Nyx lay on the cold, unforgiving stone floor, bloodied and broken, his body wracked with pain. His vision flickered in and out of focus as the realization of what had happened washed over him again. Jarek was gone. Gone because of a man's greed and thirst for power. The world felt heavier now, suffocating him with its cruelty and unrelenting darkness. And Nyx, in this moment of despair, felt as though there was nothing left to live for.
But as his mind spiraled, memories of Jarek began to surface. The older man had shared so little of his life, and yet, the few words he did speak had left an indelible mark on Nyx.
Jarek had grown up in a place much like this a place where people were broken, and hope was a scarce commodity. His childhood had been one of suffering, neglect, and abuse. His parents, both survivors of the brutal, uncaring world, had struggled to provide for him and his siblings. His mother, once full of love and warmth, had withered away under the pressure of constant poverty, while his father had turned to drinking to escape the hopelessness of their situation.
But through it all, Jarek had never given in to the bitterness that consumed everyone around him. Despite the violence and cruelty that had been his reality, he had found the strength to rise above it. He'd made a decision when he was young not to become like the others, not to let the world shape him into something monstrous.
He had seen how the violence of the world tore people apart. He had witnessed the broken families, the children abandoned by the system, and the people who let hatred dictate their every action. But Jarek had fought it. He had chosen kindness over cruelty, even when it would have been easier to give in. Even when the world made him want to give up, he never stopped fighting to be better.
He had a family his wife, his children and he was determined to give them a better life. He didn't want them to suffer the same way he had. Every decision he made was driven by that singular purpose: to protect them. To make sure they would never know the pain and suffering he had endured.
But in the end, it wasn't enough.
As Nyx's body lay broken and his heart felt as though it would collapse in on itself, he could hear Jarek's voice in his head, soft and calm, reminding him of the strength in kindness. The strength in choosing love when the world demanded hate.
"You've got this, Nyx. Don't let the world turn you into something like him."
But Nyx could barely remember how to move, let alone take a stand. His muscles screamed in agony as he tried to push himself off the ground. The world was spinning around him, his vision darkening at the edges. But as the memory of Jarek's voice rang in his ears, a spark of defiance flared within him.
He couldn't just let this go. He couldn't let Jarek's death be in vain.
With every ounce of his remaining strength, Nyx pushed himself to his feet, his knees buckling under the weight of his broken body. The pain was unbearable, but it paled in comparison to the fire that burned in his chest.
The leader was still standing there, looking down at Jarek's lifeless body as if it was nothing more than a discarded object. His sneer grew wider as he kicked the corpse, a sickening crunch echoing through the chamber.
"Pathetic," the leader spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "He was weak, just like the rest of you."
Nyx's vision blurred as he staggered toward the leader, each step heavier than the last. He was dizzy with rage, grief, and the desperate need for revenge. He didn't care how much it hurt. He had to make the leader pay.
"You... you bastard," Nyx growled, his voice trembling with fury.
The leader didn't even flinch. He turned to face Nyx with a bored expression on his face, as though he was dismissing an annoyance.
"What's this?" the leader mocked. "The little rat wants to fight? You're not worth my time."
But Nyx didn't stop. He pushed himself forward, launching himself at the leader with everything he had left, his fists clenched tightly. His movements were sloppy and desperate, fueled by pure emotion.
The leader simply stepped to the side, his motion too quick for Nyx to even register. Before he could react, the leader's massive fist connected with his face, sending him crashing to the ground with a sickening thud. Nyx gasped for breath, his vision spiraling, but he refused to give in.
"Get up," he thought to himself. "Get up, you coward."
Nyx pushed himself to his knees, blood dripping from his split lip, his face swelling from the force of the blow. He tried to move again, to stand and fight, but his body betrayed him. The pain was too much. His limbs were shaking with exhaustion, his muscles torn from the battle, and every breath felt like fire.
"Pathetic," the leader said again, his voice laced with amusement. "You think you're worthy of standing up to me? You're nothing."
He stepped closer, looming over Nyx, and the coldness in his eyes was enough to freeze Nyx's heart. The leader raised his foot, about to stomp on him, but before he could, he glanced back at Jarek's body.
"You really are worthless," the leader muttered under his breath.
Without another word, the leader lunged forward, drawing his blade and driving it down into Nyx's chest with brutal force. The pain was instant, a searing heat that consumed him from the inside out. Nyx gasped, his breath ragged, as the sharp edge of the sword pierced through his ribs and into his heart.
"Goodbye, little rat," the leader said, his voice dripping with venom as he twisted the blade.
Nyx felt his body go cold, the world dimming around him. The last thing he saw was the leader's smirk, the sick satisfaction in his eyes. And as the darkness closed in, Nyx's final thought was of Jarek of the kindness he had shown, of the family he had fought so hard to protect.
And then… there was nothing.
The world had taken everything from Nyx. His home. His family. His hope. And now, it had taken his life. But somewhere, deep inside, a small part of him still clung to the memory of the one person who had believed in kindness Jarek.
As Nyx's body lay still, his blood staining the stone beneath him, the only thing that remained was the echo of a promise Jarek's voice, a soft whisper in his ears:
"You've got this, Nyx."
But Nyx could no longer hear him.