Somewhere in the endless universe…
Beyond countless stars.
Beyond planets covered in oceans, worlds swallowed by eternal storms, and distant celestial bodies that humanity had never discovered…
There existed a small blue planet floating silently through the darkness of space.
Earth.
A world without visible magic.
A world without adventurers.
Without monsters wandering beyond city walls.
Without demon kings commanding armies.
Without ancient dragons sleeping beneath forgotten mountains.
Without heroes wielding legendary swords.
At least…
That was what humanity believed.
The year was 2026.
Across Earth, billions of people continued living their ordinary lives.
Cars crowded highways.
Airplanes crossed the skies.
Students complained about school.
Workers hurried through crowded streets.
Families gathered around dinner tables.
Children laughed in parks.
People argued.
People celebrated.
People dreamed about tomorrow.
And inside one large hospital surrounded by the lights of a busy city…
One boy wondered whether he would even have a tomorrow.
Rain gently tapped against the tall windows of the hospital.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The evening sky outside was covered by thick gray clouds, turning the city beyond the glass into a blur of white headlights, glowing signs, and distorted reflections.
Ambulances occasionally rushed toward the emergency entrance below.
Their sirens pierced through the rain.
WEE-OOO! WEE-OOO!
Doctors walked quickly through brightly illuminated hallways.
Nurses moved between rooms while carrying medication, charts, and equipment.
A television played quietly from somewhere near the waiting area.
A tired father sat with his face buried in his hands.
A little girl clung tightly to her mother's sleeve.
An elderly woman argued with a nurse about being allowed to leave.
Two hospital workers hurried past one another.
"Room 317 needs another blood sample."
"I'll handle it after I check 322."
"Doctor Harrison wanted the latest scans."
"They're already being uploaded."
"Good. Where's Dr. Miller?"
"Intensive care."
"What happened?"
"Another emergency."
Footsteps echoed across the polished floor.
Shoes squeaked.
Doors opened.
Machines beeped.
People spoke.
Phones rang.
Life continued moving.
But farther down the hallway…
Past several occupied rooms…
Past a nurses' station where two nurses quietly discussed their evening shift…
There was one particular room that felt strangely disconnected from everything else.
Room 326.
Its door was almost completely closed.
The lights inside had been dimmed.
And lying completely still in the hospital bed was a sixteen-year-old boy.
His name was—
Eli Crowe.
Eli looked like a boy who should have been outside worrying about school, video games, embarrassing conversations, friendships, and whatever else sixteen-year-olds normally cared about.
Instead, he looked as though simply breathing required everything his body could give.
Messy raven-black hair fell loosely around his face.
His hair had grown slightly too long, with uneven strands hanging over his forehead because he had never particularly cared enough to ask anyone to fix it.
His skin was unnaturally pale.
Almost colorless.
His face was thin from years of illness.
His arms beneath the blanket looked weak and fragile.
His body had never been allowed to properly develop.
But perhaps his most noticeable feature was his eyes.
Violet.
Naturally violet.
Once, those unusual eyes had been much brighter.
Now they were tired.
Heavy.
Faded.
Yet somewhere underneath that exhaustion remained a quiet intelligence.
Eli watched.
Eli listened.
And Eli thought.
That was what he had always done.
Because most of his life…
Watching was the closest thing he had to truly living.
Several wires were attached to his chest.
An IV line ran into his arm.
A pulse monitor displayed his rapidly weakening heartbeat.
BEEP…
…
BEEP…
…
BEEP…
An oxygen tube rested beneath his nose.
Another machine quietly pumped medication into his body.
The room smelled strongly of disinfectant.
Everything was painfully clean.
White walls.
White sheets.
White cabinets.
White ceiling.
Eli had stared at that ceiling so many times that he knew nearly every tiny imperfection in it.
There was a faint discoloration near the corner.
A small crack beside the light fixture.
A barely noticeable scratch where maintenance workers had once moved equipment.
He knew all of them.
Because this room had become his entire world.
On the small table beside him rested several books.
Dark fantasy novels.
Stories about adventurers exploring forgotten ruins.
Stories about cursed knights.
Stories about dangerous kingdoms.
Stories about demons and monsters.
Stories about mysterious mages controlling powers ordinary humans feared.
And among them…
Eli's favorites.
Shadow mages.
People who could disappear into darkness.
Move through shadows.
Create weapons from blackness.
Control creatures hidden inside the night.
People who wandered freely without allowing kings, churches, nobles, or heroes to decide their path.
Eli had always liked those stories.
Not because shadow magic looked frightening.
Not because the characters were powerful.
But because they were—
Free.
Eli's tired violet eyes remained fixed on the ceiling.
BEEP…
He slowly inhaled.
His chest barely moved.
Then exhaled.
"..."
His throat felt dry.
His entire body felt heavy.
Not tired.
Heavy.
As if invisible chains had been tied around every bone.
His fingers wouldn't move properly.
Turning his head required more effort than he wanted to waste.
Even opening his eyes was becoming difficult.
Outside his room, he could hear people speaking.
A nurse sighed.
"I'm telling you, this shift has been insane."
Another nurse quietly laughed.
"You said that yesterday."
"Because yesterday was insane too."
"At least you get tomorrow off."
"Don't remind me. I'm sleeping for twelve hours."
"Only twelve?"
"Maybe eighteen."
Both women chuckled.
A doctor passed them.
"You two enjoying yourselves?"
"Trying to, Doctor."
"Enjoy it while you can. Emergency room just called."
The nurses groaned.
Their footsteps faded.
Eli didn't turn toward the door.
He couldn't.
His eyes remained fixed upward.
A thought quietly passed through his mind.
They're laughing.
There was no anger in the thought.
Not really.
Maybe a little bitterness.
But mostly exhaustion.
Must be nice.
Another breath.
Pain traveled through his chest.
Eli's expression barely changed.
He had experienced pain for so long that reacting to it felt pointless.
His eyes slowly narrowed.
Sixteen years old.
I've made it pretty far.
The thought almost sounded sarcastic.
His lips moved slightly.
No sound came out.
Eli had always possessed an unusual calmness.
Doctors had noticed it.
Nurses had noticed it.
Social workers had noticed it.
Other children from the orphanage had once noticed it.
He rarely complained.
Rarely cried.
Rarely screamed.
When doctors explained another procedure, he listened.
When nurses pushed needles into him, he watched.
When test results became worse, he simply asked what happened next.
Some people called him brave.
Others called him unusually mature.
The truth was simpler.
Eli had spent so much time being sick that fear had eventually become boring.
What would fear change?
