This Is How I Viewed The World

[Trigger Warning]

"Where… am I…?"

Dorven's eyes slowly opened, and his surroundings began to take shape. He found himself standing in a dimly lit room, the air heavy with a familiar, oppressive silence. 

His gaze fell to the ground, where a small child sat curled up beneath a table, softly crying. 

Dorven looks in confusion, only to realize that the child is a younger version of himself, helpless, fragile, and overwhelmed by fear. The sight stirred a long-buried memory within him, one he had desperately tried to forget.

Dorven looked down at the child, understanding what was unfolding before him.

"Heh, I see… these are my memories." 

He muttered, a sense of resigned acceptance settling in.

The younger version of himself continued to cry, his small body trembling as tears flowed freely, as if they would never stop. 

The scene was painfully familiar, those moments of vulnerability, of fear that he had long buried under layers of anger and power.

"So this is what they mean when they say, before death, your memories rewind."

He thought with a sneer, stood there, silently watching his past self, that he had always been running from this moment, this weakness, this broken child he once was.

Dorven crouched down towards his younger self, still offering a sneer on his face, his older, battle-worn self knew this scene well.

Suddenly, the world around him shifted, warping into a luxurious bedroom adorned with elegant furniture. A 9-year-old Dorven sat at a large table, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he eagerly devoured the pages of a stories book about animals.

This was a memory he hadn't visited in a long time.

The young Dorven fascination was clear as he ran his fingers along the illustrations of exotic creatures. A smile played on his innocent face, full of joy, curiosity, and a love he kept secret.

In the background, a shadow loomed. His parents cold, distant, and controlling would never approve. 

They had another path for him, a path that didn't involve the gentle world of animals, but of being a perfection, an image of a flawless, well-rounded individual who would draw admiration and attention just like his parents. 

Even in this pleasant moment, the younger self could feel the weight of their expectations crushing the child's happiness.

Dorven's family, wealthy and strict, had always imposed their expectations on him. His parents had drilled it into him, he was to be perfect, polite, never causing trouble.

Dorven, however, despised being forced into this role, but in the suffocating atmosphere of his upbringing, he had little choice but to comply.

He attended a rich school in his hometown, "Lightwoods". Often, while other children laughed and played, Dorven sat alone at his desk, nose buried in a book about animals, his secret passion. Most of the other kids found him strange for always reading books.

He never fit in with the other students, never shared their interests, and always seemed lost in his world. To them, he was just the Zoo Boy.

"Hey, Zoo Boy!" 

A voice broke his concentration. It was a kid named Cruser, along with his other two gang members, striding towards him with a mocking grin. The other children glanced over, some looking away, not wanting to be involved. 

Dorven didn't respond immediately, his eyes still locked on the page depicting a bunny. The young Dorven knew how this would go, he'd been teased before for being a nerd who only cares about animals. 

"Is that a book about animals?"

Cruser sneered as he leaned closer, snatching the book from Dorven's hands with a smirk. His eyes sparkled with a mean satisfaction as he flipped through the pages.

Young Dorven stood there, frozen in shock and confusion.

Cruser with his other two members laughed loudly, mocking him for being a nerd who only likes reading about animals.

Dorven's chest tightened, but he stayed silent, his hands gripping the edge of his desk as he looked down, trying to hide the hurt. Despite his desire to lash out, he knew he couldn't. 

Deep down, the humiliation burned, and the loneliness he always felt grew heavier with every taunt. 

The laughter around him felt distant, but it echoed through his mind, cementing a deep wound he would carry with him for years to come.

Without warning, Cruser hurled the book at Dorven, the hardcover smacking him on the head. Dorven winced as the sting spread across his scalp. 

His eyes started to well up with tears, not just from the pain, but from the sheer humiliation of the moment. 

The classroom went silent and shocked by looking at Cruser's actions, others whispered among themselves, and a few simply looked away, too uncomfortable or indifferent to intervene. But no one defended him. No one reached out. 

Dorven, the quiet boy who loved reading about animals, now sat alone as Cruser and his friends walked away after they were satisfied, tears threatening to spill as the young Dorven clutched his desk. 

He who had done nothing wrong was experiencing the first of many moments that would mark his life with pain and loneliness. 

From that day on, everything felt different. School became a place of dread, where each day he braced himself for the next taunt, the next insult. And no matter how much it hurts, he has never let his parents know about his situation. 

Even when he tried to tell them, his parents were always too busy with work to listen, barely sparing him a moment.

At home, his parents continued to push him towards their ideals of perfection as always. 

