I felt like I was paralyzed. My body was numb. I couldn’t feel anything. I was standing, but I couldn’t move forward. It was like there was a wall of wispy hands holding my body in place.
I didn’t know if this was a dream or what. I couldn’t tell the difference between this and reality. It felt all too real.
The sound of footsteps echoed, bouncing off the inside of my mind. A figure slowly walked past me. Their steps weren’t slow because they were menacing; they were slow because the person was dragging their feet. They all but stumbled forward, leaning against a wall that seemed to appear from nowhere.
“[...] are you there?”
It was a woman. She called out a name, but I couldn’t understand what she had said. It was almost muffled to me before everything else became clear.
“I’m here. What happened to you?”
Another figure seemed to walk from the shadows, materializing out of nothing. They stood across from the woman, grabbing her as she buckled to the floor. They eased onto the ground with her, hands on her shoulders.
“I...I lost against him. It’s over...we...we’re doomed.”
“Master, do not speak in such a manner! It’s not over yet!”
The woman coughed. “It is. Do not even think of going after him. You’ll die.”
“It’s the only way. If I don’t try, then he will take over everything. This world would reduce to nothingness. I refuse to allow that!”
“You’ll be destroyed!”
The woman grabbed the person by their arm as they stood. They looked at each other hard.
“If that’s what it takes to bring this battle to a closure--even if it’s only for a while--then so be it. I am not a hero for nothing, Master. I will do everything I can to save the world!”
“No! I forbid you!”
The figure had already slipped away, disappearing within the shadows. The woman sunk lower to the ground, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She fisted the ground, screwing her eyes shut tightly.
![𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚎𝚝𝚑 [𝚔. 𝚋𝚊𝚔𝚞𝚐𝚘𝚞 𝚡 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛] [𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚞]](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/263835830-64-k731963.jpg)