"Brother...Do you really feel better now?" My sister asked, while we waited at the table.
"Yeah, all better..." I tried giving her a reassuring smile, but probably failed as she made a face.
There was no point in trying to explain anything to them, since I didn't even understood the circumstances of what was actually happening. My sister was sitting by my side, and our mother was cooking breakfast, 'how in the hell was this possible?' No matter how hard I thought about it, it just didn't seem something that could actually happen. Traveling through time was just impossible, simple as that. There existed no known magic nor anything of the sort, but here I was, in the past. I wasn't exactly sure when, but this was obviously before they invaded. The only thing that came to mind was my bracelet, since I had seen it vanish right before my very eyes.
He had used all that energy that had been accumulated in that last attack, but instead of unleashing it against my enemies as intended, it had brought me here.
I had more questions than answers, and while seeing everything as is, my mind just couldn't process it as if it was real. I was breaking to pieces just moments before, and now all this happened, I just couldn't keep up with it all, or maybe I just didn't want to. My body felt young and energetic, albeit weak, without all my previous strength. But my mind was not, it was loaded with everything I had lived until now. All those scars I had accumulated as time passed, every little crack in the glass made in my very soul, it all came with me. The toll on me was massive, carrying the weight of humanity and my loved ones for so long, for it all to be for naught, was just something not any random person could pull of. I had reached my limits long ago, but still moved forward, one step at a time. But even me, had a breaking point, and that breaking point was long overdue. I expected rest, and to just feel nothing anymore.
Seeing my family again was something unexpected, and I could smile at them, but that didn't change anything. My feelings, my emotions, my experiences, especially the recent ones, were rock solid. Me, breaking to pieces, was not an illusion. It was not something you can just stick back together and feign ignorance. It would have probably been better if I had died back then, in that fight. That way, he could have a chance to rest, to just peacefully close his eyes and not worry about anything. I could have had joined everyone in hell after that, now that was something he had been looking forward to.
Seeing him lost in thought, Allison was brooding. She felt concerned for her brother, since from the moment he woke up, he felt different. He gave the impression of a totally different person, but what caught her attention was his eyes. They felt cold, and lifeless. When he smiled, it didn't reached them, they looked sad and tired. Well, he was in some kind of shock for 3 days straight, maybe it was that. His reaction when they told him how long he it took him to recollect himself was lukewarm, like he just didn't care. All of it just made her restless, and uncomfortable.
"Breakfast's ready."
"Yay!" Allison beamed, trying to lighten up the depressing atmosphere even by a little.
Their mom placed 3 plates on the table, one for each and brought glasses with iced tea from the fridge.
"Enjoy!"
They both started eating, but took small glances at him from the corner of their eyes. He just sat there, staring at the food, not taking a single bite. They intended to give him a bit of time, but right when he was going to eat a spoonful, a single tear rolled down his cheek. They were both shocked, and surprised.
"What's wrong honey?"
"Brother...?"
They both reached out with their hands, but I stopped them, signaling with my hand that everything was ok, but it was not. Nothing was ok.
I stared at the food my mom placed in front of me, and my mind just couldn't help but to remember Kate as she did the same for years.
It was none other than Kate who cooked food for me, as she said I would probably eat shit if she didn't do it, and she was probably right. She would always try to find food, and I would sarcastically say that it tasted like shit anyways. But I was grateful, and it was those simple actions of hers that melted my heart. What we could have given to eat something like this. The enormous effort it took just to prepare a simple meal, and all that hard work, no one would ever know anymore. All those precious memories would be lost, nobody to remember them, but me.
I placed a hand to cover my eyes and started crying, letting it go.
"Brother!!"
"Anthony!! Honey what's wro-"
"Everything's alright, just give me a sec..." I cut them off and stopped them from getting closer. "Just gimme a sec please."
The food was simple, it was scramble eggs with sausage. But the taste was out of this world, years since he tasted something this delicious.
"Sniff..." I sobbed and cried while eating, covering my eyes with one hand and eating with the other. This was just delicious, and while eating, I imagined Kate sitting by my side. I really wanted to live this moment by her side, and it just pierced my heart that she wasn't. I just ate, ignoring my mom and sister, which they just stared at me.
They both felt helpless and worried for me, and I could tell at a simple glance. It's just that I didn't care, not at this moment at the very least.
I finished eating and my emotions slowly clamed down. I sat there staring at the empty plate, while they stared at me, they were probably waiting for some kind of explanation from me.
I wasn't sure of anything, and I didn't really care about anything anymore. As I was thinking what to say, I decided to say what I really felt, not bothering if what I said would be incoherent or not.
"I lost someone really precious to me, the most important person in my life."
"What...?" Allison was confused and shocked.
"Anthony...?" My mom was confused as well, "I don't understand...?"
"She was the pillar that held my life together..." I sniffed a little, and tried to control my unstable emotions. "She died right in front of me, protecting me." Trying hard to retain my emotion under control, my eyes still became watery again. "She died because of me..."
"Honey..." My mom hugged me hard, and my sister did the same. They both started crying and sobbing. They just sobbed for no real reason, since they didn't even understood the real situation. I wasn't really planning to elaborate more, all I wanted was to say those simple words out loud.
