I tumbled through the darkness, panic rising in my throat as rubble rained down. Each passing moment felt like an eternity, as if time itself had slowed down in sync with my racing thoughts.The air was thick with dust, invading my nostrils and choking my breath. My vision was obscured, reduced to mere glimpses of fragmented shapes. The sensation of weightlessness and lack of solid ground messed with my senses, disorienting chaos around me, leaving me feeling utterly helpless and vulnerable.A sickening eternity passed before my fall abruptly halted with a bone-jarring crunch. Pain shot through my limbs. I laid there, stunned, the impact searing into my consciousness.Darkness unlike anything I had ever experienced engulfed me. It was a darkness that went beyond the absence of light, it was a consuming void that seemed to swallow everything, even the concept of darkness itself. It was disorienting and disconcerting, as if the very essence of my surroundings had been erased.In that b
A curse slipped past my bloody lips, the taste of desperation mingling with the metallic tang of blood as darkness swallowed the wisp's feeble glow. "W-what now, damn it?!"Scrambling quickly, I pulled myself further into the rubble.Whatever it was, it was giving me the creeps. All of my senses were on high alert, screaming at me that I was in imminent danger.My hands trembled as they fumbled and scraped against the jagged edges of debris as I desperately sought a more defensible position. ...But even then I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched, every single movement monitored. It was dreadful and suffocating. Unease gripped me tightly, its icy fingers constricting my chest, as I struggled to steady my ragged breaths. The tumultuous events had placed an immense strain on my body. Surprisingly, my mana core was holding up well, but even so, I had to rely on it to sustain my weary and battered form. As a result, I could feel my strength gradually diminishing, bit by
Sweat and blood rolled down my face.I was drenched in blood, my own blood. I made a conscious decision not to look at myself, fearing the sight of bones jutting through my torn flesh. Already battered with gashes, lacerations, and fractures, what harm could one more scratch do? It's honestly astounding that I'm still standing despite the extent of the damage inflicted upon me. But what brings me some solace is the darkness surrounding me, though it's not quite as dark as I'd hoped. Disregarding everything around me, I couldn't help but steal a quick glance downward. There, I noticed a pool of blood right beneath my feet. It was dark, yet not dark enough to conceal the fact that it was my own.Sweat mingled with crimson rivulets that flowed down my ragged form, tracing a macabre map. Each breath was an agonizing struggle, my body ravaged and depleted, held together only by the tattered remnants of mana and stubborn will that animated my brittle flesh.'Crap! How am I still alive af
Mark Tenery's life was riddled with obstacles and challenges, most of which stemmed from his difficult upbringing. Each passing day seemed to bring with it a new set of difficulties, contributing to the uphill climb he faced in his journey through life.His father was abusive and during his depressive days he would get wasted inside his bedroom and he would only come out to eat, use the bathroom and occasionally to release his pent up frustration and anger.During his life, he worked hard like a madman, but to no avail, he had no talent for business nor as a social climber, he was unsuccessful in his endeavor.As a result, his mental state began to deteriorate, taking his self-esteem down with it. In an attempt to escape reality, he turned to alcohol and resorted to physical violence against his own son, as a show of power and dominance.Believing it to be his paternal responsibility, he subjected his son to physical abuse, asserting his dominance and control over him. Even the slighte
"I was going to be gentle with you," the bully sneered, "but now I've changed my mind. Let's show everyone who the real trash is."As the bully's henchman began filming, little did they know that they were falling right into Mark's trap.Mark had long anticipated the bully's aggression and had already made preparations for the fight. As the two bullies charged towards him, blinded by their own fury, they failed to notice the tripwire that Mark had cleverly set up. Suddenly, the bullies found themselves tumbling to the ground, completely disoriented.It was then that Mark saw his opportunity to strike.As the two bullies stumbled and collapsed onto the unforgiving pavement, the third bully behind the camera froze in shock.They had come in a group, hoping to intimidate and overpower Mark, but little did they know that he was prepared for them. With a sturdy pipe in hand, he struck them swiftly and forcefully, targeting their heads, backs, legs, and ribs.As for the ring leader, even hi
In the soft glow of the moonlit night, at that very moment, disbelief washed over him as he beheld his mother's silhouette intertwined with that of another man.Despite the slight distance between them, it was not enough to shield him from the painful truth he had been avoiding for far too long. The answers he had desperately sought had always been right before his eyes.Defeated and disillusioned, a single tear escaped his eye, as if the weight of the world was conspiring against him. And deep down, he realized he should have expected nothing less.His father had been unemployed, wasting away in despair.Each night, his mother would don an exquisite gown that hugged her curves, enhancing her beauty. With meticulous care, she applied makeup before venturing out.Care she had withheld from him.It became a nightly ritual, one that her son observed with a mix of curiosity and longing.The pain that engulfed him was unbearable, and in those moments, he yearned for someone to share his bur
This was the start of a new chapter in his life, and he eagerly awaited the opportunity to celebrate this transformative moment.As Mark looked back on that day, it seemed to have passed by in the blink of an eye. He couldn't help but think to himself, 'Time really does fly when you're happy, and drag on endlessly when you're miserable.'But in that moment, he was grateful to have experienced such a fleeting moment of joy that he would carry with him into the future.The next day on a tranquil Saturday morning, Jeffrey arrived in front of his dilapidated condo, driving a battered and bruised secondhand car.The vehicle's surface was a weathered shade of cyan, adorned with a multitude of scratches that spoke to its tumultuous past and from the looks of it was barely in functional state.As Mark was preparing to head off to school, his phone rang, interrupting his morning routine.It was the principal's office, urgently requesting that he come in and meet with them along with a legal gua
The warmth enveloped me in a cocoon of safety, and the blinding brightness left me at a loss for words. I felt weightless, as if I were drifting through the air, until my gaze settled upon... ... What's that? An ethereal tunnel!The idea of a light at the end of the tunnel had always seemed like a cliché, but now it felt like a tangible possibility.I see, so I died!Sigh, so it ended like that? It was just at the tip of my fingers. Where did it all go wrong?Jeffrey! That bastard Jeffrey!As I cursed his name over and over again, I felt the anger and hatred reignite within me.The warm light could no longer suppress my rage... but it also felt a little strange. My anger, I mean.It was not just directed at Jeffrey. No! There was something or someone else I was more hateful towards!I didn't know at whom or what that rage was directed, but I felt as if I were a third person in this situation.Yet, the light was warm and peaceful. Even that unbridled anger and rage were being covered,