Would being afraid make his body stronger?
Would crying repair his organs?
Would begging make his illness disappear?
No.
So he stopped wasting energy on it.
BEEP…
Eli slowly shifted his violet eyes toward the window.
Rainwater crawled down the glass.
Beyond it were countless city lights.
Somewhere out there…
People were eating dinner.
Some teenager was probably complaining because their parents wouldn't let them stay out late.
Someone was probably rushing home from work.
Someone was probably going on their first date.
Someone was probably getting into an argument over something incredibly stupid.
Eli almost smiled.
Sounds nice.
His gaze remained on the window.
Getting angry over stupid things.
Running somewhere because you're late.
Being grounded.
Missing the bus.
Complaining about homework.
He slowly closed his eyes for a moment.
I'd take any of it.
His fingers weakly twitched beneath the blanket.
Just once.
He opened his eyes.
I'd like to know what it's like to run until my legs hurt.
His breathing became slightly shakier.
To get punched.
To climb something I'm not supposed to.
To get lost somewhere.
To stay outside too long.
To actually be tired because I did something.
His eyes moved toward the stack of books beside him.
The top book displayed a hooded mage surrounded by black flames.
Maybe that's why I liked those stories.
Eli stared at it.
Those guys went wherever they wanted.
King tells them no?
They leave.
Church orders them around?
They disappear.
Monster blocks their way?
Kill it.
A faint hint of amusement appeared in his exhausted violet eyes.
Simple.
Then another painful pulse went through his body.
"...Kh…"
Eli's eyebrows tightened.
He coughed.
"Kh…!"
His chest burned.
Another cough escaped.
"Kh—kh!"
His entire body shook weakly.
The monitor beside him began changing.
BEEP… BEEP…
Eli tried inhaling.
Very little air entered.
"...Damn."
The word came out as little more than a whisper.
His lungs felt as though someone had wrapped ropes around them.
He breathed again.
Shallow.
Painful.
His fingers tightened weakly against the blanket.
Outside, someone laughed again.
Eli's eyes shifted slowly toward the door.
He stared at it with an exhausted, almost annoyed expression.
Idiots.
There was no real hatred behind the word.
Just Eli being Eli.
Doctors.
Nurses.
Patients.
Everybody running around.
His vision slightly blurred.
You people have bodies that work.
Another difficult breath.
And half of you complain about walking up stairs.
The corner of his mouth moved.
Idiots.
Another pulse of pain struck.
Eli's faint amusement disappeared.
His heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
His eyes widened slightly.
Something was different.
This wasn't normal pain.
It was deeper.
Sharper.
Almost as if something inside him had finally decided it had endured enough.
Eli breathed in.
Nothing.
His chest barely expanded.
"...Hah…"
Again.
"...Hah…!"
Air wouldn't come.
The heart monitor accelerated.
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!
Eli stared toward the ceiling.
His vision shook.
Oh.
Strangely enough…
His first thought wasn't fear.
It was realization.
So this is it.
The monitor screamed.
BEEEEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Outside, footsteps suddenly stopped.
"What was that?"
"Room 326!"
The door flew open.
BANG!
A nurse rushed inside.
"Eli?! Eli, can you hear me?!"
Another nurse followed immediately.
"His oxygen saturation is crashing!"
"Call Dr. Harrison!"
"Already doing it!"
The first nurse hurried toward Eli.
"Eli, look at me."
His eyes slowly moved toward her.
She grabbed his wrist.
"Stay with me, okay?"
Eli wanted to answer.
Nothing came out.
His chest continued struggling.
The nurse looked toward the monitor.
"Heart rate's unstable."
Another nurse adjusted the oxygen.
"Increase it."
"I'm increasing it."
"Come on, Eli. Breathe."
I'm trying.
Another person entered.
Then another.
The quiet room became chaotic within seconds.
"Move the table!"
"Get emergency medication!"
"Where's Harrison?!"
"Coming!"
A doctor rushed through the doorway.
"What happened?"
"Sudden respiratory collapse. Heart rate is falling."
"How quickly?"
"Seconds."
"Increase oxygen support."
"Already done."
"Prepare for intubation."
Eli listened to them.
Voices overlapping.
Machines screaming.
Shoes moving rapidly around his bed.
Hands touching him.
Someone calling his name.
"Eli!"
His vision blurred.
The doctor's face became distorted.
"Stay awake."
Why?
The thought appeared almost humorously.
You guys have been telling me to sleep more for years.
"Eli!"
His hearing began fading.
The room suddenly seemed very distant.
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP—
"Eli, squeeze my hand."
He couldn't.
"Come on."
Nothing.
His body wouldn't respond anymore.
Eli stared blankly upward.
And then…
Memories began appearing.
Not all at once.
Small fragments.
A warm hand holding his.
A woman laughing.
A man's voice.
His mother.
His father.
He was younger.
Much younger.
Maybe four.
His mother crouched in front of him while fixing his coat.
"Hold still, Eli."
Young Eli frowned.
"It's itchy."
His father laughed behind them.
"You said that about the last one."
"It was itchy too."
His mother smiled.
"Everything is itchy according to you."
"It is."
"Such a difficult child."
Yet she hugged him afterward.
Warm.
Another memory.
His father carrying him on his shoulders.
"Whoa! Dad!"
"Too high?"
"No!"
"Your mother says otherwise."
"Don't listen to her!"
"Eli!"
His father's laughter.
His mother's annoyed voice.
Sunlight.
Wind.
Warmth.
Then—
Rain.
An unfamiliar room.
Adults speaking quietly.
A social worker kneeling before him.
"Eli…there's something we need to explain."
He remembered understanding before she finished speaking.
His parents were gone.
An accident.
Both of them.
He was too young to understand everything.
Old enough to understand they weren't coming back.
Another memory.
The orphanage.
Children running through hallways.
Someone shouting.
Someone stealing a snack.
A staff member yelling for everyone to calm down.
Eli sitting near a window reading.
He had already become quieter by then.
Then age eight.
Another hospital.
Another doctor.
His expression serious.
"We need to run more tests."
Young Eli stared at him.
"Am I sick?"
The doctor hesitated.
"Yes."
"How sick?"
The adults looked at one another.
That told him everything.
From there…
Hospitals.
Tests.
Needles.
Medication.
Procedures.
Temporary improvements.
Sudden declines.
Birthdays celebrated beside machines.
Christmas decorations taped to hospital windows.
Watching fireworks through glass.
Watching other children recover and leave.
Watching new patients arrive.
Watching them leave too.
Meanwhile…
Eli remained.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
Eleven.
Twelve.