Maybe because I had cried for so long, I calmed myself really fast. But that only helped to leave a huge hole on my chest. I just felt empty, with no life whatsoever.
"Here, lets rest for a bit ok?" My mom guided me to my bed once again.
I felt like a marionette, I couldn't even move my own limbs, not that I wanted anyway.
"Rest for now, ok?" She gave me a kiss on my forehead and left, closing the door behind her.
I just laid there, looking at the ceiling. Without knowing how long I remained in that position, the door clicked opened, and my little sister walked in. She sat on the floor and fixed her gaze on me. Her eyes were still red, and her cheeks still had hints of puffiness.
"Can I know her name?"
"..."
We stared at each other, creating an awkward silence between us.
"Name?" I asked.
"Yes, you said you lost someone, someone who protected you." Her gaze on me was unwavering, expecting an affirmative answer.
Contemplating if I should really tell her anything, if it was really worth it or not, I conceded.
"Katelyn..."
There was no real reason to conceal anything, and I didn't care about any repercussions either way.
"Her name was Katelyn, but everyone called her Kate." I no longer looked at her, but at the ceiling. "She had the most beautiful smile, and piercing blue eyes." Kate's smile came to mind, the one in that frozen moment.
"Who did she protected you from?" Allison asked, waking me up from my memories.
"Monsters..."
"She protected me from monsters..."
Just remembering the scene when she saved me pierce my heart.
"Monsters? Where did they came from?" Continued Allison, confused.
"From the cracks, millions of them came..."
"They were unstoppable..." I could still hear the swings of my sword, and the screams of those who died. It ringed in my ears loud and clear.
"The cracks?" Allison walked to the window, and pointed outside. "Those cracks?"
Frowning at her, with great effort I got up and followed her to the window. Right there, outside the window, the city was visible since we lived in a slightly elevated zone. There were countless cracks across the city, some were small, while others slyly bigger than a house. But the real shock was that there were many humans moving about, living an ordinary life. They were coexisting with the cracks as if it was nothing. It was such an unbelievable scene that I just stood there agape and wide eyed.
There was no destruction, no end of the world to be seen. There were cars moving in the streets, and people walking on sidewalks. People were living an ordinary and simple life, with no dangers whatsoever.
It was a hard truth to swallow, but here it was.
'I'm really back...'
"Allison..."
"Yes?"
"What day is it today?"
"Thursday..."
"The date, can you tell me what month are we in? What year?" I asked, grabbing her arms.
"Ummh, July 18, 2024. Why?" She looked at me, confused and startle.
"July 18..."
'D-Day was in November 27...' It was the day they came. It was an unforgettable day, the day the world ended.
"4 months from now..."
"Are you really ok?" She asked, genuine worry on her face.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm better now." I glanced out the window, surveying the cracks.
'I'm really back...'
A memory of all his friends flashed by, all those battles together, all those deaths.
'If I'm back, then everyone should be alive as well...'
Kate's smiling face surfaced, in her finals moments as she died, turning to ashes.
'Kate should be alive somewhere...'
I clenched my fists in anger, drawing blood, and gave the cracks a cold glare.
'I will kill them...'
'I will kill them all!!'
The new found anger within him served as fuel for motivation. That one push that he needed to once again give one more step forward. An avenger from the future was born right this instance. But the path to take was a hard one, even harder than before he regressed. He would have to live it all over again, and if he made a single mistake, it would all be for naught. Just thinking about all those he needed to protect, all those he needed to find across the world, was mindboggling. And above all, he needed to train once again, he first needed strength if he wanted to protect anything. He needed the strength he had, the mightiest man who survived until the end.
'No, I need to be even stronger.'
He needed to surpass what he had achieved before, and for that, he had to lived hell all over again, and more. Just thinking about all the hardships in the near future, gave him a headache. He really needed to prepare, and prepare fast, only 4 months left until all hell breaks loose. A global destruction was imminent, and he only had a limited time. What should he do first? How to prevent it as much as possible? How to warn humanity as a whole about the war? How to find all his previous allies and companions?
Out of nowhere, a mountain of pressure descended on himself once again. The responsibility he himself placed on his shoulders was greater then what he had carried before, since the outcome was crystal clear if he decided to neglect it. This is who he was, a hero to the core. For his family, for his loved ones, he will pick himself up, even if he was broken to pieces before. He will walk forward once again, not for himself, but for others. Even if his soul is broken to pieces, and his resolve shattered like glass, he will walk forward.
He will be the men that will shoulder the sky once it falls, and it will fall. The pain he carries with himself is the proof of what's to come, all those painful memories and experiences will not be lived in vain. All that struggle and piercing pain, will be kept close to his heart. No one will know what he lived through, no one will understand the hardships of such a long hard lived life, but him. And as of this moment, he will change this world from that ending.
A saying from a friend came to mind as he settled his feelings.
'Let's rest for a bit.' I said, sitting my butt on the ground, breathless and tired.
'Rest? We will rest when we die...'
'And today...' He looked at me with an unwavering determination.
'Today we fight!!'
It was a saying from a man that shaped my life till this day. A true man that deserved the title of hero.
"Damn..." I grimaced at such a memory from long, long ago.
"Why the hell did I regressed??"