the light she left behind

The air was heavy with the stench of damp stone and decay. A little girl, no older than four or five, sat huddled in the corner of a dimly lit cell. Her hollow eyes stared blankly at the cracked wall before her, her small frame trembling—not from cold, but from the weight of despair. She knew what was coming. She always knew. Hope was a distant memory, one she no longer dared to reach for.

From the corridor outside, a cold, detached voice echoed, sending shivers through the silence.

"Bring Test Subject No. 15."

Heavy footsteps approached, and the iron door screeched open. Before she could react—not that she ever did—rough hands yanked her to her feet. Her bare toes scraped against the freezing floor as they dragged her through the endless, dark hallways.

The room they entered was bright, too bright, its harsh light bouncing off metallic walls lined with sinister instruments. The hum of machinery filled the air, blending with the faint crackle of magic spells. She was thrown onto a cold steel table, her tiny arms and legs strapped down.

They worked quickly, methodically. Wires snaked around her fragile limbs, needles pierced her skin, and glowing syringes pumped an ominous liquid into her veins. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, refusing to cry out.

Then it began.

Electricity surged through her body, jolting her like a puppet on invisible strings. A surge of magic followed, flooding her senses like molten lava. It was too much—too much for her small, frail frame. Every nerve screamed in agony, and her heart thundered in protest. Her vision blurred, dark spots creeping in at the edges.

She thought she would die right there, collapse under the overdose of power tearing her apart.

But death never came.

And that was the worst part.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she found her voice. Weak and trembling, but filled with a desperation that pierced the suffocating silence, she whispered,

"Hey, God... if you exist, I beg you... help me. I beg you."

The words felt foreign on her tongue, a fragile prayer from a child who had never known kindness. But in that moment, something shifted.

Her pulse quickened, not from pain, but from something far more profound. A warmth began to spread through her chest, soft at first, then all-consuming, like a fire igniting from within. Her eyes widened as her frail body began to glow, faintly at first, then brighter, until the entire room was bathed in an ethereal light.

The scientists froze, their instruments faltering, alarms blaring in warning.

"What's happening?!" one of them screamed, scrambling to disconnect the wires.

But it was too late.

The glow intensified, wrapping her small frame in an unearthly aura. The magic and electricity that had once threatened to tear her apart now bent to her will, coursing through her veins like a river of molten power. She sat up, her restraints snapping like paper under her newfound strength.

Her eyes, once dull and lifeless, now burned with an otherworldly brilliance. The air around her crackled, heavy with energy, and then—

BOOM.

A deafening explosion erupted from her body, a shockwave of light and power that consumed everything in its path. Walls crumbled, machinery disintegrated, and the screaming voices of her captors were silenced in an instant.

When the dust settled, she stood alone amidst the ruins, her tiny figure surrounded by a still-glowing haze. For the first time, her body didn't ache. Her breaths came steady, unlabored. She clenched her small fists, feeling an undeniable strength surging through her.

She looked at her hands, then at the destruction she had wrought. The world had taken everything from her, but now, she had the power to take it back.

"God..." she whispered, her voice steady, resolute. "Thank you."

And with that, she took her first step into a new life—one where she would no longer beg for mercy.

As the dust and debris settled, silence reclaimed the ruins. The little girl stood amidst the destruction, her glowing body still pulsating faintly. She stared at the devastation around her, unsure whether to feel fear, relief, or guilt.

Then, a faint sound broke through the stillness—a slow, deliberate clap.

Her head whipped around, and from the shadows of the crumbling doorway, a figure emerged. Cloaked entirely in black, the stranger moved with an unnatural grace, their face obscured by a deep hood.

"Well, well," a smooth, chilling voice echoed. "What a sight to behold."

The little girl tensed, her newfound strength surging instinctively, ready to defend herself.

The stranger stopped a few paces away, their head tilting slightly as if examining her. "You're remarkable, little one. Truly remarkable."

She narrowed her eyes, unsure whether to run or fight.

The figure extended a gloved hand toward her, their voice turning almost soothing.

"Tell me, little girl... do you want to live? Not just survive, but live—happily, with all the privileges and luxuries imaginable?"

The offer hung in the air, tantalizing yet laced with an undertone of something darker.

Her fists clenched as she stared at the stranger, her mind racing. For the first time, she had power. For the first time, she had a choice. But what would it cost?

She opened her mouth to answer—