Thirteen.
Fourteen.
Fifteen.
Sixteen.
His world grew smaller.
Until eventually it became one bed.
One window.
One ceiling.
One machine.
One dying body.
The memories disappeared.
Eli returned to the present.
The doctors were still working.
But he barely heard them anymore.
So that's my life.
A strangely peaceful thought.
Pretty short story.
His eyelids grew heavier.
Parents died.
Orphanage.
Got sick.
Hospital.
Died.
If he had enough strength, he probably would have laughed.
Terrible plot.
His vision became darker.
The city lights beyond the window blurred together.
I wish…
His heartbeat slowed.
BEEP…
Doctors shouted.
"Pressure dropping!"
"Come on!"
BEEP…
Eli's tired violet eyes slowly closed.
I wish I had been strong.
Not powerful enough to rule anyone.
Not strong enough to become famous.
Not some unstoppable hero.
Just—
Strong enough to live.
I wanted to walk wherever I wanted.
BEEP…
Eat whatever I wanted.
Fight.
Travel.
See mountains.
See oceans.
Do something stupid and regret it afterward.
His lips barely moved.
"...Free…"
A nurse leaned closer.
"What?"
Eli couldn't repeat it.
I wanted to be free.
Darkness surrounded the edges of his vision.
His body suddenly felt light.
Very light.
For the first time in years…
Nothing hurt.
That's new.
His final thought came quietly.
If there's actually an afterlife…
A pause.
I hope it's interesting.
His eyes fully closed.
The monitor beside him produced one final sound.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP—
The room froze for half a second.
Then—
"He's in cardiac arrest!"
"Begin compressions!"
"Charging!"
"Clear!"
Eli heard none of it.
His body remained on the hospital bed.
Doctors continued trying.
Nurses continued moving.
Machines continued sounding.
Rain continued tapping against the window.
The city continued living.
But Eli Crowe…
Was gone.
There was no pain.
No hospital.
No beeping machines.
No voices.
No ceiling.
No body that refused to move.
Only darkness.
Deep.
Endless.
Strangely peaceful darkness.
Eli didn't know how much time passed before awareness slowly returned to him.
A second?
A minute?
An hour?
Maybe longer.
Eventually—
His fingers moved.
Eli's eyes opened.
"...?"
The first thing he noticed was that he was floating.
Not falling.
Floating.
His messy black hair drifted slowly around his head.
His arms hung loosely beside him.
His legs moved slightly beneath him.
All around him stretched what appeared to be an endless lake.
Except there was no sky above it.
No shore.
No ground.
The water itself was completely black.
Not dirty.
Not muddy.
Black.
Pure blackness.
Yet somehow Eli could see through it.
Faint violet lights moved deep beneath the surface like distant stars trapped underwater.
Thin trails of darkness curled around his fingers.
Every tiny movement created silent ripples.
Eli looked down.
"...Water?"
His voice echoed strangely.
Water…
Water…
His eyes narrowed.
He moved his hand.
The black liquid passed between his fingers.
It felt cool.
Soft.
Almost weightless.
Eli paused.
Then his eyes widened slightly.
He raised his arm.
Actually raised it.
Without pain.
Without trembling.
Without struggling.
He stared.
He bent his fingers.
Once.
Twice.
"...Huh."
Eli lifted his other arm.
Perfectly.
Then moved his legs.
His body obeyed.
No weakness.
No burning lungs.
No stabbing pain.
He took a deep breath.
His chest expanded completely.
He froze.
Another breath.
Deep.
Easy.
Natural.
Eli stared into the blackness.
"...Well."
He inhaled again simply because he could.
Then exhaled.
"That's nice."
Of all possible reactions to discovering that he was apparently floating inside an endless supernatural black lake after dying…
That was Eli Crowe's response.
He slowly looked around.
Nothing.
No people.
No angels.
No demons.
No giant golden gates.
No fire.
No clouds.
Just black water and violet lights.
Eli's expression returned to its usual bored calmness.
So I definitely died.
He slowly rotated in the water.
Unless the hospital upgraded its rooms dramatically.
Silence.
"..."
Eli floated.
One minute passed.
Maybe ten.
There was no clock.
He stared upward.
There wasn't really an "up."
Only darkness.
Eventually he spoke.
"So…"
His voice echoed.
"Is this Hell?"
No answer.
Eli waited.
"...Heaven?"
Nothing.
He glanced around.
"Pretty depressing Heaven."
Silence.
He sighed.
Then relaxed completely.
His body floated on the black surface.
His messy hair spread around him.
"...Could be worse."
Time passed.
A lot of time.
At least it felt like it.
Eli experimented.
He moved his arms through the strange water.
It didn't splash normally.
Instead, the darkness stretched behind his fingers before smoothly rejoining the lake.
He tried sinking.
He couldn't.
He tried standing.
For a second, his feet touched something solid beneath the water.
Then it disappeared.
"Hmm."
Eli looked around again.
No one.
So he floated.
And floated.
And floated.
Eventually he folded his hands behind his head as though relaxing in a swimming pool.
I wonder if being dead is supposed to be this boring.
More time passed.
Eli counted for a while.
Then stopped at four thousand something.
He started remembering books he had read.
Then movies.
Then random arguments he overheard in the hospital.
Then he spent what felt like an hour trying to decide which hospital food had tasted the worst.
It was surprisingly difficult.
Eventually he sighed.
"All right."
Silence.
"If this is my eternal resting place…"
Eli shifted slightly.
"I should probably get comfortable."
A female voice suddenly echoed throughout the endless darkness.
"Are you giving up already?"
Eli stopped.
The black lake trembled.
Small violet lights deep beneath the surface brightened.
Most people would have screamed.
Or spun around in panic.
Eli simply blinked.
He slowly looked left.
Nothing.
Right.
Nothing.
"...Depends."
The voice answered.
"On what?"
Eli stared into the darkness.
"On what I'm apparently giving up on."
Silence followed.
Then the voice spoke again.
"Life."
Eli's expression didn't change.
"...I already lost that."
"Not necessarily."
Eli's violet eyes sharpened slightly.
Now she had his attention.
The voice asked softly—
"If another life were offered to you…would you take it?"
Eli remained quiet.
He stared at the black water.
His reflection stared back.
Healthy.
No tubes.
No pale, dying expression.
He eventually replied.
"Before that…"
He raised his eyes toward the darkness.
"Who exactly are you?"
Silence.
Then—
A soft laugh.
Not mocking.
Not cruel.
Almost amused.
"A reasonable question."
The lake suddenly moved.
Eli immediately became alert.