Day after day, Dorven hid his pain, his tears, and the bruises on his heart behind a mask of obedience. His parents had no idea what he endured, or perhaps they chose not to see. 

And so, Dorven's world became one of silent suffering, mocked by his peers, scolded by his parents, and left with no place where he could simply be himself.

Each day the isolation grew, and with it, a simmering darkness began to stir within him.

Years of relentless bullying wore down young Dorven, especially at the hands of Cruiser, who never seemed to tire of mocking him. Every insult and every cruel prank chipped away at his spirit, leaving him feeling smaller and more isolated. 

Now, at twelve years old, Dorven had grown used to hiding his pain, locking his true self away from the world that didn't seem to care.

But one afternoon, on his way home from school, something unusual caught his eye. Lying in the grass by the side of the road was a small, trembling bunny. Its tiny body was injured, its fur matted and dirty. 

For a moment, he forgot his suffering. Instinctively, his heart reached out to the helpless creature.

Without a second thought, he crouched beside the bunny and carefully picked it up, cradling it in his hands. His mind raced with concern as he examined its injuries, but there was a softness in his gaze. 

He had always loved animals, and in this moment, that love outweighed the pain in his own life.

Dorven reached into his school bag, pulling out a half-eaten sandwich he had saved from lunch. He offered the bunny a small piece, watching as it nibbled on the bread with a fragile eagerness. 

A faint smile touched his lips, the first genuine smile he had felt in a long time.

He knew, however, that taking the bunny home wasn't an option. His parents, strict and overbearing, had always forbidden him from having pets. 

They wanted him to focus on becoming the "perfect" child, and to them, animals were a distraction, a mess to be avoided. 

But Dorven couldn't abandon the bunny, after seeing how vulnerable it was. So, he made a decision. He would take the little creature to a hidden spot, somewhere quiet and safe where no one would find it. 

There was an old abandoned shed near the edge of the woods, not far from his home, a place where he could visit the bunny in secret, away from prying eyes and away from his parents' disapproval.

With the bunny carefully tucked into his jacket, Dorven began walking toward the shed, his heart lightened by a rare sense of purpose. 

For the first time in a long while, he felt like he was doing something that truly mattered and helping a life in need. 

And in that moment, he wasn't just the quiet boy that everyone mocked. He was the boy who could protect, who could care.

After many months of secretly taking care of the little bunny, he even gave it a name called "Snowy".

As days went by, Cruser began to notice that Dorven no longer reacted the way he used to. The bullying, once so effective, seemed to have lost its impact. 

This frustrated Cruser, he wanted to see Dorven broken, not indifferent. Determined to find out why Dorven had changed, Cruser decided to follow him one day.

After class, Dorven left the school quietly, unaware of the eyes tracking his every move. He took a familiar path, one that led away from the busy streets and into the quieter, hidden parts of town. 

Cruser followed closely. Soon, Dorven reached an old, abandoned shed that looked forgotten by time. He pushed open the creaking door, and Cruser's eyes widened as he watched from behind a tree.

Inside, Dorven knelt, and a small white bunny hopped into his arms. A gentle smile spread across Dorven's face.

"Snowy, I'm back." 

As Dorven whispered.

Cruser's face turned into a sinister grin as an idea formed in his mind. His two gang members, standing nearby, felt a chill run down their spines at the sight of his expression.

The next day unfolded like any other. Dorven sat alone, reading his animal book after class, using its cover to hide his face. He noticed Cruser approaching with his two other members of his, the usual bullies among them. 

Dorven's heart sank, he knew they were here to bother him again. But this time, Cruser leaned in with a smirk and ordered him to follow, claiming he wanted a private talk.

To Dorven's surprise, this time felt different. With no other option, he followed Cruiser, surrounded by his two members who made sure he couldn't escape.

They led him to a dim, isolated hallway behind the school, a place where no one would notice anything happening. Dorven's heart pounded in his chest, a sense of dread washing over him as he wondered what was about to unfold. 

The silence was suffocating, and the eerie atmosphere made every second feel heavier.

"You know, Zoo Boy... I know how much you love animals, so I brought you a gift."

The words sent a shiver down Dorven's spine, confusion and fear swirling in his mind. What did Cruser mean by that?

A sinister sneer spread across Cruser's face as he slowly turned around. Dorven's eyes widened in horror as he saw the familiar little bunny, Snowy, dangling helplessly from Cruser's grip, held by its delicate ear. 

The sight made Dorven's heart stop, dread clawing at him as he struggled to comprehend.

As Dorven lunged forward, desperation fueling him, the two gang members grabbed his arms, pinning him in place. He struggled fiercely, but their grip was unyielding. 

