"Long time no see... my friend..."
—Tina
The void echoed... the universe shattered... time collapsed...
The universe shattered like a mirror, fragments falling into the void and disappearing without a trace.
Everything around seemed frozen... only a magnificent figure stood in the void, gazing at everything around him... a tear rolled down his cheek.
This tear fell to the ground, creating ripples...
And within this void, there was a universe...
Taga knelt on the ground, staring blankly at the familiar woman standing before him, his ears deaf to all sounds.
The whistling wind, the chirping of birds, everything around him was so beautiful. The woman standing before Taga called out to him in her familiar voice, her thoughts already lost in contemplation.
"Are you alright? You look a lot like a friend of mine?" The woman extended her hand, her expression expressionless, but her tone was gentle.
"Tina…is it really you…" Taga slowly stood up, his hands trembling. His hand unconsciously touched Tina's cheek.
"Sir, please have some self-respect!" Tina gently stepped back, her hand lightly gripping the giant axe tucked behind her back.
"Tina…have you forgotten me…" Taga's lips trembled. He didn't cry, but he felt a sharp pain in his heart.
"You are…Taga?!" Tina looked closely at his appearance and was shocked to find that it was Taga.
Taga, seeing that Tina recognized him, stepped forward and hugged her tightly. Tina returned his hug gently.
But before this…
Before Taga arrived, this universe was in the time when Tina and Taga had just joined the army.
"So…Taga, are you joining the army? To be honest, the salary is quite high, quite suitable for fulfilling our dreams!" Tina said excitedly.
"To be honest, I don't have much of a say. I'll do whatever you say!" Taga said in a somewhat languid tone. "You're still the same as always. Fine, I'll write both our names down then." Tina said, bending down to write down their information.
After joining the army, they underwent brutal training and learned a great deal.
Finally, they became qualified soldiers, protecting their country, never retreating.
Until one day…
They stood before the palace gates, waiting for the general and king to finish their discussion. The king, now with white hair and a frail body, was…
"My King… are you alright…" the general's concerned voice came. He deeply loved his king and didn't want his most beloved person to die like this.
"I'm fine… I don't have much time left… but I'm still worried about the people of this kingdom… ever since I was afflicted by this damned curse… my health has deteriorated day by day." The king coughed, his hand covering his mouth and nose stained with blood.
The general quickly stepped forward to help the king, his brow furrowed. He didn't know how to help the king, so he settled him in and left.
At that moment, a wizard approached and patted the general on the shoulder.
"General...I have a remedy that can save the king..." the wizard whispered in the general's ear.
"What remedy?" the general asked, turning to look at the wizard.
"This remedy requires some herbs, but one herb is on an ancient snow mountain, guarded by a giant beast. To save the king, you need this herb," the wizard said softly.
The general looked at Taga and Tina, beckoning them to come forward.
"I need you to take some men to gather this herb. I will reward you handsomely!" the general said with a triumphant tone.
Tina and Taga saluted and rose to find their comrades.
They were unaware of the danger of their mission; all they knew was that orders from their superiors forbade disobedience.
Soon, they were fully equipped and ready to set off to the snow-capped mountains to gather medicinal herbs.
On the way to the mountains, Taga and Tina led a group of soldiers in gathering herbs, chatting and laughing along the way, thinking the mission would be easy.
Just as they were finding the last herb, a colossal beast appeared, slapping a herb-gathering soldier away.
Tina and Taga grabbed their weapons to meet the enemy! But the beast was too powerful, slapping Taga away, while Tina also picked up her giant axe and swung it at the beast.
The beast was struck by Tina's axe, but its hide was too thick, making Tina's attacks feel like mere tickles.
Enraged by Tina's attacks, the beast slammed its paw into Tina, instantly knocking her down, and then tossed her away with its massive paw.
As Tina was thrown to the edge of the cliff and about to fall, Taga grabbed her arm just in time, but the ground beneath Taga was slowly crumbling.
Taga's arm tightened its grip, while the giant beast and the other soldiers trembled, but the soldiers were no match for the beast and were instantly killed...
"Taga...let me go...I don't want...to drag you down with me..." Tina said painfully, her voice filled with despair and anguish, but she still didn't want Taga to get hurt.
"What are you saying...you're Tina! My best and most cheerful friend! Are you really going to let this little thing get to you?! This isn't like you!" Taga gripped Tina's forearm tightly, yet he still smiled.
At that moment, the ground beneath Taga suddenly crumbled, and he and Tina both fell off the cliff. In that instant, Taga grabbed Tina's arm and threw her back up.
Tina was thrown to the edge of a cliff, while Taga plunged into the abyss...
Tina lay on the edge, watching Taga fall... She screamed Taga's name, her voice filled with fury and helplessness!
Her long, flowing hair was covered in snow, tears dripping onto the snow, her eyes bloodshot...
At that moment, the giant beast drew closer...
A voice echoed in Tina's mind, calling to her, guiding her to pick up an axe.
Tina slowly picked up the axe, brushing her hair back, and strange patterns appeared in her pupils.
Tina grabbed the axe and charged forward, instantly cleaving the beast's head in two...
After returning to the kingdom, Tina resigned... She began a life of wandering, hoping to temporarily forget Taga's death.
But in the quiet of the night, she would always think of Taga...
Until today, when she arrived at a plain, she saw the sky strangely distorted, and a figure appeared in mid-air.
She went to investigate... and saw the person she knew best...
The scene shifted...
Tina and Taga were now sitting in a tavern, Taga listening to Tina recount her past.
He slowly lowered his head, looking at the water glass in his hand, his face grim...
Syl, sitting next to him, was also drinking juice. He seemed to notice Taga's gloom and took out a handkerchief to wipe away Taga's cold sweat.
"So you mean... in this world... I'm already dead?" Taga said in a low, confused voice.
"Yes... it seems in your world... I've already died long ago too..." Tina said calmly, but she still looked at Taga with concern.
Taga gripped the water glass in his hand tightly; he didn't know how to express his feelings.
"Alright, don't think too much! At least we're back together…though not the same as before…" Tina said with concern, gently patting Taga's shoulder.
At that moment, a figure sat down at the bar, drank a glass of wine, put down his coins, and turned to leave the tavern.
He revealed a wicked smile.
Meanwhile, in the void…
Rhazoth sat cross-legged in the void, his eyes surveying the entire universe, searching for the most suitable piece…
The void was then torn apart… by Distortion!
"Oh! My great Rhazoth! Have you found the most suitable piece for us?" Distortion opened his arms, his voice booming.
"I have…" Rhazoth said calmly, pointing to a spot.
Rhazoth was pointing towards a sphere. Inside the sphere, Taga sat in a corner, head bowed...
"The chosen one of the multiverse? This damned fate is quite interesting..." Distortion smiled, lightly tracing the sphere with his sharp fingers.
"I will turn him into a worthy pawn..." Rhazoth said calmly, then transformed into a stream of energy and entered the sphere...
And above all...
A figure was gently stroking a large tree, muttering to himself.
"This is just the beginning. I hope you won't disappoint me..." The figure gently stroked the tree, infusing it with energy...