No, it wasn't just an image anymore; it had become a vision playing vividly in my mind. The vision was so clear that it felt like I was no longer merely imagining what was to come, but rather, catching a glimpse of a possible future.
In this vision, the rain relentlessly poured down, drenching everything in its path. The sound of the raindrops hitting the ground echoed in my ears, making it hard to focus on anything else. I turned my head to see my future self standing there, his eyes fixed on something in the distance.
"Te...ssia?" he muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain. I turned to follow his gaze and saw the monster standing on top of something. It took me a moment to realize that the figure lying beneath the creature was Tessia, and my heart skipped a beat.
Tessia's lifeless body lay on the ground, her eyes staring blankly up at the sky. The rain was still pouring down, washing away the blood and grime that covered the ground.
The monster looked down at my future self and licked its lips, as if relishing the thought of his loss. I watched in horror as the creature slowly brought Tessia near its gaping mouth, ready to swallow her whole.
"No... Tessia... Tessia!!!"
Then, the scene shifted, and I saw my future self standing victorious over the charred and lifeless remains of the monster. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burnt flesh, and smoke wafted up from the creature's smoldering corpse. The scene may looked victorious, but the feeling that permeated through my future self was anything but.
Tessia's blood was slowly being washed away by the rain, and I could see that her once-pale lips were now turning a shade of dark blue. It was as if the life had been sucked out of her body, leaving her soulless and empty.
I couldn't imagine the pain my future self must have felt as he stood there, near her dead body. His expression was both comprehensible and incomprehensible at the same time. There was shock, fear, disbelief, and an overwhelming sense of despair etched onto his face, as if he couldn't believe what had happened.
"Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!" The future version of myself screamed, his voice echoing throughout the surroundings. I could feel the intensity of his anguish as if it was my own. In that moment, it was difficult to distinguish whether the scream was his or mine, as it felt like a collective howl of pain and desperation.
"No! No! No! TESSIA!!!"
The agony of this future moment was overwhelming. I felt as though I had been transported into a different timeline, one where my worst nightmare had come true. I could hear my own screams of despair, which sounded so guttural and desperate that they didn't seem like they could have come from me.
"Tessia! Tessia! Tessia!"
My future self collapsed to the ground, clutching Tessia's lifeless body to his chest. His arms were wrapped around her tightly, as if he could somehow bring her back by sheer force of will. But it was too late. Her skin was already cold and her eyes were fixed in a permanent stare.
"No! Please wake up, Tessia! Please!"
Tears streamed down his face as he rocked back and forth, holding Tessia's body close to him.
The pain was unbearable, like a physical weight pressing down on my chest. It felt like the entire world had ended, and I was the only one left to bear witness to it.
"No! Tessia!"
The heat hitting my skin snapped me back to my senses, and the vision disappeared. The heat of the fire was becoming more intense, and I could feel the warmth radiating towards me. It was a stark contrast to the cold, rainy weather outside. As the vision dissipated, I took a moment to collect my thoughts and reorient myself to my surroundings. I was back in my room, but the sound of the rain tapping against the window was now accompanied by the crackling of the flames.
As I struggled to free myself from the creature's footing, I couldn't help but wonder if what I had just seen was a premonition of the future. The thought of losing Tessia was unbearable, and my heart was beating rapidly in my chest. I had to do something, anything to save her.
My heart raced as I watched in horror as the creature lifted Tessia up, its jaw opening wider and wider.
"Tessia!" I screamed, trying to reach her. My hand stretched out, desperately grasping at the air, but it was too far away.
"B-Brother!" Her hand also reached out towards me, a silent plea for help. I could see the fear in her eyes, and it only added to my own terror.
The monster opened its mouth wide, as if it was trying to swallow Tessia whole.
With all my might, I pulled and twisted my body, trying to break free from the creature's hold. But the more I struggled, the tighter it seemed to grip me. The creature's skin was rough and scaly, and it felt like its grip was tightening around me like a vice. It was as if it was feeding off my fear, and the more I panicked, the stronger it became.
