The sun radiates blinding light, golden sunlight filtering through the apple trees. The sky was blue with thin clouds drifting overhead, shining brightly, warming his skin despite the cool air. Birds chirped in the treetops, while crickets chirped loudly in the grass. The only sound left was the sound of the wind gently caressing his face.

Another figure sat hunched under the shade of a large tree, eyes closed as if in deep thought. That person wore clothes that were a bit different from the villagers, just like him, and there was only the sound of leaves rustling and insects chirping everywhere. As the sun shines through the tree branches, small rays of light dance on the grass.

-..Bright, do you think our fate can be decided by us?

That's a tough question. Bright was clearly lost in thought about it, rubbing his chin as he looked off into space. His eyebrows were furrowed and he seemed to be considering every possible angle of the problem at hand. The only sounds that could be heard were his slow, steady breathing and the occasional sound of leaves rustling in the wind.

- You asked too vaguely, Midnight. And I rarely see you relaxing under a tree, right?

- Really?

Bright sighed, but at least he felt somewhat relieved to see his brother so comfortable. Indeed, he knew the problems surrounding Midnight, but he himself didn't even know how to comfort him, and even Midnight didn't mention it to him. Gradually, the two had an invisible wall separating them without realizing it.

He felt worried about his brother, but he also couldn't help but worry about himself. After all, the two are too young to be able to solve the surrounding problems together.

***

 What happened? He was gradually feeling his consciousness fading, he only remembered in the last moment that everything was red. The haunting smell of blood and broken bones and flesh rose up, along with his brother.. Midnight! His brother! He can't remember! He only had time to see himself in front of his eyes as someone resembling his brother, and "Mother" being cut off, before the space around him was as black as a pot of ink.

It's dark, just like his future.

***

345 sec, 346 sec...

525600 sec, 525601 sec...

255967199 sec, 25596720-

Bright woke up, in front of him was a scene of desolation, without any life. The land is barren, the sky is dark even though it is still morning. No blade of grass can survive in an environment where the air is so polluted.

He looked back at himself, some parts of his body were still stuck on a thin layer of stone, and only now did he understand. Petrified. An ancient form of magic that few people besides him and a few others knew about.

-..487 years.. So I've been petrified for nearly 500.. I'm 500 years old now, how old..

He felt his head pounding, the aura around him made him not feel very well. Bright tried to stand up, walked a few steps and then collapsed again. Why is his strength so pitifully weak like this?

But wait, Midnight, where is he? He looked around bewilderedly, then tried to call out his brother's name. But no one responded. There was no one here, he started to feel scared.

Bright tried to drag his weak body back to the house where the two brothers once lived. Not surprisingly, it was pitifully devastated. The house is just a shell of its old self, dilapidated in many places and completely disappeared in others. What remains of the wall shows an elegantly designed house from ancient times. The once beautiful woodwork had become warped and damaged, and the roof had become deformed.

Going inside, he only found rotten pages and half of the book had been eaten by termites. But there was one book that was completely different from the rest of the pages. Although covered in dust, the pages were only slightly yellowed, and the content inside could be read. But when he opened the book, he wished that he hadn't touched it.

-.. Brother, what's the point of doing all this?

***