Fraser Whight opened his eyes.
The cavern, once his home, was now burning in a sea of flames. Rampaging arcane shot around the warzone as the elders of the Whight family fruitlessly attempted to fight off the invaders. Smoke blurred Fraser's vision, shockwaves from the fights above pounded in his ears, adrenaline surged in his veins as crystal tears welled in his clouded eyes.
"No…"
"Why…?"
He sobbed uncontrollably, emotions overflowing within him. This was his home, his family, his comrades. He was the heir to the first supreme elder of the Whight clan, he had a promising and peaceful future ahead of him, yet it was all crumbling in front of Fraser's eyes at this very moment.
The Void called out to him, beating in his chest no matter how powerless he knew he was. He was only at rank one level, his cultivation couldn't match these foes from Northern Authority, in fact, they far outclassed him, far far ahead.
So no matter how the Void beckoned at his heart, he knew he was without hope.
The cries of his clanmates resounded in his ears more than his own, the invaders had only arrived moments ago, yet a grand slaughter had long since erupted. Fraser tried to gather himself and suppress his feelings, arcane darts around his body due to his overwhelming emotions. He scrambled up onto his feet and kept running toward the exit of this hellscape.
"Go to hell! You demons!" An authority captain yelled out as he flew without obstruction in the battlefield, the corpses of multiple Whight clan members in his hands. The captain turned his gaze to Fraser, killing intent surging deep within.
He flew toward Fraser at an astonishing pace, causing sonic booms, Fraser felt death grasp at his neck as he turned around. He had lost all hope during these final moments.
"Keep running, Fraser!"
Fraser stared wide eyed as his uncle, an elder of the clan, had blocked the advance of the captain. However, he could tell that this was a poor matchup, his uncle's death was inevitable. Fraser kept weeping as he sprinted, legs still trembling, yet he refused to stop, the other fleeting children around him were being picked off one by one like sheep in a massacre, their screams for help echoing in the cavern walls.
"You are courting death!" The Authority captain laughed hysterically at Fraser's uncle, Elder Jacob Whight.
Fraser yet again wiped his tears and kept running, adrenaline still bursting in his body, the feeling of dread following his heart like a shadow, but he kept pushing forward, after all, if he died here and now, wouldn't Jacob's sacrifice be in vain?
He was so close, the arcane transporter was within sight, he held onto hope like a dishevelled rope.
"Come on… keep going… just a couple more steps…" Relief shone in Fraser's eyes.
"Where do you think you're going, brat…?"
And the last fiber of his rope tore.
Death yet again loomed over him, scythe to his neck, tugging at his soul.
But this time, it was different. Rage overcame Fraser, a rage that swallowed, a rage that destroyed, a rage of vengeance, he charged at the Authority soldier, leaving no regard toward his life.
This time, the soldier was only a couple ranks above Fraser, he reckoned he could stall for a while before succumbing, but that was usually. With all his pent up anger, his emotions broke him apart like a shattered dam holding back an ocean. Pure arcane surged in his muscles, The Void called out to him, gifting him with a strength of no other. The soldier similarly dashed toward Fraser, emitting rank two aura.
"Don't worry kid, I'll make your death quick." The soldier exclaimed.
Fraser didn't respond. His rage took over him like a poisonous concoction.
The soldier shot a burst of flames at Fraser from his fingertips, before forming a sword made of fire. Fraser slid past the flames and threw sand in the soldier's eyes before unsheathing his own dagger.
"Such crude methods aren't enough to kill me!"
Fraser remained silent, before he released his arcane energy in its raw and truest form. A cloud of smoke overtook the soldier. The soldier wiped his eyes and frantically turned around, activating his sensory technique to find Fraser.
"Found you!"
Fraser felt a burning sensation. His left arm was chopped clean off by the soldier's blade. Fraser hissed in pain, but took advantage of the situation, he grabbed the soldier's cloak, releasing another cloud into the soldier's helmet, before sinking his dagger into the soldier's leg multiple times.
"Argh!" The soldier screamed in pain before scrambling on the ground wiping his eyes.
Fraser made use of the opportunity to dive headfirst into the arcane transporter.