The creature slowly brought Tessia near its gaping mouth, its jaws opening wider and wider. I could see her tears flowing down her cheeks. I had to do something, but I felt completely helpless.
"Stop! Don't! Please, let her go!" I screamed, trying to plead to the monster despite knowing that it wouldn't answer my plead.
What should I do? What could I do? I thought frantically, as the monster loomed closer, close enough to swallow Tessia whole. The thought of losing Tessia to this creature was unbearable, but I felt helpless in this situation. If only I was a little stronger...
Desperate to do something, anything, I began to chant the incantation for a fireball spell. But as I uttered the words, I felt the full weight of the monster's foot come down on me, crushing me with merciless force. The pressure was so intense that I struggled to speak the incantation, gasping for breath as I tried to summon the magic within me.
Desperately, I tried to circulate my mana, drawing upon the inner reserves of energy that I possessed. As I did so, I focused all of my attention on the task at hand, trying to remember the feeling of casting a spell. I recalled the sensation of energy coursing through my veins, then to my arms, and finally gathering in my fingertips.
And then, suddenly, I felt a spark of energy forming in my fingertips. It was just a small sensation, but it was enough to give me hope. I closed my eyes and concentrated harder, willing the energy to grow stronger. And to my amazement, a small ball of flame burst forth from my hand, hurtling towards the monster's head with incredible speed.
As the ball of flame hit the monster's head, the creature was stunned for a brief moment. I saw this as my opportunity and quickly sprang into action, determined to protect Tessia from any further harm.
I leapt towards the creature's back, scrambling up its enormous frame as quickly as I could.
"B-Brother?!"
Ignoring Tessia's cry of surprise and fear, I grabbed hold of the creature's head with both hands and tried to force it to look away from her.
"Let go of Tessia!" I shouted, as I punched the creature in the head with all my might. My punch was weak and did little damage, but I kept striking the creature repeatedly, hoping it would release its grip on Tessia.
"Grahhhh!" the monster roared as it opened its jaws again, preparing to bite Tessia once more.
"Oh no, you don't!" I exclaimed, quickly positioning my own arm in the way to prevent it from biting her.
"No, brother!" Tessia screamed in terror as she saw the monster's teeth closing in on my arm, but I refused to let go. I coated my arm with my mana, hoping to protect it from the creature's sharp teeth. But the pain was still unbearable, and I could feel its teeth digging into my flesh and making their way towards my bone.
"I-It hurts!" I groaned, as the monster continued to gnaw at my arm, ripping through my mana shield like it was nothing. The pain was almost too much to bear, but I refused to give up.
With every ounce of strength, I punched the creature in the face, but it did no damage. My punches were too weak to make an impact on the monster.
As it continued to gnaw at my arm, I felt the blood gushing out of my wound, the pain throbbing through my body with every heartbeat.
With every passing second, the pain in my arm grew more intense, and I could feel the blood draining from my body.
I gritted my teeth, feeling the pain course through my body. My punches had been too weak, and the monster was still tearing at my arm. Blood flowed freely from my wounds, staining the floor beneath us.
"Brother!" Tessia's voice cut through the pain, and I turned to look at her. Her face was twisted with fear and concern, and I knew I couldn't let her down.
"Don't worry, Tessia," I said through gritted teeth, trying to sound reassuring even as I felt my strength fading. "I won't let this monster hurt you."
Summoning all my willpower, I pushed back against the creature, trying to free my arm from its grip. But it was no use. The monster was too strong, and I was too weak.
In that moment, I realized that I had to try something different. With a deep breath, I focused my mana into my other arm, readying myself to strike with all my might. I knew I only had one shot at this, and I had to make it count.
Gritting my teeth, I swung my arm with all my strength, aiming for the monster's head. The blow landed with a sickening thud, and the creature stumbled backwards, its grip on me and Tessia finally releasing. I fell to the ground, gasping for breath as I clutched my wounded arm.
But even as I lay there, pain coursing through my body, I knew that the battle was far from over. The monster was still there, and it was still a threat to Tessia and me. I had to find a way to defeat it, no matter what the cost.