Ren sat motionless in his room, the echo of that vision still thundering in his mind. Haruka's worried face lingered, but he forced a smile. "I'm fine," he lied, his voice dry.
He didn't want to think about the altered history, the five years he couldn't remember, or the ruler who had become a saint in rewritten records. So, he chose to pretend. Just for a while.
Later that day, Ren walked outside with Haruka. The warm sun and gentle wind almost convinced him everything was normal. They soon met Kobayashi Ryota, his always-joking best friend, and Tanaka Yui, a girl he recognized but still felt distant toward. From their conversation, Ren realized she was part of their friend group—though he had no memory of her.
Ryota grinned. "Man, you look like you saw a ghost last night."
Ren chuckled awkwardly. "Didn't sleep well."
Yui nodded. "You really need to stop reading creepy books before bed."
They laughed and talked, sharing jokes and stories. The trio even casually praised the current king, celebrating the peace he brought.
Ren forced a smile, but his thoughts raced. They don't know. None of them remember. To them, this world was always like this.
Still, the village was peaceful. Developed. Alora looked happier than it ever did in his memories. Ren wondered if, despite everything, this rewritten world might not be so bad.
But peace is always short-lived.
That night, just past midnight, Hana Tenkai shook her son awake, panic in her voice. "Ren! Wake up—we need to leave now!"
"W-What's wrong?" he mumbled, groggy.
"No time! Just come!"
They ran outside—and Ren's heart stopped.
Flames licked the sky. Screams pierced the air. Royal guards, clad in obsidian armor and wielding elemental magic, were ravaging the village. Fire, lightning, ice—magic of every kind tore through homes. People screamed. Blood soaked the ground.
"Please! No!" someone cried, just before being cut down.
A head rolled, stopping at Ren's feet.
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