"Where could they be?" I muttered to myself, standing amidst the ruins of my home, with no signs of my family.

Could they have been taken to Elyria? But Iris couldn't survive in the celestial realm without celestial essence. Then perhaps the demon domain? Yet, how does one traverse to either of these planes of existence? A bewildering silence enveloped me as I stood there, staring into emptiness. My entire world seemed to have vanished overnight. Once more, my spirit crumbled, and a profound sense of helplessness washed over me as my breath became heavier with each gasp.

"Valerian..." a shadowy whisper called out to me.

"Yes?" I turned around, but there was no one there.

"I can help you, child. All you have to do is let me," again, the whispers continued with no one in sight.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" I yelled, and then a high-pitched ringing made me fall onto my knees as I held my ears tightly, trying to quiet down the screeching sounds in my mind.

As my gaze went up, I could see a familiar form enveloped in dark energy slowly walking toward me. Its malicious crimson eyes stared right through me, a joyful smile forming on its lips. As it got closer, its form started transforming from that of a young boy to an adult. The process was unsettling; its body violently twitched, and its limbs extended unevenly. Two big bones pierced through its back, shaping into a pair of black wings. The newly formed body, now even more familiar, knelt beside me, its hands gently lifting my chin as it started to speak with a wicked grin.

"I told you we would meet again, didn't I?"

"Why do you wear my face?" I questioned, my voice trembling as I beheld a form mirroring my very being. It was an uncanny reflection, akin to staring into a distorted mirror. Every aspect matched except for the color of our eyes.

"What do you mean 'why'? Surely you haven't forgotten? I've said it before; you and I are the same. The real question is, why do you wear my face?" He taunted, his eyes dancing with amusement.

I tried to avert his gaze as it made me uneasy. Time seemed to stop, just as it did the day I first met him when he revealed himself in the guise of a young boy.

"Did you pull me into another dimension again? I have no time for your games; I have to find my family," I demanded, still avoiding his intense glare.

"Don't concern yourself with them; focus on me instead," he insisted playfully, like a child seeking a parent's attention.

"What is your name? And what do you want from me?" I asked, this time meeting his gaze.

"Hm, a name, you say? I've had many throughout my existence. Some hailed me as Mortis, the god of whispers, while others called me the Dawnbreaker. Some were even too frightened to utter one of my many names aloud. Pure paranoia, I tell you. But my personal favorite, the one my mother bestowed upon me, is Valerian," he chuckled.

"Valerian?" I stammered, meeting my own eyes.

"We're like brothers, you and I! I always yearned for one!" he exclaimed with passion, his nails digging into my flesh, drawing blood.

"Apologies... I never excelled with toys. I would always break them somehow—heads, arms, and legs. I blame the poor craftsmanship; everything is so fragile nowadays," he added with a hint of concern, effortlessly healing my wounds in a single sweep.

"What do you want from me?" I cried out, my voice trembling with fear and despair.

"No need to bark so loudly, dear brother. You see, both avians and demons are rather simplistic creatures, sharing similarities in many aspects. You've witnessed that firsthand today, with their little alliance. Because of this, they are easily manipulated. Avians hold themselves as the first beings to grace existence, preceding mortal kind and even the gods, for they believe they are gods themselves. We remain uncertain about the existence of such deities; they could be fabrications of men or entities that abandoned us long ago."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I interrupted.

"Do you know what terrifies gods the most? Power! The very idea of someone surpassing them sends shivers down their divine spines. That's precisely why they cast us out of our homes – because they fear the might we possess. They fear what we could become."

"We?" I questioned.

"Yes, we! You're not the only banished avian. Your mother, millions across existence – all banished. But I was the first, the first sin that birthed mortal civilization!" For the first time, genuine emotion flashed across his face, anger burning in his crimson eyes, ready to scorch entire worlds.

"They thought they could constrain your power by exile, just as they did with me before. But they can't stop the wheel of fate! History repeats itself endlessly! One world ends, and a new one commences! You've unlocked your true power, and it's magnificent." He gazed at the massive dark energy I summoned in the sky, a single black tear sliding down his cheek as he smiled.

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He turned away from me and began to walk ahead.

"Follow me,"

Despite knowing the ill will of this creature, I trailed behind. Strangely, I found myself attracted to him. Was it because, for the first time, I had encountered someone who understood the real me, or was it because he and I were the same?

He strolled over the corpses, looking at each one with intensity.

"This is what they bring, you know?" He remarked.

"Death," I replied.

Soon, we stood beside Cecillia's lifeless body. I had hoped not to witness her like this again; I wished the next time I saw her would be in the realm beyond, not here.

He knelt beside her.

"I once knew a girl like her, with the same red hair and rosy cheeks," he reminisced.

"What happened to her?"

"She met the same fate as this poor lass. It seems both of us have a fondness for redheads, huh?" He smiled bitterly and moved away.

He seemed to wander purposefully through the sea of corpses as if urging me to confront each one, to grasp the devastation avians had wrought so that I wouldn't forget.

