woke up with a headache that felt like it could split my skull. I tried to open my eyes, but everything was blurred, as if darkness itself was swallowing the room. After moments of tension, faint shapes began to emerge around me: walls made of mud and straw, a low ceiling swaying with every gust of wind. It wasn't a house—it looked more like an old hut abandoned for centuries.
I whispered to myself softly:
– "I… wasn't I in my grandfather's house? How did I end up here?"
Before I could find an answer, I heard soft footsteps. I turned, and a girl entered the room. Her beauty was unnatural; her eyes sparkled as if holding the secrets of the entire world. My gaze froze on her, and I forgot everything I had experienced just moments before.
She approached confidently, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. She spoke quietly:
– "Finally… you're awake."
I swallowed hard, trying to compose myself:
– "I… what brought me here? Who are you?"
Her voice was gentle:
– "It's too early to know everything… wait, father will come soon and explain."
Moments later, the hut's door creaked open. An elderly man entered, his hair gray and face marked with both dignity and awe. He leaned on a wooden staff carved with mysterious symbols, his eyes gleaming as if they could see both past and future.
He stood before me, staring into my face for what felt like an eternity. I felt his gaze pierce my soul, almost shaking my very being. Then he spoke in a deep, slow voice, carrying the weight of time itself:
– "Finally… the last heir has awakened."
I froze. His words struck me like lightning, and my heart trembled uncontrollably. I was torn between the desperate need to ask questions and a fear I could not contain, as if every part of me knew that what was coming next would not be simple.
I decided to sleep, waiting to see what tomorrow would bring. I felt numb, no longer thinking about anything, just wanting rest. I closed my eyes and sank into a deep sleep.
I woke to a soft voice:
– "Wake up… breakfast time."
She said:
– "Eat, then go meet my father. He will tell you the truth."
Breakfast was ordinary… I ate quickly, then went to meet the old man.
He sat across from me and said:
– "I'll tell you everything… but try to stay calm."
I sprang up, eyes blazing with anger, speaking in a broken, loud voice:
– "I don't care! Is this supposed to shock me?! Can't you see where I am?! How did I even get here?! Tell me… explain!"
He raised his hand, trying to calm me:
– "Calm down, son… and listen."
He began to speak:
– "Look… it all started around thirty years ago. A strange creature came through a rift in space… a kind of monstrous scavenger, and it took over the entire Earth. Humanity was on the brink of extinction. But your grandfather appeared and defended us. He fought for ten years, and to this day, we don't know where he came from or what his story is. We only knew he wasn't from this world. He didn't understand our culture, our laws, not even the powers we possessed… yet he figured out how to kill the monsters."
"After ten years, he decided to return home. Before leaving, he created a protective barrier around this village so humans would survive. Then he vanished for three full years. When he returned… he didn't come alone. He came with a boy and a girl."
I said, anxious and shocked:
– "Do you have a picture of them? Can you show me?"
– "Of course."
He called out loudly:
– "Rose! Rose!"
She replied quickly:
– "Yes, father?"
He said:
– "Bring me the two pictures."
She handed them to me. As soon as I saw the photos… I froze. My hand trembled, my heart dropped, and my eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing. I felt dizzy, as if I had fallen into another world…
And in the photos… they were my father and my mother!
I couldn't believe it; the entire world around me seemed to collapse… the greatest shock of my life. Nothing I saw made sense.