Fated Fragment

"Can't you fight back?"

"He might need another smack."

"Should we stop him?"

The cold winter air seeped through every crack as bits of snow clung to Soren's tattered clothes. His frail frame barely had the strength to resist, his pale skin blending into the frost like he belonged to the cold itself. Strands of black hair clung to his forehead, damp from the freezing air.

Why? It's not like I started this. Can't you see me? Should I have been the one on top? Are they enjoying watching? Why me?

Thwack!

Thwack!

Blood trickled down Soren's nose, the bitter, metallic taste filling his mouth—his first taste of blood, as harsh as a cold coin. A near-blinding pain pulsed from his bleeding nose to the back of his head. Before he could fully process it, a vice-like grip on his collar yanked him upright. The bully on top cocked his other hand back and—

Thwack!

Quiet murmurs rippled through the small crowd.

Was it disgust or pity? Was it for me or for the kid beating me up? No, I see it. What's the benefit? What can I give them for helping?

Nothing.

Soren felt like the weight of the world was pressing his head into the packed snow beneath him. Lying in the cold, damp slush, he felt his clothes grow wetter by the second as the melting frost seeped into the fabric. His eyes were nearly shut, yet he could make out muffled shouts from the direction of his attacker—faint echoes of a chaos that had already settled.

It's so cold, so lonely. Yet the air, it carries a somber voice with it. A voice I have grown to respect.

"So—" someone shouted.

"Sorr!" The voice called out.

It's fine, big bro. Don't cause yourself trouble, Soren thought.

For a second, it felt like the world stopped spinning. Like the monsters in the closet had learned their place. The bully barely had time to react before something hit him—something fast. Through half-closed eyes, Soren watched as his attacker was suddenly thrown aside. His big brother, Auren, had mounted the boy, his snow-white hair almost glowing under the winter light. Unlike Soren's frail frame, Auren was lean and strong, his sharp blue eyes filled with a cold fury as he delivered a furious barrage of punches.

For a brief moment, the corner of Soren's mouth curled upwards ever so slightly. His bruised lips barely moved as he muttered through labored breaths, his voice tinged with satisfaction.

"Beat him good, big bro."

The heavy thuds of Auren's fists crashing into the boy's face sent violent tremors through his body—each punch making him jolt, twitch, until finally... he stopped reacting at all.

Only the cold wind was moving.

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The warm summer wind pushed through the car window, brushing against Soren's face, coaxing him awake like a restless lullaby. The wind played with his black hair, making it dance like restless waves, pushing the strands backward, revealing his tired, marble-black eyes.

The car jolted as it rolled over uneven rocks, finally shaking him awake. The memories clung to him—lingering echoes of a fight long past, painful reminders of the insidious nature of people. He often woke from these pitiful dreams, filled with dread and longing.

Longing for the days when his brother even looked at him.

Soren sat in the back of the family SUV, the window down, the biting air caressing his face. His father drove them down a small countryside road. His mother sat in the front seat, while Auren sat on the other side of the backseat, quiet and distant.

The radio played an old song, filling the car with a warm, nostalgic tune. Every now and then, small houses flashed by the windows. The people outside were laughing, dancing, and—most importantly—together.

The sun inched closer to the horizon, casting long shadows across the road. There were still a few hours left to drive. After a while, Father broke the silence.

"Aren't you guys happy? We finally got some quality time together. Your mother thought this was the perfect time to use her vacation days," he said, his voice carrying a joyous tone, waiting for a response.

"Yeah. It's been a while since we've gone anywhere together." Auren replied, his voice even but unreadable.

Mother smiled, adding to the conversation. "I'm so glad that Auren used his personal time and resources to get us a spot at this year's Awakened Ceremony!" Her excitement was clear—it was rare to get a place at such an event.

Auren smiled and glanced at his mother. "Ah, Mother, you praise me too much. This is the least you and Father deserve."

Unexpectedly, Soren spoke up. "You were never really fond of the awakened. How come you're suddenly reserving us tickets to a great clans' event?"

Auren's smile shifted ever so slightly—almost imperceptible—before he replied, "Well, if someone sold you a snack, and in return, you got a five-course meal, would you not take it?"

"Well, that depends. What if the snack tasted better?" Soren responded flatly.

Auren exhaled, a hint of irritation slipping through. "That's not what—actually, just forget it. You'll most likely see something you like."

The mood in the car was light, yet something about it felt... wrong. The trees passed by at the same speed, the night slowly folding over the world.

