Before it all unfolded, I was just a soldier, marching in the shadow of my father's legacy. My hands had both saved and claimed lives in equal measure. In Zenon, a world of simplicity and warmth, I led a quiet life with my beloved parents. Even at 35, love never stirred my heart—I was a solitary figure, bound to the love of my parents, with no room for romance.
Back in my student days, I was admired by many, yet love never lit a spark in me. After graduation, I remained devoted to my duty, my heart loyal to the path I had chosen, untouched by the whispers of affection.
Then one day, when the winds of war swept through the quiet countryside of my homeland, I was called to fight for peace. Without a second thought, I accepted the call—duty coursed through my veins like a river, unyielding and strong. My parents pleaded with me to stay, their voices heavy with fear, but my path was already carved in stone.
The call to save lives was a flame that burned too brightly within me to be extinguished, and though their hearts ached, they knew there was no turning me from my purpose. I was bound to my work, to the cause of peace, with a love as fierce as any other.
—
The city was in ruins, with buildings reduced to crumbling shells and streets littered with debris. Smoke filled the air, and the once-bustling avenues were eerily silent, save for the distant echo of gunfire. The sky, once clear, was now a canvas of gray, heavy with the weight of conflict.
Gun fire was everywhere as heard.
BANG
"ALL DOWN!!!"
"We should get ready to enter the house."
The man crept into the house, his movements slow and deliberate, like a shadow slipping through the cracks. His eyes scanned every corner, every darkened nook, searching for any sign of life. Once satisfied the coast was clear, he gave a sharp 'go' gesture.
A woman with an HK MP7 moved in behind him, her senses sharp, like a predator ready to strike. One by one, ten more men followed, their footsteps silent but their presence heavy with tension.
"Commander Alisa, we shall proceed via the upstairs route." Said the man in military uniform.
"Understood. I will proceed via the downstairs route. Please exercise caution."
They all nodded as a response.
As Alisa descended the staircase, a faint sound caught her attention—the soft, trembling cry of a child. She followed the sound, her steps quickening, until she came upon a 12-year-old boy huddled beside his unconscious twin.
Kneeling down, Alisa swiftly checked the pulse of the still child. Relief washed over her like a wave when she felt the steady, faint beat beneath her fingers; the child was not lost, merely taken by unconsciousness.
"It's okay, you can stop crying now. Help is here." Alisa took her mask off to show her gentle smile to comfort the crying kid.
Alisa lifted the unconscious child with a gentle, princess-like embrace, cradling them as if they were a delicate, precious jewel.
—
Outside the house full of bullet holes, there was a 6x6 truck with its back covered in canvas—an army vehicle. Alisa was on her way to the vehicle with the two children beside her.
"I discovered these two children underground."
"Please bring them into the vehicle. We also located their parents; one of them is seriously injured, but it's nothing to be overly concerned about."
Hearing those words, Alisa and the boy looked relieved.
Just as Alisa settled the children in the car, a sudden gunshot shattered the air nearby.
"Tch... enemy reinforcement already." Alisa's annoyed tune. "Sir... please leave this place immediately, and get these civilians out here, and I will remain."
"But commander-"
"Don't worry, I'll hold them off until you all can get away," Alisa said sincerely, her expression serious as she looked at the man in the military uniform.
—
BANG BANG
PEW
More gun shots can be heard, going back and forth in Alisa's view.
"Tch, I guess I'm nearing my end." Alisa smirks, having both her eyebrows met.
In the shadow of a crumbling house, Alisa slumps against a broken wall, her breath heavy and labored. Her trembling hand presses against the wounds in her torso, as blood from her left arm stains the ground beneath her. Her face, contorted in agony, bears the weight of her suffering, each breath a struggle against the encroaching darkness. The world around her, half-destroyed and barren, mirrors the fracture within her, as she clings to the fragile thread of life.
"Really... this is the end. After such a short time in the military, I've taken the lives of many bad people and even saved a few. So maybe dying young isn't so bad... but if I were given another chance... I'd want to kill—no, more like avenge that guy."
Alisa's heartbeat slows to a faint whisper, each thud growing more distant, like a fading echo in a vast, empty chamber. Her consciousness hovers on the brink of darkness, teetering between reality and the void, as the world around her blurs into an indistinct haze.
"My consciousness... is slowly ...fading ...away...
"...mom...
"...dad...
"...I'm...sorry..."
—
In the Grace Family's home, nestled in the heart of another world called Fantasia, a woman brings new life into the world. As she gives birth to a beautiful baby, her heart swells with joy. Unlike her own golden locks, the baby is born with a crown of shimmering silver hair. The mother's ruby eyes, radiant as precious gems, gaze at her newborn with awe and love.
As the baby lets out its first cries, the doctor gently places the child into the mother's waiting arms. She cradles the baby close, tears of happiness streaming down her face, and tenderly rests her head against the newborn's, their warmth and love intertwining.
"My beautiful child, Marysville Everleigh Grace..."