"Please, Cruser, don't hurt him! Leave Snowy alone!"

Panic took over as Dorven pleaded, his voice cracking.

Cruser's smile only widened as he watched Dorven's fear and desperation. He laughed coldly, a cruel sound that echoed in the dark hallway. 

With a wicked gleam in his eyes, Cruiser crouched down to meet Dorven's gaze, the bunny still clutched in his fist.

"You know…" 

Cruser whispered, leaning closer. 

"I've always wanted to see this expression on your face. Now that it's finally here, it's more satisfying than I ever imagined."

Dorven's heart pounded in his chest, the horror and helplessness tightening around him like a vice. His breath caught in his throat as Cruser smirked and tossed Snowy aside, sending the small, fragile creature tumbling across the cold ground. 

"No! Stop! Please!" 

Dorven's voice cracked, raw with desperation, as tears streamed down his face. He thrashed in vain, but the grip of the other two gang members was iron-tight, refusing to let him move even an inch. 

Cruser's eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction as he kicked Snowy again and again. 

Each strike reverberated through Dorven's body like a blow to his own heart. The tiny, lifeless form of Snowy lay still, and a suffocating silence fell over the alleyway.

Dorven stood frozen, his wide eyes fixed on the unmoving form of the little bunny, Snowy that he had saved. 

The world around him faded into a blur as something shattered deep within him. The innocence, the hope, and the kindness that had once defined him dissolved into an empty abyss. 

His eyes, once full of warmth, turned cold and dark, the light in them extinguished forever.

A sudden, unhinged laugh burst from Dorven, echoing eerily through the alleyway. Tears still streamed down his face, but now they mingled with an expression twisted by pain and madness. 

The laughter, raw and broken, made the gang pause, their initial shock turning into a growing sense of dread.

Cruser's eyes narrowed in annoyance as Dorven's maniacal laughter continued. 

"What's wrong with you, Zoo Boy?" 

Cruser spat, stepping forward with his fist raised, ready to strike. But before he could move another inch, a dark, pulsating aura erupted from Dorven, seeping into the air like a living shadow. 

The powerful curse-like energy blasted outward, sending the two holding Dorven flying back with terrifying force. Cruser's confident smirk vanished, replaced with wide-eyed panic as Dorven's hand shot out, iron-tight around his neck.

Dorven's laughter didn't cease as he tightened his grip. His eyes, now devoid of any humanity, glowed with a dark crimson hue. The shadowy aura writhed around him, crackling with an ominous power that made the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.

Cruser thrashed desperately, his bravado dissolving into sheer terror as he realized they had unleashed something far beyond their comprehension.

He clawed at Dorven's hand, struggling to break free, but the grip around his neck was unyielding, like an iron vise. Each gasp for air grew weaker, his breaths shallow and ragged.

"Help me!" 

He managed to choke out, his eyes darting frantically to his gang members. 

But they stood frozen, rooted in place by the suffocating aura of dread emanating from Dorven. The raw, oppressive energy made their legs feel like lead, they couldn't even take a step.

Cruser's curses faded into desperate, incoherent gasps as the pressure intensified. His face turned pale, then blue, his eyes bulging as his strength drained away. Bit by bit, his vision blurred until it slipped into nothingness, and his body went limp.

The last thing he saw was Dorven's cold, emotionless face before everything went dark, and he finally succumbed to the choking death.

Dorven stood still, tears falling from his eyes, a mixture of sorrow and fury in his heart. On his first kill, he feels satisfaction. He turned to face the remaining two gang members. 

One of them froze, unable to move, but the other attempted to flee. Dorven's rage consumed him, and with one swift motion, he dashed forward, grabbing the fleeing thug and throwing him against the wall with a violent crash. The impact was enough to end his life.

The last one, paralyzed by fear, was left trembling as Dorven, drenched in tears, walked past him. The darkness around Dorven seemed to grow, shadowing his form like a demon, a killer driven by broken emotions. 

He approached the lifeless body of the bunny, Snowy, still lying on the ground. His eyes, filled with pain, stared at the innocent creature that had been taken from him.

At that moment, Dorven's innocence shattered completely. The boy who once cared for animals, the one who had tried to stay kind in a world full of cruelty, was no more. 

All that remained was a vessel of pure hatred. The people of the town, the ones who had tormented him, the ones who had forced him into a corner, now seemed like nothing more than enemies in his eyes. 

Every face he saw every innocent passerby was now tainted with the same anger he felt deep inside. 

The betrayal of his past, the loss of Snowy, and the unbearable pain he had suffered, all fused, transforming him into someone unrecognizable. 

