'I was happy when my parents died…'
'I heard them say it, and truthfully, it was clear as it was painful.'
Halo lay back on his bed, stretching his arms and legs out, yet he still couldn't cover the entire massive surface. His white hair spread out on the sheets as his azure eyes roamed the ceiling above. He felt a deep sense of relaxation wash over him, even noticing the faint warmth in his toes.
"Many people fail to understand the fundamental truth of life: we live to die, and in that inevitability lies our meaning." Halo muttered.
"So why must I falter, or question fate, when the inevitable is simply part of life?"
His eyes narrowed and his expression grew somber. "About that though… what was it about?"
Halo's family tragically died in a car crash about a month ago. If he had been as brilliant as they were, he might have perished with them.
However, unlike his family, who loved pursuing knowledge, Halo preferred to sleep and play video games.
Despite his laid-back lifestyle, he maintained an athletic physique that drew him into sports he had no interest in.
It could be argued that his lack of academic skills and average grades may have spared him from attending physician conferences with his parents that day.
He loved them deeply; in fact, they were the pillars of his life. However, when he heard the news, not a single emotion broke through. He believed that death is a natural occurrence, something even knowledge or wisdom cannot evade. So why should he be sad?
This had taken a toll on the classmates; giving him special treatment. "Halo, do you need something?" they often asked, too caring, too concerned. Pity? Or just love?
"Halo, huh? People get sentimental when they hear it. 'You're an angel,' they say. But what does that matter? My other name… is Tenebris." He muttered.
While some believed he was glad his family died, allowing him to inherit their fortune, he was instead consumed by a persistent feeling of being summoned.
It all started a month ago, right after his parents' burial. At first, the sensation was barely noticeable, so he shrugged it off.
However, as time went on, it became more persistent, waking him up in the middle of the night and causing him to yell out in class, as if he were losing his mind.
He heard no actual sounds, just a feeling that pushed him to agree to something he didn't understand.
This kept him on edge, leading to sleepless nights and strange encounters with others.
Many thoughts raced through his mind: Were his parents trying to reach out to him, asking him to join them? Was that even possible? And if it were, did it mean he had to die?
His questions went unanswered, and his torture continued to grow.
Then, one night a week ago, he grew tired and blurted out words he couldn't quite remember, but he knew they were what the mystery wanted to hear. Since then, he hasn't felt even a trace of the bizarre sensation.
'Maybe… maybe it was only my way of coping with my loss.' he thought.
He smirked on his bed, "Heh… so much for being apathetic."
The moment he spoke, drowsiness began to seep in as his eyelids grew heavy and his vision became hazy.
However, the moment he surrendered to sleep, he instinctively shook himself awake, panting and glancing around. But this time, he stood on his feet, and worse still, nothing around him resembled his luxurious room.
He found himself in a sparsely furnished room. A single bed, covered with white and brown sheets, occupied one corner, and a mirror hung on the wall to his left, next to a bathroom door. Directly in front of him was the entrance, which stood wide open.
His mind raced with thoughts as he rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. But the moment he realized he was fully awake, his heartbeat quickened, and sweat began to form on his brow.
His hands shot to his face immediately, feeling his symmetrical features, long lashes, and thick eyebrows. It was definitely him, Halo D. Tenebris, but what was happening?
Despite his concerns, he remained frozen in place, paralyzed by his confusion.
He glanced at his body again and realized he was no longer wearing his pajamas, leaving him in just his black shorts.
In that moment, his confusion turned into curiosity about why he had no clothes on, as if he was somehow blaming his attire for his predicament.
As he stood there, a voice from the entrance caught his attention. "Hey, you've made it."
His chest tightened as he turned to face a man with dark, short hair and a scar across his left eyebrow. This was no man. His presence spoke of war.
The man wore a black uniform with a high neck and long, puffed sleeves, resembling a hakama style.
He also had high, ankle-length black boots that were practical and military-inspired, while his expression remained nonchalant.
Halo swallowed hard, trying to suppress his fear. What was happening? Was he dead?
In that moment, all his thoughts began to resurface, awakening buried emotions as he felt a deep longing for his parents. They would have been able to explain this if they were still alive.
The man in front of him tossed him the uniform, and as soon as Halo caught it, the man added a pair of boots similar to his own.
"Call me Clever," He said in a disinterested tone. "It's been a long day… I know you want answers, but I need rest. We'll talk tomorrow."
Clever tried to leave but hesitated. It was clear that the broken expression on Halo's face spoke volumes; he might cry himself to sleep if he didn't give him something worth knowing.
"Relax… this is a safe land. You are safe. For now, at least."
Halo's hands began to fidget within the clothes, finally feeling the urge to ask more questions. At least a slight hint of what was really going on. Anything. Something to quench his curiosity.
Before Clever could walk away, Halo hurriedly spoke the words: "Where… where am I? What's happening to me?"
Clever stopped moving and turned to face Halo. He let out a sigh. "I've never known anyone who asked for their heart to break so soon."
Halo scowled. Heartbroken? Anyone? How many of them were there? What was going on? Kidnapped? If so, how did it happen?
"This is an inevitable fate," Clever started walking, no longer looking in Halo's direction. "Tomorrow, you'll have every answer you're looking for." He closed the door behind him.
Halo's throat constricted as he swallowed. Flight crossed his mind, but was it even possible?
The atmosphere felt simultaneously humid and arid, thick with strange odors that screamed of foreign territory.
This bore no resemblance to home or anywhere he'd known. Minutes earlier he'd been safe in his estate, and now he found himself trapped in this barely habitable cell, face-to-face with a figure that looked like death incarnate.
How could anyone flee from this?
He grimaced. Was this truly an inevitable fate? Was he truly dead, or was it the doing of this bizarre sensation? He finally took a step backward, mouth slightly parted, and before he knew it, he was sitting on his bed.
This was abrupt. To face inevitability at the young age of seventeen, it was an apparent curse. He had watched others being cornered by the atrocities of life and simply shrugged them off with a thought or two.
But now, being within a conundrum himself, he couldn't help but wonder: had he been a fool? What did Clever mean by saying this was an inevitable fate?
Even the thought alone had him on the verge of his demise, turning over all possibilities.
Over time, his hands began to reach for his body, pinching and slapping himself across the cheek. He was very much alive.
So, what other form of inevitability could this be?
He curled himself on his bed, shivering, hands pressed tightly between his legs. The passing time felt like a turtle with a heavy shell; those mere minutes felt like eternity to him.
'You need to calm down, Halo.' He thought, though his inner voice sounded more terrified than he expected.
He began taking steady breaths with his eyes clenched shut, trying to convince himself to accept what was happening.
And yet, he found himself opening his eyes from time to time, hoping he was back at his estate. But there was no luck.
'This won't help. If it's truly inevitable… I'll wait. Answers tomorrow.' He tried to reassure himself.
Life moved forward without pause, and whether his fate was truly inescapable, only time could tell. He was certain of that.
Despite the confusion and uncertainty, it was best to force himself through the atrocity. He was only a night away from finding answers, after all. How hard could it be?
'Not hard at all… just close your eyes. Just try to sleep, Halo.'