"I was called into a darkness that would last forever. I came from the light, but I have no intention of burning in its name."
When I opened my eyes, I realized I had lost my world.
The sky didn't resemble the blue I knew. Within an endless violet mist, golden rings slowly revolved, and distant clusters of stars danced as if they were alive, shifting form before my eyes. The stars rushed past me, and I felt a rapidly growing warmth within. A throbbing pain surged through my skull, as if information was flooding into my brain at an unbearable rate.
I closed my eyes and opened them again. Cold, unfamiliar marble lay beneath me. Around me, seven men—no, seven warriors—knelt in prayer.
And in front of me, a man with a silver crown sat on his throne. The golden embroidery at the end of his cloak dragged across the floor, coiling like a snake around the feet of the throne. On his face, a false smile.
"Welcome, hero," said the king. His voice echoed as if through the fabric of time. "I am King Thane."
"What?" I whispered. My throat was dry, a hollow ache in my chest. Just a moment ago... I had been somewhere else. In my bedroom. Sitting in the worn-out chair my mother bought. A book in my hand, though I couldn't recall how many times I'd read the last page. The window was open. The breeze gently stirred the curtains. The world was silent. In that moment… there was peace. Then a light, a white flash… and darkness.
The king stood up and walked toward me, each step heavy. He spoke like someone who had rehearsed this a thousand times:
"The gods foretold your arrival. The Light shall be your guide. You are the one who will save these sacred lands. What is your name, child?"
I cleared my throat. I couldn't speak at first. Then...
"Caelum."
"Caelum..." the king repeated, a measuring gleam in his eyes.
"This name shall now be written in the sacred scriptures. The Light has called you, Caelum. You are now this world's hero."
I stared blankly at his face. The insincerity was so obvious, it was as if a mask had been glued onto his features. The mage kneeling beside him opened a scroll and began chanting loudly. Murmurs rose between the columns.
I was still trying to make sense of it all.
Was this a dream? Had I gone mad?
But no. This was real. All too real.
Suddenly, someone knelt before me. A young girl. She looked to be my age. Her blue eyes met mine, and her short blonde hair glowed under the light. In her white dress, it was as if the Light itself had taken physical form.
"Hello," she said softly. "I'm Luxanna. Daughter of the High Priest of the Light Order. Stay calm. We won't hurt you."
She smiled. That smile stood in such stark contrast to this place... it was the only warmth that reminded me of the home I had just lost.
She handed me a glass of water. When I saw my reflection, I didn't know how to react. My eyes were no longer mine. My golden irises shimmered faintly in the dark, casting a pale glow on everything around them.
My hair—once a dark brown—had turned a silvery white.
"This isn't me," I whispered.
The king chuckled. "You're confused, aren't you? A room will be prepared for you to rest. Tomorrow, your heroic duties shall begin."
Something trembled inside me.
Duties? Heroism?
"I don't want to be a hero," I said suddenly. The words echoed through the hall the moment they left my mouth. Everyone went silent. The mage stopped reading his scroll. Luxanna's smile froze.
The king looked surprised at first. Then… he wore that fake smile again.
"Of course. This new world can be overwhelming. In time, your thoughts will change. This world has much to offer. The heroes who arrive here are adored like prophets. You can have any woman you desire. Every hero here had a harem hahaha. If you wish, I can arrange one for you right now—"
"No," I said more firmly. "I want to go home. I don't want to fight. I don't want to be a prophet. I'm... just a normal person."
This time, the king fell silent. And then the room followed. A quiet tension seemed to hang from the ceiling like an unseen threat.
Luxanna stepped closer with concern.
"Please, Caelum. Everyone starts like this. But once you witness the pain of this world... something changes. You are this world's only hope."
"No," I repeated. "I don't want to change."
The king now clasped his hands together.
"You are very tired," he said. "A room shall be prepared. We'll speak again in the morning."
There was a restlessness inside me, but I couldn't resist anymore. I had no strength left. My eyes grew heavy. Maybe I was still dreaming.
They led me to the northern wing of the palace. The stone room had only a bed, a table, and a window. Beyond the window, endless darkness. This world... was different. The air always smelled faintly of magic. Even the light didn't feel real—it was like it had been filtered.
I lay on the bed.
Stared at the ceiling.
"What am I doing here?"
I tried to think, but my mind was too tired. Just then, Luxanna entered the room.
She carried a bowl of something warm. She smiled, gently placing it on the table.
"We added some calming herbs. It'll just help you sleep."
I nodded silently.
"Thank you."
She paused for a moment, then spoke softly.
"Some of the heroes who came to us... were just like you at first. Some embraced their role immediately. But others—like you—resisted. But this world doesn't wait, Caelum. Time runs out quickly here."
As she turned to leave, she looked back once more. There was a strange worry in her eyes.
"Sleep well. And... please, reconsider tomorrow."
The door closed.
Luxanna seemed genuinely worried about me.
Then the thought felt ridiculous.
"Why would she care about someone she just met?" I wondered.
I looked at the drink.
Didn't touch it.
I didn't trust them.
I closed my eyes.
But I couldn't sleep.
Hours later, in a deep silence, a shadow slipped into my room. The moonlight hit the window, but the darkness entering wasn't from the moon.
Three figures. White-robed, hooded. Their faces unseen. Symbols glowing in their hands, wrapped in golden and white magic. I could barely keep my eyes open.
I couldn't move. I wanted to scream, but my body was paralyzed.
The figure in the middle whispered:
"He resisted. A seal is required."
"What? What resistance?" I tried to understand what was happening.
The floating symbols suddenly converged into spirals, spinning across my chest. Every line burned into my flesh like a curse.
A burning sensation began in my chest.
A deep fire, from within.
Then...
Pain.
Darkness.
And silence.