The perfectly still water around him began rippling.
One ripple.
Then hundreds.
SHHHHHHHHHH…
Eli slowly turned.
Twenty feet away, shadows began rising from the lake.
Thin streams of blackness twisted upward.
Then more.
Hundreds of shadowy strands spiraled together.
Violet particles appeared between them.
Eli watched closely.
Something's forming.
The darkness gathered.
First came a silhouette.
Tall.
Feminine.
Then flowing hair.
Arms.
A long gown.
A face.
The surrounding shadows curved around the forming figure like servants greeting their queen.
Eli's eyes narrowed.
Woman?
More shadows condensed.
No.
Something about her felt different.
Ancient.
Heavy.
Not physically.
Existentially.
As though the darkness itself recognized her.
The figure finally stepped forward.
And Eli saw her clearly.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
Not beautiful in the ordinary human sense.
There was something impossible about her appearance.
Her very presence made the endless darkness resemble a midnight sky.
Extremely long raven-black hair cascaded behind her in smooth waves, gradually fading into deep violet near the ends.
Parts of it seemed to dissolve directly into surrounding shadows before reforming again.
Her flawless pale skin contrasted against the darkness.
Her elegant face possessed mature, graceful features.
And her eyes—
Eli stared.
Violet-purple.
Glowing faintly like distant stars.
She wore an elaborate black-and-violet divine gown.
Tiny silver stars decorated the fabric.
Crescent-moon patterns shimmered across its surface.
Parts of the dress moved like living shadows rather than cloth.
A celestial aura surrounded her.
Small points of silver and violet light slowly drifted around her like fragments of distant galaxies.
The mysterious woman opened her eyes completely.
Then smiled.
A small, gentle smile.
Eli stared.
"...Okay."
The woman's smile widened slightly.
"Only 'okay'?"
"You appeared from an endless black lake."
"Yes."
"Made out of shadows."
"Yes."
"And you're glowing."
She glanced at the stars floating around her.
"Apparently."
Eli paused.
"...Okay seems appropriate."
The woman covered her mouth and softly giggled.
"Oh, I believe I am going to enjoy speaking with you."
Eli raised an eyebrow.
"That makes one of us."
Another amused laugh escaped her.
Then she stepped closer.
The black lake solidified beneath her bare feet with every step.
She stopped several feet away.
Her expression softened.
"You asked who I am."
Eli nodded.
"I did."
The woman's shadows slowly spread behind her like enormous black wings.
The violet stars around her brightened.
Her voice remained gentle—
Yet suddenly carried an authority older than civilization.
"I am Nyx."
The endless lake trembled.
"The Primordial Goddess of Night."
Darkness flowed around her.
"The Mother of the Ancient Dark."
Violet light reflected across the endless water.
"And…"
Nyx extended one elegant hand.
"The Primordial Goddess of Night and Shadows."
For perhaps the first time since waking…
Eli's calm expression cracked.
His violet eyes widened.
"...Nyx?"
Nyx smiled.
"Yes."
Eli stared at her.
His mind quickly moved through everything he had read.
Nyx.
Greek mythology.
Primordial goddess.
Personification of night.
One of the oldest beings.
His eyes moved across her appearance.
Either I'm having an extremely detailed hallucination after death…
Nyx tilted her head.
…or I'm floating in a lake talking to a primordial goddess.
Nyx's smile became knowingly amused.
"Your thoughts are entertaining."
Eli stared at her.
"You can hear those?"
"Sometimes."
"...That's invasive."
"My apologies."
"You don't sound sorry."
"I'm not."
Eli quietly stared.
Nyx smiled.
Then Eli released a small sigh.
"So I died…"
He looked around.
"...and met the famous Goddess Nyx."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"This afterlife is getting weird."
Nyx laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"You truly are unusually calm."
"I spent sixteen years dealing with doctors."
Eli looked at her.
"You're less terrifying."
Nyx placed one hand against her chest.
"I cannot decide whether to consider that a compliment."
"It wasn't."
"How cruel."
Despite her words, she looked entertained.
Then Nyx's expression became gentler.
"Eli Crowe."
Hearing his full name caused him to focus.
"I know the life you lived."
Eli's expression became unreadable.
Nyx continued.
"I know the years you spent confined to beds."
Dark images briefly moved across the lake.
A hospital room.
An eight-year-old Eli.
Needles.
Machines.
"I know how often you watched other people leave while you remained behind."
More images.
Children walking from hospitals.
Eli watching through a window.
"I know how much of the world you wanted to experience."
Mountains.
Forests.
Oceans.
Cities.
Open skies.
"And I know…"
Nyx looked directly into his violet eyes.
"That you died without ever receiving that chance."
The images disappeared.
Eli stared silently at the water.
Several seconds passed.
Then—
"Yeah."
That single word carried more weight than any emotional speech could have.
Nyx understood.
She didn't offer pity.
She didn't tell him everything happened for a reason.
She didn't claim his suffering had secretly been a gift.
Instead, she simply said—
"It was unfair."
Eli looked up.
Nyx's expression remained calm.
"You were given one life, and your body prevented you from truly experiencing it."
Eli studied her.
Nyx continued.
"I cannot return the years you lost."
Her shadows gently moved.
"But I can give you something else."
Eli already suspected the answer.
"A second life."
Nyx nodded.
"A second life."
The lake around them changed.
Suddenly images began appearing across its surface.
A vast fantasy world.
Enormous forests.
Towering mountains.
Ancient castles.
Massive cities surrounded by stone walls.
Armored knights riding horses.
Adventurers carrying swords.
Mages casting spells.
Gigantic creatures flying through clouds.
A dragon roaring from a mountain peak.
Dungeons descending beneath ruined temples.
Merchant caravans traveling across plains.
Beastkin walking through crowded marketplaces.
Elves standing beneath enormous trees.
Dwarves hammering glowing metal.
Fairies flying through forests.
Ships crossing vast oceans.
Eli's violet eyes reflected every image.
Nyx spoke.
"The world is called Xoria."
The images continued.
"It is a world filled with magic."
A mage launched flames into the sky.
"Swords."
A warrior clashed with an armored monster.
"Monsters."
A gigantic wolf howled.
"Adventurers."
A group entered an ancient dungeon.
"Kingdoms."
Flags flew over enormous castle walls.
"Ancient ruins."
A forgotten underground city appeared.
"Unexplored lands."
Mountain ranges extended beyond the horizon.
"And countless dangers."
A monstrous silhouette opened glowing eyes within the darkness.
Eli watched silently.
His expression barely changed.
But his eyes did.
