Stranger: Back Home-Chapter 15 - 14: The Path I Once Walked

Xenos looked at Valdir and asked, "So, what happened in the other timeline?"

Valdir met Xenos' gaze. Memories of the other timeline surfaced—fear, pain, and helplessness flashed through his eyes. Slowly, he began to speak.

"I am Valdir Sigrun Bjork, son of Elias Sigrun Bjork and Freya Bjork. My father, Elias, is the patriarch of the Bjork family."

He took a deep breath before continuing.

"One month ago, on December 9, 3037, it was my birthday. I woke up to the warm smiles of my parents as they wished me. I was excited—today was the day I would finally leave the city for the first time."

"My father had promised to take me to Birmingham, a nearby city. We spent the entire day enjoying ourselves. We had delicious food, visited an adventure park—the kind I had only seen in movies... It was one of the happiest days of my life."

Valdir's voice trembled slightly.

"But then... everything changed."

"That night, as we were returning to Bjork City, we were ambushed."

"At first, I blacked out. I didn't understand what had happened. But when I slowly opened my eyes, the sight before me was something I could never forget."

"Our car was destroyed. My father was kneeling in front of a man... and my mother—" Valdir's hands clenched into fists. "She was lying lifeless on the ground."

"I wanted to speak... to scream for help. But before I could, I saw someone walking toward me. I lifted my hand, hoping—begging—for mercy."

"But all I heard was a cold, emotionless voice: 'Be glad you carry the bloodline of my Bjork family.'"

"Before I could process those words, the man stepped forward and struck me—hard—straight in my stomach. The pain was unbearable. I felt my dantian shatter."

"The last thing I remember before losing consciousness... was my own scream."

"When I woke up, all I could see was darkness. Pain radiated from my lower half, forcing me to close my eyes again. When I opened them once more, my vision had cleared. That's when I realized... my hands and legs were chained."

"The cold, damp room around me was eerily familiar—thick iron bars lined the walls. This was the lowest level of the Bjork family's prison."

"Panic began to set in, but then I heard a voice—calm yet firm."

"'Relax...'"

"It was my father."

"'Father... what happened? Where is Mother? What is going on?'"

"Elias' voice suddenly turned sharp. 'Calm down!'"

"His tone startled me, but I obeyed. Then, in a voice laced with anger, he continued, 'Listen to me carefully, my son...'"

"He paused before delivering the words that would shatter my world."

"'We have been betrayed... by our own ancestor.'"

"'What...?'"

"'Your mother sacrificed herself to protect you.'"

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"The words hit me like a thunderbolt. My body froze as tears began to stream down my face. My mother... gone?"

"Elias continued, 'I don't know why he did it. I don't know the reason behind his betrayal. But I do know one thing—his target was you.'"

"I choked on my words. 'But... what did I do?'"

"My father's expression darkened. 'I don't know. But from now on, we cannot trust anyone. We don't know who stands with our ancestor or what their true motives are. But mark my words, Valdir... we will survive. We will get out of here. I promise you that.'"

"His words became the only light in my darkness. A promise of hope. But what I didn't expect... was that my father had already made up his mind to sacrifice himself for me."

"As the patriarch, my father knew every hidden passage in our estate. There was a secret tunnel beneath the lowest level of the prison—one built long ago and long forgotten. The knowledge of its existence could only be found in ancient records kept in the highest level of the family archives."

"A week passed in silence. No one came for us."

"Then... my father made his choice."

"He sacrificed his own life force to shatter my chains and lead me through the secret passage."

"But our ancestor... he had anticipated this."

"Though he refused to kill his own descendant outright, he set deadly traps along the tunnel's path—designed so that if we tried to escape, we would be walking to our own deaths. He also stationed guards at the exit, ensuring that if we somehow made it through, we wouldn't leave alive."

"Despite this, my father and I fought our way through. We survived the traps. We defeated the guards. But my father... he was gravely wounded."

"With blood dripping from his wounds, he pressed a token into my hand."

"'Take this to Birmingham... to Asfak, Director of Martial Arts Surveillance. Show him this, and he will understand.'"

"I hesitated. I didn't want to leave him. But my father forced me to go."

"For the next two to three days, I ran. I hid. I survived."

"And finally... I reached Asfak."

"After showing my token to Asfak, he took me in. He asked me what had happened, and after explaining everything, he immediately sent a search team to find my father."

