When Hope Dies

Fear gripped Sylus as he realized the danger he was in. He turned and ran out of the house as fast as he could.

Behind him Marcus calmly took out his phone and made a call. "There's a boy running outside. Make him disappear. Make it look like an accident, just like five years ago. Your payment will be transferred once the job is done."

Sylus ran outside but his car was nowhere to be seen. He looked around and saw a group of men approaching him. They were large, muscular, and looked like they meant business.

Sylus knew he was no match for them. He turned and ran in the opposite direction. His heart pounding in his chest. Panic set in as he realized he had left his phone in Zayn's room.

After running for what felt like an eternity Sylus stumbled and fell wincing as he felt a sharp pain in his side. He looked down and saw blood staining his clothes. He had been shot. Desperation drove him to his feet as he staggered toward the road. His breath came in ragged gasps. His vision blurred with each step.

Suddenly a car screeched to a halt in front of him. The door swung open and his childhood friend Ethan jumped out. Ethan's father Police Chief Robert Hale was a prominent officer known for his strict justice and fierce reputation.

Ethan's eyes widened in shock as he saw Sylus. "Sylus! What happened? Oh my god, you're bleeding!"

Sylus was barely able to keep his eyes open. "Take me to your father."

Ethan hesitated and his face was pale with worry. He quickly got back into the car. Sylus leaning heavily against the door followed him in. Ethan made the call to his father, Police Chief Robert Hale.

Chief Hale directed them to his secluded farmhouse. Ethan sped toward the farmhouse, Sylus slumped in the seat. His pain was evident. The drive felt endless every bump in the road making Sylus wince. When they finally arrived Sylus glanced around and his heart sank as he saw Marcus's cars parked outside.

His eyes filled with tears as he turned to Ethan. "Ethan, what's going on? Why is Uncle Marcus here? I thought—"

Ethan's face was a mask of sorrow. "I'm sorry Sylus. I never wanted to do this. But..."

Before Sylus could react Ethan climbed back into the car and drove away, leaving Sylus alone at the farmhouse. The betrayal hit him hard, his emotions crashing over him like a tidal wave. He sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

The realization that everyone he trusted had betrayed him was too much to bear. His heart felt like it was breaking. Desperation and anger overwhelmed him.

He turned and fled into the nearby forest. His vision blurred with tears and pain but he pushed himself forward his body barely able to keep up. He stumbled through the underbrush his injured side throbbing with each step.

Finally, he came to a sudden stop. He was standing at the edge of a deep abyss. The sight of the sheer drop made his despair even more real.

He looked up at the sky and cried out, "Why is my life so miserable? First you took my parents and now you want to take me too? Why is all of this happening to me? Why?"

He looked back and saw few men slowly closing in on him. They didn't need to rush; they knew he had nowhere to go. They moved towards him with menacing intent and Sylus, filled with despair shouted, "Don't come near me! Stay away!"

One of the men reached out and grabbed Sylus by the arm, trying to pull him away from the edge. Sylus fought back with all the strength he had left struggling to break free. In the chaos he lost his footing and fell into the abyss.

As he fell the wind rushed past him and darkness surrounded him. Sylus's thoughts were a whirlwind of panic and regret.

The sensation of falling was terrifying and he felt his stomach lurch as the ground rapidly disappeared beneath him. He tried to grasp at the air, desperate to stop his fall but there was nothing to hold onto.

Sylus closed his eyes and whispered with the last of his strength, "If this is how death feels, then let it be known—I demand one more chance. I will reclaim every shred of what was stolen from me and avenge my parents. I'll make them suffer for every ounce of pain they've caused me. I won't stop until I've torn their world apart."

But then in the midst of his frantic thoughts something extraordinary happened. The wind stopped, the sensation of falling ceased and Sylus felt as if he had been caught by an invisible force.

His eyes snapped open in shock and instead of the endless abyss he found himself floating in a surreal space surrounded by a soft, ethereal light. The fear in his heart was replaced by bewilderment as he realized he was no longer falling.

A warm, gentle energy enveloped him and for a brief moment time seemed to stand still.

Before he could comprehend what was happening the light intensified and with a sudden flash Sylus was no longer floating. He was standing on solid ground in a completely different place. He blinked, struggling to make sense of his surroundings.

He was no longer falling into the abyss; instead he was standing in front of the Grumpy Gremlin.

Ruthless was yelling at him, trying to get his attention. But the words were a distant murmur to Sylus's ears. He couldn't process them; his mind was still reeling from the shock of his miraculous survival.

Just moments ago, he had been facing death and now he was alive and standing somewhere completely different.

His heart raced as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. How had he gone from falling to standing here? What was this place? Was he dreaming, or had something miraculous just occurred? Sylus's expression was one of complete disbelief and confusion.

His emotions were a chaotic mix of fear, relief, and uncertainty as he stood there, trying to process the impossible turn of events.

He had no idea how he had survived or where he was, but one thing was for sure—nothing made sense anymore.