Brute force

Act I: The Rebirth of a Broken SoulThe screen opens in pitch blackness. Heavy, rhythmic breathing echoes, followed by the blinding glare of high-beam headlights and the screech of tires.Hiro (Voiceover): You always think your life will flash before your eyes. It doesn't. It just tastes like rain, cheap asphalt, and whatever energy drink I bought at the convenience store right before I shoved that stranger out of the way. I died. Honestly? Best career move I ever made.Suddenly, a warm, golden light breaks through. Crimson blood splatters across a pristine white stone floor, but it fades instantly into a soft, glowing magical aura. A newborn's cry pierces the air.Paul-type Father (Arthur): Look at him, Eleanor! He has the eyes of a warrior! Or a scholar! Or someone who is going to be incredibly good at picking up girls at the tavern in twenty years!Zenith-type Mother (Eleanor): Slaps Arthur's arm weakly but smiles through tears. Arthur! He is a miracle from the Heavens. Welcome to the world, Hiria.Hiria (Internal Monologue): Staring at his tiny, wrinkled baby hands with deep, crushing dread. Great. I'm a baby. I'm trapped in a fleshy, fragile prison. I failed my exams, died in the mud, and now I have to learn how to use a toilet all over any—wait, who are these people? Why are they smiling at me? Is this a scam? It feels like a scam.Act II: The Bright HouseholdFive years pass in a flash of vibrant, sunlit montages. The estate is vast, beautiful, and dripping with high-fantasy optimism. Hiria stands in the courtyard, watching his family.Arthur: Swinging a massive broadsword, winking at a passing servant. Watch the hips, Hiria! Swordplay is all in the hips and the hair! If your hair looks good, the beast is already half-defeated!Eleanor: Gently healing a scraped knee on a young boy using glowing holy magic. Lean into the light, my child. The Creator's grace mends all wounds.Hiria: Sitting on a stone bench, staring blankly at the grass. They are terrifyingly nice. It's unnatural. Back home, my neighbor sued me because my tree shed leaves onto his driveway. Here, my dad tried to give me a dagger for my fifth birthday because he 'trusted my instincts.' I don't even trust myself not to swallow coins.A tiny, energetic boy with a bright silver cross around his neck sprints into the courtyard, skidding to a halt in front of Hiria.Yurto: Eyes beaming with pure, unadulterated holy fervor. Hiria! Brother! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I just found a colony of ants! I gave them a crumb of bread because all of God's creatures deserve charity! There is so much hope in this world, don't you think?!Hiria: Deadpan. Yurto, those are fire ants. They are currently staging a tactical assault on your left boot.Yurto: Looking down as his boot catches fire. Ah! Praise be! A trial of fire to test my resolve! Runs away screaming but smiling.Act III: Enter the ChaosInside the manor's grand library, Hiria is trying to read a tome on advanced magical theory. He is interrupted by a loud thud as a handsome, roguish young man with an open shirt slides into the room.Zora: Leaning against a bookshelf, striking a pose. Hiria, my brilliant little brother. Quick question. The new baker's daughter... do you think she prefers a man who recites poetry, or a man who accidentally falls into her flour bin so she has to brush him off?Hiria: Sighs, closing the book. I think she prefers a man who doesn't have an outstanding tab for three dozen pastries, Zora.Zora: Gasps dramatically. That was a investment in our romantic future! Women are the ultimate magic, Hiria. The way they breathe, the way they walk, the way they threaten to call the city guard when I stand outside their window with a lute... exquisite.Suddenly, the temperature in the room drops. A blindingly beautiful youth with pristine white wings and a glowing halo walks through the door, carrying a stack of pristine paperwork.Asher: Voice echoing with celestial harmony. Zora. Your earthly lusts are a blight upon this holy household. Hiria was born with the celestial gifts of the high arcana. Do not corrupt him with your fixation on the flesh.Zora: Scoffs. Oh, look, it's Asher. Mr. 'I'm an Angel and I'm too good for pants that aren't made of literal light.'Asher: Ignoring Zora, bowing deeply to Hiria. My young lord, your magical reservoir expands daily. The heavens watch you with great anticipation. You are meant for a grand, righteous destiny.Hiria (Internal Monologue): They think I'm a prodigy because I can cast intermediate spells without incantations. The truth? I'm just reading the magic circles like a cheat code from my old video games. I feel entirely empty. This family is perfect, bright, and loving... so why do I feel like a ghost hanging out in someone else's house?Act IV: The Silent FoundationThe comedy fades slightly as evening falls. Hiria sits alone in the dark kitchen, staring at a cup of water. He tries to use his magic to make it boil, but his hand shakes. The crushing weight of his past life's isolation creeps back in.A shadow falls over him. It is the quiet, stoic maid of the house, holding a warm blanket.Lilla-type Maid (Mina): Gently wrapping the blanket around Hiria's shoulders. You sit in the dark too much for a child, Lord Hiria.Hiria: Looking away. I'm fine, Mina. Just thinking. I don't really fit in out there with the others. They're all so... full of life.Mina: Sits down beside him, her expression soft but harboring a deep, unspoken sorrow. Your father is a fool who hides his fears behind a sword. Your brother Zora laughs so he doesn't have to weep. And Lady Eleanor prays because she knows how cruel the world outside these walls can be. You do not need to fit in with their light, Hiria. You just need to let them warm you.Hiria: Staring at her, sensing a profound depth to her words. Mina...Mina: Taps his nose playfully, breaking the tension. Now, drink your warm milk before I tell your mother you're staying up late to plot world domination again.Hiria (Internal Monologue): As Mina walks away, a faint, genuine smile touches his lips. For the first time since I died, the ice in my chest feels a little bit thinner. Maybe this world isn't a scam after all.The camera slowly pans out from the peaceful, brightly lit manor, moving up into the night sky. The stars are beautiful, but a massive, ominous dark cloud begins to slowly creep over the moon, hinting at the grim future waiting just beyond the horizon.[Screen fades to black.]