Jaden stood on a hill overlooking a vast field with the blacksmith. The sun was setting, painting the sky with shades of pink and orange.
"Why do you do the things you do?" The blacksmith asked, breaking the peaceful silence.
Jaden was taken aback by the question. "What do you mean?" he asked, looking at the blacksmith.
"If you were granted great power, what would you change about this world?" the blacksmith asked, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
Jaden paused and thought for a moment before answering. "I would rid the world of evil," he said confidently.
The blacksmith looked at him with a curious expression. "Interesting," he said, stroking his chin. "But do you not understand that good cannot exist without evil? They are two sides of the same coin, and removing one would upset the balance of the universe."
Jaden felt conflicted by the blacksmith's words. He looked out at the peaceful scene before him, the cows grazing peacefully in the fields.
"You lost someone" The blacksmith suddenly said, snapping Jaden out of his reverie.
Jaden looked up at him with a mix of surprise and sadness before he finally looked away.
"I miss him" Jaden finally said after a long silence.
"You will be alright" The blacksmith assured him, tapping him on the back gently.
Jaden let out a heavy sigh as he stared at the field, taking in deep breaths.
Suddenly, he felt a gentle tug on his shirt. He looked down to see the little girl, who had been with them all along, looking up at him with her bright, innocent eyes.
"She hasn't spoken a word," Jaden said, looking up at the blacksmith.
The blacksmith nodded, a pensive look on his face. "Perhaps she has nothing to say," he said with a small smile.
Jaden looked back down at the little girl, feeling a sense of protectiveness wash over him. He scooped her up into his arms, and she smiled up at him.
Suddenly, everything changed. Jaden was no longer on the peaceful hilltop, but in the middle of a dark, desolate battlefield. Bodies littered the ground around him, and dark storm clouds filled the sky.
Jaden looked around frantically, trying to make sense of what was happening. He felt a sudden jolt of fear as he saw the blacksmith, his face covered in blood and a deep gash in his skull.
Even with the blood covering the blacksmith's face, he could still trace the outline of his lips curving into a smile.
"Wake up!" The blacksmith roared.
___
Jaden struggled to come to his senses as he heard the blacksmith's voice ringing in his ears. The voice became increasingly distant as he felt himself slipping into the darkness that consumed him. In this space, he felt like he was spiraling out of control, devoid of any sound or sensation. He struggled to regain his bearings, but it felt like he was floating aimlessly.
As he embraced the darkness, Jaden heard a deep voice.
"Wake up!".
He slowly opened his eyes, squinting from the brightness that surrounded him. Blinking a few times, his surroundings gradually became visible. He found himself lying in a bed, hooked up to a beeping machine.
"Hey honey," Jaden heard a whisper and turned to see his mother sitting beside him. She wore a smile on her face, though tears threatened to spill from her eyes. A few drops fell on Jaden's face.
"You came back to me," Lilian said, her voice breaking as she grasped Jaden's hand.
Jaden was silent for a moment, trying to make sense of what had happened. He gazed up at his mother and asked, "Where am I?" His voice was weak, and he struggled to form the words.
Lilian wiped the tears off her face and took a deep breath before answering. "You've been in a coma for over a month now," she explained gently, rubbing his hair back with a tender touch.
"You had me worried," Lilian added, her voice cracking once again.
Jaden tried to sit up but found that his body wasn't responding as it should. He felt unsteady, and his limbs felt weak.
"Don't move, sweetheart. You need to rest. Let me get the doctor," Lilian said before quickly leaving the room.
Jaden's eyes wandered around the stark, white room as he sighed, his thoughts scattered and confused. Was he really awake? Was this reality or just another nightmare? But then he saw her, his mother, and the warmth in his chest was undeniable.
A man in a lab coat entered the room, and Jaden's attention was brought back to the present. The doctor approached his bed with a friendly smile. "You're finally awake," he said.
Jaden watched as the doctor checked his vitals and nodded in satisfaction. "He can leave in the next hour. All he needs is enough rest at this point," the doctor explained.
"Thank you," Lilian expressed her gratitude before the doctor left the room.
Jaden's mother looked at him with a smile, and he felt her embrace, a mix of joy and concern in her hold. "Ah, Mum, I'm still recovering," Jaden giggled as he spoke.
"You made me worry, so I'm going to hug the hell out of you!" Lilian said, still holding on to him tightly.
Jaden let out another sigh, "I'm fine," he assured his mother.
"Alex has been visiting you every day, hoping you'll wake up, but you just slept there with no care in the world," Lilian said, finally releasing him from her grip.
As she spoke, Jaden's mind was drawn to the world outside the room. "A lot has happened while you were having your beauty sleep. The insurgency seems to be doubling every day, different military bases have been hit by this terrorist group. The unfortunate part is the fact that they have the support of half of the world's population."
"The world?" Jaden asked, curious.
"Yes. They are everywhere, not just in Thalassia, but in almost every region of the world. Their motto is 'Power to the powerless,'" Lilian shuddered as she said the words.
"They are not your everyday terrorists group" Jaden decided to sit up, feeling a bit stronger now.
"You could say so," Lilian responded with a sad expression.
"I'll go get your things, so we can leave," she said, stepping out of the room.
___
The room was dimly lit, the only source of light being the flickering candles that surrounded the throne. The figure seated on the large throne was the epitome of power, his presence radiating a powerful aura that commanded attention. He had his right elbow resting on the armrest of his throne, his chin resting on his fist as he stared blankly.
Suddenly, a door opened, casting a dark shadow onto the already eerie room. Another figure walked in, cautiously approaching the throne, and stopping before it. As he arrived before the throne, the figure went down on one knee, with his head bowed in submission.
"First phase completed, Prideful. What's next?"
There was silence for a while, before the figure on the throne stood up as he walked towards the other on his knees.
"Now, now we watch them crumble," he said, letting out a humorless giggle. The sound of his laughter filled the room with a sense of dread, sending chills down the spine of the kneeling figure.
***