She must've been Seventeen by then, he had thought to himself. She was already making use of the combined powers of their mother and father.
He felt his heart break.
Their parents were gone.
Crystal must've saw the expression on his face, as her own expression softened as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.
"I know..." She whispered. "They're gone, but that doesn't matter right now. We have to get you out of here." Higara pulled back from her, tears filling his eyes as he nodded. They threatened to spill over, but he didn't let them fall.
Crystal motioned for him to follow her, and he did so. He honestly had zero idea why she was helping him to begin with. She had always despised him, due to the fact Higara wasn't even a part of their family legitimately. He had been adopted by them. So why would their parents treat him as their own?
Even so, Crystal was helping him. He was tempted to ask, but his survival outweighed his curiosity... for now.
So, they silently trekked through the powerplant. For some reason, there were no operatives- the area Higara was kept in was apparently kept secret, as Crystal told him, but that didn't explain why there weren't any workers in the maintenance line.
"Where are all the workers?" He asked quietly.
Crystal cut him a glance. At first it looked like a glare due to the lighting, but at second glance he saw the pain in her expression.
Oh.
He swallowed hard. He had just noticed the discolorations on her clothes. That shut him up. He didn't dare look at the maintenance lines again.
They walked through the powerplant for several minutes. How could it be this large? It should've been impossible. His legs ached, due to not being able to walk for almost over a year. But he had to push forward- He had to survive.
"We're nearing the exit..." Crystal said suddenly, catching Higara off guard. "but dont count on our luck just yet. Something is watching us..."
This put Higara on high alert, especially as he began to hear a... scuttling sound? He couldn't describe it. It was almost like the crawling sound effects movie producers use for centipedes. It made chills go down his spine.
Crystal must've heard it too, as she stopped dead in her tracks. The light in her hand expanded, until the whole room was lit up.
And thats when he saw it.
Along the walls were thousands and thousands of unidentifiable black bugs, that were about the size of a bottle cap. They all moved in unison, almost making it seem that the walls were alive.
One thing spoke in Higara's mind at the sight of this: Fear.
That feeling was increased as a chuckle echoed through the room. Crystal tensed at the sound, and Higara looked around frantically, trying to find the source.
"Look what we have here." The voice echoed through the room, and the bugs that lined the walls, piled unto one another, reacted to the voice.
Wait. Were they resonating the voice? Or perhaps... was the voice coming from all the bugs at once?
Crystal's eyes narrowed, as she raised a single hand up high. The hand flashed brightly, as thin streams of light shot out almost like a disco ball, at rapid speeds. A burning smell filled the room, as Higara realized that with each stream that was shot, a bug was burned alive.
It wasn't long before the walls were clear of bugs, as they dropped one by one, piling along the edges as burn carcasses. The smell was awful. It almost made Higara puke.
"I know you're here!" Crystal shouted. Thats when she appeared: Okina. The smoke coming off the burnt bugs went into the center of the room and gathered, until she had been formed.
She still seemed amused. Like she was still in control of the whole situation.
"So the sister came to help you?" She giggled. "What an unexpected turn of events!"
Crystal got in front of Higara. Higara didn't cower, but after being relentlessly harmed by the person in front of him, wave after wave of fear washed over him as Okina stared them down.
"Higara." Crystal said, not looking back at him. "I need you to run. Run as fast as you can, away from here. And never stop running."
Higara blinked, looking up at his sister. He always somewhat had a disliking towards her, due to how she always treated him, but this time? Now? He felt as though he was just starting to repair a bond with someone important to him.
However, he didn't have a choice. In Crystal's left hand, a long glass rod formed. The room felt hot for a moment, because it was molten glass, but it quickly cooled as the staff grew in her hand.
Okina's amused smile turned into that of a grin.
"So that's how we're gonna play it?" In Okina's left hand, her own weapon formed. A spear, capable of stealing the blood and life force of anything it cuts.
"Alright," she said, readying her weapon. "I guess I'll play with you for a little bit."
