Fate absolute in the mind

As I slowly regained consciousness, I found myself enveloped in an impenetrable darkness. My senses strained against the void, but there was no light to be found, only an eerie silence that pressed against my ears. Panic clawed at the edges of my mind, threatening to consume me whole. With trembling hands, I reached out, searching for any hint of my surroundings, but my fingers met only emptiness. Each breath felt heavy, laden with uncertainty, as I struggled to piece together where I was and how I had come to be here. In the suffocating blackness, time seemed to lose all meaning, stretching out endlessly before me. And as the minutes ticked by like eternities, a single thought echoed in the depths of my mind: How do I escape this abyss?.

I forced my mind to focus through the haze of confusion, fragmented memories began to surface. I recalled the cold, damp walls of the prison cell, the echoes of distant voices, and the metallic clang of bars locking me in.

As I pondered my situation, a sudden surge of unseen force slammed into me with overwhelming power. I was thrown off my feet, tumbling through the darkness like a rag doll in a tempest. Panic gripped my heart as I flailed helplessly, unable to orient myself or discern the source of the Force.

awareness slowly trickled back into my senses, I found myself gazing up at a surreal sight: a figure suspended in the darkness just above me, bathed in the gentle glow of distant stars. Their form seemed to ripple and shift like liquid, an otherworldly presence that defied comprehension. I blinked, trying to make sense of what I was seeing, but the figure remained inscrutable, their gaze piercing through the veil of shadows to meet mine.For a moment, time seemed to stand still as we locked eyes, the weight of their silent scrutiny pressing down upon me.

As the enigmatic figure revealed themselves to be none other than a reflection of myself, a flood of emotions surged within me. Confusion, disbelief, and a tinge of hope intertwined as I struggled to comprehend the implications of their words. "I'm You," they declared, their voice echoing through the void with a resonance that sent shivers down my spine. And then, with a revelation that rocked the very foundation of my understanding, they spoke of sending me back in time.

In that moment, memories of my past flooded back with overwhelming intensity. The faces of my parents, the wag of my dog's tail, the warmth of home—all flashed before my eyes in a kaleidoscope of fleeting images. The realization of what I had left behind hit me like a sledgehammer, igniting a firestorm of emotions within my chest. Without a word, fueled by a potent mix of regret and longing, I surged forward, intent on striking out at the figure before me.

I launched myself into a sprint, muscles tensed and adrenaline coursing through my veins. With all the force I could muster, I swung my leg in a powerful side kick, aiming for the figure's shoulder. But to my astonishment, my foot passed right through them, as if they were no more substantial than a wisp of smoke. Stumbling forward, a sense of futility washed over me, mingling with the raw ache of loss that threatened to consume me whole.

Fury boiled within me as the figure regarded me with a pitying gaze, their words ringing hollow in my ears. "That's your destiny," they murmured, their voice laced with a resignation that only stoked the flames of my anger. "To change the timeline."

My fists clenched at my sides, trembling with a barely contained rage. "Destiny? Fate? I don't care about any of that!" I spat, each word dripping with venom. "You have no right to dictate what I do with my life!"

But the figure remained unmoved, their expression unchanged as they continued to hover before me, a silent sentinel in the darkness. With a roar of frustration, I lunged forward once more, swinging wildly in a blind attempt to strike them down. Yet, just like before, my blows passed through them as if they were naught but a specter haunting my nightmares.

As I stumbled back, breath ragged and muscles burning with exertion, a sense of futility washed over me like a tidal wave. No matter how hard I fought, no matter how fiercely I resisted, it seemed that I was powerless to alter the course of my own destiny. And in that moment of crushing defeat, a bitter realization dawned upon me: perhaps there was truth to the figure's words after all.

With a heavy sigh, I sank to my knees, the weight of my anger dissipating into the darkness around me. And as I bowed my head in silent contemplation, I knew that if I was to have any hope of changing the timeline, I would first have to come to terms with the truths that lay hidden within the depths of my own soul.

"It seems you do not understand," the figure intoned, their voice a haunting echo in the vast expanse of darkness. "You do not have any choice."Anguish twisted within me, mingling with the remnants of my anger. "Choice is everyone's right," I retorted, my voice laced with bitterness. "You made me lose my family, my home, my entire life!"But the figure's expression remained impassive, unmoved by my outburst. "Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good," they replied, their tone devoid of emotion."The greater good?" I scoffed, incredulous. "What good could possibly come from tearing me away from everything I've ever known?"

