Elias stumbled backward into his small, dark apartment and collapsed onto the couch. His mind kept replaying the day's events, like some broken record skipping over and over. He couldn't get rid of that monster like beast, nor the feeling of that strange bond with Celestia. Every part of his body ached from exhaustion, but he was far from sleep.
He slung his jacket onto the chair, fell onto the bed, and closed his eyes, trying to make sense of it all. Instead, in the darkness, a wave of memories he had long tried to repress enveloped him.
In his dream, Elias went back to that horrific night ten years ago.
The air was thick with tension as his family's old car rattled down the windy mountain road. The cool breeze filtered in through the open windows, and for a moment, everything seemed peaceful. He could still hear the soft hum of his father's voice, the gentle laughter of his mother, and his little sister Marie excitedly chattering about their upcoming vacation.
Then, in an instant, the sky opened up.
A blinding beam of light tore through the night, casting an unearthly glow over the dark forest. His father hit the brakes as the ground convulsed beneath them. Above them, a rift swirled into existence-a Heavenly Gate.
Out of that portal came a monstrous armoured beast with high-tech weapons all around its body. The creature's roar shattered the tranquillity of the night, sending shockwaves rocking their car. His father tried to reverse, but it was too late. A gigantic claw slammed down onto the hood of the vehicle.
"Dad!" Elias screamed, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of crunching metal and his sister's terrified wails.
The world around him became a whirlwind of chaos: shattered glass, twisted metal, and blood. His mother's screams were abruptly cut short when the beast's claws ripped through the car and pulled her from her seat. Elias' father desperately sought to shield them-to no avail-as Elias watched in horror while the jaws closed over his parents.
The last thing he remembered was the lifeless eyes of his sister staring at him through the haze of blood and debris, her small hand reaching out for him as darkness swallowed her whole.
Elias sprang up with a start, his clothes drenched in cold sweat. He gasped, his heart thumping as if it would burst through his chest. He pressed a trembling hand against his face and wiped the tears away that had streamed from his eyes while he had slept.
It was only a dream. but it's always the same, he mumbled to himself. Yet, no matter how many times he told himself that, deep inside he knew this wasn't just a nightmare, it was a memory, the haunting reminder of the first Heavenly Gate that appeared on Earth, which had taken everything away from him.
He pushed himself up from bed, his heart racing. Celestia's words still echoed in his mind. She'd called him the "Beast Lord," insistent that an innate power of his was bound to change the course of the universe. He had then harboured those thoughts as mere words and mumblings of a weird, otherworldly lady. Now, as the nightmare replayed, he began to wonder if she might be right.
The power I have now-if only I had this power back then. could I have saved them? Could I have protected Marie, Mom, and Dad?
His eyes fell to the glowing sigil on his palm, a mark of his bond with Celestia. An odd, otherworldly symbol on it pulsed with a soft, blazing light. Elias clenched his fist as resolution hardened. He'd spent too much of his life being a nobody, letting guys like Greg run over him. If there was a way to gain power, if it was a way to save others from what he went through, then he couldn't afford another moment more.
Unable to stand the dreadfully silent atmosphere of his apartment, Elias picked up a cigarette and stepped outside for some fresh air. The streets were empty at this time of night, but residual smoke and sirens heard in the distance told of a more chaotic past few hours.
Lighting the cigarette, he leaned against the cold metal railing of the stairwell. The tiny cigarette in his mouth casted a soft glow in the darkness. He dragged on the smoke for a long period of time, trying to relax his nerves, but the familiar taste of the nicotine did little to settle him.
He had almost turned to go inside when something caught his eye. Huge holographic screens of news on the side of a skyscraper across the street flickered to turn his attention.
"Breaking news: Earlier today, a Heavenly Gate appeared in the heart of the city and spawned a colossal beast," the voice of the anchor echoed through the night. "Thanks to the effort of the military and local Beast Tamers, the creature was repelled but not without significant casualties."
Elias's eyes narrowed onto the screen, the same incident he had been caught up in earlier today, the same monstrous beast that had nearly killed him only to retreat under the onslaught of government firepower. The footage showed the devastation: buildings reduced to rubble, streets torn apart, and emergency personnel tending to the wounded.
The images of it replayed on the news brought back that helplessness he had felt earlier. But this time, things were going to be different. He wasn't some powerless clerk anymore. He was different. He had a bond with Celestia, a connecting bond that would give him the strength he needed.
Elias ground the cigarette beneath his boot, and with each word the news report uttered, resolve hardened just a little more. He could not run away from it any longer. The world was changing, and if he was going to protect it-or, at the very least, prevent others from facing the same loss he had-then he needed to step up.
He took one last look at the holographic screen, the images of the ruined city seared into his mind.
No more hiding, he thought. I'm going to find Celestia. If there's even a chance that I can change things, then I have to take it.
And with that, Elias turned to disappear into the night once more, ready to meet whatever fate had in store.