The village lay in ruins. Fires crackled in the distance, and the sky was painted with a mix of black smoke and strange purple hues from the still-open portal. Michael and Lily had managed to find shelter in an abandoned building, its walls shaking with each distant explosion.
Michael leaned against the wall, his chest still heaving from the exertion of his earlier fight with the monsters. His mind buzzed with confusion, disbelief, and something else—wonder. For weeks, he had watched others awaken to powers beyond imagination. He had envied them, secretly wishing he too could one day feel that surge of strength, that rush of power. His classmates, his neighbors—how lucky they were.
"We've got to get moving," Lily said, standing up and pulling him from his thoughts. "The monsters could come back any minute. It's not safe here."
Michael nodded. He was still exhausted, his body heavy and sore, but he forced himself to stand. The weight of what had just happened was overwhelming, but survival had to come first.
Together, they stepped out into the destroyed streets. Michael could still hear the distant roars of the creatures rampaging through the village. His home—his entire world—was unraveling before his eyes.
Suddenly, he remembered something. Something more important than anything else. His sister, Thea, had been at home a few hours ago. "We need to go back! I have to find my sister!" Michael said, pushing through his exhaustion.
"Are you crazy?!" Lily snapped. "You can barely stand, and you still want to go back?"
"But my sister's still there!" Michael's voice broke as tears filled his eyes. "I can't lose my family again!"
Lily grabbed his arm, steadying him. "Michael, listen to me. The others will handle it. Your sister's probably already evacuated. We need to get you to the hospital first. You're too wounded."
Reluctantly, Michael allowed Lily to guide him. Minutes later, they arrived at the hospital. Lily rushed him into the emergency room, shouting for help. "Doc! Somebody, please help us!"
Doctors hurried over, quickly assessing Michael's condition. "What happened?" one of them asked.
"There was a monster attack," Lily said breathlessly. "Our village was overrun. We're lucky to have gotten out alive."
"Leave him to us," the doctor said, motioning for Lily to step back.
Lily sat down heavily in a nearby chair, her body trembling with exhaustion and shock. She buried her face in her hands, whispering, "I hope my family is safe, too..." Tears began to spill down her cheeks as the weight of everything hit her.
Not long after, more villagers began to arrive at the hospital, some injured, others in complete panic. The air was filled with cries of anguish and confusion.
Through the chaos, Lily spotted someone familiar—Thea, Michael's sister, stumbling into the hospital with wounds covering her body. She was crying, desperate, calling out for help. "Brother! Somebody help my uncle!" Thea's voice was hoarse as she looked around frantically.
Without hesitation, Lily rushed to her. "Thea! What happened? Are you okay?"
Thea, barely able to stand, looked at her with pleading eyes. "Where's my brother? We need to help Uncle... he's still fighting those monsters..."
Lily grabbed her shoulders gently but firmly. "No! Stay here! Let the others handle it. You can't waste your uncle's sacrifice by running back out there. I'll go get help—just stay here!"
Thea's eyes filled with tears. "Where's my brother?"
Lily pointed to the nearby bed. "He's right there. Let the doctors take care of your wounds, okay?" Her own thoughts raced, her heart pounding as she worried about her own family. She still hadn't been able to contact them. The fear and anxiety gnawed at her, but she pushed it down. "Take care of Michael," she added before rushing off, her face set with determination.
After some time, Michael began to stir. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw Thea sleeping by his bedside, her body covered in bandages. "Thea...? What happened to you? Why are you hurt? And... where's Lily?" he asked, his voice hoarse as he tried to sit up, grimacing from the pain.
Thea woke with a start, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Seeing her brother awake, she broke down again. "Brother... Uncle is—"
"Uncle Mike? What happened to him?" Michael asked, panic rising in his chest. He tried to ignore his pain as he reached out to her. "Tell me what happened!"
Thea looked away, tears spilling from her eyes. The words she spoke next would forever change Michael's life.