《Angstorm Weaver》


 The End is Where We Begin

    The crackle of the campfire echoed in the stillness of the night, sending sparks dancing into the cool evening air. The smell of smoke and burning wood mixed with the earthy scent of the surrounding forest, creating an atmosphere that was both tense and subdued. The fire cast flickering shadows on the faces of the six figures gathered around it, their features illuminated by the orange glow. Blank, the most recent addition to the group, sat a short distance away, his grey eyes reflecting the flames as he stared into the distance, saying nothing.


    The group was exhausted, their clothes and faces caked with dirt and grime from days of relentless fighting. They had been locked in battle with a powerful foe, a monstrous creature that had emerged from a newly opened gate, when they were blindsided by a second unseen threat. The enemy had almost taken them by surprise almost. But Blank had appeared in the nick of time, saving Gazo from a fatal blow and turning the tide of the battle. Now, they sat around the fire, weary but alive, trying to make sense of the stranger who had just saved them.


    Gazo, the leader of the group, poked at the fire with a thick branch, his expression thoughtful but wary. The light caught the edges of his dark beard, making him look older, more worn. His jet-black hair was matted with sweat and dirt, and his eyes, sharp and intelligent, remained fixed on the enigmatic figure across from him.


    "So," Gazo began, his voice deep and cautious, "you saved my life back there, and for that, I''m grateful. But we don''t know anything about you. Who are you? Where do you come from?"


    Blank didn''t look up. He kept his gaze on the fire, his face unreadable. After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke, his voice low and flat. "I don''t know my name."


    The admission hung in the air like a cloud of smoke, heavy and unsettling. The rest of the group exchanged uneasy glances.


    Chris sitting beside Gazo, frowned, his pale blue eyes narrowing behind his glasses. His platinum blond hair was damp and matted, his usually clean-cut appearance marred and grime. "You don''t know your own name? What about where you''re from, what you''ve been through?"


    Blank shook his head slightly. "It doesn''t matter."


    Flo leaned forward, his icy blue eyes locked on Blank. "We''ve had bad experiences with strangers before," he said, his voice laced with suspicion. His chestnut brown hair was sticking to his skin powdered in dust and mud. "How do we know we can trust you?"


    "You don''t," Blank replied simply, his tone devoid of emotion. "But I can sense movement. Monsters, humans, anything that breathes. I can fly. I can fight, both up close and from a distance. That''s all you need to know."


    Bakir tilted his head, studying Blank with his sharp emerald green eyes. His raven black hair blended into the shadows, but his gaze was penetrating. "Why did you save Gazo then? If you don''t trust us, why even bother?"


    Blank''s eyes flicked to Gazo for the first time since they''d sat down. "Because I could," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.


    The group fell silent again, the crackling of the fire the only sound. They were used to dealing with people who kept secrets, but there was something different about Blank¡ªsomething unsettling. His demeanor was closed off, his answers curt, and there was a darkness in his eyes that none of them could quite place.


    Jamila finally broke the silence, her voice gentle but probing. "What happened to you? How did you end up like this?"


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    Blank''s expression hardened. "I don''t talk about it."


    Another silence fell over the group, this one heavier than before. They could sense that Blank had been through something terrible, something that had left deep scars, but he wasn''t going to share it with them. Not now, maybe not ever.


    Gazo exhaled slowly, nodding to himself. "Alright, you''re not ready to share your story. But you asked how the world ended up like this." He glanced at the others, and they all nodded in silent agreement. "We can tell you that much."


    Chris shifted slightly, his hand tightening around his Staff. "It started with the gates," he began, his voice soft but steady. "I remember the first one that opened. It was in the middle of the city, right in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. One minute, everything was normal. The next, there was this¡­ tear in the air, like someone had ripped open the sky. And then they came."


    "Monsters," Florian murmured, his icy blue eyes darkening at the memory. "At first, it was just a few, but then more and more poured out. Creatures from nightmares, things we didn''t even have names for."


    Blank listened intently, his expression still unreadable, but there was a slight tension in his posture that hadn''t been there before.


    "They were fast, and they were deadly," Shade added, his voice low and grim. "People weren''t ready. The military, the police¡­ they tried, but they were overwhelmed. It was chaos."


    Jamila, who had been quietly staring into the flames, spoke next, her voice tinged with sorrow. "And then the second gate opened," she said, her honey blonde hair now a tangled mess, with strands sticking to her forehead. "It was in the middle of Charit¨¦ Hospital. I was¡­ I was there, trying to help the injured from the first attack."