"If you had the power, would you wipe these monsters from existence?" he said, lost in thought.

"I would."

"They are dead, you know?" he stated coldly.

"Who is?"

"Your family."

Those two words pierced right through my chest; if the saying 'a broken heart' held any truth, then mine was already shattered. A sudden wave of nausea overwhelmed me, and a lack of air forced me to collapse to the ground. I couldn't breathe; it felt as though I was drowning in an ocean, desperately gasping for air, but the violent waves wouldn't let me. As I looked up, my face stared back at me, devoid of any emotion. The helplessness I felt was soon replaced by burning hatred and denial.

"Why should I trust you? For all I know, you are one of them."

"People called me many names, but never a liar. It's true; I sometimes bend the truth to get what I want, but I never outright lie. If you want proof, I'll give it, but it won't be pretty."

"Show me," I demanded, but my voice held no strength, only despair.

"Very well then, don't say I didn't warn you."

He raised his arm towards the sphere in the sky, and a small amount of dark energy poured down into his palm. He began shaping a perfect circle and whispered a certain name.

"Elyria."

A picture started to form in the circle, a scene I was very familiar with. Millions of avians gathered at the town square in my former home, Elyria. I couldn't hear them, but it looked as if they chanted in unison, their faces filled with joy. Soon, I could see why.

On a single spike, in the middle of the town square, my mother's corpse hung. Other avians threw rocks at her, spat in her direction, and stabbed spears into her already lifeless body.

"These animals..." I clenched my fists and teeth so hard that blood started pouring out.

I averted my gaze, unable to watch what they did to her any longer. As I clenched my fists harder, a thicker mist enveloped my body, my thoughts already set on revenge. I no longer had time to grieve because I knew if I did, I would break.

"What about my sister? I did not see her there," I said in a lower tone, containing my rage, saving it for those deserving.

"Humans have no celestial essence; she would simply cease to exist when traveling to another plane. A positive is, that she did not suffer."

"A positive, you say? A positive would be if she were still alive."

"Well, can't save them all," he chuckled, a huge grin showing on his previously emotionless face.

"What did you just say?"

"I said what I said. No, I meant to say you can't seem to save anyone. I mean, look at what transpired in only one night – your girlfriend, your mother and sister, all dead. The bard included. Have you ever wondered why this happened? Because you were born? No! You have done nothing in these past years when I gave you everything! You went soft, dreaming of a normal life, like some common mortal. You should have known that there is no normal life for the likes of you and me; we are anomalies in this so-called 'reality,' and we will continue to be so until we cease to exist! It's not just avians who think this way; it's humans as well, along with every mortal race in this forsaken world! It is because they fear what they do not know. The only way to fix this 'natural' order is to destroy it and then rebuild it to our designs. What do you say? Grant me your power, give me control; let us become one, and only then will you have the power to avenge your family. Let us fix this world together so you can see your loved ones once more."

My entire being was shattered; I couldn't distinguish anger from desperation, sadness from denial – I was barely holding onto life. All I craved now was to feel nothing at all. In just one night, everything I cherished vanished, leaving me stranded in a world I no longer recognized. I stared at the unfamiliar figure before me, speaking words of vengeance. Yet, I lacked the strength for such ambitions; all I longed for was to awaken from this nightmare.

"Please, save me," I pleaded with the figure in front of me.

He approached slowly, his words a whisper in my ear.

"Do you surrender yourself to me?"

"Yes."

"Do you offer your vessel as a means to alter reality as we know it?"

"Yes."

"Do you wish to reunite with your family?"

"Yes." At that moment, my entire life flashed before my eyes – the joyful memories in a humble house on a hill spent with my mother, sister, and the bard.

"Are you prepared to die for me?"

"Yes," I replied, a smile touching my lips.

"You fought a valiant battle; perhaps in another life, you will find happiness," the voice spoke with a hint of remorse as if lamenting the unfolding events.

"And now, the tale of Valerian, child of two worlds, reaches its conclusion! He possessed the power to reshape the world, yet lacked the resolve to do so! Let it be known that on this day, the First Sin rises once more! I shall bring salvation to these lands, restoring dragons to their rightful home! I will purge the species that descended from avian kin, and then the avians themselves! You have dwelled in the light for too long; now, the era of darkness descends upon you. There will be no suffering, for you shall cease to exist, and the world will be beautiful once again." The figure spoke with conviction, but I paid little heed to his words, for I was soon to be reunited with those I held dearest.

His hand pierced through my chest, seizing my heart and wrenching it from my body. I felt no pain as I collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

I found myself in a dark room, devoid of any light at the end of the tunnel. Darkness surrounded me, and my mind slowly faded; I reflected on the warm smiles of a family I once knew. Time passed, and I lost track of the years, still alone in the darkness, the familiar faces in my mind beginning to fade. Then, an unknown force drew me toward the light, my memories returning, and all that had transpired lately felt like nothing more than a bad dream.