And thats when hell broke loose. Crystal slammed her staff into the ground, causing glass shards to swirl around her almost appearing to be in slow motion, seeming forming a shield around her, while a dark energy erupted from Okina's body.
That's when Higara knew he had to go. His body became charged with electricity, as he bolted towards the exit. He felt a pull, slowing him down. He wanted to go back and help his sister, but he knew he had to run.
But he wasn't paying attention. Along one of the walls, which was lined with equipment, was a outstretched piece of metal. Higara's let caught it, and it cut deep into his leg. He tripped, falling flat on his face, energy sparking off him. He cried out in pain. It burned. It stung. But he had to keep going.
He turned onto his back, and as he tried to push himself up, he saw the fight between Crystal and Okina. Their weapons collided several times, as they spin wildly. Shards of glass danced around the room frantically, accompanied by Okina's dark energy.
However, Okina's spear wielding abilities far outmatched Crystals. With one twirl, blood erupted from Crystals chest as a huge gash was cut across it. She screamed out, but she didn't seem to be through just yet.
Okina realized this. The dark energy surrounded them pulsated, as it blew away the shards of glass, and all at once, it became a single cloud of movement as it forced itself down Crystals throat.
Higara stared, wide eyed, as Crystal was lifted into the air, writhing in agony. She didn't scream. All she did was shudder violently, her back arched.
"This is how it comes to an end for you," Okina said, her hand stretched out towards the body. "I hope you're happy with your decision."
She raised her spear, which was in her other hand, and threw it at Crystal. It impaled her, and instantly her body went limp.
Higara cried out. "No!" His hand outstretched. Now he knew he had to leave. He forced himself up, and turned back towards the exit. He had to get out of here, now.
Despite the searing pain in his leg, Higara ran. His body became charged with electricity, as he ran towards the exit, fast. When he approached the door, he slammed his hands into it, and it was blasted off.
He ran out, gaining speed. His leg was in so much pain, but he had to push it. He had to get away. Away from the powerplant. Away from Okina.
Away from Crystal's memory.
His body began to surge, more and more, until the world slowed around him. He kept his speed, but the world began to slow around him as he ran from the plant. Faster, and faster.
Until he suddenly heard a huge boom, followed by a huge burst of speed. The world lit up around him, as he was lurched forward. He landed face first on the ground, where he was knocked out.
Higara woke up several hours later. He was exhausted, his leg was in pain, and as he glanced around... he had no idea where he was. He was outside of the powerplant before, but now, he was somewhere completely different. A dense forest surrounded him, and it was filled with many plants and animals he had never seen before.
In fact, there was even a type of bunny he had never seen before, sniffing at his face.
He scrambled up to his feet, as the bunny ran off. Several other creatures did the same, as they were startled by him.
He glanced around. Where was the powerplant? Where was He? And what was-
His train of thought was cut off, as he saw the massive energy barrier behind him. It stretched up towards the sky, and stretched across the landscape as far as he could see. It moved, too, like someone had blown a gigantic bubble.
He understood now, what that huge boom must've been. Perhaps with his speed, he had somehow managed to bust through this... barrier.
And now he was trapped here.
He fell to his knees, painfully.
"Why..." He asked quietly. "Why is this happening?"
He was brought back to his feet as he heard the sound of footsteps crunching on leaves. He stood up, and turned hastily in that direction.
A cloaked figured walked out of the foliage. Higara couldn't see past the vast darkness in his hood, at his efforts to make out the figure's face.
"And so another one passes through the barrier," it spoke. "perhaps searching for answers. Maybe, searching for others like him. Or a new place to call home."
Higara stared. He had no idea what this figure was talking about.
"Well, rest assured young one, you will find all that you are looking for here. In this place, this kingdom, that has been trapped in time..." A sudden gust blew through the area, causing the figure's cloak to blow in the win.
"Young one, welcome... to Briar." Suddenly, the cloak blew off the figure, but to Higara's surprise, no one was there underneath it.
He stared at where the figure had been standing, for the longest time. He looked up at the sky.
"Briar, huh...?" He said, deep in thought.
"Guess this is where I start surviving."