    Blank''s eyes narrowed slightly as he absorbed their words, trying to piece together the nightmare they were describing. It was clear that whatever had happened had shattered the world as they knew it, and it had brought them all to the brink.


    Gazo continued, his tone reflective. "After the gates opened, the world changed. Governments fell, cities burned, and humanity was pushed to the brink. But we fought back. Those of us who survived banded together. We learned to fight, to use the energy within us to defend what was left. That''s when we truly began."


    "It wasn''t just physical strength," Chris added, his gaze distant. "People started to discover powers they never knew they had. Magic, ki, abilities that we only ever saw in stories and legends. It was like the gates didn''t just bring the monsters¡ªthey woke something up in us, something that had been dormant for centuries."


    "That''s how it began" Flo said, glancing around the circle. "We all had our own reasons, our own battles, but in the end, we realized we were stronger together."


    "And we''ve been fighting ever since," Shade finished, his voice carrying a note of finality. "We''re still fighting, and we''ll keep fighting until those gates are closed, and the monsters are gone."


    The group fell into a contemplative silence, the crackling of the fire the only sound for a few moments. Blank''s mind raced with the images their words conjured, gates tearing open the sky, monsters pouring into the streets, people discovering powers they never knew they had.


    Finally, Blank spoke, his voice quiet but resolute. "And that''s why you''re here now. To keep fighting, to protect what''s left."


    Gazo nodded slowly. "That''s right. And now that you''re with us, we''re even stronger."


    But despite his words, Gazo''s eyes still held a trace of wariness as they lingered on Blank. The others, too, couldn''t quite shake their caution. They were grateful, yes, but trust was something earned, and their experiences had taught them to be careful.


    Blank looked around at the faces of his new comrades, sensing their lingering distrust. He didn''t blame them. He wouldn''t trust himself either. But for now, they were allies, and that was enough. The fire crackled louder, sending a shower of sparks into the night sky. The flames danced higher, as if feeding off the energy of the group''s shared resolve. They had faced unimaginable horrors, and they had survived. Now, with Blank by their side, they were ready for whatever came next.


    As the night deepened and the fire slowly began to die down, the group settled into a more guarded silence. They had shared their story, revisited the past, and in doing so, had reaffirmed their commitment to each other and to the fight that still lay ahead. Blank had shared little, but his presence was enough to remind them that the fight was far from over.


    And as Blank sat with them, the flames reflecting in his grey eyes, he knew that this was only the beginning.

 Through the Ruins

    The campfire had burned down to embers, casting a faint glow over the makeshift camp. The once lively crackling of the fire was now replaced by the soft, rhythmic breathing of the group as they settled into an uneasy sleep. Blank, ever vigilant, remained awake for a while longer, his grey eyes scanning the darkness, sensing the subtle movements of the world around them. Eventually, he, too, closed his eyes, allowing himself a brief moment of rest.


    Morning came with a muted light, the sun struggling to penetrate the overcast sky. The group stirred, weary but determined. Gazo was the first to rise, his broad frame casting a long shadow as he moved to wake the others. They broke camp quickly, speaking little as they prepared to move on.


    As they walked, the dense forest began to thin out, revealing a broken road that stretched out before them like a scar across the landscape. The asphalt was cracked and crumbling, overtaken by nature in some places, yet it offered a clear direction¡ªa path to follow in this shattered world.


    Gazo led the way, his dark eyes scanning the horizon. Blank walked a few paces behind, his senses alert. Despite his malnourished and skinny appearance, Blank moved with a quiet intensity, his grey eyes constantly on the lookout. He could feel it¡ªthe subtle tremors in the ground, the faint echoes in the air. Something was coming.


    "We''re not alone," Blank said suddenly, his voice quiet but firm.


    The group halted, turning to look at him. Gazo narrowed his eyes. "What is it?"


    "People. And monsters," Blank replied, his grey eyes narrowing as he focused on the sensations. "Coming from up ahead."


    Chris tightened his grip on his staff, his pale blue eyes scanning the road. "Refugees, maybe?"


    "Or survivors," Jamila added, her voice tinged with hope. "We should check it out."


    Gazo nodded, his hands flexing, feeling the weight of the reinforced gauntlets that covered them. "Stay sharp. We don''t know what we''ll find."


    They moved cautiously, following the road as it wound through the desolate landscape. As they rounded a bend, they saw them¡ªrefugees, a small group of frightened, exhausted people, running from a pack of snarling, vicious monsters. The creatures were fast, their twisted forms moving with unnatural speed as they closed in on their prey.


