The battlefield was quiet. Too quiet.
A land that once echoed with screams and steel now lay shrouded in an unnatural silence, broken only by the crackle of flames devouring broken banners and shattered weapons. The scent of blood lingered heavy in the air, thick enough to choke the lungs.
Ethan dragged his feet through the mud, each step pulling him deeper into the stench of death. His armor was battered, his blade chipped, his breath ragged. He was barely alive but victory had cost him everything.
He looked around at the carnage. Corpses of soldiers and beasts alike littered the ground. The war was over, though no one remained to celebrate.
Then he heard soft footsteps crunching over the ruined soil.
"Brother."
The voice froze him where he stood.
He turned, and his heart twisted. There, only a few paces away, stood Lily. His sister. The one he had fought so desperately to protect. Her golden hair was dirt-streaked, her pale skin smudged with ash. She was trembling, but her hand… her hand clutched a dagger.
"Lily…?" His voice was raw, hoarse from shouting through battle. "It's done. It's all over. You're safe."
Her emerald eyes, once bright with warmth, now shimmered with something else; something sharp.
"I'm sorry, Ethan." Her voice cracked. "You shouldn't have trusted me."
The words struck harder than any blade.
Ethan staggered back, shaking his head. "W-What are you saying? Lily… it's me. Your brother. I fought for you. I bled for you. I—"
"That's exactly it." Tears streaked her cheeks as she raised the dagger higher. "You never let me choose my own path. You always stood above me, always made me your reason to fight, your reason to live. But what about me? They offered me freedom. A chance to live without being bound to your shadow."
"They?" Ethan's voice hardened. "Who are you talking about?"
He never got the answer.
The dagger pierced his chest.
Time seemed to shatter. His world slowed into fragments: the look of anguish on Lily's face, the warmth of his blood spilling down her trembling hand, the metallic taste rising in his throat.
Ethan's knees buckled. He collapsed onto the cold earth, choking as crimson filled his lungs. His sword slipped from his grasp, clattering against stone.
Above him, Lily sobbed. But her tears carried no regret.
"Forgive me, Ethan."
The night sky darkened, and the battlefield faded from view. His body grew cold. His heart slowed.
Darkness claimed him.
But before it consumed him fully, a voice—ancient and cold, echoed in the abyss of his dying mind.
Do you wish to live again?
Ethan's rage surged. His betrayal burned hotter than his wounds. His fading consciousness clung desperately to the words.
"Yes…" His lips barely moved, but his soul screamed it. "Give me another chance."
The voice chuckled, deep and rumbling, like thunder rolling in eternity.
Very well… then let us begin.