The morning came slowly, as if the sun itself was hesitant to rise over a world so full of suffering. Sunny felt the weight of the stranger's words heavy on his chest, like a shadow that refused to leave. Every time he tried to focus, tried to hold on to his old beliefs, the stranger's voice echoed in his mind, urging him to see the truth of things.
Pain.
Suffering.
It was the way of the world.
As the two of them continued their journey through the broken landscapes, Sunny couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed within him. The very air around him felt thick with questions, with doubts he hadn't dared to confront until now. His thoughts spiraled, as if his mind was unraveling from the inside.
"You're not the same," the stranger said, as though reading his mind. "I can see it. You're beginning to understand what I've been telling you. Don't fight it, Sunny. The truth will set you free. Or maybe, it will destroy you."
Sunny flinched, the words cutting deeper than he expected. He didn't want to accept it. He didn't want to admit that what the stranger said was true. But deep down, he knew it wasn't just about accepting pain—it was about understanding it, controlling it. Could he really change the world by embracing the darkness that had always surrounded it? Could he truly overcome his past, his beliefs, and become something more?
"I don't know if I can," Sunny muttered, almost to himself.
The stranger's eyes narrowed, a glint of something unreadable flickering in them. "That's the first step," he said, his voice soft but firm. "Admitting that you don't know. From that moment, the door to your true power opens. It's the uncertainty, the willingness to embrace the unknown, that will give you the strength you need."
Sunny's fists clenched as he walked on, the path ahead unclear. Every step was a battle, every thought a war. Could he really let go of everything he had believed in? Was there another way to bring about change without succumbing to the darkness? His own heart told him no, but the stranger's words gnawed at him, pushing him to reconsider everything he had once held dear.
Suddenly, there was a noise—a rustling from the shadows ahead. Sunny's senses immediately went on high alert, his body tensing. The stranger was already on guard, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The moment of hesitation was fleeting.
From the darkness emerged a figure—a man, dressed in tattered clothes, his face twisted in a grimace of pain. His eyes were wide, wild, almost feverish as he stumbled forward.
"You!" the man gasped, pointing at the stranger. "You're the one who… who—"
The stranger stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Do you know me?" he asked, his voice cold.
The man collapsed to his knees, his hands shaking. "I remember… I remember everything… the pain, the suffering, the—" His words broke off into frantic sobs. "You took everything from me. And now, you'll pay for it."
Sunny watched in silence, his heart racing. The stranger had always spoken of pain as a tool, a way to achieve power, but this? This was something different. The man in front of them was consumed by his own suffering, driven to madness by the very ideals the stranger had championed. Was this the future Sunny faced? Was he destined to become like this, consumed by the very darkness he was learning to accept?
The stranger didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned to Sunny, his expression unreadable. "This is the cost of power," he said quietly, almost as if to himself. "It is not just strength you gain. You take something from those around you, too. And in the end, it will consume you."
Sunny didn't know how to respond. The stranger's words had always held an air of coldness to them, but now, they felt different. They felt like a warning.
The man before them let out a final, pitiful cry, his body shuddering before collapsing to the ground. The stranger stepped back, his gaze fixed on the lifeless body.
"Pain is the only constant in this world, Sunny," he said, his voice distant, almost mournful. "Embrace it, or it will break you. There is no other way."
Sunny stood there, feeling the weight of his words settle deep into his bones. The air felt thicker now, more oppressive, as if the very world around him was closing in. His mind swirled with confusion, fear, and anger. Was this the path he was truly destined to follow? Could he really accept a world where pain and suffering were the only way to grow?
And in that moment, Sunny realized something else—a truth that had been hidden from him for so long.
The power he sought wasn't just external. It wasn't just the power to change the world around him. It was the power to change himself, to conquer his own fears and doubts. The question was, would he be strong enough to do it?
As he stared down at the lifeless figure before him, he couldn't help but feel a cold shiver run down his spine. The price of power had been laid bare before him, and it was more than he was ready to pay. Yet, there was no turning back now. He had crossed a line, and there was no going back.
He could only move forward.