August 21, 2017 / 1:55 p.m.

  Asier takes the punch head-on, a sharp pain ripping through his senses. His body staggers backward as one hand clutches his face in a futile attempt to stop the blood streaming from his nose. His mind screams at the danger, the metallic scent of blood snapping him back to awareness. His thoughts focus on one thing: survival.

  Time seems to slow. Asier dodges a second blow, grabbing the attacker. Confidence surges within him, accompanied by a sense of control over the situation.

  "What the hell are you doing?!" he shouts euphorically, thinking he's already won.

  But before he can hear a response, a kick strikes him square in the groin. The blow erupts like a sudden explosion, a searing pain paralyzing him momentarily. Bent over, caught between the burning agony and confusion, time blurs as his body collapses.

  Lying on the ground, barely able to react, Asier takes punch after punch to the face. His mind teeters between consciousness and darkness, fighting to hold onto a thought—any thought—that might offer hope or escape. Everything fades abruptly as he is engulfed in darkness, his consciousness swallowed by the abyss.

  ×===========×

  A light filters through his eyelids, rousing him from the depths of unconsciousness. Asier winces at the sharp headache and feels the hard surface beneath him. Slowly sitting up, he struggles to open both eyes. It feels like waking from a dream. But what he sees is as surreal as one.

  As he tries to process the strange scene before him, his mind drifts. The fight, the pain, the smell of blood... Was it all real? He glances around, confused—the disheveled classroom, broken windows. Could this be a reflection of himself? Shattered, abandoned, and hopeless. Fear begins to stir in his chest.

  The sunlight streams into the room, casting long shadows inside. Asier rubs his eyes, stands, and carefully avoids the plants growing in the cracks of the walls as he moves toward the exit. He can't help but wonder what happened here for the place to have been left in ruins. Just then, a voice grabs his attention.

  "Hey, Asier!" shouts a young man with gray hair approaching from the adjacent hallway, one hand on his neck and the other raised in greeting. "Did you find anything useful?" he asks once he's closer.

  "Useful?" Asier echoes, glancing around. Like the classroom, everything looks as though it’s been abandoned for decades.

  "Guess not," the young man replies with a sigh, his expression troubled.

  Asier is perplexed by Kelvin's appearance; his brother has grown significantly and now has a scruffy beard and mustache. Suddenly, Kelvin crouches, placing his hand on the ground. Asier notices a faint glow emanating from his brother’s hand.

  "Hmm, looks like Nicole’s on her way," Kelvin says, shaking his hand and looking directly at Asier. "We should get out of here before nightfall."

  Kelvin stands and begins walking, determined not to stay alone. Asier hesitates but follows in silence, too unsure to ask questions. A sudden breeze sweeps through the space. Asier turns, puzzled, wondering what caused it, but before he can consider the possibilities, a girl's voice catches his attention.

  "There's a nest of those things five minutes away," she says, her tone a mix of seriousness and concern.

  "They’re spreading faster than I thought," Kelvin mutters, fixing his gaze on Nicole, trying to stay calm as he analyzes the situation.

  "We should move. This area won’t be safe for long," Nicole suggests, her tone shifting to a decisive one, trying to convince Kelvin.

  "No, if we move, the chances of the army rescuing us will drop," Kelvin retorts stubbornly, his voice tinged with worry and exhaustion. The situation seems to be pushing him to the limit.

  "I’m sick of waiting. We’ve been waiting for that damn army for weeks," Nicole says, taking slow steps toward Kelvin. "Tell me, which damn army is going to save us in this hellhole?!" she yells, slamming the wall, revealing the stress she’s carrying and her loss of faith in Kelvin's plan.

  "I don’t know! I don’t know, damn it!" Kelvin shouts, his voice trembling. "What the hell do you think you can do?!" he asks, regaining a firm tone.

  Asier watches the scene unfold, feeling disconnected, as though he’s just a spectator. Kelvin and Nicole’s voices grow louder, but Asier can hardly concentrate on their words. His mind is trapped elsewhere, in a dark corner where he questions his place in all this. Why is he part of this group? There’s something deeply unsettling about seeing his brother in this state and hearing the desperation in Nicole’s voice. He knows he should do something, say something, but uncertainty holds him back. What if he’s wrong? What if, in the end, he’s the one who drags them all to their doom?

  There’s no time to answer these questions. A fog clouds his thoughts, an overwhelming pain grips his arm, and sudden visions assault him. He sees destruction, chaos, and death... but what terrifies him most is the uncertainty of whether what he sees is the past or his destiny. His breathing quickens, cold sweat drips from his forehead as he tries to banish the images from his mind.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  "This can’t be real," he tells himself, but a voice inside whispers that it might be, that maybe everything he saw is about to happen.

