Chapter 136: The Future Is Ruined

Chapter 136: The Future Is Ruined

Melissa’s POV

It was dark in the sky. Not stormy or overcast, but dead. Dead. Above us, the clouds remained stationary. Like a heavy shadow that would not go away, they simply hung there.

As we looked at the destroyed world around us, I remained motionless and held onto Kane's arm.

"What is this location?" Kane said.

Fear tightened my chest as I gulped hard. This, I believe, is our planet. Not how we left it, though.

It was all ruined. The trees resembled charred bones. What remained of the buildings was deteriorating and damaged. Rivers had turned to thick, black sludge, and the air felt... strange. Heavy, deadly, like it didn’t want us to breathe.

Kane knelt and touched the cracked ground. "This is the location of the former central village."

I shook my head, saying, "No." “It can’t be. That’s impossible.”

But deep down, I knew he was right. The distant contour of the hills and the land's shape matched. We lived here. Or the remnants of it.

“This is what happens if we fail,” I said quietly, my voice quivering. “This is what the dark god does.”

I felt tears in my eyes, but I blinked them away. It wouldn't be resolved by crying. Nobody would be saved by regret.

Kane was standing next to me, looking pallid. "We cannot remain here."

“No,” I agreed. "But unless we find a way to prevent this from ever happening, we also can't go back."

Not knowing where we were heading, we set off on foot. The only sounds were the peculiar, unsettling wind that groaned as though it was lamenting all that had been lost, and the crunch of shattered stone beneath our feet.

It was also lost.

The planet was dead.

We kept moving for what felt like hours. Every step felt heavier, like the ground didn’t want us there. As if it were attempting to drag us beneath it.

But then we noticed movement through the dense air.

A number.

I took hold of Kane's arm. “Someone’s there.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Could be a survivor. Or worse.”

We watched from behind a damaged wall. With his black armour glowing faintly red at the edges and his long coat dragging behind him, the figure advanced slowly but purposefully. Something about him made my skin crawl, even though his face was hidden.

I gasped when he turned his head.

"Kane," I said in a whisper. "Observe."

He froze as he looked. "No. That isn't feasible.

It was feasible.

Because we believed we would never see the man's face again when he removed his hood.

"Darius," I said.

He was still alive.

In some way.

He also had a... new appearance.

He had a fiery spark in his eyes. He had pale, nearly colorless skin. His cheek had a lengthy scar that had never been there before. And it was as obvious as day that the black deity had left his mark on his neck.

"He serves him now," Kane said, his mouth clenched. "He caved in."

A huge hole appeared in my stomach. However, why? The dark god was despised by Darius.

“Maybe not enough,” Kane mumbled. "Or perhaps he was altered by this future."

As though he had heard us, Darius turned. He yelled, "I know you're there," in a chilly tone. Empty.

I stepped out, despite Kane’s cautionary look. "Darius. It's me. Melissa.

His eyes were emotionless as he looked at me. "I recognise you."

I tried to maintain a steady tone as I said, "You're alive." "We believed you had left."

"I was," he declared. However, I was given another chance, a more worthwhile goal.

"No," I blurted out. This isn't any better. Examine your surroundings. This place is dead.”

He smiled. "Dead but free." calm. War is over. Don't fight any more. No more suffering.

"That isn't peace!" I yelled. "That's a command. There is no life on this earth. It's a cemetery!

His expression remained the same. “Then maybe it’s better this way.”

He lifted his hand, and dark energy crackled around his fingertips.

Just before a bomb struck where we were standing, Kane dragged me behind the wall.

"He's attempting to murder us!" I yelled out.

“No,” Kane answered flatly. “He’s trying to stop us. He is aware that we are not welcome here.

We took off running. Avoiding burnt trees and shattered stones. Darius continued to shoot us as he pursued us, but finally, he was engulfed by the black mist, and we were unable to see him.

However, I knew he would return.

And he wouldn't think twice the next time.

We discovered a peaceful location—a broken remnant of what appeared to be a house. Although the walls were partially demolished and the roof was gone, it provided us with temporary refuge.

With my head in my hands, I took a seat.

Kane sat quietly next to me.

"It's too late," I said. "The world is lost already."

Kane looked at me. "Do you intend to give up?"

I gave a headshake. "No. However, I'm at a loss for what to do.

He remarked, "We figure out how to stop this." "We locate the origin. We identify when everything went wrong and make the necessary corrections.

I looked up at him. "You believe we can accomplish that?"

He was honest when he said, "I don't know." But we must make an effort. Because this future becomes real if we don't. Forever.

Something stirred inside of me. A spark. Little but powerful.

I hope.

Perhaps this version of the world was too late for us. Not for ours, though. Not quite yet.

All we needed to do was return.

"However?" I inquired. "The portal fell apart. Lydia remained to open it before leaving. We're stranded.

Kane looked around. "There must be something here, even though this future is broken. A hint. A fissure, a covert method.

Slowly, I got to my feet. “Then we search. We keep looking till we locate it.

He gave a nod. We also keep an eye out for Darius. He is unstoppable.

"And the dark god won't either," I continued.

Kane looked at me. "He will arrive. He will, you know that.

"I'm hoping for it," I said.

Because he might—just might—slip. Say something. Make a revelation.

Something that would allow us to reverse everything.

We crossed the empty plains of ash and quiet once more. The silence reverberated with each stride, but I sensed a shift.

The wind changed.

The temperature dropped.

Then I sensed him.

My breath seized in my throat, and I felt the hairs on my arms stand up.

Even Kane sensed it. "He's present."

In front of us, a dense black fog started to form and swirl into a shape. Tall. Strong. Timeless.

The god of darkness.

His eyes gleamed like twin stars of fire and emptiness as he took a slow step forward. Shadows danced at his feet, and his cloak moved without wind.

"Well," he continued in a smooth, lethal voice, "this is unexpected."

I suppressed my fear and stood tall. "Let's return."

He laughed. "Return? Oh, oh, no. You're exactly where you should be.

Kane moved ahead of me. "You won't be allowed to win."

The dark deity smiled more broadly and remarked, "But I already have." "Look around you, kids. This world belongs to me now. The conflict is over. You merely arrived late to see the ending.”

"No!" I yelled. "It's not finished! It is still changeable!

His eyes brightened, and his smile expanded. "You don't understand, do you?"

His voice sounded like a whisper inside my skull as he leaned closer.

"It's too late."

Everything trembled around us.

Once more, the sky broke.

The clouds were packed with black lightning.

And behind him, Darius appeared, smiling wickedly, ready to strike.

I grabbed Kane’s hand, my heart beating.

We were encircled.

Captured.

And the future was on the verge of disintegrating once more.