Noa slipped quietly into his room and dropped onto his bed, the weight of the day pressing down on him. As he lay still, a sudden awareness prickled at the edge of his mind. Someone — or something — was near.
He sat up and moved to the window, pushing it open. The cool night air brushed against his face.
Above him stretched the vast expanse of the Space Realm. The Sky House Colony floated high, alive with soft lights and the slow dance of ships and people moving through the stars. The sky glittered endlessly, a deep tapestry of constellations and wandering light.
Below, the Earth Realm lay cloaked in shadow — low, dim lights flickering here and there but mostly swallowed by darkness. It felt heavy, still, as if waiting.
Noa lingered a moment longer, then shut the window gently and returned to his bed.
As sleep claimed him, the world blurred into the familiar dreamscape.
The dream world shimmered into view — an endless, empty space of pale light and shadow. From the mist, A appeared, as if stepping out of nowhere, with that ever-serene calm.
"Ah, there you are," A said, arms folded. "I was beginning to think you'd ghosted me."
Noa raised an eyebrow. "Ghosted you? We've met like, what, twice? You don't even have a phone."
A gave a small, dry smile. "Touché. I prefer the old-fashioned method. Show up in your dreams, unsettle your sleep schedule."
Noa sighed. "Well, thanks for that. So what's the deal? You here to pitch your 'hero' gig again?"
"Pitch? No, no, I'm more of a 'soft nudge' kind of guy. Like a persistent telemarketer, but with existential consequences."
Noa snorted. "Great. So, do I get a commission for signing up, or is this strictly volunteer work?"
A's expression didn't change. "Volunteers are overrated. You don't get to volunteer to be a hero — it's more like being drafted into a very intense, no-returns league."
Noa blinked. "Sounds fun."
A's eyes twinkled — or maybe it was a cruel joke. "It is, if your idea of fun is endless danger, moral dilemmas, and the occasional existential crisis."
Noa leaned back, smirking. "Sign me up. What's next?"
"The offer still stands. Will you accept?"
Noa looked away briefly, recalling Varreth's words ringing in his mind: When the moment comes, you won't get to say no.
"I accept," he said finally, voice steady.
A clapped once, softly, as if impressed. "Excellent choice. Now, hear this well — a hero's job is to fight villains and save the world. Pretty straightforward, right?"
Noa chuckled. "Yeah, punch bad guys, save people, end of story."
"Ah," A sighed, "if only it were that simple."
Noa grinned. "You always this cryptic, or do you save it for the dream appearances?"
"The villains," A said, voice dropping, "aren't always wearing the mask you expect. Sometimes they're closer than you think — in your head, your heart… or even your own reflection."
Noa blinked. "Great. So, basically, the villain could be my morning coffee."
A's lips twitched — almost a smile. "If only caffeine caused world-ending chaos."
Noa laughed, then got serious. "Alright, wise guy. So, where do I start? Got any villain leads for me?"
A shook his head slowly. "That's the catch. You don't find villains — they find you. Or the moment finds you."
Noa threw his hands up. "Perfect. So I'm basically on villain Tinder now. Swipe right and hope for the best."
A's chuckle echoed around the dream space. "If only it were that easy."
Noa smirked, eyes closing as the dream started fading. "Well, wake me when the villain swipes right."
---
Breakfast — The Next Morning
Noa sat at the breakfast table, telling his family about the dream, from A's dramatic reappearance to the cryptic message about villains.
Lyric's eyes sparkled with amusement. "So let me get this straight — a mysterious guy shows up in your dreams, offers you a crazy hero gig, and your first thought is to joke about Tinder?"
Noa shrugged. "Gotta keep the morale up."
Lyric leaned back, staring through the glass ceiling at the floating Sky House Colony above.
"Maybe your villain's drifting up there in the Space Realm."
Then, his gaze drifted slowly down toward the Earth Realm's dark curve below.
"Or maybe," Lyric said with a grin, "he's hiding down there in the shadows."
The table went quiet for a heartbeat before Lyric broke it with a laugh.
"Either way, just remember to keep your swipe finger ready — heroes gotta multitask these days."
Or they can just goof around these days . it's your choice to make
If I were you I would ask for monthly wages and holiday trips