The shadows around him thickened, and a cold, unrelenting rage burned in his chest. The once innocent Dorven had been replaced by a broken soul, filled only with hatred for the town that he wanted to destroy.

Word of the incident spread quickly, carried by the terrified whispers of the lone survivor who escaped the scene. Soon, the entire village knew, and their faces were filled with dread and horror at the mention of Dorven's name.

Dorven's actions quickly became the talk of the town, shocking everyone and earning him the title of the youngest wanted criminal in their history.

As Dorven walked back to his house, his mind swirled with confusion, anger, and despair, unsure of what to do or how to face the chaos he had caused. Yet, despite it all, he found himself heading home.

When he opened the front door, the faint sound of muffled cries reached his ears. Following the sorrowful noise, he stepped cautiously toward the source and found his mother and father in the room. 

They sat together, tears streaming down their faces, their expressions a mix of heartbreak and disappointment. The weight of the news, of their son becoming a killer, had shattered them.

As they notice Dorven standing there emotionless, suddenly the mother runs toward Dorven and furiously chokes his neck.

"I should never have given birth to you! YOU DEVIL!" 

Dorven's mother screamed, her voice trembling with grief and fury, her entire world crumbling before her eyes as she looked at the son who had brought her life to ruin.

Her words cut deeper than any blade could. Sitting silently in the corner, his father didn't even look at him, his face a mixture of shame and despair.

"Do you have any idea what you've done to us? To this family?!" 

The mother continued, her sobs breaking through her angry words.

Dorven stood still, his mother's hands tightening around his neck. Her fury burned in her eyes, but Dorven didn't resist. He simply stared at her, emotionless, his soul already fractured beyond repair.

"You're no son of mine!" 

She screamed, her grip shaking as her strength wavered from the overwhelming sorrow and rage.

At that moment, something inside Dorven snapped. His shadowy aura began to seep out, darker and more menacing than ever. The room grew cold, and the lights flickered as if sensing the darkness emanating from him.

Without a word, Dorven raised his hands and grabbed his mother's wrists. She gasped, her strength no match for the unearthly power coursing through her son. With a single, cold motion, he shoved her backward, sending her crashing into the wall.

Dorven's father, startled, rose from his seat. 

"Dorven… what are you doing?" 

He demanded with his voice trembling.

Dorven turned his lifeless gaze toward his father, the shadowy aura engulfing him now. 

"Father… I was never given a choice." 

He murmured as he sneered, his voice hollow yet echoing with malice.

His father tried to approach, his hands raised in a feeble attempt to calm him. 

"Son, please—"

Before he could finish, Dorven lunged forward, his hand piercing through his father's chest in one swift, merciless strike. Blood splattered across the room as his father's lifeless body crumpled to the floor.

The mother, barely regaining consciousness, let out a weak scream. Dorven approached her, his face devoid of remorse. 

"Mother... I always wanted you to know my pain, to see the weight I carried. But in the end... the perfect son you tried to create has become your nightmare."

He said softly, his tone devoid of warmth.

With one final, crushing motion, the shadowy aura consumed the room, silencing his mother's cries.

As the house grew eerily quiet, Dorven stood alone, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of the people who had once been his family. The shadows receded, leaving him in the dim light of the flickering bulbs.

He left the house without looking back, his heart heavy yet hollow. The world had turned its back on him, and now, he had turned his back on the world.

As he wandered aimlessly through the night, two town guards patrolling the area spotted him. Suspicious of his disheveled appearance, they began approaching him with questions in mind.

Dorven noticed their intent and bolted without hesitation. The guards immediately gave chase, their shouts echoing through the quiet streets. 

After a long, exhausting pursuit, Dorven managed to slip away, hiding behind a stack of crates in a dark alley.

Once the sound of the guards' footsteps faded into the distance, he stepped out cautiously, walking deeper into the shadowed corridor. His mind raced, replaying the horrifying events he had caused. 

Yet, buried beneath inside of him was a sickening sense of release, a dark satisfaction at finally unleashing years of suppressed rage and pain.

For the first time, he felt a twisted clarity. The anger and resentment that had festered within him for so long had taken root, urging him to inflict the same suffering he had endured. 

The curse of his FearCrysta, once dormant, began to pulse with ominous energy, consuming what little humanity remained in him.

Suddenly, his path was blocked. He stumbled into a tall, shadowy figure that seemed to melt out of the darkness itself.

"Hey there kid."

The figure crouched slightly, leaning close to Dorven. As the shadows shifted, the face of a man with an unsettling, wide smile came into view.

Dorven instinctively tried to flee, but his body refused to move. A crushing, oppressive aura radiated from the man, pinning him in place. It wasn't just power, it was a command, a presence that demanded submission.

