"Born in diamond and gold, I knew nothing of copper. Second heir to the great House of Riddlestone—the most prestigious family in the empire. Hunger? Thirst? I only heard of those things in stories, in newsfeeds, in the trembling voices of charity ads.
Born a prodigy. I was never rejected—because I was the one who did the rejecting. I never paid attention in class, but still topped every test. I never got hurt. I was too strong. No one ever asked, 'Are you okay?' Because I was always fine.
I was the attention.
But still… there was a void in my heart.
I never once had a real conversation with my parents. Or my siblings. We ate at a grand table, large enough for twenty—yet sat like strangers, trapped in silence. Maybe that's why the loud, curious boy I was between five and eight slowly fell silent.
Friends? None.
Well… maybe one. Not the kind of friend you brag about.
Takumi. A total airhead. Backbencher. Anime addict. Not special in any way, except for the fact he made me laugh. A time-pass friend, I used to call him.
But I guess… in a world that never needed me to try, he made things feel real.
This is my story. And the beginning of my great, grand adventure."
---
A HOMECOMING...
The ride home from school was smooth, as always. I sat in the back of our sleek, black Mercedes-Benz, staring out the tinted window. My schoolbag rested untouched beside me—why bother with homework when you already know all the answers?
Beside me sat our new butler. Mid-twenties, sharp suit, posture too perfect. A man who moved like he was trained for war, not tea service. Silent. Focused. Like a bomb disposal expert waiting for a timer to tick down.
Then I remembered—Mom's birthday.
"Hey, tell the driver to stop by a shop. I need to get something," I said.
The butler nodded. "Might I suggest Glimpse World, sir? They carry rare curated gifts. She may like something from there."
"Sounds good. Driver, take us there."
The car turned. The road stretched long and peaceful.
I leaned back. "Just a short nap," I mumbled.
Darkness came quickly.
And then—
Screams.
Distant at first. Then louder. Shrill. Terrified.
I opened my eyes.
Darkness.
Not the tinted kind. Not a blackout. Real, absolute black.
Where was the car? The butler?
Where… was I?
My hands trembled. My voice cracked.
"Hello?!"
No answer. Just echo.
And then—a man lunged from the shadows and embraced me.
> "Son…! I—I shouldn't have shouted at you. Forgive your father. Don't ever try to run again—you nearly gave me a heart attack…"
Laughter broke out around us. Strangers in torn clothes smiled with tearful eyes.
I froze.
Father? What father? Who were these people?
The man—my supposed father—grabbed my hand. "Let's go home, son."
I whispered, "This is a dream… a weird, vivid dream."
But I knew. Deep down, I knew.
It wasn't.
---
Suddenly I collapsed.
When I woke, I was lying on a wooden bed, sweat drenching my body.
A chubby kid folded paper in the corner.
He looked up and grinned. "AJ's awake!" he shouted and bolted out.
Those strangers barged in.
A man—his face tired but calm—sat beside me.
> "AJ… I give you permission. You can try to become an adventurer."
Gasps. A woman screamed, storming after him. Others stared.
A man muttered, "Let the boy rest." The room slowly emptied—except for the chubby one.
"You okay? You're acting real weird. Did you hit your head or something?"
I blinked. "Neo…"
His face lit up. "You do remember!"
Neo. My cousin.
He grinned. "You looked at me like I was a ghost. Thought maybe you forgot everything. Like one of those old fantasy novels. You know, the kind I buy from the black market after nobles throw them away."
That one line—black market fantasy novels—slapped me with a reality check.
This was a new world. A different world.
---
THE WORLD I NOW LIVED IN
The Ferlaya Empire. 27 kingdoms. Home to war, power, and fear.
This world had no sun—only a pale moon suspended in place.
Wai was the life force. Everyone had it. Except the Valmorra.
Shakti were powers you were born with.
Mantra was magic through symbols and voice.
Vardann—blessings from gods, demons, or spirits.
The caste system was brutal:
1. Kshatriyas – Nobles and warriors.
2. Bramin/Shamans – Priests and scholars.
3. Heimin – Merchants and craftsmen.
4. Casa Eterna – Ancient nobility.
5. Shudras – Slaves, servants.
6. Valmorra – The bottom. The cursed. Outcasts born with no Wai—or too much of it. Used as dungeon bait. Discarded.
I was now AJ.
A Valmorra Slumboy.
No Wai. No legacy. No power. Nothing.
Neo handed me a paper dragon.
"Still wanna be an adventurer?" he asked.
I stared at the ceiling.
This world was colder, crueler, harsher.
But somehow, I felt more alive than ever.
> "Yeah," I whispered. "This is the life I've always dreamed of… A Great Grand Adventure."
---
IN A DISTANT MANSION...
In a lord's mansion, far from the slums…
The heavy wooden doors of the war room burst open. A group of priests in white and crimson robes pushed past the guards, sweat glistening on their foreheads.
Inside the chamber, no lanterns were lit. Only the silver glow of moonlight poured through the tall windows.
The lord stood shirtless by one of them, his scarred upper body illuminated like a statue of war. A thick cigar smoldered between his fingers. In his other hand—an ornate dagger.
He didn't look at them.
One elderly priest knelt, voice trembling. "Lord… forgive me—"
"I know," the lord interrupted, still staring out the window. "It's already happened."
He took a slow drag from the cigar, then spoke again. "Think about the future now. Tell me—where is he? The hero. Where was he born?"
The priests exchanged nervous glances.
One of them finally stammered, "W-we don't yet know the exact region, my lord… but we will locate him—within the hour."
Crunch.
The lord crushed the cigar under his heel and turned around. "You…" he pointed to the speaker, "were the head of these priests, weren't you?"
The priest lowered his head. "Yes, Lord…"
The lord didn't hesitate. In a flash, the dagger flew through the air—
Thud.
It buried itself in the priest's mouth. He collapsed without a word.
"You couldn't find him in seven years," the lord growled, "and now you promise me one hour? Utter nonsense."
He turned to a younger priest.
"You," he barked.
The young priest marched forward, pale but silent.
"From now on, you lead these fools," the lord declared. "Take them. Leave for Kaiman Mountain. Tonight."
"Kaiman, my lord?" the young priest asked.
"Find that sage," the lord said. "You know who I'm talking about. The one who's been stirring up trouble."
A cold silence swept through the room. Even the youngest of them began to sweat.
One priest whispered, "Lord… him?"
The lord's eyes narrowed.
"Why not?" he said softly. "You have any other idea?"
He snapped his fingers.
A tall soldier commander stepped into the room and saluted.
The lord didn't pause.
"Kill every newborn in the nearby regions. Immediately."
The commander bowed and left without a word.
The lord turned back to the priests.
"And you? You leave for Kaiman tonight. Find that sage."
The priests bowed—terrified, but obedient.
Moonlight flickered in the room like ghostfire, and the dagger in the corpse's mouth still dripped red.
---
UNDER THE MOON IN SLUM
Back in the slums, I sat on a tree branch beside Neo. We looked up at the still, pale moon.
"You chubby idiot," I said, "Our adventure starts soon. You remember our mission?"
Neo, nose deep in a torn book, mumbled, "Yeah, yeah."
He looked up and grinned.
> "The sun is not a myth. We'll bring it back."