The resplendent light enveloped me, overwhelming my senses and leaving me disoriented. My body felt foreign, as if I'd transcended my physical form. The agony and exhaustion that had ravaged me moments before had vanished. It defied logic; I had exhausted my life force, burning every last vestige of energy. By all accounts, I should be dead.
Yet, as the light began to dissipate, my senses gradually returned. The piercing ring in my ears faded, and my vision cleared. Bracing for the inevitable backlash, I steeled myself for the pain and fatigue that would surely follow. But it never came.
I stood in a strange room, unfamiliar and unscathed. A bed, a small desk, and a computer – the ordinary objects seemed jarringly out of place. My gaze swept the space, searching for potential threats. None emerged.
The silence was unsettling.
They shared a common trait – extreme caution. Constantly scanning their surroundings, anticipating hidden threats, knowing one misstep could be fatal. It wasn't luck that had kept them alive for years, navigating hellish landscapes. Survival was paramount; everything else came after.
Years of vigilance had become instinctual, like breathing. Regaining control, I took a deep breath and steadied myself. The room's door was closed, but the open window let in fresh air, creating a serene atmosphere – a stark contrast to what I was accustomed to.
No immediate dangers surrounded me, yet inner turmoil churned. Seconds ago, I was fighting for my life; my companions had fallen beside me.
'Is this an illusion?'
I clenched my fists, confirming my strength was gone. My mana was depleted, weapons and armor vanished. Even my clothes were new – simple blue jeans and a pristine white t-shirt, luxuries I hadn't seen in years.
As I assessed these abnormalities, something caught my eye – the bracelet, a long-familiar presence now disintegrating into dust, fading away.
I stood paralyzed, shock seeping into my bones. The bracelet's disappearance triggered a devastating flashback – Kate's ashes scattering in the wind. The memory stabbed my heart, unleashing a torrent of emotions. Tears streamed down as I clenched my teeth, vision blurring.
Kate's radiant smile, her serene gaze in those final moments, haunted me. Her hair dancing in the breeze, her calm eyes locked on mine – that instant etched itself into my soul. It was no more than a second, but it felt eternal.
Pent-up emotions exploded, shattering my defenses.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The dam burst, releasing anguish, frustration, and helplessness.
Tears flowed uncontrollably as the pain in my chest intensified. Faces of fallen friends flashed – Albert, Dimitri, Luis, Chris, and many more – but Kate's hurt the most. Witnessing their deaths, powerless to prevent them, left me consumed by uselessness.
"Waaaaahhhh..." The pillar that held me upright had crumbled. Kate was my everything – my reason for existence. Her radiant smile consumed my thoughts.
For years, I fought relentlessly, never faltering. I lost loved ones, yet pressed on. But today, for the first time, I shattered.
My knees buckled, and I collapsed. A searing crack split my heart. All I wanted was for the agony to cease.
The overwhelming sorrow coursing through me was unprecedented. Nothing else mattered.
Monsters lurking nearby? Irrelevant.
Potential survivors? Unimportant.
Life itself? Worthless.
In that moment, only one thing mattered: escape from the crushing pain.
The door burst open, slamming against the wall as a frantic little girl rushed in.
"Wh-what's wrong?" she stammered, surveying the room. Her eyes locked onto him – hunched over, head in hands, consumed by tears.
Cautiously, she approached his side, trembling. Kneeling beside him, she gently touched his back. "Brother...?" Tears welled up in her eyes; she'd never seen him like this.
A deep instinct stirred within her – something needed to be done, but she didn't know what. Overwhelmed, she joined him in tears.
"Waaaahhhh..."
"Waaahhh..."
She hugged him tightly, calling his name repeatedly, but he remained unresponsive.
Together, they sobbed, unleashing pent-up emotions.
As time passed, their tears subsided, leaving puffy cheeks and red eyes. She studied him, concerned. No visible injuries, the computer was off, and his phone was nowhere to be seen. What could have triggered this?
She tried to rouse him – hugs, shakes, even playful punches – but he remained unresponsive. His body was present, but his soul seemed absent. His eyes, once bright, now felt like black holes sucking her into a sea of sorrow.
Hours ticked by until a warm voice broke the silence.
"I'm home!" A lady entered, and the little girl rushed into her arms.
