Chapter 4: The Echoes of Power
Ren woke up early, his body drenched in sweat once again. The memories from his dreams had become clearer, more vivid. Last night, the images were not just fleeting fragments but full scenes—a throne room, dark figures kneeling before him, the smell of blood in the air. The emotions from the dream were overwhelming, almost suffocating.
He sat up in bed, breathing heavily. The quiet of the morning seemed out of place in his mind, which was still reeling from the haunting visions. A faint headache pulsed at his temples, but it was nothing compared to the unease spreading through his chest.
"I don't understand…" Ren muttered, running his fingers through his messy hair. He stared down at his hands, almost expecting to see something different about them. But they were still the same—familiar, normal. And yet, they weren't. There was a sense of power that bubbled under the surface, something that was tied to him, yet beyond his comprehension.
His mind raced back to his conversation with his mother yesterday. She'd noticed something was off with him. He could tell she was worried. The truth was, he was worried too. But what could he say to her? How could he explain this growing chaos inside him when he didn't even understand it himself?
Ren stood up and walked toward the small window. He looked out across the village—the same sight he had woken up to every day of his life. The same people, the same fields, the same simple world.
But it doesn't feel the same, he thought.
The village looked peaceful, serene even. But Ren knew something was coming. Something has already begun.
---
The rest of the day passed in a blur of routine. Ren helped with the harvest, talked to the villagers, and tried his best to appear like he was just another young man living a normal life. But it was all a façade. Inside, something was shifting.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Ren found himself at the edge of the village, standing near the forest that bordered the land. The trees loomed tall and dark, their leaves whispering in the wind like the secrets of the world. He had always felt a strange pull toward the forest, but today it felt different—more insistent.
Without fully understanding why, Ren took a step toward the trees. His feet seemed to move on their own accord. The closer he got to the forest, the stronger the pull became. It was as though the very ground beneath him was calling out to him.
Just as he was about to enter the forest, a voice, soft and urgent, echoed in his mind again.
"Ren…"
The voice wasn't just a whisper this time. It was clearer, more distinct, and there was a sense of authority in it that Ren couldn't ignore. His heart skipped a beat, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
"Who…?" Ren gasped, looking around. The village seemed so far away now, the sounds of life fading as he stood there in the growing darkness.
"You're not alone," the voice continued. "Your power is awakening. But you must remember… before it's too late."
Ren felt his heart race as the voice lingered in his mind. The sense of dread was overwhelming, but there was something else too—a sense of purpose. His fingers twitched at his sides as if ready to unleash something—something powerful.
A sudden, sharp pain flashed through his skull. Ren gasped and stumbled back, clutching his head as if the memories of his past life were threatening to burst forth. The pain was almost unbearable, like his mind was being torn apart, but just as suddenly as it came, it faded.
"W-what is happening to me…?" Ren whispered, his voice barely audible.
His hands were shaking uncontrollably now. The overwhelming sensation of power surged through him, more intense than before. It was like the floodgates of his past life were about to open, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for it.
Just then, a familiar face appeared from the edge of the forest—one of the village children, a girl named Sara, her face filled with concern.
"Ren? Are you alright?" she asked, walking toward him cautiously.
Ren forced a smile, his body still trembling from the strange experience. "I'm fine, Sara. Just… just a headache. It'll pass."
But even as he spoke, his heart was still pounding. The sense of power inside him hadn't gone away. If anything, it was only growing stronger. He couldn't ignore it anymore.
---
That night, Ren couldn't sleep. The voice continued to echo in his mind, the feeling of something ancient—something dangerous—was becoming all-consuming. The dreams were no longer just dreams. They felt real, like fragments of a past life trying to claw their way back into his consciousness.
As he lay in bed, the power inside him began to stir once more. It was like a fire burning in the pit of his stomach, threatening to consume him. Ren squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shut it all out. He had to focus. He couldn't let it control him.
The pain in his skull returned, sharper this time. It felt like his very soul was being torn apart. And then, through the haze of pain, he saw it.
A figure, tall and imposing, standing before a vast throne room, covered in blood. The figure's eyes were fierce, burning with a rage so intense that it made Ren's heart stop.
He could hear the voice again, but this time it wasn't just a whisper. It was a command.
"Kill them."
Ren gasped, his body jerking in response. The image faded as quickly as it had come, but the sense of power, of command, lingered.
He gasped for air, sweat dripping down his face. What was that?
It felt like… like he was that person—the one in the vision. The Slaughter God.
His heart pounded in his chest as the truth slowly began to dawn on him. He wasn't just Ren. He wasn't just some village boy. He was something more—something far darker, far more powerful. And it seemed that his past life, his true self, was waiting for him to remember.
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