Bones Crack Just Like Leaves

I can see the snow, the ice, the cloud covered sky. The same scenery that I've seen hundreds - no - thousands of times by now. I can hear his laughter ringing in my ears. It hurts. I just want to feel warmth again. I want to feel happiness, sadness, anything. But that was taken away. It was taken away from me, ripped from very own chest.

I feel calm, yet incredibly anxious. The snow is piling up around me, enveloping my body. Soon enough, I'll be completely covered. I'll return to the very beginning, the start of the nightmares. I don't want to. I wish for the darkness to be permanent. Of course, that cannot be. Light will always follow.

I'm here again. My old room. I'm five. Everything is always the same. The days play out the same, the words spoken are the same.

"You look so glum for a child."

"What? Since when did you ever show your face?"

"Well, it's for a special offer..."

"Another trick?"

"No, no, I'm being fair this time!"

"Right."

"Anyways, how about I give you a chance to save those dear to you? Those who died in vain... Those who died young and so on."

"How would...how would I even do that? Not once has something been different!"

"Until now, yes? I am here, am I not?"

"Yeah. I'm going to hate myself for this, but, okay. Fine."

"Wonderful! Let's put you in a more interesting time then~!"

"Wait! Where exactly?"

"A place of utter chaos. A place that stinks of death. It all started there, did it not?" He snapped his fingers, and the world went dark. I dread the familiar location that is to come.

In a flash, I've been transported. Once again, I am all alone. I sit outside on the dirt path in front of a large, cobblestone building. The sign hanging off the side says 'Guild'. Right. It first started here. I'll see them again, I'll have a chance to save them this time. I stand up, knock on the door, and enter the building.

"Hello?" A young girl peaks up over the counter. "Sis! Someone's here!"

Footsteps rush to the counter, and I am greeted by a violet-haired Wytch. "Hello, welcome! This is Wytch's Guild, a place for up and coming adventurers! But...err...you don't seem that well equipped."

"I...stumbled upon this building on accident. I don't mind becoming an adventurer though."

"Well, unless you can rely on your fist, you will need a weapon. Luckily for you, the Guild is happy to provide you with a standard iron sword." The Wytch grabs a sword from under the counter and hands it to me. "By the way! We'll need your name to register you."

"Lavinka."

"Nice to meet you, Lavinka! My name is Moira, and this is my little sister Paolo."