"MOOOOOM! Something's wrong with my brother!" Tears flowed anew.
"What's wrong, sweetie? What happened to your brother?" The lady knelt, embracing her. "Don't cry, okay? Everything's okay." She gently wiped away tears.
Sniffling, the little girl nodded. "Ok."
The lady entered the room with the little girl, scanning the space for any clues. Everything seemed in order, except for him. He sat on the floor, disheveled and unresponsive.
"Anthony?" She approached gently, rubbing his back. "What's wrong, honey? Can you tell me?" Worried eyes searched his face.
"He's been like this for hours," the little girl said. "Nothing I did worked."
"Hours?" The lady's concern deepened. "You scared me at first, you screamed really loud."
She examined him from head to toe, checking for injuries. Her touch brushed his legs, torso, and cheek, but everything seemed normal. His temperature was fine; yet, he looked deflated, soulless.
"Let's get you to bed, rest for now." Supporting his body, she guided him to the bed. "Let me help," the little girl said, taking his other arm.
Together, they struggled briefly, then settled him into bed. They stood beside him, concern etched on their faces, unsure what to do next.
"Let's let him rest for a bit," the lady said soothingly.
"But, Mom..." the little girl protested.
"Let's cook a delicious dinner to help him cheer up, okay? Maybe that will help."
The little girl nodded, regaining some vitality.
The lady cast one last glance at him from the doorway, then gently closed the door, leaving him alone to rest.
Despite the traumatic events, his youthful body began to recover, fueled by vitality and energy. However, his mind remained a jumble of memories and past events, especially the last battle.
His thoughts swirled in a haze, reliving the fight from start to finish, then repeating the cycle. The overwhelming sadness was nothing new; just another scar added to the many accumulated over the years.
He had once echoed the phrases: "Time heals all wounds" and "With time, everything will be alright." Now, he knew better.
This particular scar cut too deep, its pain irreversible.
He felt stimulus from the 'outside' but didn't bother to pay attention to it. It didn't matter if such action could possibly could cost him his life. Right now, he just didn't care about anything. Everything felt numb, the ringing in his ears silence everything around him, and his vision was clouded, unable to see even what was right in front of him. He didn't had the notion of time as he lay there, but eventually, his vision returned little by little.
He stared right to the wall, as he laid on his side on the bed, and noticed that little by little, it turned brighter. The sun was rising, and light came through the window, lighting up the dark and gloomy room. He turned to the other side and stared at the sky, it was cloudless. It had been ages seen he had seen such beautiful scene, and the heat from the outside reached him, warming him up.
Back when he was with his comrades, the clouds wouldn't dissipate, which in turn everyday turned colder and colder. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years. The last year was especially colder, if it wasn't that they had strengthen body and mana, they would have died just from that. So this was a welcomed changed.
I forced myself to sit on the bed to stare better at the sky, and it felt like all my strength was drained. My body felt sluggish, and I stared at the floor thinking twice about walking to the window. It felt like I would crumble to the floor if I so much give a single step, so I just left my feet hung by the bed instead. And as I sat there for some time, someone came.
knock! knock!
"Brother?" A soft voice broke the silence.
I turned to the sound, and a 12-year-old girl with light brown hair and sparkling green eyes peeked through the opened door.
"Are you feeling better, brother?" She took cautious steps closer.
'Brother? Does she mean me?' I wondered.
The room, unfamiliar, but the girl's presence stirred something.
"Brother...?" Concern etched her face due to my lack of reaction.
"Allison, breakfast is ready," a lady interrupted, her eyes locking onto mine.
Initially shocked, she rushed toward me, embracing me warmly.
"Honey, are you okay? What happened?" Tears brimmed in her eyes.
Overwhelmed, I struggled to respond.
"Honey?" She pulled back, searching my face for answers.
"Anthony, what's wrong?" Her gaze pierced mine.
'Anthony? Did she just call me Anthony?'
And then, it struck me - people used to call me Anthony, a lifetime ago. In the early years after D-Day, I'd responded to it, but as those who knew me fell one by one, the name faded. Nicknames took over, and I didn't care. My "name" changed with the seasons.
Twenty years had passed since I'd last heard "Anthony." Now, it sounded foreign.
"Right, my name is Anthony..." But who are these people?
