1 Prologue

I stood before the life-like statues of stone, my heart heavy with sorrow and regret. Each statue represented a dear comrade, frozen in time, a haunting reminder of the bonds we once shared. There was the young man with dark hair and a vile mouth, who found joy in his interests; the child who resembled me but acted differently, a constant source of wonder; and the red-haired woman, strong and supportive, who had saved me countless times.

Deep down, I knew this day would come, but I clung to the hope that redemption was possible. I yearned to undo the mistakes that had brought us to this tragic end, but my efforts proved futile. In the end, I had only disappointed myself, my comrades, and the memories we cherished.

With trembling hands, I gently caressed the cheek of a long-haired girl, forever frozen in a state of indifference. She had loved another, leaving my heart aching with jealousy for a love that was never meant for me. The once steady belief of love being an illusion was gone. I now bitterly think otherwise.

The world around me was still vibrant, with nature's lushness embracing the landscape. Perhaps humans were the problem all along. How beautiful is a world without humans. How lonely it feels.

As I walked barefoot through the tall grass, there was a sense of abandonment, as if nobody waited for me, as if life had forsaken me.

My family was gone, my comrades turned to stone, and I questioned whether everything I fought for had been in vain. Did our sacrifices mean nothing in the end?

Drawing nearer to the house, my childhood home, memories flooded back in waves. I wondered if opening the door would welcome me with the comforting embrace of my past, a time when love and care enveloped me. Would I be reassured that my actions were right, that I had done nothing wrong? Would my mother be there? But reality was unyielding, reminding me that my mother was long gone, leaving behind an ache that never truly healed.

Though I had lost faith in God, I found myself praying for a glimmer of happiness to grace my life once more. Old age had transformed me, the cheery and serious boy of yesteryears now a frail and weathered soul. I yearned for a taste of joy in my twilight years, something to alleviate the burden of regrets that weighed heavily upon me.

As I reached the familiar threshold, a sudden fear gripped me. What awaited me inside? The past was a bittersweet place, and I hesitated, unsure if I was ready to confront it.

I've been alone for too long, my monologue seems louder. But I'm not talking to myself, am I? You were there. For so long, throughout my childhood to my teenage years to adulthood and now I'm wrinkled, you're presence has been there.

I'm not wrong, I'm sure of it. But... you're not the same person. Are you a person even? Where have they gone? Your gaze feels so unwelcoming, treating me like an object of your entertainment. Where are they? The real [reader].

The creaking of the door shattered the silence, revealing a tall, charming grey-haired man standing there, waiting for me. A wave of recognition washed over me, and I knew who he was – someone from my past, someone I had long thought to be gone.

"Felix," he spoke, his voice calm and hauntingly familiar. "It's been long."

My breath caught in my throat. "You... you're still alive?"

A melancholic smile graced his lips. "I can't die, Felix. You know that."

"Why are you here?" I asked, my voice tinged with bitterness and desperation.

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze icy. "To remind you of your failures, to revel in your despair."

Anguish washed over me, and I knew he spoke the truth. He was the embodiment of the choices that had led us astray, the consequences of trusting the wrong person.

"But was everything we fought for in vain?" I questioned, seeking answers, seeking absolution.

He shrugged callously. "In the grand scheme of things, does it truly matter? You lost, and that's all that counts."

A sinking feeling enveloped me as he summoned a portal, its blue hue swirling ominously behind him. Before I could comprehend what was happening, I felt myself being pulled into its dark depths.

I tried to resist, to fight against this cruel fate, but his power was too great. As the world around me dissolved into nothingness, I realized that I was trapped, condemned to an eternal state of regret and sorrow.

In my final moments, I cried out in desperation, "Please, just let me find peace. I've suffered enough."

But his laughter echoed through the void, cold and heartless. "Peace is not for the likes of you, Felix. Your life is a tragedy, a tale of loss and despair. As the protagonist, you must play along."

As my consciousness faded, I understood that I had become a tragic figure, forever haunted by my choices, my failures, and the merciless grip of destiny. My story had reached its somber conclusion, leaving me with the cruel knowledge that redemption would forever remain out of my grasp.