The sun spread a golden light over Adrian's small town. Birds chirped, and the wind gently rustled the leaves. As he sat at the breakfast table with his family, Adrian couldn't take his eyes off the window; his country's perfection, peace, and strength felt like paradise to him. His father's laughter, his mother's warm smile, the morning sunlight playing in his little brother's hair… to Adrian, they were the whole world.
He clasped the necklace on the table. Inside the small frame was a photo of his family—his father, mother, and brother, all smiling. This necklace would always stay with him.
But happiness shattered suddenly, like a sharp cut through silence. The radio and television screeched at once. The announcer's voice trembled:
"…GLOBAL CRISIS… WAR HAS BEEN DECLARED… CITIES TARGETED… EMERGENCY… EMERGENCY…"
Adrian's heart nearly stopped. His father jumped up, his mother screamed. The distant rumble of bombs grew into a storm crashing down upon their city. The windows shook, the table overturned, silverware scattered across the floor.
"Adrian! Run, now!" his father's voice thundered.
But Adrian couldn't move. When he stepped outside, he saw the full scale of the destruction. Roofs were burning, people were running in panic, screams filled the streets. Blood and smoke tainted the air. The perfect world he knew had been torn apart before his eyes.
Then, in the distance, a soldier in a black uniform appeared. There was no expression on his face; he was nothing but a man of orders, hardened by twenty years of military training. No matter how fast Adrian ran, the soldier stayed close behind him.
Adrian slipped into a damaged building, holding his breath. The necklace slid from his hand, hit the stones, and shattered. His small heart filled with agony for everything he had lost. Tears blurred his vision as he gripped a small piece of rubble from the ground.
"Maybe… maybe I can stop him," Adrian whispered.
But the soldier, a perfect instrument of command, anticipated every move. Nothing could stand in his way. When Adrian tried to throw the rock, the soldier reacted instantly; the stone clattered against the floor and broke apart. The plan had failed.
The soldier grabbed Adrian, pulling him up and dragging him forward. When Adrian looked into the distance, he saw the camp. It was hell itself. Destroyed buildings, terrified screams, a sky choked with smoke… with every step, his heart pounded harder, every breath filled with fear and pain.
He was thrown into a small cell as soon as they entered the camp. In the darkening room, he was alone. The echo of screams filled the background. He covered his face with his hands, pulled his knees to his chest, and silently cried. The weight of what he had lost pressed down on him like a crushing stone.
And in that moment… a spark of darkness flickered in Adrian's eyes. The screams outside awakened a quiet rage inside him. The loneliness, the pain—this was the first step in changing him forever.
Chapter 1 – END