For the first time…
They looked alive.
Nyx noticed.
"So?"
Eli looked toward her.
"Magic, monsters, swords, kingdoms, adventures…"
"Yes."
He paused.
"...Sounds cool."
Nyx blinked.
Then laughed.
"That is all?"
"What did you expect?"
"A little more excitement."
"I spent most of my life in a hospital."
Eli looked at a dragon flying across the lake's reflection.
"I'm saving the excitement until I actually see one."
Nyx smiled warmly.
"Wise."
Eli returned his attention to her.
"So what's the catch?"
"The catch?"
"There's always one."
Nyx raised an eyebrow.
"You believe I will demand that you defeat a Demon King?"
"Possible."
"Become a hero?"
"Common."
"Serve a kingdom?"
"Worse."
Nyx smiled.
"Convert the world into worshiping me?"
Eli stared at her.
"If you say yes, I'm reconsidering."
Nyx laughed again.
"No."
She stepped closer.
"I require none of those things."
Eli's eyes narrowed slightly.
"No contract?"
"No."
"No church?"
"No."
"No kingdom I'm required to protect?"
"No."
"No predetermined heroic destiny?"
Nyx shook her head.
"Absolutely not."
Eli stared suspiciously.
"You're terrible at making deals."
Nyx's eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Perhaps because this is not a deal."
She raised one hand and gently placed it over her heart.
"It is a gift."
Eli became silent.
Nyx looked at him with something almost motherly.
"Your first life belonged to illness."
The surrounding black lake became perfectly still.
"Let your second life belong to you."
Eli stared.
Nyx continued.
"Travel."
Images appeared.
"Explore."
Ancient ruins.
"Fight."
Powerful monsters.
"Make friends."
Adventurers laughing around a campfire.
"Make enemies."
Two warriors facing each other.
"Get lost."
A massive forest.
"Do something foolish."
A person jumping from a cliff onto a flying creature.
Eli raised an eyebrow.
Nyx smiled mischievously.
"Perhaps not that foolish."
"Good clarification."
"Fall in love, if you wish."
Eli immediately looked away.
"Skipping that one."
Nyx laughed.
"You are sixteen."
"Exactly."
"Your reaction says more than you realize."
"Moving on."
Nyx smiled knowingly before continuing.
"Live quietly if that is what you desire."
The images disappeared.
"Or shake the entire world."
Her violet eyes glowed.
"I do not care which."
Eli slowly looked back at her.
Nyx extended her hand.
"I only want one thing from you."
"What?"
Her answer was simple.
"Live."
Eli froze.
Nyx's voice softened.
"Not for me."
"…"
"Not for a kingdom."
"…"
"Not for gods."
"…"
"For yourself."
Eli remained silent for a long moment.
Then his eyes lowered.
"...I can do that."
Nyx smiled.
"I believed you would."
Eli glanced at her extended hand.
"But you mentioned magic."
"Indeed."
"What kind?"
Nyx's smile became mysterious.
The entire lake beneath them suddenly darkened.
Even the violet lights disappeared.
Shadows rose around Eli.
He watched calmly.
Nyx's eyes glowed brighter.
"I have chosen something suited to you."
Black tendrils curled around her arms.
"Something that will grow alongside you."
Darkness spiraled behind her.
"Something capable of becoming terrifying in the hands of someone clever enough to understand it."
Eli's interest visibly increased.
Nyx extended her hand toward him.
"Shadow Magic."
Eli's eyes widened slightly.
"...You're serious?"
"Very."
The first genuine spark of excitement crossed his face.
Nyx immediately noticed.
"There it is."
Eli blinked.
"What?"
"Emotion."
"Don't get used to it."
Nyx smiled.
"You spent your first life reading stories about shadow mages."
"...You really did watch everything."
"I am the Goddess of Night."
"Still creepy."
"Still not sorry."
Eli looked at the shadows moving around her.
"So I'll become a Shadow Mage?"
Nyx nodded.
"Not merely someone capable of using shadows."
Her expression became more serious.
"If your abilities mature properly…"
The darkness stretched infinitely behind her.
"You may one day become something far greater."
Eli stared.
Nyx whispered—
"A King of Shadows."
The phrase echoed through the endless realm.
King of Shadows…
King of Shadows…
Eli looked at his hands.
"A king?"
"Not necessarily one who wears a crown."
"Good."
"I suspected you would dislike that interpretation."
"I don't want a throne."
Nyx nodded.
"Then do not sit upon one."
She smiled.
"Kingship has many meanings."
The darkness behind her slowly dispersed.
"To rule shadows does not require ruling people."
Eli looked at her.
That answer seemed to satisfy him.
Nyx stepped directly in front of him.
Then raised one hand.
"Leave your weakness behind, Eli Crowe."
His eyes widened.
The hospital appeared briefly in his mind.
His motionless body.
The machines.
His trembling hands.
His inability to breathe.
His inability to walk.
Eight years old.
Nine.
Ten.
Eleven.
Twelve.
Thirteen.
Fourteen.
Fifteen.
Sixteen.
The memories surrounded him.
Eli watched himself lying helplessly on beds.
Watching the world through windows.
Nyx's voice passed through those memories.
"Leave behind the body that imprisoned you."
Young Eli disappeared into darkness.
"Leave behind the fear that you would die without ever seeing the world."
The hospital vanished.
"And become…"
Nyx's violet eyes shone brilliantly.
"The Shadow Mage who walks between light and darkness."
Silence.
Eli slowly clenched his fist.
For the first time…
His fist actually felt strong.
His eyes lifted.
He looked directly at Nyx.
No hesitation remained.
No uncertainty.
Only determination.
"Let's do it."
Nyx smiled.
"Very well."
She lifted both hands.
Her fingers gracefully moved.
The entire dimension responded.
RUMMMMMMBLE…
Eli looked down.
The Shadow Lake began moving.
Not rippling.
Moving.
The entire endless ocean of darkness rotated around them.
Slowly at first.
Then faster.
WHOOOOOOOOSH!
Black waves rose hundreds of feet into the darkness.
Eli's clothes and hair whipped violently around him.
He stared upward.
"That's dramatic."
Nyx laughed.
"I am a primordial goddess."
"Fair."
The black water suddenly separated into enormous streams.
They spiraled around Eli.
One passed over his shoulder.
Another circled his waist.
Another rotated around his legs.
The liquid darkness no longer resembled water.
It became alive.
Thick black tendrils moved like living creatures.
Eli watched one curiously.
It suddenly touched his foot.
"...?"
Then—
SHLICK!
It wrapped around his ankle.
