LitN: Running Through The Night

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His hands trembling, Ni-ki began the ritual, his mind racing as he struggled to recall the teachings of Sunoo. Every incantation felt like a dagger to his soul, each step forward a plunge into the abyss of despair.

"It's okay," Yoojung whispered softly. Although horrified at what was coming for her, she knew Ni-ki was the one who needed strength and encouragement.

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he choked out, "I love you."

A half-hearted laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head, "Of all the timing, huh?" She forced out a laugh before responding, "I love you, too. Live life to the fullest, okay?"

Ni-ki's anguished cry tore through the air, a lamentation that echoed the depth of his sorrow and the agony of his task.

The world trembled as if it were reeling from the impact of her soon absence, the very fabric of reality quivering with the weight of the loss.

As the ritual progressed, the once tumultuous world began to shift, transforming into a serene and unfamiliar landscape. The chaotic energy that had gripped the environment dissipated, replaced by a sense of calm and tranquility. The air felt lighter, and the atmosphere seemed to hum with a new harmony.

Despair washes over him like a tidal wave, drowning him in a sea of anguish and regret. Every fiber of his being rebels against the cruel fate that has befallen them, screaming out in protest as he watches the woman he loves slowly fade away before his eyes.

As he gazes into Yoojung's eyes one last time, he sees the pain and confusion reflected back at him, a mirror image of his own torment. He longs to hold her close, to whisper words of comfort and reassurance, but he knows that it is too late for such gestures.

The die has been cast, and there is no turning back.

And then, in the blink of an eye, it was over. Yoojung's form shimmered and faded, like a wisp of smoke carried away on the wind, until all that remained was an empty space where she once stood.

Ni-ki was left alone, his heart heavy with grief, his soul torn asunder by the cruel hand of fate. As he stood there, staring into the emptiness that had consumed his world, he realized he wasn't done yet.

Yoojung's presence had been completely erased from existence, leaving behind a void in the hearts of those who once knew her. She was completely wiped off.

Despite the newfound peace that enveloped the world, the damage inflicted by the ritual remained irreversible. One final step remained—the turning back of time.

As seconds passed, Ni-ki's memories of Yoojung instantly began to fade, slipping away like grains of sand through his fingers. Panicked, Ni-ki rushed his next move. There no time to mourn.

Just before he too lost all memory of Yoojung, using every ounce of his willpower, Ni-ki tapped into the depths of his power, bending time to his command. With a swift motion, he rewound the fabric of existence, traveling back to a moment before Yoojung's birth, erasing her very existence from the tapestry of reality.

As Ni-ki delved into the arcane rituals to turn back time with a heavy heart, the very fabric of reality seemed to warp and shift around him. Arcane symbols danced in the air, glowing with otherworldly light, as he channeled the immense power needed for such a feat. The air crackled with energy, and the ground trembled beneath his feet as he tapped into forces beyond mortal comprehension.

With each incantation, the world around him seemed to rewind, moments playing out in reverse as time itself bent to his will. The sky churned with colors unseen, and the very essence of existence seemed to unravel and reweave itself with each passing second.

Yet, as the temporal energies surged around him, Ni-ki felt something deep within him begin to unravel as well. Memories slipped through his grasp like water, evaporating into the ether as if they had never existed. Faces blurred, names faded, and the very essence of who he was seemed to dissolve into the maelstrom of magic.

In the end, as the last vestiges of time were rewound and the world settled into its new, altered state, Ni-ki stood still amidst the remnants of his own shattered memories.

Yoojung, once a vibrant presence in his life, was now nothing more than a fleeting whisper in the recesses of his mind, a phantom of a past that he could no longer recall.

"BRO!" Jake exclaimed, bringing the dazed Ni-ki back to reality.

He was in the Vampire realm, in his room. He realized he was sitting on the gaming chair of his room with League of Legends on his monitor in front of him.

Ni-ki blinked, momentarily disoriented by Jake's sudden interruption. The remnants of his fractured memories lingered on the edges of his consciousness, elusive and intangible.

Why am I crying? he thought to himself. "Sorry," Ni-ki mumbled, shaking his head to clear away the lingering fog of forgotten thoughts. "I got lost in my head for a moment there."

Jake laughed into the mic. "Well, next time, try not to get too lost. We need you focused if we're going to win this game."

"Man, we were so close to winning!" Heeseung whined into the mic.

"Nah, it's all good. Ni-ki is going to have a redemption arc next game. Right, maknae?" Sunghoon made sure to peer pressure him so that he wouldn't dare to make them lose again.

Ni-ki managed a weak smile, still grappling with the echoes of a reality that no longer existed. "Of course," he scoffed.

"Come on, guys, give Ni-ki a break," Jay interjected, his tone sympathetic. "He's probably just feeling a bit off because Jungwon just left us last week. It's been a big adjustment for all of us."

Ni-ki nodded in appreciation at Jay's attempt to deflect the attention away from him. The mention of Jungwon added to the swirl of bewildering emotions he was experiencing, but he appreciated his friend's effort to ease the pressure.

"Yeah, that's it," Ni-ki chimed in, grateful for the support. "It's just taking some time to get used to everything." There was a tone of uncertainty in his voice because he didn't even know what he was just sad about.

His teammates nodded understandingly, their concern evident as they shifted the conversation to more lighthearted topics.

As they continued to chat while waiting in lobby for the next round, Ni-ki couldn't shake the feeling that something important had slipped through his fingers, lost to the sands of time.

END OF ACT I