"Honey...?" "Brother...?" Their concerned faces swam before me.
Then, like a rock to the head, a searing headache bent me double.
Memories long buried erupted, fragmented glimpses of a forgotten past - life before the war. I had a family: mom, dad, little sister. We shared meals, trips, school days... Faces, not specifics, but faces.
A long time ago, yet they lingered.
But...
"Mom...?" Tears streamed down my face once more.
"Sister...?" My mind reeled. 'How is this possible? How are they here?'
"Aww, honey!" The lady's voice trembled.
"Brother!!" Allison exclaimed.
Together, they enveloped me in a warm hug, tears flowing freely.
In that instant, the fog lifted from my mind. 'What the hell is happening right now??'
Shocked, yet I didn't care. This moment was all that mattered.
As the new day dawned, I welcomed it with open arms...
"Brother, do you really feel better now?" Allison asked, concern etched on her face.
"Yeah, all better..." I forced a reassuring smile, but she raised an eyebrow.
Explaining the impossible was futile. My sister sat beside me, and Mom cooked breakfast, radiating warmth and normalcy. 'How is this possible?' I wondered.
Time travel defied logic. No magic or technology could achieve this. Yet, here I was, in the past, before the invasion.
My bracelet, now vanished, held the key. Its energy, meant for combat, had brought me here instead.
My mind was full with questions.
'Where was this?'
'When was this?'
My mind struggled to process this new reality. Moments ago, I was shattered; now, I was drowning in contradictions.
My youthful body felt weak, lacking the strength forged through hardship. But my mind, burdened by scars and memories, remained heavy.
The weight of humanity's fate, loved ones lost, and endless struggles had pushed me past my limits. I'd kept moving, one step at a time.
But my breaking point was long overdue. I craved rest, numbness, and escape.
Seeing my family again was unexpected, but it didn't alter my emotional landscape. My experiences, especially the recent ones, were etched in stone.
Breaking down wasn't an illusion; it couldn't be glued back together with a facade of normalcy. Death would have been a mercy, allowing me to rest, closing my eyes without worry.
Allison observed me lost in thought, her concern growing. Since waking up, I seemed different – a stranger.
"What's wrong, Brother?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
My eyes, once bright, now felt cold and lifeless. Even my smile couldn't reach them; they remained sad and tired.
Allison attributed it to my 3-day stupor, but her unease lingered.
"Breakfast's ready!" Allison exclaimed, attempting to lift the somber mood.
Their mom set three plates on the table, accompanied by glasses of iced tea.
"Enjoy!"
Allison and their mom began eating, casting discreet glances at me. I sat motionless, staring at the food.
Just as I prepared to take a bite, a lone tear escaped down my cheek.
Allison and their mom exchanged shocked gazes.
"What's wrong, honey?" their mom asked, concern etched on her face.
"Brother...?" Allison's voice trembled.
They reached out, but I halted them with a raised hand, feigning composure.
Nothing was okay.
The familiar meal triggered memories of Kate, who had lovingly prepared meals for me for years.
Kate's words echoed in my mind, "You'd probably eat shit if I didn't cook for you." She'd find food, and I'd jest that it tasted terrible anyway. But I was grateful. Her simple actions melted my heart.
We would have cherished a meal like this. The effort to prepare a simple dish was staggering. All that hard work, lost to time, with only me to remember.
I covered my eyes, tears flowing freely.
"Brother!!" Allison exclaimed.
"Anthony!! Honey, what's wrong—" Mom's concern was palpable.
"Everything's alright, just give me a sec..." I held them back.
"Just gimme a sec, please."
The scrambled eggs with sausage seemed divine, a flavor I hadn't savored in years.
I sobbed uncontrollably, hand covering my eyes, as I devoured the scrambled eggs and sausage. Each bite tasted divine, but the ache in my heart grew. I imagined Kate beside me, sharing this moment.
My mom and sister watched, concern etched on their faces. I ignored them, lost in my grief.
Finishing my meal, my emotions slowly subsided. I stared blankly at the empty plate, sensing their expectant gazes.
They awaited an explanation, but I had none. I didn't care about making sense; I just needed to express the turmoil within.
"I...miss her," I stammered, voice cracking. "She's gone. Everyone's gone. And I'm...I'm back here, with you both. But it's not the same. Nothing's the same."