Eli's eyes widened.
"Okay."
Another tendril grabbed his other leg.
Then another.
And another.
The darkness climbed upward.
It reminded Eli of something.
"...This looks like Venom."
Nyx blinked.
"Venom?"
"Movie."
"I see."
"Alien symbiote."
Nyx watched shadows crawl over Eli.
"Interesting comparison."
The darkness covered his shoes.
Then his ankles.
His calves.
His knees.
It wasn't cold.
It wasn't hot.
It felt like stepping into liquid night.
Eli watched carefully as the darkness continued upward.
The shadows covered his thighs.
Then his waist.
His stomach.
The substance moved beneath his clothing without damaging it.
Then—
Eli gasped.
"...!"
Something entered him.
Not physically.
It passed through his skin.
Through muscles.
Through bones.
Straight into something deeper.
His soul.
Eli's eyes widened.
Black veins of shadow briefly appeared across his arms.
His entire body trembled.
Nyx watched carefully.
"Eli."
He gritted his teeth.
"What…is this?"
"Your body and soul are being reconstructed to accept my blessing."
Another wave of darkness entered his chest.
WHOOOM!
Eli arched backward.
"Urgh!"
For the first time in years…
He felt overwhelming power rather than weakness.
The sensation was almost painful.
Almost.
But it wasn't destroying him.
It was filling empty spaces.
Repairing.
Strengthening.
Changing.
His heartbeat thundered.
THUMP!
Eli froze.
THUMP!
His eyes widened.
He could feel it.
Strong.
A real heartbeat.
THUMP!
His lungs expanded.
His muscles tightened.
His senses sharpened.
Then the shadows covered his arms completely.
Eli stared.
"What exactly…are shadows?"
Nyx's expression changed.
She seemed pleased he asked.
"A good question."
The darkness continued merging with him while she spoke.
"Most humans see shadows as the absence of light."
Another stream entered Eli.
"Others associate them with evil."
Blackness climbed across his shoulders.
"Assassins."
Across his neck.
"Monsters."
His chin.
"Fear."
Eli's violet eyes remained visible.
Nyx stepped closer.
"But they misunderstand."
The endless lake continued shrinking as more darkness flowed into Eli.
"A shadow is not evil."
Her voice echoed.
"It does not hate."
More power entered him.
"It does not judge."
The black lake began exposing an endless reflective floor beneath them.
"It exists wherever light exists."
Nyx lifted her hand.
A small sphere of white light appeared.
Behind it stretched a shadow.
"Light creates shadow."
The sphere disappeared.
"Day creates night."
Stars formed around them.
"Heat creates coolness."
A giant tree appeared momentarily, casting shade.
"Those who fear darkness call shadows sinister."
Nyx looked at Eli.
"But to someone hiding from danger…"
The image changed.
A frightened child hid safely inside darkness while enemies passed.
"...a shadow can be shelter."
The image shifted.
An exhausted traveler slept beneath a tree.
"To someone exhausted by the sun…"
Nyx smiled.
"...a shadow can be rest."
Another scene.
A hunter concealed himself from a monster.
"To someone being hunted…"
The darkness hid him.
"...a shadow can be protection."
Another.
A traveler secretly crossed enemy territory.
"To someone seeking freedom…"
Darkness opened a hidden path.
"...a shadow can be escape."
Eli watched.
Nyx raised both hands.
Hundreds of shadows transformed.
Weapons.
Wolves.
Birds.
Chains.
Walls.
Hands.
Clothing.
Mist.
Armor.
Portals.
"Shadow is concealment."
The shadows vanished.
"Movement."
They reappeared elsewhere.
"Shape."
A sword formed.
"Defense."
A shield appeared.
"Deception."
Several copies of Eli appeared around him.
"Creation."
Black clothing covered one copy.
"Storage."
Objects disappeared into darkness.
"Connection."
Two distant shadows joined.
"And eventually…"
Nyx's eyes glowed.
"Dominion."
The illusions vanished.
Eli stared at his hands as darkness curled between his fingers.
Nyx continued.
"Shadow Magic is not simply darkness thrown at enemies."
She gently touched his chest.
"It is the ability to understand the hidden side of existence."
Eli looked at her hand.
"Everything casts a shadow."
"Precisely."
"People."
"Yes."
"Buildings."
"Yes."
"Weapons."
"Yes."
"Monsters."
"Yes."
"Magic?"
Nyx smiled.
"Sometimes."
Eli's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Interesting."
Nyx's expression became amused.
"You are already thinking of ways to abuse it."
"Maybe."
"Clever child."
"Don't call me child."
"You are sixteen."
"And you're probably older than civilization."
Nyx smiled.
"Therefore you are a child."
Eli paused.
"...Can't argue with that."
More shadows entered him.
The lake was rapidly disappearing now.
Eli suddenly felt something deeper awakening inside him.
An instinct.
As though every shadow around him had become an additional limb he didn't yet know how to move.
He sensed Nyx's shadow.
His own.
The distant darkness.
Every patch of blackness.
His eyes widened.
"I can…feel them."
Nyx smiled proudly.
"Good."
Eli closed his eyes.
The world changed.
Even without sight, he sensed the surrounding darkness.
It moved.
Breathed.
Waited.
Not alive exactly.
But responsive.
He lifted one finger.
A nearby shadow twitched.
Eli opened his eyes.
"...Whoa."
Nyx's smile widened.
"Again."
Eli focused.
The shadow moved.
Slowly.
Awkwardly.
Like learning to move a muscle for the first time.
Then—
SHNK!
A thin spike of darkness suddenly shot upward.
Eli blinked.
Nyx laughed.
"Perhaps less enthusiasm."
"I barely did anything."
"Your affinity is unusually high."
"Because of you?"
"Partially."
The final remnants of the Shadow Lake began rushing toward Eli.
Nyx's expression grew serious.
"Prepare yourself."
"For what?"
"Everything."
Eli looked down.
"...That's vague."
Then the entire remaining ocean surged upward.
Eli's eyes widened.
"Oh."
A tidal wave of pure darkness towered over him.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Perhaps millions of gallons of shadowy blackness curled through the void.
Nyx calmly stood before it.
Eli stared upward.
"You could've warned me."
"I did."
"You said everything."
"Accurate, was it not?"
Eli gave her a flat stare.
Nyx smiled.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The entire Shadow Lake collapsed onto Eli.
Darkness swallowed him.
His world became black.
He couldn't see Nyx.
Couldn't see anything.
Then the shadows began entering him from every direction.
Through his hands.
His legs.
His back.
His chest.
His eyes.
His mouth.