    Without hesitation, Gazo surged forward, his powerful frame barreling into the fray. Blank was right behind him, his movements fluid but lacking the strength one would expect. The rest of the group followed, each member falling into their roles with practiced precision.


    Gazo reached the monsters first, his gauntlet-covered fists colliding with the nearest creature''s skull. The impact was like a thunderclap, sending the monster crashing to the ground, its head caved in from the force of the blow. Gazo moved with the efficiency of a seasoned warrior, his strikes powerful and precise. Each punch he threw was calculated, aimed at the most vulnerable points of his enemies. The monsters'' thick hides and unnatural speed meant nothing against Gazo''s sheer power and experience.


    Beside him, Blank fought with a different rhythm. His strikes were swift and well-placed, targeting joints and weak spots with an accuracy that seemed almost supernatural. However, his movements were jerky, as if his body was not used to the demands of combat. He stumbled slightly as he dodged a swipe from one of the monsters, barely recovering in time to drive his elbow into the creature''s throat. The monster gagged and fell back, but the clumsiness of Blank''s movements was evident. It was as if his body knew what to do, but his muscles had yet to learn the fluidity of execution.


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    Flo and Bakir flanked the group, their coordinated attacks keeping the monsters from surrounding them. Flo''s hands ignited with flames as he hurled fireballs at the advancing beasts, while Bakir summoned spectral creatures to harry the monsters, distracting them just long enough for Gazo or Blank to finish them off. Jamila stayed with the refugees, her hands glowing with healing energy as she tended to the injured, soothing their pain and giving them the strength to keep moving.


    Chris moved to the rear, creating a barrier of crackling energy that held back the monsters, preventing them from overwhelming the group. He channeled lightning through his staff, striking down any creature that dared to get too close. The air was thick with the smell of ozone and burning flesh as Chris''s lightning seared through the monsters.


    Despite the group''s coordinated efforts, the monsters were relentless, their numbers overwhelming. One of the creatures, larger and more vicious than the others, lunged at Gazo, its claws extended to tear him apart. Gazo met it head-on, his gauntleted fist smashing into its chest with a force that cracked bones. The monster roared in pain, but it wasn''t done. It swung its massive arm at Gazo, aiming to crush him. Gazo ducked under the swing and drove his fist upward into the creature''s jaw, snapping its head back with a sickening crunch.


    Blank, meanwhile, was fending off two smaller monsters. His movements were erratic, but his strikes were unnervingly accurate. He sidestepped one creature''s attack, his footwork awkward but effective, and slammed his knee into its ribs. The monster doubled over in pain, and Blank finished it off with a swift chop to the back of its neck. The second monster came at him, its claws raking the air. Blank''s eyes narrowed, and he lashed out with a backhanded strike that caught the creature across the face, sending it stumbling back. Despite his lack of finesse, Blank''s strikes were landing exactly where they needed to.


    As the last of the monsters fell, the group paused to catch their breath. Flo glanced at Chris, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Did you notice something¡­ odd about his fighting style?"


    Chris nodded, his pale blue eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Yeah. It''s like he knows exactly where to hit, like he''s aware of every weakness. But at the same time, there''s something¡­ off. He''s clumsy, like he doesn''t have the proper experience. It''s as if his body can''t quite keep up with what he knows."


    Flo frowned, glancing over at Blank, who was scanning the area for more threats. "It''s strange. He moves like he''s guided by some instinct, but he lacks the fluidity of someone who''s trained for years."


    Chris nodded again. "It''s almost like he''s learned everything in theory but hasn''t had the chance to put it into practice until now."


    Their conversation was cut short as Gazo called for them to regroup. They were battered and bruised, but they had made it through. The forest thinned out ahead of them, revealing the outskirts of a small town. Hospital Marindov was just beyond it, a beacon of hope in the desolate landscape.


    But as they approached, Blank suddenly stopped, his grey eyes narrowing. He could feel it¡ªa deep, unsettling presence, like a dark cloud hanging over the hospital.


    "It''s under attack," Blank said, his voice low and tense.


    The group looked at him, their expressions grim. They knew what they had to do.


    Gazo turned to Blank, his expression serious. "Can you lead the refugees to the hospital without fighting?"


    Blank met his gaze and nodded.


    Gazo didn''t hesitate. "Good. Take them there safely. The rest of us will go ahead and defend the hospital."


    With a final nod, Gazo ordered the cohort to move out. The group split, with Blank taking the lead of the refugees, guiding them through the safest paths while the others rushed ahead, prepared to face whatever awaited them at the hospital.