Helius lived an ordinary life. He wasn't born into wealth, nor did he carry any special privilege that might place him higher in society. He rented a small apartment, worked at a company that paid only slightly above average, and lived quietly, without much excitement. Everything about his life was simple—ordinary.
That normalcy ended the moment he encountered an object unknown to the human world.
It happened after Helius decided to return to his hometown in the province. He had just resigned from his job, married his fiancée, and begun a new chapter of his life. Their wedding had been one of the happiest days he had ever known. Years of sacrifice, hard work, and patience had led to that moment. To him, marriage was more than just love—it was a promise, a foundation to build a family, and a reason to keep moving forward despite life's struggles.
But not long after the wedding, tragedy struck.
His parents died in an accident, and the news shattered him. The joy he had just begun to build was torn away, leaving only grief in its place. He immediately traveled back to his hometown, desperate to see his parents one last time before they were laid to rest.
The day of the funeral was heavy and gray. Clouds blanketed the sky, and the air itself seemed to mourn with him. Standing before the tomb where his parents' names were carved into stone, Helius felt an emptiness grow within. His brothers and sister tried to comfort him, their hands resting on his shoulders. His wife remained close, holding him, whispering for him to stay strong. Helius felt her warmth, but the pain pierced too deeply for words to heal.
That night, after the burial, he spoke with her quietly. He told her he needed time in his hometown—to grieve, to find peace, before joining her again in the city. She looked at him with understanding, though he could see the reluctance in her eyes. A few days later, she returned to the capital, leaving Helius to face his sorrow alone.
From then on, Helius chose isolation. He moved into a small house in the mountains, a place his parents often stayed whenever they sought peace away from town. The land was quiet and surrounded by fields where vegetables grew and chickens roamed freely. The air was crisp, the nights silent except for the chirping of crickets and the distant barking of dogs.
It was a peaceful place—perfect for rest and, perhaps, healing. But for Helius, it was also a constant reminder of everything he had lost.
Then one night, peace was broken.
Helius was asleep when a thunderous impact jolted him awake. The ground trembled, dogs barked furiously, and chickens flapped in panic. The air itself seemed to vibrate, as though something massive had struck the earth. At first, he thought it was a thief—chicken theft was common in the province. Grabbing a machete and flashlight, he hurried outside.
The dogs weren't barking wildly; they were fixated in one direction—toward the southern hill. There, a faint glow pulsed against the night. A fire flickered at the top of the hill, small but strange, unlike anything natural. Heart pounding, Helius followed the sound and light.
When he reached the spot, he froze.
Before him lay a crater, fresh from impact. Smoke curled upward, and the soil was torn apart as if ripped open by some colossal force. His first thought was that a meteorite had crashed. But as he drew closer, his eyes caught something far more unusual.
Hovering above the crater was a cube.
It glowed white with streaks of blue, shifting and folding into endless patterns. Its surface rearranged itself in geometric flows, alive with movement. Despite having no wings, no engines, no visible mechanism at all, it floated effortlessly, as if gravity itself had no claim over it.
Helius, his curiosity overpowering his fear, climbed carefully down into the crater. The cube hovered about five feet above the ground, pulsing with steady light. He reached out a trembling hand.
At first, his hand slipped through, like passing through smoke. He gasped and tried to pull away, but in the next moment, the cube latched onto him. His hand stuck fast.
Then came the pain.
A thick, black fluid seeped from the cube, sinking into his skin. It raced through his veins, into his muscles and bones, burning as though fire consumed every cell of his body. He screamed, his cries mixing with the furious barking of dogs outside.
The torment seemed endless. He pulled and twisted, but the cube held firm. The fire inside him only grew, each wave tearing him apart and rebuilding him again. After a minute, the pain dulled—only to be replaced by something worse.
Information.
Images, symbols, knowledge—alien and incomprehensible—flooded his mind. It pressed against his thoughts until it felt as if his skull would split open. He clutched his head, staggering, screaming again as the cube forced its will into his brain.
Two unbearable minutes later, the cube dissolved into thin air.
Helius collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. His body trembled violently, drenched in sweat. His vision swam, his muscles ached, and exhaustion crushed him under its weight.