Destruction...

Kai stood alone in the vast expanse of the white desert, his ocean-blue eyes scanning the horizon. He was searching for the bird that had taken away his humanity.

Unfortunately, the raven with abyss-black feathers was nowhere to be found. It seemed as though the creature had vanished into thin air.

...

Kai spent a few more minutes gazing out at the desert, but upon realizing that the bird would not appear, he let out a sigh.

'Maybe it's for the better...'

He walked towards the distant black oak tree and sat beneath its branches, which were adorned with a scattering of golden leaves.

Suddenly, Kai caught sight of something black, a feather, barely visible as it protruded from the white sand. It appeared as though the object was inviting him to pick it up.

As he looked at the feather, Kai reached out and brushed his fingers against its surface. In that moment, his consciousness momentarily flickered and went blank.

***

Kai felt the sweat trickle down his forehead as he gazed upon the desolate landscape before him. He stood in the middle of a white desert, the endless expanse of sand stretching as far as the eye could see. But despite the serene beauty of the desert, Kai couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach.

Just moments before, he had been floating above a bustling human continent, watching in horror as massive reptiles swooped down from the sky, spreading destruction and chaos wherever they went. The humans below tried desperately to flee, but their efforts were in vain. They were caught and killed by the demons that had taken over the world.

Kai couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with the scene playing out before him. He knew, deep down, that this was not the present timeline. This was the future, a future that came after his death. He felt a pang of dread in his chest as he watched the humans being hunted and killed like animals. This was a world without hope, a world where the humans and other species had been completely eradicated.

As the reptiles continued their destruction, Kai watched as the world was consumed by beasts and demons. He saw the sky turn a sickly shade of red as the creatures feasted on the remains of the once-thriving world. The once-lush forests were now nothing more than barren wastelands, the rivers that once flowed with life were now dried up and desolate.

Puff...

Gasping for air, Kai struggled for breath. With a fierce determination, he clenched his fists tightly around handfuls of sand, the grains slipping between his fingers. Despite his frantic effort to remain composed, his face was a mask of pure terror, drained of all color.

'What the hell...'

Kai rolled frantically in the sand, his body writhing in pain. A stream of cursed poured from his lips as he clutched at his head, feeling as though it were being torn in two by an invisible force. The grains of sand scratched against his skin, adding to his torment as he desperately tried to find some semblance of relief from the agonizing pain.

As Kai lay there, feeling as though his world were coming apart at the seams, a gruff voice suddenly echoed through the air. He managed to lift his head, groggy and disoriented, and scanned the surroundings in search of the source of the voice.

[ 𝐘𝐨𝐮... 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞... 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬! ]

The voice barked out again, the words ringing with a sense of urgency. But before Kai could even respond, the voice trailed off into the stillness of the desert, leaving him alone with his thoughts and his pain.

For another half hour, Kai battled against the searing pain that wracked his head, trying to will it into submission. Slowly but surely, the intensity of the headache began to recede, until finally, it was gone.

With a deep sigh of relief, Kai allowed himself a moment to rest and gather his thoughts. As he lay there, he felt a strange certainty settle over him. The voice he had heard, that had barked out its cryptic message, was that of a raven. He didn't know how he knew this, but the knowledge seemed to have been implanted into his mind as if by magic.

Gazing into the distance, Kai took a few moments to process the thoughts swirling in his mind. He finally came to the complete agreement that the raven was the cause of his sudden journey through time, and the reason why he had lost his humanity.

But why had he been chosen? Kai couldn't shake the feeling that he was a weak and inadequate choice. Surely, it would have been more beneficial to send someone of higher standing, someone stronger and more capable of saving the world?

The raven's message had been clear; it wanted Kai to save the human race. But why would a monster seek the survival of its prey? The more Kai thought about it, the more questions arose, leaving him feeling overwhelmed and uncertain.

With a deep sigh, he ruffled his hair, feeling more and more lost as he struggled to piece together the events that had brought him here.

"I should just focus on becoming stronger..."

Kai muttered to himself, trying to bring some clarity to his thoughts. He felt that with each increase in power, he would unravel more of the mystery surrounding him. All he had to do was endure and survive until he was strong enough to grasp the full picture.

With a graceful motion, Kai rose to his feet, his eyes scanning the area around him. His gaze came to rest on a small, crumbled feather lying in the sand, and he bent down to pick it up.

Carrying the feather, Kai approached a massive oak tree, its trunk deeply creased and weather-worn. He carefully placed the feather into one of the cracks, and stepped back to admire his handiwork. The feather seemed to fit perfectly into the crevice, almost as if it had been made to fit there.

With a sense of purpose, Kai turned and set his sights on a massive cave in the distance. His heart was pounding with excitement and anticipation, and he felt a renewed energy coursing through his veins. He was determined to hone his skills, to become stronger and more proficient, so that he could face the challenges ahead with confidence.

"Time to train my skill proficiency!"

====

I had a break, will have another break. Don't expect nothing!

P.S I've laid out the plan for the book