"Relax, kid. I'm not here to hurt you." 

The man said, his voice smooth and laced with a mocking edge.

"I have watched you for a while now... and I'm here to offer you a choice."

He leaned closer, a sly grin stretching across his face. 

Dorven froze, his body still under the weight of the man's suffocating aura, as the stranger's next words sliced through the silence.

"If you come with me, you'll live. But if you refuse... " 

The man's grin widened, his tone darkening. 

"If you stay here, it's only a matter of time before the townsfolk find you. They'll drag you back, and a young murderer like you? They'll execute you without hesitation."

The man explained further, his words cutting like daggers. 

Dorven's heart pounded in his chest as he locked eyes with the man, those cold, calculating eyes that seemed to pierce through his very soul. A cruel reality began to settle in, there was no escape, no turning back.

Left with no choice, Dorven hesitated before nodding reluctantly. He didn't trust the man, but staying behind felt even riskier.

The man's lips curled into a sinister smile as Dorven accepted his fate. Extending his hand, he spoke with a chilling warmth.

"The name's Ailantor. Welcome to the family, Dorven."

Dorven stared at the outstretched hand, his own trembling slightly as he grasped it. From that moment on, his life would never be the same.

Years passed, and under the rigorous training of Ailantor, the enigmatic leader of a secretive clan, Dorven honed his FearCrysta abilities. 

Alongside four other EmoCrysta users and a skilled, emotionless doctor, Dorven pushed himself to master the dark power within him.

Five years later, the "War Between the Legendary Heroes" erupted. Dorven took to the battlefield, reveling in the chaos as he slaughtered soldiers and carried out Ailantor's plans. 

But his path led him to face a formidable opponent, the legendary "Rage Knight", leader of the enemy forces.

Despite wielding the terrifying power of his FearCrysta: Umbramortis, Dorven was no match for the Rage Knight's overwhelming strength and was defeated with ease.

Though he survived, the image of the Rage Knight's face burned into his mind. That humiliation planted a desire for vengeance, one day, he would kill the man who had crushed him.

After the war ended, Dorven woke to find himself alive, though his body bore the scars of his defeat. 

Wandering through the remnants of the battlefield, he stumbled upon the skilled doctor, Dr. Crissar, who stood waiting with his wooden cane.

The doctor explained what had happened in the war's final moments. Upon hearing the shocking news that both Ailantor and the Rage Knight had perished, Dorven's fury exploded. 

The deaths of the two most powerful EmoCrysta users in the world left Dorven in disbelief, anger burning within him as he refused to accept their demise. 

Determined to uncover the truth, he spent months in hiding, formulating his plans while a mysterious voice echoed in his mind, commanding him to obey its orders.

20 years passed, and Dorven's preparations took shape. His target: the town of Lightwoods. Dorven orchestrated a scheme to infiltrate and dismantle the town from within, planting spies to gather information and positioning bombs in key locations. 

One spy embedded themselves close to The Young King, while another, Skyler, worked to monitor the town's movements.

As Dorven watched from the shadows, the plan progressed steadily. One morning, while keeping an eye on Skyler, stealing a ring from gang members at a hidden base. 

But suddenly Dorven sensed a familiar aura radiating from another figure walking with the princess in town. The energy stirred a deep hatred within Dorven, one he couldn't explain.

Intrigued, Dorven observed the boy, Aki, from a distance. A sneer crossed his face as he grew curious about Aki's power, though he refrained from acting prematurely to avoid jeopardizing his plan. 

When night fell, the chaos Dorven had orchestrated erupted. Explosions rocked Lightwoods, plunging the town into disorder. Dorven laughed with cruel delight, reveling in the destruction of the hometown he despised.

It was his third act of devastation, first as a child, then ten years ago at the castle, and now once again.

As the plan unfolded, Dorven's ultimate objective became clear: capturing Aki. After stealing the ring from the Young King, Aki found himself cornered by Dorven in a dark hallway.

There, Dorven confronted him, sensing that Aki wasn't from this world, and harbored a unique EmoCrysta, "RageCrysta".

At the final battle, Dorven's ambitions crumbled as Aki defeated him. Watching his life memories replay before his eyes, Dorven sneered at the irony.

"In the end, the plan wasn't ruined... but fate still brought me to face you, Rage Knight. And yet... even with the ring, you still defeated me."

With his final moments fading, Dorven cast one last glance at the shadowy figure of his FearCrysta: Umbramortis, the Vengeful Shadow Devil. A twisted smile lingered on his lips as his existence slowly disappeared into the void.