Chapter 2: First Enemy
1109 Words
“Mom?”
Alex’s voice echoed through the house, thinner than he expected.
No answer.
The silence felt… heavy. Like something was pressing against his chest.
He stepped forward slowly.
The floor creaked beneath his feet.
“Mom, are you—”
He turned into the living room.
And froze.
For a moment, his brain refused to understand what he was seeing.
It didn’t make sense.
It couldn’t.
His mother was pinned against the wall.
A knife buried deep in her head.
Blood had run down the wall in dark streaks, pooling onto the floor beneath her feet. Her eyes were open—but empty.
Watching nothing.
Alex’s body went completely still.
“…No.”
His voice cracked.
“No… no, no…”
He stumbled backward, hitting the table behind him. Something fell and shattered, but he didn’t even hear it.
“This isn’t real…”
His breathing became uneven, sharp, broken.
“You’re joking… this is some kind of joke…”
But the smell—
The iron scent of blood—
It was real.
Too real.
“Mom…?”
His legs gave out.
He collapsed to his knees.
“…Get up,” he whispered. “Please… just get up…”
Nothing moved.
Nothing changed.
And then—
A sound.
Upstairs.
A dull thud.
A struggle.
Alex’s head snapped upward.
“…Darius.”
His heart slammed violently in his chest.
Without thinking he run to his brother room.
The hallway felt longer than ever before.
Every step was heavier.
Every breath harder.
“Darius!” Alex shouted, running toward his brother’s room.
Another crash came from inside.
Something slammed against the wall.
“Hold still,” a cold voice said.
Alex’s blood froze.
He reached the door—
And kicked it open.
The Man in Black
Time slowed.
Darius was lifted off the ground, his back pressed against the wall.
A man dressed entirely in black held him by the throat with one hand.
He was tall.
Still.
Controlled.
A dark mask covered his face, reflecting nothing.
Darius struggled, gasping for air, his hands gripping the man’s wrist desperately around his neck.
A glowing blue stone pulsed violently.
The teleportation stone.
“Let him go!” Alex shouted.
The man turned his head slowly.
And looked at him.
Even without seeing his eyes Alex felt it.
Something cold.
Something empty.
“You’re the other one,” the man said calmly.
His voice was… wrong.
Too steady.
Too emotionless.
“Put him down!” Alex stepped forward, fists clenched.
“Interesting,” the man continued, ignoring him. “No energy signature. No ability. And yet… you’re still alive.”
“Shut up!” Alex snapped. “I said let him go!”
Darius struggled harder.
“A-Alex… run…”
“I’m not leaving you!”
The man tightened his grip slightly.
Darius choked.
The blue stone flickered.
“You’re in the way,” the man said.
He moved too fast.
Alex didn’t even see the strike,only felt it.
A crushing force slammed into his chest, throwing him backward into the wall. The air was ripped from his lungs instantly.
“Ugh—!”
He hit the ground hard, vision spinning.
Pain exploded through his body.
“…I can’t… move…”
The man stepped closer.
Each step was calm.
Measured.
Like he had all the time in the world.
“You’re not worth killing,” he said. “But you’ve seen too much.”
He raised his hand.
Alex’s vision blurred.
“…No…”
Darius’s eyes widened.
Something inside him snapped.
The stone around his neck flared brighter than ever before.
The room shook violently.
“What—?” the man paused.
Energy exploded outward.
A swirling portal tore open behind Alex, distorting the air, pulling everything toward it.
“Alex!” Darius shouted, forcing the man’s grip to loosen just enough.
“Get up!”
“I can’t"
“YOU HAVE TO!”
The pull of the portal grew stronger.
Furniture slid across the floor.
The walls cracked.
Time itself seemed to bend.
Darius looked at Alex—
And for the first time—
There was fear in his eyes.
“…I’m sorry.”
“Don’t—!” Alex reached out.
But it was too late.
Darius slammed his hand forward.
A burst of energy hit Alex directly.
And sent him flying backward—
Straight into the portal.
Falling
Everything shattered.
Light twisted into impossible shapes.
Sound stretched and broke into echoes.
Alex felt like he was being torn apart
Then put back together
Over and over again.
He tried to scream.
But no sound came out.
Memories flashed.
His mother smiling.
Darius training.
The house.
The blood.
“…Darius…”
2030:
He hit the ground hard.
Air rushed back into his lungs all at once.
“GHH—!”
Alex coughed violently, gripping the pavement beneath him like it was the only real thing left.
“…Where…?”
His head spun.
His body felt wrong.
Heavy.
Light.
Both at once.
He forced himself to look up.
And froze.
The city…
Was not his city.
Buildings stretched impossibly high, covered in glowing lines of energy. Floating platforms moved through the air like highways. Screens hovered everywhere, displaying information in midair.
People walked past him—
Using powers far beyond anything he had seen before.
A man casually bent metal with a glance.
A girl stepped through a small portal like it was nothing.
“…No…”
Alex slowly stood up, his legs shaking.
“This isn’t…”
A large holographic display flickered to life above the street.
His heart stopped.
“…No.”
His voice was barely a whisper.
“No, no, no…”
He stumbled backward.
“This isn’t possible…”
But deep down—
He knew.
Darius had sent him here.
Not away.
Forward.
To survive.
To escape.
To… wait.
Alex clenched his fists.
His entire body trembled.
“…What did you do…?”
A breeze passed through the street.
But something else moved with it.
The shadows beneath his feet…
Shifted.
Not like before.
This time—
They responded.
They stretched slightly toward him.
Like they recognized him.
Alex stared down at them.
“…What is this…?”
A voice behind him answered.
“You feel it too, don’t you?”
Alex turned sharply.
A tall figure stood a few steps away.
Silver hair.
Sharp eyes.
Relaxed posture—but alert.
“You don’t belong here,” the stranger said.
Alex swallowed.
“…Where am I?”
The stranger smirked slightly.
“Like the sign said?”
He stepped closer.
“You’re in 2030.”
A pause.
“Welcome to the future.”
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