Life Beyond End

---

I woke up.

Blinking, I stared up at the canopy of trees, their jagged edges blurred against the sky. My brain felt scrambled, like I'd been dropped into reality without warning. Everything hurt—my arms, my legs, even my lungs as they sucked in air like it was the first time.

But I wasn't dead.

Wait... alive?

My fingers twitched. My hands still worked, trembling but functional. I shifted and winced, sharp pain shooting through my ribs. Memories flooded back—bandits, screaming, the flash of a blade coming straight at me. Then darkness.

I should've been dead. That sword was meant for me.

"Mom?" I croaked, my throat raw. "Dad? Andrea?"

Silence.

The kind that eats at you, heavy and unnerving.

"Mom!" I shouted, forcing myself upright despite my body's protests. Pain rippled through me, but panic drowned it out.

Where were they? Where was everyone?

I staggered to my feet, wobbling like a newborn deer. Every muscle screamed at me to stop, but I ignored it. The village wasn't far—just past the treeline. They had to be there. They had to be.

---

The village was wrong.

Too quiet. Too still.

No crackle of fires, no chatter, no sound of the blacksmith hammering away like he always did. Just silence, so thick it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

I stepped into the main street, my boots crunching on gravel. The houses stood untouched, doors shut, windows dark. It was like time had frozen, leaving me to wander through some lifeless painting.

"Hello?" I called, my voice shaky.

Nothing. Not even an echo.

I broke into a run, ignoring the burning in my legs as I made a beeline for our house.

The door creaked when I pushed it open.

Everything looked... normal. The dining table was still set with the wooden bowls we used for dinner. The faint smell of Mom's cooking lingered in the air. For a split second, I let myself believe they might step out from the kitchen, laughing, scolding me for being late.

But the house was empty.

"Mom?" I whispered, stepping into the kitchen. My voice cracked.

No one.

My chest tightened as I stumbled back, my mind racing.

Where were they?

---

I sank to the floor, my back against the wall. My breathing was uneven, my hands gripping the fabric of my shirt like it would stop me from falling apart.

There were only three options.

1. They escaped. Everyone in the village managed to slip away. Unlikely, but possible.

2. They were captured. A lump formed in my throat at the thought, but I shoved it down.

3. They were dead.

That thought settled in my gut like poison, spreading through me until I felt sick.

"No." My voice was firm, even if my hands were shaking.

They weren't dead. I refused to believe that.

"They're alive," I muttered, like saying it would make it true. "They're alive, and I'm going to find them."

---

I forced myself up, shaking off the fog in my head. Sitting here wouldn't help. If they were out there, they needed me to move.

I rummaged through the house, grabbing whatever supplies I could find. Dried food, water skins, spare clothes. My hands brushed against something hard—a book with a worn leather cover.

World Encyclopedia.

I flipped through it, the pages brittle under my fingers. Maps, towns, names... Headow.

It wasn't far, just past the forest. If anyone survived, maybe they went there.

I packed everything into a satchel, my hands moving on autopilot. My mind buzzed with half-formed plans and worst-case scenarios.

When I stepped outside, I paused.

The village I'd grown up in, the one filled with warmth and laughter, felt like a ghost. A hollow shell of what it used to be.

I clenched my fists, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"I'll find you," I whispered. "I swear."

---

The forest was darker than I remembered.

The trees were tall and gnarled, their twisted branches blotting out the sky. Leaves crunched under my boots, but other than that, the woods were eerily silent.

The encyclopedia had mentioned the forest—seven kilometers long, nine wide. It'd take me hours to cross it, and that was assuming I didn't get lost.

My grip on the sword strapped to my side tightened.

Rumors about this place weren't exactly comforting. Mana Beasts, creatures born of pure magical energy, were said to lurk here. I'd never seen one, but the thought was enough to make my stomach churn.

I pressed on, each step taking me further into the shadows.

---

The sun dipped below the horizon, and the forest changed.

Night transformed the woods into something alien. The trees seemed closer, their shadows stretching out like claws. Every rustle of leaves set my nerves on edge.

Then I heard it.

A growl. Low, guttural, and too close for comfort.

My heart leapt into my throat as I froze. Slowly, I turned my head, my eyes scanning the darkness.

Two red eyes stared back at me.

The creature stepped into the moonlight, and my breath caught.

It was massive, its body sleek and black like it was carved from shadows. Its claws glinted, and its glowing eyes were locked onto me like I was its next meal.

A Mana Beast.

Shit.

---

It lunged, and I barely had time to react.

I dove to the side, my body hitting the ground hard as its claws slashed through the air where I'd been standing.

My hands scrambled for my sword, the hilt cold and familiar as I pulled it free.

The beast growled, circling me like a predator playing with its food.

"Alright," I muttered, gripping the blade tightly. "Let's see what you've got."

The beast lunged again, faster than I expected. I swung the sword, the blade connecting with its side. Sparks flew, but the creature barely flinched.

Are you kidding me?!

I ducked under another swipe, my heart pounding in my chest. My breaths came in short gasps as I tried to think. I couldn't fight this thing head-on.

I needed Eternal Subversion.

My fingers tingled as I reached for the mana inside me, the energy sparking to life.

Nothing.

Come on.

I tried again, but the beast was already charging. Its claws raked across my arm, and pain exploded through me.

I stumbled back, clutching the wound as blood dripped down my fingers.

"Work," I growled through clenched teeth. "Come on, Eternal Subversion. Work!"

The beast snarled, preparing for another attack.

---

[Eternal Subversion Unlocked.]

The words appeared in front of me like a glowing sign, and for a moment, I thought I was hallucinating.

But I didn't have time to question it.

I felt the mana surge inside me, hot and wild, like a fire roaring to life. My hand moved instinctively, energy crackling around me as the world seemed to slow.

The beast lunged, but I was already moving.

A burst of light exploded from my hand—yellow, sharp, and edged with white. It sliced through the creature like a blade, and before I could process what happened, the beast was gone.

Ash scattered in the air where it had stood.

I stared at my hand, still trembling with leftover energy.

"That... was Eternal Subversion?" I whispered.