His soul.
WHOOOOOOOM!
Eli screamed for the first time.
"AAAAAAARGH!"
Not from pain.
From overwhelming sensation.
Power flooded every part of his existence.
His bones strengthened.
His muscles reconstructed.
His nerves sharpened.
His magical pathways formed.
Something deep within his soul cracked open.
CRACK!
Eli's violet eyes flashed.
A tremendous pillar of black-and-violet energy erupted around him.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Nyx's hair and gown whipped backward.
She watched with a proud smile.
Inside the pillar, Eli floated.
Dark shadows wrapped around him like armor.
His hospital clothes dissolved.
The darkness replaced them.
Black trousers formed.
Dark boots.
A fitted black shirt.
A lightweight dark coat formed over it, its edges shifting slightly like mist.
Eli looked down.
"What…?"
Nyx raised an eyebrow.
"You wanted clothes."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your shadow responded to your subconscious."
Eli stared at the coat.
Then focused.
The coat changed.
It shortened.
Then became a hooded jacket.
Eli's eyes widened.
He focused again.
The jacket became a long black coat.
Then a simple shirt.
Then back again.
"...That's useful."
Nyx laughed.
"You have barely begun."
The shadows around him suddenly compressed.
THOOM!
Everything entered his body.
Silence.
Eli dropped.
His feet touched solid ground.
For a moment…
He simply stood there.
Standing.
Eli looked down.
Both feet firmly planted.
No support.
No shaking.
No hospital bed.
He slowly lifted one foot.
Then the other.
He took one step.
Then another.
His eyes widened.
He suddenly jogged several steps.
Stopped.
Turned.
Then jumped.
His body rose easily before landing.
Eli froze.
"..."
Nyx watched quietly.
Eli clenched both fists.
His hands were steady.
He inhaled deeply.
Perfectly.
No coughing.
No pain.
He touched his chest.
His heartbeat was powerful.
His body felt light.
Healthy.
Strong.
Not superhuman.
But alive.
Actually alive.
Eli lowered his head.
His hair hid his eyes.
Nyx didn't interrupt.
For several seconds…
Neither spoke.
Finally Eli whispered—
"...So this is what normal feels like."
Nyx's smile faded into something gentle.
"Yes."
Eli flexed his fingers.
"I don't hurt."
"No."
"I can breathe."
"Yes."
"I can stand."
"Yes."
"Run?"
"You may."
"Fight?"
Nyx's smile returned.
"Definitely."
Eli looked toward her.
For once, his expression couldn't completely hide what he felt.
Wonder.
Relief.
Excitement.
And something much deeper.
Something he didn't have a word for.
Nyx softly asked—
"How do you feel?"
Eli looked at his hands again.
"Different."
"Different how?"
He thought.
"Light."
Nyx listened.
"My body doesn't feel like it's fighting me anymore."
He rolled his shoulder.
"I can actually feel strength in my arms."
He inhaled deeply again.
"My chest doesn't hurt."
Then Eli's eyes became more serious.
"And inside…"
He placed his hand against his chest.
"There's something else."
Nyx nodded.
"Your magic."
"It feels endless."
"Not endless."
Nyx raised one finger.
"Do not become arrogant."
Eli glanced at her.
"So I can run out."
"Absolutely."
"Good to know."
"Overusing magic can exhaust you."
"Noted."
"Overusing advanced shadow techniques before your body adapts could leave you unconscious."
"Very noted."
"And attempting techniques far beyond your current level may kill you."
Eli stared.
"...Extremely noted."
Nyx smiled.
"I knew you were clever."
Suddenly—
TING!
A bright sound echoed.
Eli immediately stepped backward.
A translucent screen appeared directly in front of his face.
He stared.
"...What the hell?"
Nyx covered her mouth.
"You finally look surprised."
"This thing appeared six inches from my eyes."
A glowing message displayed itself.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
SOUL RECONSTRUCTION COMPLETE
DIVINE BLESSING SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVED
MAGICAL AFFINITY AWAKENED
CLASS ACQUIRED:SHADOW MAGE
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Eli stared.
Then looked around the screen.
Then at Nyx.
"A system?"
"Yes."
"Like a game?"
"Similar."
Eli looked back.
"...Xoria has status screens?"
"For those capable of accessing them."
His eyes narrowed.
"Interesting."
Another notification appeared.
TING!
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
BLESSING ACQUIRED
BLESSING OF NYX
The Primordial Goddess of Night and Shadows has acknowledged your soul.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Eli stared at the words.
Then another notification appeared.
TING!
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
TITLE ACQUIRED
CHOSEN OF NYX
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Then—
TING!
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
TITLE ACQUIRED
CHILD OF THE NIGHT
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Eli looked at Nyx.
"'Child' again?"
Nyx smiled innocently.
"I did not name the system notification."
"Convenient."
"Very."
Eli dismissed the screen experimentally.
It vanished.
He immediately tried again.
"Status."
Nothing happened.
Nyx smiled.
"You will discover that later."
Eli gave her an annoyed look.
"You intentionally stopped it."
"Perhaps."
"Why?"
"Because discovering everything before your adventure begins would be terribly boring."
Eli stared.
"You really are a goddess."
"I shall consider that praise."
"Wasn't."
Nyx laughed.
Eli looked around.
The endless lake was gone.
They now stood within a vast black space filled with distant violet stars.
Only their shadows touched the floor.
Eli looked back at Nyx.
"What next?"
Her playful expression softened.
"Next…"
She raised her hand.
"I send you to Xoria."
The darkness behind Eli began swirling.
A circular vortex formed.
Inside it appeared an enormous green forest.
Sunlight passed between ancient trees.
Birds flew through the branches.
Eli stared.
His heart accelerated.
Not from illness.
Excitement.
A real forest.
He had seen forests in videos.
Pictures.
Movies.
Books.
Never with his own eyes.
Nyx noticed his expression.
"Are you ready?"
Eli continued staring.
Then nodded.
"Yeah."
He stepped toward the portal.
Then stopped.
Nyx looked at him.
"Eli?"
He turned.
For a moment, the sarcastic answer he normally would have used never came.
Instead—
"Thanks."
Nyx blinked.
Eli continued.
"For the body."
He flexed his hand.
"The magic."
His eyes lowered slightly.
"The second chance."
Nyx's expression became warm.
"You owe me nothing."
"I know."
"Then why thank me?"
Eli shrugged.
"Because I wanted to."
Nyx smiled.
"Then you are welcome."
She stepped forward.
For one moment, she gently placed her hand on top of Eli's messy black hair.
Eli froze.
