Chapter 1: The World Was Chaos
The world was chaos.
Buildings crumbled around them. Blood stained the earth, mixing with the bodies scattered across broken streets, faces frozen in terror and despair. Above, the sky was a sickening mix of shades of red and black, swirling as if possessed by some evil force, and with every flash of crimson lightning, the ground trembled in response.
A woman ran, gasping for air. She was being pulled forward, her legs burning as she struggled to keep up. Her grip tightened around her child as his small body trembled, his little fingers tangled in her collar, whimpering softly. She barely had time to lift her gaze, but when she did, she saw him—a broad-shouldered figure slicing through the crowd ahead. Even in this nightmare, Damon was her anchor, pulling her through the chaos. She clung to his hand, her lifeline amid the horror.
A strange mist seemed to be coming from the horizon, swallowing up people as it swept through the panicked crowd.
"Hold on!" Damon shouted over the howling wind, his voice barely reaching her through the storm.
They wove between fleeing figures, bodies pressing and colliding around them. The child whimpered softly against her neck, his tiny fingers clutching tighter. She held him closer, whispering, "It's okay, baby. Mommy and Daddy are here."
Suddenly, figures rushed away from the mist and toward them—people lost in their fear, their eyes glazed with desperation. They collided with them and she stumbled, her grip on Damon's hand slipping, his warmth snapping away as someone surged between them. She twisted, desperation clawing at her as she reached out.
"No! Wait!" Her voice cracked as she reached out, watching in horror as he was swept away by the crowd.
He turned, eyes wide with panic. "Zara!" he yelled, his outstretched hand the last thing she saw before everything plunged into darkness.
*****
City B, February 1, 2028...