The cheer and joy of the festival are gone in an instant. The hooded figures stand in the center of the square, their presence oppressive and sinister. Stall owners frantically pack up their belongings, their faces pale with fear.
"Freeze!" one of the attackers shouts, extending his hand. A light blue glow erupts from his palm, and a thick ring of ice rises, encasing the square in a towering, unscalable wall.
At the center of the group, a man steps forward, his commanding presence silencing the panicked whispers. His hood tilts upward just enough for me to glimpse his smirk. Alondra cowers behind me.
"Lifespan crystals," he demands, his voice calm but laced with menace. "All of you. Bring them to me. Drop them at my feet."
The crowd hesitates. One by one, some begin to approach, trembling, leaving their crystals in a growing pile. I glance at Alondra. Our crystal holds a year and a half—barely enough to keep the orphanage alive for a few more weeks at best.. For the kids. We can't lose it.
"Alondra," I whisper, leaning close. "Take the crystal and find a way out."
"There's no way…" Her voice trembles, tears forming in her eyes. "The ice wall… and these guys, they're too strong."
She's right. I clench my fists. The man's gaze locks onto us, his smirk widening.
"What are you waiting for?" he barks, the tone cutting through the terrified murmurs of the crowd.
Alondra presses the crystal into my hands, her eyes full of anguish. "Go," she whispers. "They'll hurt the kids if we resist."
I step forward, my legs heavy, the crystal cold in my grip. Every step feels like a betrayal. This world is cruel. Those kids don't deserve this. No one does. My jaw tightens until I taste blood.
I reach the cloaked man and bow my head, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "Please," I say. "This crystal is for an orphanage. The children need this time to survive."
His smirk deepens. "Drop the crystal," he commands, his voice mocking.
I hesitate, looking up, my gaze meeting his. Hatred bubbles in my chest, raw and consuming.
"I said drop it," he snaps.
The air shifts. A white aura surrounds him, debris floating about. I blink, and his fist slams into my stomach.
Time seems to stop. Pain radiates through my body as I'm launched backward, crashing through stalls. My vision blurs with white light, and the impact knocks the wind out of me. I cough up blood, gasping for air.
"Solice!" Alondra's voice cuts through the haze. She's by my side, her hands glowing green as she presses them to my chest. Tears stream down her face. "Stop! You'll die!"
I push her hands away, placing the crystal back in hers. "Take it. Keep it safe."
Shakily, I rise to my feet. My timer blinks in the corner of my vision. 99 years.
I remember the wind magic—the speed, the force. I close my eyes, focusing on the sensation of that power. It's instinctive, almost primal. My hatred fuels it, sharpening the image in my mind.
And then, something inside me snaps.
The world slows to a crawl. My body feels light, like a gust of wind itself. I surge forward, faster than I thought possible, and my fist connects with the leader's temple. He crumples to the ground, the white aura dissipating.
Laughter erupts from my throat, wild and unhinged. "So this is power in this world," I say, my voice dripping with contempt.
The remaining cloaked figures stare, their hesitation betraying their fear. They glow with auras of blue, red, and green, but none of them radiate the same white light. They're not as fast as him.
I can win.
Time stretches as I move. Every motion feels deliberate, calculated. I spin, using my momentum to land a devastating kick to the ice wielder's skull. He collapses, and the ice wall shatters instantly.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" My laughter echoes as fire, ice, and rocks hurtle toward me. But they're too slow. I see everything.
I weave through the attacks with ease, my body a blur. My fists connect again and again, each strike fueled by rage and exhilaration. I'm unstoppable.
And in this moment, I feel alive.