Leif lay on the bed, his body heavy with wounds, every pulse of pain reminding him of his last battle.
He stared at the ceiling, dimly lit by the pale light of the moon, its rays reflecting the cold stillness of the night.
In a voice no louder than a breath, he whispered to himself:
"Why does this always happen to me…?"
Flashback: A glimpse into Lev's past…"
Then, his mind sank into a sea of pain and memories—
where it all began.
In the abandoned playground, Leif stood among a group of children, his eyes holding a heavy silence no one could understand.
One of the children suddenly shoved him hard. He fell to the ground as cruel laughter echoed around him.
They came closer, growing bolder, feeding off his humiliation.
But then, a small girl appeared, stepping between them with arms spread wide. She shouted firmly:
"Stop it, right now!"
She turned to Leif, eyes full of kindness, and reached out her hand.
"Come on… get up."
Leif looked at her, sadness clinging to his eyes, and slowly took her hand as she helped him to his feet.
She smiled confidently and said:
"My name is Lana."
Leif looked away shyly and replied in a soft voice:
"I'm Leif."
She giggled playfully,
"Look at you! What a mess!"
Then gently began brushing the dust off his clothes.
Leif looked at her with quiet gratitude.
"Thank you… but… why did you help me? I didn't ask for it."
Lana paused, thinking for a moment, then replied brightly:
"Because I like you!"
Leif's face turned crimson,
"W-what?!" he blurted in disbelief.
Lana looked him in the eyes, serious now.
"Your eyes… when I look into them, I see strength."
Leif took a small step back, unsure.
"Are you… making fun of me too?"
She shook her head quickly,
"No, never! I mean it."
Then her tone softened.
"Because… you saved my life that day. I felt like I was standing in front of a hero."
Leif looked down, his eyes drowning in shadows, struggling to recall.
"Did I really save her?" he whispered to himself.
Lana crossed her arms and said firmly:
"You idiot. You pulled me out of the river when I was drowning."
She laughed and added teasingly:
"I still can't swim, you know!"
Leif smiled faintly, memory dawning.
"Oh… right. You were that girl in the weird outfit."
"It was a lovely outfit!" Lana grinned warmly.
She then declared with bright determination:
"I want to be a hero, just like you."
Leif turned red again, flustered.
"I'm not a hero…" he mumbled.
Lana looked at him with steady eyes and said:
"Yes, you are. You're my hero, Leif."
A tear slipped from Leif's eye, then another, gliding down his cheek like a whisper of all the weight locked inside him.
"Thank you… thank you, Lana," he said softly.
She smiled.
"It's okay. We're friends, after all."
On one sunny day, as light filtered gently through the village alleys, something happened…
Something that changed Leif and Lana's lives forever.
Leif walked with steady steps, his eyes glowing with the anticipation of seeing her again.
He arrived at their usual spot and waited, smiling.
At the end of the path, Lana appeared—
waving excitedly, her voice full of warmth and joy:
"Leif! You made it!"
Leif waved back with a soft smile.
"Lana…"
Suddenly, chaos stirred around them. Lana's face shifted from delight to alarm.
She shouted:
"Leif—get away from there!"
He paused, confused—
"Move! Now!" she cried again.
Leif dashed toward her, grabbed her hand, and the two ran from the chaos.
Breathing hard, he asked:
"What… what is this, Lana?"
They rushed toward the village—
but when they arrived, fire was devouring the houses, smoke choking the sky, strange creatures walking through the wreckage.
Bodies lay motionless. Cries echoed. Death reigned.
Lana froze, horror overtaking her.
Then a whisper escaped her lips:
"Mom…"
Her voice alerted one of the creatures.
It turned toward her—slow, deliberate.
"Run!" Leif shouted.
He grabbed her hand, and they sprinted through the debris.
They hid behind the ruins of a collapsed home, gasping for breath.
Lana was crying. Leif's face was pale with shock.
But the creatures found them.
They crept forward in eerie silence.
Leif stood, trembling, but raised his arms to shield her.
"Stay back… I won't let you touch her!"
One creature lunged from behind—
but Lana threw herself between them, taking the blow. Her arm was wounded—then another strike pierced her side.
"Lanaaaaaa!"
Leif screamed, eyes wide with terror.
Still, Lana fought—
furious, desperate, landing blows despite the pain.
She struck down two, three… and then collapsed.
Leif caught her in his arms.
She pushed him weakly, her lips forming a faint smile.
"Leif…"
"Run. You have to live… be someone else's hero now."
"No!" he sobbed.
"I won't leave you! I'll protect you this time!"
She whispered, barely audible:
"I… can't walk anymore…"
He lifted her onto his back.
"Then I'll carry you! I'm not letting you die!"
As he ran, she leaned close to his ear and whispered,
"I love you, Leif… my greatest hero."
Then… silence.
Her breath stopped.
Leif froze in the middle of the path.
"Lana…?"
He shook her gently.
"Lana… hey… can you hear me? Lana?"
Then came the scream—
a raw, shattering howl from the depths of his soul:
"LAAAAANAAAAAAAA!!"
Leif opened his eyes slowly.
He was back.
In bed.
The gray ceiling above felt like it might collapse under the weight of the silence.
He didn't move.
Everything inside him ached.
Her voice… her eyes… never truly left him.
Yet…
Tears welled up again, unbidden.
He whispered hoarsely:
"What is this…?"
"Lana… so it was real…"
He paused—
Then buried his face in his hand, trembling.
"But… why can't I remember her face?"
"Why is it blurry?"
He sat up slowly, tears sliding down his cheeks, staring into nothing.
"Was she smiling at me…? Or crying?"
"Her face… is gone."