"...What are you doing?"
"Something motherly."
"Stop."
"No."
"Nyx."
She gently ruffled his hair.
Eli's eye twitched.
"I survived sixteen years just to be bullied by a goddess."
Nyx laughed softly.
Then withdrew her hand.
Her expression became serious again.
"Remember what I told you."
"Shadow isn't evil."
"That too."
She looked into his eyes.
"But more importantly…"
Eli waited.
"This life is yours."
Nyx's voice became quiet.
"If kings demand your obedience…choose for yourself."
Eli's gaze sharpened.
"If churches call you evil because they fear your power…choose for yourself."
Black mist began gathering around Eli.
"If heroes demand you follow them…choose for yourself."
The mist wrapped around his legs.
"If monsters stand in your path…"
Eli smiled faintly.
"Kill them?"
Nyx smiled.
"That depends on the monster."
"Fair."
The shadows reached his waist.
Nyx continued.
"Make allies because you trust them."
The darkness climbed his chest.
"Protect people because you choose to."
His arms transformed into black mist.
"Fight because you believe the battle is worth fighting."
Only his head remained.
"And never allow anyone to convince you that this second life belongs to them."
Eli looked directly at her.
"Wasn't planning to."
"I know."
The shadows reached his face.
Nyx smiled.
"Goodbye, my shadow."
Only Eli's glowing violet eyes remained visible.
For perhaps the first time since his childhood…
Eli gave a genuine smile.
Small.
Quiet.
But real.
"Later, Goddess."
Then—
FWOOSH!
His entire body transformed into black mist.
The mist rushed into the portal.
Nyx watched until the last shadow disappeared.
The portal slowly closed.
The primordial goddess remained alone beneath the stars.
Silence returned.
Nyx looked toward the place where Eli had vanished.
Her smile became proud.
"Go, Eli Crowe."
The distant stars brightened.
"See the world you were denied."
She closed her eyes.
"Make friends."
Her shadows moved.
"Make enemies."
A soft laugh.
"Cause trouble."
She opened her glowing violet eyes.
"And show them…"
The darkness of her realm spread infinitely.
"...who you are."
FWOOSH!
Wind rushed through the trees.
Birds suddenly scattered.
Several small animals fled through thick bushes.
In the middle of an ancient forest…
A strange circle of darkness appeared above the ground.
It expanded.
Rotated.
Then—
BOOM!
Black mist exploded outward.
Leaves flew.
Branches shook.
Grass flattened beneath the pressure.
The shadowy mist swirled through the clearing before rapidly gathering together.
Feet formed.
Legs.
A torso.
Arms.
A head.
Messy raven-black hair.
Then—
Two violet eyes opened.
Eli Crowe stood silently in the center of the forest.
The shadows around him slowly faded.
Birds chirped somewhere overhead.
Wind passed between the enormous trees.
Leaves rustled.
Sunlight broke through the canopy in scattered golden beams.
Eli didn't move.
He simply listened.
No machines.
No nurses.
No doctors.
No alarms.
No hospital air conditioning.
Instead—
Birds.
Wind.
Insects.
Leaves.
Running water somewhere in the distance.
Eli slowly looked upward.
His violet eyes widened.
Trees towered dozens of feet above him.
Their green branches spread across an enormous blue sky.
Actual sunlight touched his face.
Eli froze.
Warm.
He raised one hand toward the light.
The rays passed between his fingers.
For several seconds…
He simply stared.
"...Sunlight."
He had seen it before.
Through windows.
From cars during hospital transfers.
Brief moments outside when his condition allowed it.
But this was different.
There was nothing separating him from it.
No glass.
No doctors telling him they needed to return inside.
No wheelchair.
No oxygen tank.
Eli slowly breathed in.
The air smelled different.
Earth.
Grass.
Trees.
Water.
Flowers.
Life.
He filled his lungs completely.
Then exhaled.
A faint smile appeared.
"So this is Xoria."
A butterfly passed him.
Eli followed it with his eyes.
Something rustled nearby.
His head immediately turned.
The smile disappeared.
His body instinctively lowered slightly.
His violet eyes studied the bushes.
Something moved.
A few seconds passed.
A small rabbit-like creature jumped from the brush.
Eli stared.
The creature stared back.
"..."
"..."
The rabbit fled.
Eli straightened.
"Terrifying."
He looked down at his hands.
Tiny black particles drifted from his fingers.
Eli slowly opened and closed his fist.
The particles responded.
He focused.
A small shadow beneath his hand stretched upward.
It twisted around his wrist.
Eli's eyes brightened.
"So it wasn't a dream."
He released concentration.
The shadow returned to normal.
Eli looked at his new body.
Healthy.
Strong.
Free.
No hospital bed.
No wires.
No dying lungs.
No one standing beside him telling him what he could and couldn't do.
He looked toward the endless forest ahead.
Somewhere beyond those trees were cities.
Adventurers.
Magic.
Monsters.
Kingdoms.
Dungeons.
Ruins.
People he hadn't met.
Enemies he hadn't made.
Friends he didn't yet know existed.
Places he had never seen.
For anyone else…
The unknown might have been frightening.
For Eli…
It was everything he had ever wanted.
He took one step.
Then another.
Then stopped.
A mischievous thought entered his mind.
Eli suddenly leaned forward.
And ran.
THUD!
One step.
THUD!
Another.
Then faster.
He rushed between the trees.
Wind struck his face.
His black hair whipped backward.
His coat moved behind him.
His legs actually carried him wherever he wanted to go.
Eli laughed.
A quiet laugh at first.
Then louder.
"Hah…"
He increased his speed.
"Hahaha!"
He jumped over a fallen branch.
Landed.
Kept running.
No pain.
No coughing.
No nurse shouting for him to stop.
No body betraying him.
He ran until he reached another clearing.
Then finally stopped.
His breathing accelerated.
But it didn't hurt.
Eli placed both hands on his knees.
"...So that's what being out of breath normally feels like."
He straightened.
A huge grin briefly crossed his face.
"I could get used to this."
He turned toward the enormous unexplored forest.
The smile slowly became the familiar calm expression he had always worn.
But something behind it had changed.
His tired eyes were gone.
His violet gaze now burned with curiosity.
Determination.
Freedom.
Dark particles gently floated from his body.
Eli placed one hand inside his pocket.
He looked toward the distant horizon visible between the trees.
Then upward at the blue sky.
His lips curved into a faint, confident smile.
"All right."
The shadows around his feet slowly stretched outward.
Eli Crowe took his first true step into his second life.
"Let's start my new adventure."
TO BE CONTINUED