Fate´s Bloody Path

I woke up feeling uneasy. My head was still clouded from the alcohol of the previous night. I reached for the bucket of water by the bed, soaked a cloth, and wiped it over my body, making sure to give myself a good "bath."

I didn’t have a tub, but the cold water helped clear my head. After one last wipe, I quickly got dressed. Today was my meeting with Grimmor, and I couldn’t afford to be late.

I hurried through the town toward the tower. Although I hadn’t been there before, the tower was tall enough to be visible from almost anywhere. The town, though not very large, had its alleys and plazas, but it wasn’t big enough to get lost in.

When I arrived at the base of the tower, I realized I would have to climb several flights of stairs. For a moment, I wished elevators existed in this world. I sighed and started climbing, feeling the weight of the previous night’s exhaustion still lingering in my body.

When I finally reached the top, the meeting place was in a room with a large window that offered a view of nearly the entire town. The sun was shining brightly, giving the room an almost solemn air.

At the entrance of the meeting room, a Lizard was standing guard. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of disgust towards these creatures.

Grimmor was already there, standing by the window, contemplating the landscape. When he noticed my presence, he slowly turned around without saying anything for a moment. Then, without preamble, he asked:

"Tell me, I heard you managed to see that Being in the mountains. You must feel pretty special, considering not just anyone can reach him," his ironic tone didn’t go unnoticed.

I entered the room after his comment, knowing that every word would need to be carefully calculated. I took a deep breath and began:

"That old man… he was cryptic, as expected. He spoke of important events on the horizon, things that could change the course of this era. Although he didn’t reveal any details, he made it clear that I would somehow be involved. But to be honest, I didn’t fully understand his words."

As I spoke, I felt a slight pressure in my chest. Had I said too much? I didn’t know how long I could maintain this lie. I watched Grimmor as he stared at me, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought. The silence in the room stretched on.

My thoughts swirled as I tried to read his expression, searching for any hint that he was buying my story. He didn’t seem suspicious, but he wasn’t entirely convinced either. I knew what I had said was enough to keep him interested, but for how long?

"I see…" he murmured, looking out the window again. "I suppose you’re not hiding anything from me… it wouldn’t be smart on your part to do so." After a brief silence, he added:

"This town needs someone like me, you know? Someone who understands what’s necessary to maintain order. I do business with the merchants to protect them from thieves, and yes, sometimes I give them loans and pressure them to return the favor. It’s simple: I keep the problems away, and they keep thriving."

He spoke with such conviction that it almost seemed like he believed his own words. But I knew what was really behind his actions: violence, fear, and terror. Nevertheless, I nodded, pretending to empathize.

"I understand," I replied, carefully choosing my words. "Sometimes it’s necessary to take difficult measures to keep those who depend on you safe."

Grimmor flashed a faint smile, seemingly satisfied with my response. But before he could say anything else, I noticed a change in his expression. His eyes locked onto something outside the window, and his face suddenly tensed. It was as if all the calm from before had vanished in an instant.

"Dammit… those damned gargoyles!" he muttered through gritted teeth, with a frustration I hadn’t seen in him before.

My heart skipped a beat. I quickly moved to the window. From the town’s main entrance, stone creatures were advancing, flying slowly but with unshakable determination.

They were enormous, their stone wings beating the air as they descended, their eyes glowing with clear menace. I knew this wasn’t a random attack. Something in Grimmor’s reaction confirmed it: these creatures were here for him, or so I guessed. I sensed there was something more behind this, but I couldn’t focus on that now.

Grimmor barked orders quickly. "Prepare everything!" he shouted to the lizards accompanying him. "Gather my men and defend the town."

Of course, if the gargoyles destroyed the town along with its people, it would be bad for business. He urgently needed to maintain the town’s prosperity.

He turned to me. "You, Darius, don’t get near those things. You still need to finish telling me what happened back there. Let my men handle those beasts."

I nodded, but as soon as he left the room, I saw my opportunity. I couldn’t just stand by while those creatures destroyed the town. I quickly descended the stairs, and amidst the chaos, I managed to slip away to see if I could help somehow.

The town was in panic. The gargoyles had already begun their attack, hurling stones and debris as houses collapsed. The creatures moved with terrifying ferocity, crushing everything in their path.

The sound of collapsing houses mixed with the screams of the townspeople overwhelmed me, but I tried to stay calm. I shouted at some villagers to take shelter, but the chaos was relentless.

Amid the confusion, I saw Nayris. She was helping some children escape down a side street, but one of the gargoyles spotted her. Before I could shout a warning, the creature reached her. With a brutal blow, it slammed her into the ground, burying her under rubble. Her body lay motionless.

I ran to her, my heart pounding with fury, but when I reached her, her body no longer responded. Her once bright eyes were now dull. Blood trickled from her lips, and her skin, once warm, was growing cold to the touch. A mix of disbelief and despair overwhelmed me.

"Nayris! No… what the hell is happening in this world… no…" I screamed through gritted teeth, clutching her body tightly. The pressure in my chest was unbearable. I wanted to scream, to do something… but it was useless.

I looked around, but there was no one to ask for help. I reached for the pendant I always wore, seeking comfort in its familiar presence.

In that instant, a fleeting memory crossed my mind—the pain of losing Selene in my world. The same helplessness, the same despair. My heart sank even further as the shadow of that old loss crashed down on me with overwhelming force.

Something began to change inside me. A feeling I didn’t recognize but couldn’t control. It was a strange, dark, and overwhelming energy. I felt something inside me begin to break, as if the world itself were distorting. My breathing became erratic, and everything around me started to blur.

The chaos in my mind was so intense that everything around me began to fade into a whirlwind of darkness.

And then, without knowing how, everything changed.

Suddenly, I was standing again, realizing that Nayris was no longer in my arms. I looked around and only then understood that I had gone back a few minutes before she died. The attack hadn’t happened yet, and I instantly thought I could prevent it.

The magic that had allowed this was eating away at me from within, but the adrenaline kept me going. I saw Nayris again, running toward the children. Time… somehow, I had turned it back. I couldn’t comprehend how, but at that moment, it didn’t matter. I had to save her.

"Nayris, watch out!" I shouted, running toward her before the gargoyle could attack.

I moved quickly, managing to get there in time. I pulled her out of the way just as the gargoyle struck the ground where she had been. Nayris looked at me, surprised, but there was no time for explanations.

"Run!" I shouted, and this time she didn’t hesitate. She fled quickly while I remained, not understanding how I had done the impossible.

The chaotic mana pulsed strongly within me, and something dark had been unleashed. I didn’t fully understand what it was, but I knew it didn’t belong to the natural order.

In front of me, the gargoyle that had killed Nayris watched me with its eyes glowing with malice. There was no time to think or run.

The creature moved toward me slowly but deliberately as the screams of the townspeople echoed around us. Other gargoyles were descending from the rooftops, tearing apart everything in their path. Houses crumbled under their claws, and the air was filled with dust and debris.

Rage and fear mixed inside me, but I couldn’t afford to hesitate. My body tensed as I prepared for the attack.

The gargoyle in front of me roared, finally lunging and closing the distance between us. My muscles reacted before I could think, narrowly dodging the first blow. I couldn’t afford to fall here.

The battle had begun.