In a world on the brink of oblivion, bodies lay scattered as far as the eye could see. The landscape was barren, devoid of greenery, lifeless. Even the air felt dry, suffocating, as if the very essence of existence had been drained from the land. The sky and the earth were stained crimson, a testament to the violence that had torn through this desolate realm. Even the once teeming ocean was now a lifeless expanse, littered with the corpses of sea monsters.
Amidst this desolation, a lone figure sat atop a mound of fallen beasts. His hair, the color of silver, seemed to gleam in the dim light, a stark contrast to the grim surroundings.
"I'm the only one left, huh?" he muttered, his voice a weary whisper that echoed through the silent wasteland. "I thought I'd feel better if I just destroyed everything. But in the end, nothing changed."
His eyes, devoid of life, scanned the horizon as he contemplated the futility of his actions. With a heavy heart, he summoned his power, the very essence of his being, and willed time to bend to his command.
"The cogs are turning," a disembodied voice intoned.
"The world is changing according to your will.
You are reversing the flow.
Time is rewinding."
The landscape shifted, the bodies of the fallen monsters reassembling themselves, returning to their former state before death claimed them. The same restoration befell the people who had perished in this desolate realm.
As the temporal currents ebbed and flowed, the silver-haired figure watched with a sense of detachment, as if this were a scene he had witnessed countless times before.
At last, he ceased his manipulation of time, allowing the world to resume its course. Where once there was only desolation, now stood a bustling harbor city, teeming with life and activity. Merchants peddled their wares, children played in the streets, and life flowed once more through the veins of the land.
"Xia! There you are!" a voice called out, breaking the silence that had settled over the city.
Turning, Xia saw his friend Ivan approaching, his expression eager and expectant.
"Come on, Xia, the Viscount wants to talk to us," Ivan said, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Xia's gaze hardened as he regarded his friend. "Lead the way," he replied tersely, his thoughts consumed by the memories of past betrayals.
Together, they made their way to the manor of the nobleman, passing through the bustling streets filled with laughter and chatter. But beneath the facade of normalcy, Xia sensed the undercurrent of hostility, the whispers of scorn and derision that followed in their wake.
As he walked, xia heard each and everyone laughing and sneering at him.
At first he thought they are talking about something funny. But the funny thing they are talking about.
"Is me".
Xia paid them no heed, his focus fixed on the task at hand. Revenge burned within him like a smoldering ember, fueling his resolve to confront the nobleman who had wronged him and his family.
Finally, they reached their destination, standing before the imposing facade of the Viscount's manor. With a heavy heart, Xia steeled himself for the confrontation that lay ahead.
"Xia, my boy, so good of you to come," the Viscount greeted them, his tone oily and insincere.
Xia's jaw clenched as he met the nobleman's gaze, memories of past atrocities flooding his mind like a torrential downpour.
And then, in a flash of recollection, he remembered the truth that had been revealed to him in a moment of horrifying clarity.
Flashback
After a quite a long talk about things here and there that made everyone yawn of boredom.
Xia only sat there, oblivious of everything, his mind occupied in where he should find his family.
Seeing this the viscount could not take the rudeness anymore and spoke highly.
"You see, I killed them all," the Viscount had confessed, his voice dripping with malice. "Your mother, your sister—they died while we were... indulging ourselves, shall we say?"
The revelation this time didn't surprised him anymore and no matter what he did only the emptiness remained.
Now, as he stood before the man who had destroyed everything he held dear, Xia wants to kill him as that is the only thing he can do now that everything is gone.
"Nothing changed," he whispered, his voice a hoarse rasp that echoed in the depths of his soul.
With a cold stare, Xia regarded the Viscount—a mere worm in his eyes, deserving of nothing but contempt.