But something in all this wasn't feeling right.

An instinct. A dreadful feeling that something wasn't adding up. But what was it?

The conversation continued the same. The trees passed the same way. The road stretched the same. Auren looked comfortable in his seat. Father and Mother still seemed unfazed by anything.

So why did it feel so unpleasant?

Soren focused on the shadow of a tree. The numbers lined up quickly in his head.

That tree—ten meters, give or take. The shadow is about three times that. The sun's angle... 20 degrees.

Now the tree's shadow is 27 meters, which means the sun has lowered by 2 degrees. But it's only been five minutes.

Yet, the tree passed by just like before. And then another. And another.

The same tree.

Over and over again.

It's the same tree as before. But it can't be. It doesn't make sense. We are moving. 

Time passed, but the same tree kept appearing until there was nothing left to see of it except its dark silhouette standing in the distance. Staring at it made Soren's skin crawl, and the air inside the car started to feel suffocating.

Then—THUD.

A loud bump sounded from the front right side of the car.

The car kept moving, but it wasn't as smooth as before. The ride had turned rough, the wheels shaking as if they were rolling over uneven ground.

His father let out a frustrated sigh. "Did the damn wheel pop in this shithole of a place? For God's sake! Stay in the car. I'll check on it." His irritation seeped through his words as he killed the engine and stepped outside.

Soren was lost in thought, not even realizing his father had already left the car.

Coincidence. No. The feeling. The trees. None of it. Something did this. But what?

He stared into the woods, trying to see—anything. But all his eyes could make out were the silhouettes of trees and tangled brush on the other side of the road.

So why does it feel like the woods are staring back?

Then another dull sound echoed outside the car. But this time, it wasn't the same.

It was heavier.

His mother cursed under her breath. "You scoundrel, can't even fix a tire. Useless crap." Her voice was playful, but only just.

"Oops, looks like this father of yours can't even change a tire. I'm going to go and help him out, so you guys sit tight."

Soren's stomach twisted at her words. Something felt off. He opened his mouth to speak, but the second she stepped outside, a cold chill ran down his spine.

"Mom, stop!"

But at that exact moment, as she placed one hand on the car door, her other arm suddenly went limp.

She collapsed.

No sound. No struggle. Just the dull thud of her body hitting the ground.

Soren stared at the position where his mother stood just a second ago, thinking -maybe she tripped.

But she wasn't standing up.

She wasn't moving. 

Nothing outside the car was moving. 

Soren unbuckled his seatbelt and lunged for the door, throwing it open as he stumbled out. His hair fell into his eyes as he moved, strands whipping across his pale face as the air outside turned heavy, suffocating.

The red pool was already spreading.

His mother lay motionless in it. Behind her, his father's body was slumped forward on the ground, his head severed from where he had been kneeling.

Soren froze. He couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. The gruesome sight in front of him made his stomach turn.

Soren fell to his knees. His vision blurred, like his brain was trying to protect him by shutting everything out. Don't look. Don't think. But no matter how much his body wanted to reject reality, the smell of blood clung to his lungs.

He couldn't form a single thought. His body moved on its own, heaving forward as vomit splattered onto the dirt. His brain didn't want to understand what was happening.

It always could.

But now, it wouldn't.

Soren squeezed his eyes shut, forcing his breathing to slow. His muscles trembled as he wiped the repugnant bile from his mouth and staggered back onto his feet.

No! Think! Anything! The trees! That's it!

Illusions? Trees, they were illusions. Right? Maybe...

His thoughts snapped apart at the sound of a raspy voice drifting from the woods.

"This isn't an illusion, kid."

The voice came from the woods, but there was nothing there—just a dark, ominous abyss. It felt like the void itself was breathing, swallowing the last remnants of light.

Auren hesitated.

He took a step back.

Soren stood frozen. His body refused to move, but his mind was screaming. Run. Scream. Do something.

Then—footsteps.

Slow. Heavy. Not loud, but impossibly dense, as if dragging the weight of the underworld with every step.

Auren moved.

But not away.

He stepped forward—deliberate, measured—placing himself between Soren and the abyss.

A deep chuckle rumbled from the darkness.

Then, a single word.

"Splendid."

Auren's back still looked like a mountain. A wall that once made Soren feel safe—like he could stop anything.

But not anymore.

The mountain was crumbling.

The shadows surged forward, swallowing Auren first. For a moment, Soren thought they would stop.

Then they reached past him.

And everything went black.