The Weight of Fate
Seiya exhaled heavily, his chest tight with fear, his mind clouded with doubt of what lay ahead.
"Alright now, kids, stay put until Seiya completes his task," Mr. Sanio, Seiya's father, instructed gently, patting the children's heads with a warm smile.
The children complied, their tiny legs swinging idly as they remained blissfully unaware of the grim fate that awaited them.
Seiya's heart sank further, weighed down by guilt and fear as he watched them.
"Follow me" his father commanded, leading him away.
Seiya obeyed, trailing behind with a mind racing in turmoil—dread filling every hesitant step.
His mind churned with questions, one more tormenting than the next.
Could he save those children? What if he was tasked with something far beyond his capabilities?
His skepticism grew with every step.
Each footfall felt heavy, burdened by the gravity of his fears and guilt. His heart pounded furiously, leaving him pale and trembling.
It had been three months since he was brought here, where each day brought new torments. Three months of torture, where days blurred into one unrelenting nightmare.
No amount of pleading had yielded information about his mother, while his father took twisted pleasure in recounting how well his siblings were faring without him.
Yet, despite the bitterness, a faint smile tugged at Seiya's lips. Knowing his siblings were doing well brought him a flicker of solace amid the chaos.
They arrived at a vast yard, the air crisp and strangely serene—so much so that it felt like stepping outside the confines of the oppressive facility. To one side, workers stood idly near complex equipment, their expressions calm and detached.
"You should be grateful, Seiya. I'm about to show you something magnificent" his father said, his tone brimming with pride.
"You must be curious about your task today, but regardless of what you endure, consider yourself fortunate to witness this marvel" his father added, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.
"Watch closely."
He gestured toward the workers.With a nod from him, the workers activated the equipment, channeling artificial energy to a specific spot in the yard. A small blue whirlpool began to form, swirling with increasing intensity and growing larger by the second until it expanded into a full-sized gate.
Seiya stared, astonished. He had heard of gates but had never seen one, especially one materialized from scratch.
Noticing his awe, Mr. Sanio smirked. "Impressive, isn't it?"
Seiya's awe quickly gave way to anxiety. From what he knew, such gates heralded the arrival of monsters.
Sensing his son's unease, Mr. Sanio frowned. "You underestimate me, Seiya," he said, stepping closer. His tone sharpened, laced with irritation.
"As a scientist, I control every aspect of this operation. This facility is fortified with both magical and technological barriers. Not even the SOH can detect this place. The gate is sealed; no monster or human can exit—or enter—without my permission. Understand this, Seiya: I am the master of this realm"
He spread his arms wide, basking in the grandeur of his achievements.
But you.." he continued, his voice turning icy, "should be more concerned about your fate."
Seiya's stomach twisted as his father's cold eyes bore into him.
"Three months ago, I promised to forge you into a lethal weapon, provided you survived the poison test—which you did. I've had my fun breaking you, so it's time to proceed. You will become my weapon." His eyes bore down on Seiya, cold and unyielding.
"Your task today is simple: You will fight! Enter the gate and defeat every monster within" he declared.
Seiya froze, his blood running cold.
Fight? Defeat the monsters?
He had never engaged in real combat. He had never fought anyone, let alone monsters capable of tearing humans apart with ease. How could he possibly succeed?!
He hadn't fully processed the enormity of his father's demand when Mr. Sanio spoke again.
"Here's the twist: when we open gates, we don't know what kind of dungeon lies beyond. It could house goblins, orcs, elves, even mysterious monsters—anything. The climate inside is a mystery until someone enters, and we monitor from the outside." His father paused, scrutinizing Seiya's reaction before continuing.
"A charm will be encrypted on you to allow us monitor your movements. Inside the gate, technology is useless, so we rely on Awakened Abilities. Awakeners rarely enter since most monsters swam out the moment a gate opens and the gate closes once they're slain. Only when some remain inside do Awakeners venture in to finish the job"
A female Awakener approached and casted a spell, marking Seiya's neck with a glowing symbol.
"With this, we'll track and monitor your every move. You shouldn't worry Seiya, because the workers on standby are top healers who would provide healing the moment your heart is about to give out" His father assured.
"Look over there, your heart is being monitored as well due to the magic symbol" His father gestured toward the workers but Seiya couldn't really make out how his heart was being monitored there. Though it was clear to him the workers there were all Awakeners.
"Fight without fear of death, because I won't let you die. But"—his voice darkened—"failure has consequences"
Seiya's throat tightened. He already knew what was coming.
"For every time you are met with defeat and need healing, a child dies as punishment because you have failed to carry out the task" his father said emotionlessly.
Seiya's body grew colder, not because it was something new to his ears but because there was no hope in him that he'd be able to save the kids this time.
"In summary, each defeat at the hands of the monsters equals a child's death.The total it sums up to is entirely up to you. That's the price of your incompetence, Now, go!" His father pushed him toward the electric blue gate.
"One more thing!" Mr. Sanio called out.
"Time flows differently in there. Three days there are merely three hours here. Make me proud" he commanded with a chilling smile.
Seiya turned toward the gate, his legs trembling. One step forward, then another, until the glowing blue engulfed him.
The moment he entered, an intense cold seized him, an icy chill harsher than he had ever endured gripped his nerves. The air was so dry and cold it parched his throat instantly. His nose, eyes, and mouth felt desiccated, the cold unlike any he had ever known.
The landscape was a desolate expanse of snow and ice, the ground glistening like glass. His skin dried rapidly, cracking painfully. More chilling than the cold was the oppressive aura of bloodlust that permeated the dungeon—dark and foreboding.
Seiya's heart raced uncontrollably, pounding in his chest as if it sought escape. He was terrified, and his heart seemed to sense the imminent danger.
"Calm down" Seiya whispered softly.
"Calm down. I won't die" he repeated.
"Is that his way of boosting his courage?" a familiar voice remarked from the monitoring ground. A woman with neat brunette hair, styled in a tight ponytail, stood watching, exuding an air of professionalism.
"If it is, it's a new tactic" Mr. Sanio commented.
Inside the gate, Seiya continued to whisper calming words to calm his heart's rapid beating that he had no control over but all to naught—his heart refused to settle.
Seiya sighed heavily, anger surging to the surface.
"Calm down!" he commanded sternly, almost in a rage.
His heart momentarily went silent before resuming a steadier rhythm. Seiya felt a brief sense of relief, aware that his heart had been reacting out of sheer terror.
Despite the temporary calm, Seiya's body grew drier by the minute. His throat ached with every breath, causing him to wheeze softly.
Scanning his surroundings, he noted various paths: one leading to a forest, others to seemingly endless icy roads. Instinctively, he chose the open road, knowing the dangers forests could conceal. But as he stepped forward, terror gripped him.
A horde of ice elves with crimson eyes, filled with murderous intent, emerged, blocking his path. Tall and big, they loomed over Seiya like towering poles, their wicked smiles sending chills down his spine.
In their presence, he felt like a cornered mouse before a pack of predators.
His body, numbed by the brutal cold, began to tremble in fear as his eyes took in the monstrous forms and their menacing weapons.
Seiya couldn't afford to draw even a single breath.
How was he supposed to defeat such creatures? The task seemed not just impossible, but cruelly so.