In the quiet town of Lindos, the morning sun stretched its golden fingers across rooftops and cobbled streets. A boy stepped out of his house, arms lifted in a lazy stretch, his breath escaping in a contented sigh. The sky was an endless blue, the air crisp with the scent of blooming flowers. As he blinked against the sunlight, his gaze wandered until he spotted two familiar figures approaching.
A grin spread across his face as he waved. He moved toward them, his steps light, shaking off the last remnants of sleep. Once the trio stood together, their conversation quickly turned to adventure.
They spoke of venturing into the forest just beyond the city. Lykos, the boy who had just stepped outside, found his mind drifting—his thoughts slipping like sand through fingers. It wasn't until someone yanked him back to reality that he realized he had spaced out completely.
Alepou: Ly? Lykos!
Alepou, one of his closest friends, brushed a few strands of brown hair from her face, her expression expectant. Lykos blinked, adjusting his beanie as he looked over at her.
Lykos: Huh. What's going on?
Skylos: You spaced out there, are you good?
Skylos, the other boy, flashed a grin, his light-blue eyes momentarily obscured by the shadows of his lashes.
Lykos: Yeah, just a little tired. I didn't sleep too well last night...actually, I had a terrible nightmare.
Alepou: Oo, storytime.
Lykos exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. He began describing it—how it felt like a vision rather than a dream. Eight people, three of whom were them, standing on a vast frozen plain. Weapons formed from thin air, their hands instinctively wielding them as if they had trained their entire lives. The air was thick with tension, battle cries echoing into the abyss of white.
Alepou: You mean a Telum?
Lykos: Probably, but... there's still more.
His voice dropped slightly as he spoke of a woman, a being of ice and fury, who sought to erase all but a handful of survivors. Yet, something within him surged to life, granting him the power to bring her down effortlessly. And that was when the nightmare turned dark.
Skylos: That sounds good. How is that a nightmare?
Lykos clenched his jaw. He continued, explaining how Skylos had run away. How Alepou had died. How he—Lykos—had lost himself, consumed by something that wasn't him. One by one, he had taken the others down, until only one remained.
Lykos: I wish that would have been the end, but there was more...
The nightmare had twisted again. He had seen them all together, but this time, it was different. Another version of himself had fought against the monster he had become, sacrificing himself to save the last of their group.
Alepou placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch grounding him.
Alepou: I mean, it's just a dream... nothing bad will happen to us. After all, we aren't Telum users.
Lykos: Right...
Alepou: Cheer up, as long as the three of us are together, we'll be fine. Who could beat us? Our dads were Protectors of Freedom.
_______________________________
Elsewhere, the world was not so peaceful.
Two figures sprinted away from a burning city, their breaths ragged. Thick smoke curled into the sky, swallowing entire streets in its suffocating grasp. The scent of charred wood and destruction clung to the air.
Inu: Any word from Mom and—
Okami: Not a single one, and I'm starting to get worried sick.
Okami, his brown hair damp with sweat, risked a glance over his shoulder. The city was vanishing beneath an unnatural haze. Within the smoke, a face formed—watching.
Then, his phone buzzed. He snatched it up with desperate hands, his heart hammering.
A voice answered. A girl. She was okay. Inu's mother was with her. Relief flooded him, but it was short-lived.
"We see you," she said. "We're coming to you now."
Okami and Inu spun, their eyes scanning the area until two figures emerged from the distance. Without hesitation, they ran to meet them.
Okami: Kit! I'm so glad you're okay!
Kitsune, Inu's sister and Okami's partner, tied her long black hair back, her sharp eyes assessing them. Beside her, their mother, Kawa, was catching her breath, exhaustion clear on her face.
Inu: Where were you two?
Kawa: We were heading home when everything happened. When we didn't find you there, we figured you had already left.
Okami and Kitsune embraced as Inu and Kawa talked in hushed tones about what to do next.
Kitsune: So what now?
Kawa: We should head to the next city and wait this out.
Okami: What even is that smoke? It almost seems... sentient.
Inu: I believe that's an Enenra.
Okami: How's it gotten so big? Don't they usually stick to campfires?
Kawa: Someone probably tampered with it... Let's just keep moving.
They turned away from the ruined city, footsteps pressing into the dirt as they walked toward the unknown.
_______________________________
Meanwhile, in a frozen wasteland, two figures trudged through knee-deep snow.
Volk: Hey Soba, haven't we been here before?
Volk, brown-haired and weary, glanced at his companion. Sobaka, ever the realist, barely looked up as he scanned the area for anything useful.
Sobaka: Maybe we have. We'll know if there isn't any food. Now shut up and keep looking.
Volk shivered, rubbing his hands together for warmth. The house before them stood eerily alone, as if abandoned by time itself.
Volk: It's kinda bizarre, isn't it? Just one house out here, all by itself.
They stepped inside, scouring the place for anything edible.
Volk: Beans... great.
Sobaka: Better than nothing.
Volk: I don't want to have the shits just because I have to survive.
Sobaka: Then hand them over.
Volk: Shut up...
The two dropped their gear and ate, speaking in low voices about the life they had left behind. Warmth, safety, civilization—things that felt like distant memories. Now, all they knew was ice, snow, and the gnawing hunger for something more.
Volk: We're staying here for today?
Sobaka: Does it look like we have any other choice, dumbass.
Volk: Hey! I was just asking.
Sobaka: Then ask a less stupid question.
Volk: This man.
They settled in for the night, the wind howling outside. Surely, there had to be an escape from this frozen prison. They just had to survive long enough to find it.
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC79cMD03kg
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrY3aOx0Lt
