ChisanaTensai

RISE OF THE FRAGMENTS

What is a man, if not a vessel of hidden truths and whispered deceptions? Beneath the fragile facade lies a labyrinth of secrets—truths buried so deeply they intertwine with the lies we tell ourselves just to survive another day. The masks we wear may fool the world, but they cannot hide the fractures within. Even those we hold closest, the ones we entrust with our hearts, may be the very hands carving unseen wounds into our souls, feeding them to the monsters lurking in the shadows. Blood tells no lies, flowing only when life is claimed, but even its crimson clarity is no guide to the truth. How does one find what is real when their very existence is a fractured mirror, splintered into shards that reflect only distorted glimpses of an identity lost? Each shard offers the promise of clarity, yet together, they form nothing but ruin. To uncover the truth is to brave the labyrinth, to face the darkness, and to risk losing what little remains of the self. For in the end, can a man truly hold a reflection if he no longer knows who—or what—he truly is?

A LITTLE SECRET

Disclaimer: The cover is from AOI OGATA on Pinterest. The flames, I could feel was dying out, so I opened my eyes to see her little hands grasping tightly onto my fist. The last bit of the flames lingered over her hand before dying out as well, then her hands were cold again. My eyes followed her arms to her face. She knelt on the bed with my stretched legs between hers. She still wore the same clothes she had on when she appeared in my hospital room.  Her large, dark eyes were on me, but I couldn't tell what emotion or expression they held. She sat then and pulled my fist to her face. "You didn't respond when I called you earlier. What's going on?" I asked her calmly, but inwardly doubted she'd answer me. She inhaled deeply with my fist still to her nose like she wanted to absorb its fragrance if it had any. She just kept her eyes focused on my hand. "You were about to do it again. The backlash could've been bad. ," she pointed out flatly. Even though she didn't sound too pleased, her wonderful voice was still pleasing to the ear. "You told me we'd do it, not you." "I have to get stronger, Lily." She now looked at me. "But what about the pain? We agreed that I would help you."

THE SHATTERED REALM: FORGOTTEN ECHOES