Tears welled up again, and I struggled to continue.
"I lost someone precious, the most important person in my life."
Allison's eyes widened in shock. "What...?"
"Anthony...?" Mom's confusion deepened. "I don't understand..."
"She was my pillar, my everything." I struggled to contain my emotions. "She died protecting me, right in front of me."
Tears streamed down my face. "She died because of me..."
"Honey..." Mom enveloped me in a tight hug, Allison joining in.
Together, they sobbed, moved by my pain, though unaware of its depth.
I'd said enough, no need to elaborate any more then that. Speaking those words aloud was catharsis.
My tears dried quickly, leaving an emptiness that hollowed my chest.
"Let's rest, okay?" Mom guided me back to bed.
I felt like a puppet, limbs heavy, devoid of will.
"Rest now, okay?" She kissed my forehead, and quietly left, closing the door.
I lay motionless, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. The door creaked open, and Allison entered, sitting on the floor beside my bed. Her red-rimmed eyes and puffy cheeks revealed her lingering sorrow.
"Can I know her name?" she asked softly.
We locked gazes, an awkward silence hanging between us.
"Name?" I repeated, hesitant.
"Yes, you said you lost someone, someone who protected you," Allison pressed, her eyes unwavering.
I weighed the cost of sharing, but her genuine interest won me over.
"Katelyn," I whispered.
Allison's expression softened, her eyes welling up anew.
"Her name was Katelyn, but everyone called her Kate." I stared blankly at the ceiling, memories flooding back. "She had the most radiant smile and piercing blue eyes."
Kate's smile, frozen in time, haunted me.
"Who did she protect you from?" Allison asked, breaking the spell.
"Monsters..." The word escaped, barely above a whisper.
"She protected me from monsters..." Memories of Kate's sacrifice pierced my heart like a dagger.
Allison's confusion deepened. "Monsters? Where did they come from?"
"From the cracks... Millions poured in." My voice trembled. "They were unstoppable."
The swings of my sword, the screams of the fallen, echoed in my mind, an unrelenting cacophony.
"The cracks?" Allison pointed outside, her brow furrowed.
I rose from bed, joining her at the window. Our elevated neighborhood offered a panoramic view of the city.
Countless cracks scarred the landscape – some small, others massive.
But what stunned me was the everyday scene unfolding below. Humans went about their lives, oblivious to the cracks.
Cars drove, people walked, children played. No destruction, no chaos.
I stood agape, struggling to comprehend.
"I'm really back..."
"Allison..."
"Yes?"
"What day is it today?"
"Thursday..."
"The date – what month, what year?" I pressed, grasping her arms.
"Umm, July 18, 2024. Why?" Confusion and alarm etched on her face.
"July 18..." I whispered, the date echoing in my mind.
"D-Day was November 27..." The day they came, the day the world ended.
"Four months from now..."
Allison's concern deepened. "Are you really okay?"
"Yeah, I'm better now." I gazed out, surveying the cracks.
I'm really back... Memories flooded me, my friends, battles, and deaths.
Everyone should be alive... Kate's smiling face haunted me.
Kate should be alive somewhere... Fury ignited within.
I clenched my fists, drawing blood, and glared at the cracks.
"I will kill them..."
"I will kill them all!!"
A newfound anger fueled my motivation. An avenger from the future was born.
But the path ahead was treacherous. I had to relive it all, and avoid mistakes.
Protect everyone, find them worldwide... The weight was crushing.
First, I needed strength. I needed to reclaim my former might.
"No, I need to be even stronger." The weight of his mission settled in.
Four months until global destruction. Anthony's mind raced.
What to do first? Warn humanity? Find old allies?
A mountain of pressure crushed him, the responsibility he'd shouldered.
For family, loved ones, he'd rise again, broken or not.
He'd walk forward, not for himself, but others.
His pain and memories would fuel his fight.
No one would understand his struggles, but him.
But he'd change this world's fate.
A friend's words echoed: "Let's rest for a bit."
"Rest? We will rest when we die..."
"Today we fight!!"
Anthony's eyes burned with determination.
"Damn..." He grimaced, nostalgia washing over him. He knew now, rest was no longer an option from this point forward. Any second lost, was time he was never getting back.
"Ugh!"
"Why the hell did I regress?!"