The winds that had swept across the desolate landscape grew still, as though the world itself were holding its breath. Dokja stood motionless, his gaze locked on the threads before him. Time felt warped, stretching and compressing with each fleeting moment, the pressure of his choices becoming increasingly suffocating.
This wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about understanding the scope of his power, the depth of the control he now had over the world he had once only observed from the pages of a book.
He could feel it: the weight of every decision, every pull on the narrative. Each thread represented more than a life. It was a story, an arc, a path intertwined with countless others, and with each choice, the risk of unraveling everything became more pronounced.
But there was no turning back. The audition was far from over.
The message from the system flashed in his mind, a reminder that this was not a game of pure will. It was a cosmic contest, one where the stakes were absolute. He wasn't merely shaping his world; he was competing for authorship over the entire fabric of reality. The rules had already been set in motion, and the only way out was forward.
Yet, in this moment of quiet, Dokja allowed himself to pause. For the first time in a long while, he simply existed.
"Dokja," Sooyoung's voice broke the stillness, and he turned to find her standing nearby, her eyes searching him, trying to gauge the storm that raged behind his composed facade.
"I'm fine," he said, his voice more certain than he felt. "We're on track."
She didn't look convinced. "That's not what I meant. I know the pressure you're under, but… we don't have to do this alone, you know? You don't have to bear all of it yourself."
Dokja's lips tightened as he turned back to the threads in front of him. "I don't have a choice. The audition has already started, Sooyoung. The path is set."
Her words hung in the air for a moment before she took a hesitant step closer. "But it doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to follow the narrative. There's room to bend the rules… there has to be. We can fight against this."
Dokja's heart raced at the idea, the flicker of hope that his mind had been trying to suppress. But he couldn't afford the luxury of hope. Not when the stakes were so high. If he faltered, the consequences would ripple outward, undoing everything he had fought for.
He clenched his fist. "There is no 'fighting against it.' Not anymore. We're part of this now. You know what they said: those who can't prove their worth will be discarded. I won't let that happen. I won't let us fail."
Sooyoung studied him carefully. "You're not just fighting for survival, are you?"
Dokja looked away, unable to meet her gaze. "What choice do I have? I'm not just playing for my life anymore. Every action I take, every thread I pull — it all impacts more than just me. This is about something bigger."
She nodded, a sad understanding flickering in her eyes. "The audition."
"Yes," Dokja answered quietly, almost as though the word itself tasted bitter on his tongue. "It's about proving that I'm the one who should write the ending. Not the storytellers. Not the gods."
For a long time, Sooyoung said nothing, watching him carefully. She had seen him through many trials, but this was different. The way he spoke now — as though he were on the edge of something unimaginable — sent a chill through her.
"Do you ever wonder, Dokja," she finally asked, her voice soft, "if maybe… we were never meant to choose this? That we've all been used from the start?"
His eyes met hers, the weight of her words settling heavily between them. Used. It was a harsh truth, one that had gnawed at the edges of his mind since the very beginning. He had been chosen, yes. But for what purpose? Was he nothing more than a pawn in a game designed by powers far beyond his understanding?
"Maybe we weren't," he said quietly, "but that doesn't change what's happening now."
Sooyoung didn't press him further, but the look in her eyes spoke volumes. She had chosen to follow him — to stand by his side. But as they ventured deeper into the unknown, even she was beginning to question just how much choice they truly had.
Dokja exhaled slowly, clearing his thoughts. He couldn't afford to linger on doubts. The threads before him were still there, each one leading to an infinite possibility. And with every step forward, the tension of the audition tightened around him like a noose.
He reached for the first thread — a thread tied to a lost opportunity, a moment when a potential ally had fallen through his fingers. It was a fragile connection, one that had shaped his journey, but could he alter it?
The risk felt immense, but the temptation was undeniable. He tugged the thread, ever so gently.
For a split second, nothing happened.
But then — the world shimmered. A ripple in the fabric of reality, subtle but unmistakable. The opportunity was not lost. It was returned.
Sooyoung gasped as the figure of an old ally materialized before them, as if pulled from the very ether. They looked around, bewildered, their memories of their death seemingly erased.
"What—" the ally's voice faltered, eyes wide as they took in their surroundings. "What is this place?"
"You're alive," Dokja said quietly, stepping toward them. "And this time, you have a second chance."
The ally's expression shifted from confusion to something else — gratitude. "I… I don't know how to thank you."
"No need for thanks," Dokja replied, his voice steady but with an edge of something darker. "Just know that you owe this second chance to the fact that I changed the thread that was supposed to break you."
Sooyoung watched as the ally came to terms with their revival, the depth of their return sinking in. But as she glanced at Dokja, a sense of unease grew in her chest. He was changing. Not just the world, but himself. The power he wielded was unfathomable.
And as much as she wanted to believe in the hope he offered, she couldn't ignore the growing fear that he was becoming something more dangerous than anyone — even he — could comprehend.
Another message flashed before them.
[Sub-Scenario: Alter the lives of three key individuals. You have succeeded.]
[Bonus: A significant shift has been made to the world's path. But beware: the consequences of your actions will become apparent soon.]
Dokja didn't need to read the full message. He already felt the shift, the heavy cost of what he'd done. Changing the past, altering the fates of those around him — it wasn't a gift. It was a burden.
Yet, despite the weight of it, he couldn't turn back. Not now. Not when the audition was still ongoing, not when he had a chance to shape the world into something better, something more right.
But was he worthy of that power? Was anyone?
The path ahead seemed clearer, but the further they went, the more Dokja realized that with every step forward, they were all becoming more entwined in a story that was not their own.
And as they walked, the weight of choice hung over them — heavier than ever before.
End of Chapter 13