Revelations

Sora gazed out of the flying vessel as Leland piloted them towards a distant planet, his heart filled with a mix of excitement and anticipation. As they descended onto the planet's surface, Sora couldn't help but notice the eeriness of the surroundings. The landscape was desolate, and the air carried a sense of foreboding.

"Leland, where are we?" Sora asked, his voice laced with worry.

Leland turned to him with a smirk, his eyes filled with a glimmer of mischief. "Oh, this? This is going to be your training grounds. This planet is home to highly dangerous predators, creatures that possess the potential to wreak havoc if transported to other worlds. It's your task to eliminate them."

Sora's eyes widened in alarm. He hadn't expected to be left alone on this treacherous planet. "Wait, you're leaving me here?"

Without a word, Leland nodded and flew away, leaving Sora standing alone amidst the desolation. Fear began to creep into Sora's heart as he surveyed the surroundings, his mind conjuring images of the deadly predators lurking nearby.

Suddenly, a predator emerged from the shadows, a towering creature resembling a vampire-wolf hybrid. Its size was immense, its head seemingly able to touch the moon if it were not for the exaggeration of Sora's fearful imagination. Instinctively, fear gripped Sora's body, and he started to run away from the approaching predator.

But even in his desperate sprint, the predator's speed surpassed anything Sora could comprehend. In an instant, its fist connected with Sora's body, the impact so powerful that his left arm disintegrated into nothingness.

Sora let out a horrified scream as he collapsed onto the ground. However, it wasn't pain or shock overwhelming him. But as he struggled to get back up, something remarkable happened. His left arm regenerated before his eyes, defying the logic of the devastating blow he had just received.

Gasping for breath, Sora couldn't help but marvel at the incredible healing powers bestowed upon him as the Lightning King. His mind raced back to the events on Earth, reminiscing about his parents, his aunt, his basketball team, and Ruby. Their memories spurred a sense of determination within him.

Confident in his newfound abilities, Sora's fear diminished. He realized that he, too, had become a monster, capable of facing any challenge that came his way. With renewed courage, he faced the predator that had attacked him.

"What's wrong? Finally done running, juicy litte meat bag?!" The Predator said mouth watering.

"Don't call me weird names!" Sora retorted.

Sora began to calm down after seeing my left arm regenerate. All of the fear he had felt vanished. Sora began to think to himself again "Yes. My opponent is a monster—but I'm a monster too now. What was there to be afraid of?"

"Raaahhh!" Sora yelled as he just realized he had a talking opponent and all the fear rushed back as he made haste in search of help.

As he began to run again, desperately seeking help, Sora's voice echoed through the desolate landscape, calling out for assistance. But despite his pleas, the predator pursued him relentlessly, cornering him with no escape in sight.

Sora began to curl up into a ball as his unease amplified. He still couldn't shake off the feeling of abandonment from Leland, a familiar sensation that reminded him of his own childhood. Memories of his parents' absence due to their demanding jobs and his aunt's indifference flooded his mind.

In a vivid flashback, Sora stood on the sidelines of a basketball court, watching as his teammates celebrated a victory. His aunt, engrossed in conversation with her own children, barely acknowledged Sora's presence. He longed for her to share in his excitement, to see the sweat and effort he put into the game, but her attention remained elsewhere.

"Did you see that shot, Auntie?" Sora asked, his voice filled with a mix of pride and desperation for her attention.

Without tearing her gaze away from her children, his aunt half-heartedly responded, "That's nice, dear. Good job."

Sora's heart sank. The disappointment in his aunt's lackluster response mirrored the ache he felt every time his parents missed his achievements. He yearned for their presence, their encouragement, and their pride in his accomplishments.

Amidst the loneliness, Ruby had become Sora's confidante and supporter. As the team manager of their basketball team, she attended every practice and game, standing by Sora's side even when his own family seemed distant. They had spent countless hours engaged in deep conversations about life, dreams, and the complexities of the world around them. Ruby had been a source of comfort and understanding in Sora's life, filling a void left by his absent parents.

Sora recalled a particular evening after a basketball practice when he and Ruby found solace on a park bench, their tired bodies seeking respite.

"I wish my parents were here to watch me play," Sora confided, his voice tinged with a mix of longing and sadness. "I practice so hard, hoping to make them proud, but they're always too busy with work."

Ruby's gaze softened, her eyes reflecting empathy. "I understand how you feel, Sora. It's tough when the people we want validation from aren't there for us. But remember, you have a team, friends who appreciate and admire your efforts. You don't need to carry all that on your own We're all here for you."

"I wanna go back home." Sora said to himself as he began bracing himself for the predator's onslaught, Sora prepared for the raining attacks he anticipated. However, to his surprise, the attacks never came. Confusion clouded his mind as he pondered the predator's sudden change in behavior.

"Is it toying with me? Or has it become stunned by my pathetic display?" Sora wondered aloud, doubting his own worth. He felt invisible, insignificant in the eyes of the predator.

Slowly lifting his face from his knees, Sora peered upwards, searching for answers.

"...Ha hah!"

Sora heard an easy-going laugh. As he looked up, he saw Leland with his palm pressed against the predator's stomach, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Their called Lycanthranthors, they're pretty agile for their size but pretty easy to deal with. You just gotta increase the temperature a little," Leland remarked, his tone casual and nonchalant.

And then.

In an instant, flames engulfed the predator, reducing it to nothing more than a burnt crisp. Sora watched in awe as the once formidable creature now lay defeated before him.