Jack's body collapsed to the marble floor, blood soaking his clothes, vision flickering out like a broken screen.
Then—
Silence.
No pain.
No shouting.
No chaos.
Just... peace.
Jack blinked.
Wait—blinked?
He sat up, slowly. His hands didn't hurt anymore. His stomach? Not bleeding. His clothes? Clean. Not even a wrinkle.
"What the...?" Jack muttered.
He stood in the middle of a vast field. Endless green stretched as far as his eyes could see. The sky above was painted in a dreamy gradient—lavenders, soft blues, golden whites—like a screensaver someone programmed just to vibe.
Flowers danced in the breeze, birds sang harmonies that felt... too perfect, and the sun? Warm, not scorching. Like someone fine-tuned the temperature just for him.
Jack rubbed his eyes.
"Okay, either I'm dead, or I finally went insane. Honestly, both sound valid right now."
He took a few steps forward. The ground was soft under his feet, like memory foam but alive? Trees shimmered with silver leaves, and butterflies made of light flitted past his head. Even the air smelled like... hope?
"Is this... heaven?" Jack whispered. "Damn. Didn't expect this after everything. I thought I'd at least get judged first."
He laughed awkwardly to himself. "Welp. If I'm dead, hope they got free Wi-Fi or something."
Then—
Pinch.
"OW—HEY!" Jack spun around, hand instinctively going to his back.
Behind him stood a small kid. Barefoot, wearing a white cloak that glowed faintly, messy hair, and the smuggest little grin Jack had ever seen.
"You're not dead, dummy," the kid said, hands behind his back.
Jack blinked. "...Okay first of all, rude. Second—who even are you?"
The kid just turned around. "Come on. The Almighty Ones wanna talk to you."
Jack raised a brow. "Almighty... what now?"
But the kid had already started walking away.
"Hold on, hold on—what's happening? Who even are the Almighty Ones? Am I in trouble? Did I break something?"
He followed anyway, steps light, but heart pounding.
As he trailed behind the kid, Jack took in more of the scenery. Animals roamed freely—giant stags, glowing foxes, even a few floating jellyfish-like creatures bobbing gently above the fields.
"It's like a Studio Ghibli fever dream," Jack mumbled. "Is this what happens when I pass out from blood loss? I meet a cosmic toddler and get summoned by gods?"
He looked down at himself again. No scars. No pain. Not even tired.
"I swear if I wake up and this is all some weird dream... I'm punching someone."
Jack jogged a little to catch up to the strange kid, who seemed to float more than walk. The field slowly began to rise into gentle hills as they made their way toward something glowing on the horizon.
"So… I'm really not dead?" Jack asked, squinting toward the distance. "Because honestly, this looks way too chill for someone like me."
The kid didn't even look back. "You're dead."
Jack stopped in his tracks. "HUH?! What?! You just said I'm not dead!"
The kid glanced over his shoulder with the most "bro, really?" face Jack had ever seen. "You're half dead."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Okay? That's even more confusing. How do you half die? Is that like a DLC feature I didn't unlock in life?"
The kid sighed, like an overworked office intern. "Look, I'm just the messenger, okay? I'm not even supposed to be explaining this to you. The Almighty Ones will handle that part. I'm just your GPS."
Jack snorted. "Right. God-sent Uber kid. Got it."
They kept walking.
Around them, the landscape shifted slowly—like the world knew they were approaching something sacred. The grass became silkier, greener. Trees arched like cathedral pillars. A gentle breeze whispered old songs in a language Jack didn't know but somehow felt familiar.
Eventually, the hills parted… and in front of them rose something massive.
A castle.
No, the castle.
The kind you only see in video games or anime intros with a 10/10 orchestral backing. Its towers touched the clouds, shimmering with gold and white marble that gleamed like stars. The walls seemed alive, pulsing faintly with light. Floating rings of runes spun gently around its spires, and waterfalls cascaded from the sky itself, disappearing into glowing ponds that reflected not the castle—but entire galaxies.
The front gate? Colossal. Like someone built it just to flex.
"Damn…" Jack whispered. "That's definitely not a Minecraft build."
They approached the gate. The kid suddenly stopped walking, putting a hand in front of Jack.