  He looks at his brother desperately, hoping to find some certainty in him, but all he sees is his own fear mirrored in Kelvin’s eyes.

  Kelvin seems to realize something and places both hands on the ground. They glow briefly.

  "Damn it! They’re getting closer!" Kelvin shouts.

  A wall suddenly rises, blocking the hallway. Everything goes dark until Nicole ignites a flame in her bare hand. The flame hovers without touching her, growing more intense.

  "Pick him up, and let’s get out of here," Nicole says, her expression serious.

  Kelvin helps his brother, and the three start running.

  "Asier! Tell us what you saw!" Kelvin orders, glancing at his brother.

  Asier is unable to respond; the words simply won’t come out. Confused, he wonders if those visions were real. They must be. But if not, then what are they running from? The situation remains tense for minutes.

  "Dammit! Nicole, get ready to fight," Kelvin says, slowing his pace. He knows they won’t make it out in time. "Asier, stay behind her," he adds, pointing at Nicole.

  "How many are there?" the girl asks, extinguishing the flame in her palm.

  "I don’t know," Kelvin replies anxiously as he crouches and presses his hands to the ground.

  The two fall silent. Asier lowers his gaze, feeling a strange sense of calm as an energy seems to float in the air. Looking up, he sees Nicole extending her hands in front of her, as if cradling something fragile between them.

  "What are you doing?" he asks quietly, both curious and fearful.

  Nicole doesn’t answer immediately, her mind focused on the invisible sphere of fire she’s trying to shape. Finally, she replies in a barely audible tone.

  "Trying to remember something."

  Asier frowns, confused, but her serenity calms him. He decides not to ask further, not now. Silence fills the space again.

  "Remember something," he murmurs to himself, forgetting the chaos around him. "I feel like I’m forgetting something."

  He closes his eyes, lets go of unnecessary thoughts, and the world around him fades.

  "Of course, this is nothing but a mere dream."

  August 21, 2017 / 7:06 p.m.

  When Asier opens his eyes, he finds himself back in reality.

  “Where am I?” is the first thought that crosses his mind as he stares at an unfamiliar ceiling.

  He tries to sit up, but his body sends signals of pain. Instantly, blurry memories begin to surface. He touches his head and notices it’s bandaged.

  “Did I lose?” he wonders, feeling somewhat disheartened.

  “Hey, Asier!” Kelvin calls out, standing nearby with one hand behind his neck. “Are you okay?” he asks, placing both hands on the hospital bed.

  The young man looks Asier up and down, concern etched on his face. Asier meets his gaze.

  “Kelvin?” Asier asks, confused. “Am I in the hospital?”

  Kelvin can’t help but smile, relieved to see his brother awake.

  “Yes, you are,” he replies, trying to calm him.

  Kelvin quickly brings Asier up to speed on what happened, and Asier begins to recall everything clearly. Frustration wells up in him as he relives the helplessness of the moment.

  “What happened?” Kelvin asks innocently, his curiosity getting the better of him.

  Asier sighs, choosing to ignore the question.

  “Can you call the doctor?” he says, raising his hand slightly.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Kelvin asks, sounding confused.

  “Just call the doctor,” Asier responds, a hint of irritation in his voice. Kelvin hesitates for a moment but eventually complies, picking up the phone on the nearby table.

  “They said he’s on his way,” Kelvin says after hanging up.

  He walks over to the couch and sits down. Asier notices the worry still etched on his brother’s face. This time, Asier decides not to stay silent.

  “I had a really strange dream,” he says, drawing Kelvin’s attention.

  Asier begins recounting the dream, albeit vaguely, as much of it has already slipped from his memory. Once he finishes, the atmosphere in the room lightens, and Kelvin seizes the moment to make a joke.

  “You just met her today, and you’re already dreaming about her,” he says teasingly.

  “Hey, it’s not what you think!” Asier protests, his cheeks flushing red.

  “Oh? And what exactly do I think?” Kelvin counters with a mischievous grin.

  Asier lowers his gaze, trying to hide his reddened cheeks. A nervous smile forms on his face as his eyes drift away from Kelvin’s. He wants to end his brother’s teasing, but he’s unsure how to do so without making it worse. In silence, he waits for the doctor to arrive, but the minutes stretch endlessly.

  “Who would’ve thought our Asier had fallen for someone?” Kelvin teases again, standing up to follow his brother’s gaze.

  His laughter is cut short when the door opens. The doctor and their grandfather walk in. Asier exhales in relief as Kelvin greets them. For some reason, Kelvin excuses himself and leaves the room.

  “Maybe I shouldn’t have teased him about Nicole,” Kelvin thinks as he closes the door behind him.

  The young man sighs in the cold hallway, running a hand behind his neck. He pulls out his phone and texts the others to let them know Asier is awake.

  “I should probably head home,” he says to himself, turning to leave.