"Hours later, he brought me to a cemetery. There, he showed me my father's remains... and helped me bury him."

"Once everything was settled, Asfak told me something that changed my perspective forever. The Federation had already noticed unusual movements—an unknown organization operating from the shadows, seizing power, and assassinating high-ranking officials."

"Then, he asked me a question that shook me to my core."

"'Do you want to avenge your father and mother?'"

"At that moment, my mind was in chaos—filled with grief, anger, and loss. I didn't know what awaited me if I said yes... but I still took the chance."

"Afterward, he explained the truth to me."

"A hidden society existed beneath the surface—The Underworld. A war was already raging... and humanity was losing. Demonic beings, who looked human but radiated an unnatural aura, were slowly taking control from behind the scenes. To counter this, the Federation began recruiting talented young people, training them in elite academies to prepare them for the coming crisis."

"Every student selected was trained for a role—some to protect, some to kill, some to fight. But me? I was nothing more than a crippled failure. My dantian was broken, making me unable to cultivate like the others."

"But I refused to give up."

"Instead of despairing, I sought another path. I began cultivating using my middle dantian—an untested, unknown method. Slowly but surely, I advanced. Step by step, I rose higher, completing mission after mission... until I finally shed my identity as a failure."

"Two years passed."

"I reached the apex of cultivation."

"Then, without warning, the Space Gates opened."

"At first, the creatures that emerged were weak—ghouls, zombies, goblins, like monsters from a video game. But their numbers were overwhelming. What began as a single gate soon turned into multiple, spreading chaos across the world."

"The Four Pavilions, powerful factions who had remained neutral until then, were finally forced to act. Their warriors slaughtered the monsters, restoring temporary peace. But just as we thought we had a moment to breathe, the hidden organization made its move. With immense power, they carved a path of death, forcing even the elders of the world to intervene."

"A great war broke out."

"Betrayal ran deep. The hidden families, the Underworld, the secret factions—one by one, they revealed their true allegiance. The world was split into two: the Apocalypse Faction, which sought destruction, and the Protector Faction, which fought to preserve humanity."

"For years, the war raged on. Amid the chaos, a select few were chosen by the Four Pavilions to cultivate in a separate dimension—one filled with dense spiritual energy."

"I was one of them."

"Chosen as the Head Disciple of the Vermilion Bird Pavilion, I underwent the ancestral ritual. My body, my talent—everything was reborn. I awakened my spiritual roots."

Xenos, who had been listening silently until now, suddenly froze. Something felt... off. The method Valdir described for awakening spiritual roots was different from what he knew. But he chose not to interrupt, allowing Valdir to continue.

"Each of the Four Pavilions selected a Head Disciple. I didn't know much about the others... except one. Jiang Lianhua of the White Tiger Pavilion. She, like me, came from a hidden family."

"The war escalated. The Lords intervened—beings akin to gods, standing at the pinnacle of power. The Pavilion Heads and the Ancestors also joined the battle."

"Meanwhile, the weaker Space Gates that had once spawned low-level creatures began unleashing stronger, more terrifying beings. The spiritual energy they emitted flooded the world, giving birth to sentient beasts."

"The Lords of the Underworld began taming these beasts, using them as weapons of war. As time passed, casualties skyrocketed."

"Just when we thought victory was within reach, the final gate opened."

"It was colossal, unlike anything we had seen before. The beings that emerged... were more powerful than anything we had ever faced. And among them... were the Hidden Lord."

"They brought catastrophe. Humanity stood no chance. One by one, the strongest warriors fell. The Four Pavilions collapsed. The Protector Faction crumbled. And in the end... all of humanity was wiped out."

As Valdir spoke those final words, tears streamed down his face. His entire body trembled as he relived the pain, the despair, the utter hopelessness of it all.

Xenos silently walked toward him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. His voice was steady, unwavering.

"I'm sorry for being late."

"But this time... I will change the future."

"I will!"

Something about Xenos' words—his absolute confidence—ignited a fire in Valdir's heart. The hope he had once lost... began to burn once more, brighter than ever before.

Xenos looked him in the eye.

"So, will you become my disciple? Will you walk with me and bring light to the darkness that is about to descend?"

Valdir's breath hitched. His hands clenched into fists. And then, without hesitation, he fell to his knees, bowing his head deeply.

"I will... I will, Master!"