"You're not the only one that I have sent, but unfortunately, the previous one decided to change for the worse," the figure explained solemnly. "You have to defeat them for the sake of all sentient beings."Anger surged through me like a tidal wave, threatening to consume all reason in its wake. "So, you want me to clean up your mess?" I snapped, my voice seething with indignation.

Silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the harsh cadence of my own curses, each word dripping with venom and frustration. With every expletive that escaped my lips, the darkness seemed to close in around me, suffocating and oppressive.

"You coward!" I spat, the words echoing through the void. "You couldn't even do it yourself!"

But the figure remained silent, unmoved by my tirade, their inscrutable gaze fixed upon me with an unsettling intensity.

Trying to calm the tempest raging within me, I forced myself to meet the figure's unwavering gaze. Despite the unsettling emptiness of their expression, a sense of unease prickled at the edges of my consciousness. "Alright, what exactly do I get from cleaning up your mistake?" I demanded, my voice strained with the effort of maintaining composure."You will be rewarded very handsomely by me with powers or even rising through the ranks to become a demi-god," they replied, their tone devoid of emotion but weighted with uncomfortable seriousness.

"What kind of powers?" I asked, a flicker of interest igniting within me despite my reservations. In a world where survival often hinged on strength and resilience, the promise of newfound abilities could tip the scales in my favor.

In response to my question, the figure raised a hand, and with a subtle gesture, two holograms materialized before me. The first depicted a man effortlessly lifting massive weights, muscles bulging with raw power as he exhibited superhuman strength. The second hologram showcased another individual running tirelessly for miles, their form untouched by fatigue as they demonstrated unparalleled stamina.

"These are just a glimpse of the powers that await you," the figure explained, their voice tinged with an eerie resonance. "With strength and stamina such as this, you will be capable of feats beyond mortal comprehension."

As I watched the holograms in awe, a surge of excitement coursed through me, mingling with the lingering doubt that still gnawed at the edges of my resolve. The allure of such abilities was undeniable, promising a newfound sense of control in a world fraught with peril and uncertainty. Yet, beneath the surface of my excitement, a voice whispered warnings of the unknown, urging caution in the face of such tempting promises.

With a furrowed brow, I turned back to the figure, a myriad of conflicting emotions churning within me. "And what will be required of me in return for these powers?" I asked, my voice tinged with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.

"In exchange for these powers," the figure began, their voice taking on a solemn tone, "you will be required to eliminate your predecessor."

The weight of their words settled heavily upon me, casting a shadow over the tantalizing prospect of newfound abilities. My heart sank as I realized the gravity of the task laid before me. To achieve the power and status promised, I would have to confront and vanquish another who had once walked the same path.

A knot tightened in the pit of my stomach as I grappled with the implications of such a demand. The thought of facing a foe who possessed abilities akin to those I now coveted filled me with a sense of dread. Yet, beneath the fear, a flicker of determination sparked within me.

With a steadying breath, I met the figure's gaze once more, steeling myself for the trials that lay ahead. "And if I refuse?" I asked, my voice steady despite the turmoil roiling within me.

But the figure offered no answer, their inscrutable expression betraying no hint of emotion. In the oppressive silence that followed, I knew that the choice before me was not one to be made lightly. Whether to accept the challenge and embrace the power it promised, or to turn away and face the unknown with nothing but my own strength and resolve.

As the weight of the figure's demand hung heavy in the air, a sense of foreboding washed over me. Before I could voice my thoughts, another hologram materialized before me, depicting a lone man surrounded by a group of assailants. Two of them wore the uniforms of Russian soldiers from World War I, one adorned the attire of a British soldier from the same era, while the remaining two donned the uniforms of French soldiers.

My heart sank as I watched the scene unfold, the lone figure desperately fending off the onslaught of his attackers. Each blow landed with merciless precision, driving him to the brink of exhaustion as he struggled to hold his ground against the overwhelming odds.

The message was clear: to refuse the figure's demand would be to face a fate akin to that of the man in the hologram—beaten down and overwhelmed by forces beyond my control. Yet, to accept would mean embracing a path fraught with peril and moral ambiguity, where the lines between right and wrong blurred in the pursuit of power.

With a heavy heart and a mind clouded with uncertainty, I turned back to the figure, a silent plea for guidance lingering in my eyes. But as I searched their inscrutable expression for answers, I knew that the choice was mine and mine alone to make. And whatever path I chose, the consequences would shape the course of my destiny for better or for worse.