"This is your stop."
Jack tilted his head. "Wait, you're not coming?"
The kid shook his head. "Only you are allowed inside. Rules are rules. Go on."
Jack looked up at the huge gate, then back down at the kid. "What's your name, by the way?"
The kid grinned. "Doesn't matter. You won't remember me anyway."
"Creepy," Jack muttered, but smiled anyway and stepped toward the gate.
The doors opened on their own, slowly and silently, like welcoming an old friend.
Inside—
Jack's breath caught.
It wasn't just a castle. It was… a whole world.
Endless white halls with floating staircases. Gardens that bloomed with impossible colors. A sky inside the ceiling that shifted with constellations. Every inch of the space shimmered with divine energy, yet it didn't feel cold or overwhelming.
It felt… like home.
Then, at the very center of a circular throne room, Jack saw them.
Three massive thrones.
And sitting on them… nothing.
No faces. No figures. Just three silhouettes made of pure aura—one glowing gold like the sun, one deep blue like the ocean, and one dark, like a shadow carved out of the stars.
Jack's footsteps echoed as he approached slowly, eyes wide.
These weren't just "beings." These were the kind of presence that made your soul sit up straight.
They didn't speak. But Jack could feel them watching.
Waiting.
Jack took a deep breath and stepped forward. The silence in the throne hall was unreal—like the whole universe was holding its breath.
"Uhh…" Jack raised a hand awkwardly. "I don't really know why I'm here, but… I'm guessing you three are gods or something? The kid—messenger guy—he said I'm like… half-alive, half-dead? So... can someone please explain what's going on?"
A soft hum filled the space.
Then, the golden aura—the one that shone like the sun—rose from its throne.
The moment it stood, Jack felt his knees weaken. His heart raced. The sheer pressure coming from that presence was crushing. Not in a painful way—but like standing in front of the concept of "judgment" itself.
"You and that kid were not meant to enter the realm we govern," the golden figure spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it echoed in Jack's bones like thunder.
Jack's mouth moved, but no words came out. His throat felt dry. Without realizing it, he dropped to one knee, head bowed, as if his body knew it had no choice but to show respect.
He managed to whisper, "C-Can you… elaborate?"
The golden aura turned its head toward the dark figure seated to his right.
"You were not chosen," the gold god continued. "You were brought by mistake… by my brother, Yaelle."
The moment the name was spoken, the dark aura stirred. Its entire form dimmed slightly, almost like it was embarrassed.
Yaelle—this god of shadows—stood slowly. But his presence wasn't terrifying. It was… gentle. Soft-spoken. Like a calm night after a storm.
"I… made a mistake," Yaelle said, voice warm, even if it felt like it came from the void. "The five heroes from your world were meant to be the only humans summoned to our realm. But I… I chose you too."
Jack blinked in confusion. "Wait. So… you mean the kid with me—she… she's here too?"
Yaelle nodded. "Yes, my child. You held her hand that day. On the cliff."
Jack's stomach twisted. His chest tightened.
All this time… she was brought here too.
And he never even tried to look for her. he failed her… again.
He looked down, fists clenched. "I didn't… I didn't even try to find her... I thought she…"
"I'm sorry," Yaelle said, stepping forward. "I was selfish. My brother Batalla sought only five champions to protect our world. I… wanted to help too. I felt useless, like I had nothing to offer. So I searched quietly, in the shadows. And then… I saw you."
He paused.
"You were kind. Brave. Willing to sacrifice yourself for someone else. That moment… I chose you. Without permission. And so… you and the girl you held were pulled here."
Jack stared at him, still kneeling. His voice was low. "So… can I go back? To my world?"
Yaelle glanced toward Batalla, then back at Jack.
"The five chosen ones? Yes—they can return to your world. And you, technically… can too," Yaelle said, "But…"
He hesitated.
"The moment I pulled you from your world, you were standing on the edge of a cliff. If we send you back to that exact time and place… you would not survive. We cannot interfere further. We are not the gods of your realm."
Jack looked down. It was a lot to process. Too much.
So he was never meant to be here.
Everything that happened… the battles, the friendships, Elara… even the pain… it was all a cosmic accident?