Ren Solas was still asleep that morning, tucked beneath his warm blanket, breathing softly in the comfort of childhood dreams. Golden light seeped in through the curtain, casting soft patterns on the wall.
Beside the bed sat a study table and a chair. Near the door stood a tall cupboard.
Suddenly, the door creaked open.
Wren, his older sister, stepped inside on quiet feet.
She was around twenty, with flowing black hair and calm blue eyes. She approached the bed with gentle steps and said softly,
"Wake up, Ren. It's time for school."
Ren didn't respond.
She sighed, looking at him with a mix of exhaustion and affection.
'Here we go again'
She pulled his blanket off. Ren wrinkled and curled tighter into the sheets.
'Okay… that's not enough, either.'
Wren grabbed both his legs, swung them off the bed, and gently forced him to stand.
She placed her hands on his shoulders and guided him toward the bathroom. Each step was clumsy—Ren half-asleep, stumbling—and she had to redirect him every time he veered off-course.
Finally, she nudged him into the bathroom and returned to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, their father sat dressed in a gray suit, reading the newspaper and eating toasted bread.
Their mother stood at the counter, boiling milk and preparing more toast.
Fifteen minutes later, Ren walked in, rubbing his eyes. He slumped into a chair.
His mother placed a plate and glass before him. "Eat up," she said gently.
"Thanks, Mom," Ren mumbled through a yawn, taking a bite of bread.
Wren smiled. "So, what's your plan for today?"
Ren looked at her while chewing. After swallowing, he said, "Nothing special. School. Games. Homework."
"Wanna go shopping later?"
"For what?"
"Clothes," she said with a playful grin, "maybe toys."
Ren brightened. "Yeah! I'll go with you."
Their father folded the newspaper and stood. "It's good you two are going out. Wren, don't let him out of your sight, alright?"
He ruffled both their heads before grabbing his bag and heading out.
Ren gulped down his entire glass of milk in one go—then gasped for breath, a white mustache on his upper lip.
Wren burst out laughing. "Wipe your milk mustache, genius."
Ren cleaned his face while their mother handed him a lunchbox.
"Go get ready or you'll be late for school," she warned.
Ren nodded and hurried upstairs. Ten minutes later, he came back down in his school uniform. His mother handed him his lunch, and he left for school.
He walked with slow, small steps, kicking little stones along the way.
Then a voice behind him.
"Ren! Ren!"
He turned to see Takashi jogging toward him, panting and holding his knees to catch his breath.
"What happened?" Ren asked.
"Let's walk and talk. We're gonna be late," Takashi said.
The two boys began walking together.
"Did you watch yesterday's episode?" Ren asked.
"Yeah! It was awesome," Takashi grinned. "I loved the part when…"
They chatted all the way to the school gate, surrounded by other kids.
Suddenly, two boys snuck up from behind and patted Ren on the shoulder.
"Last one to the classroom loses!"
Without missing a beat, Ren grinned and shouted, "I'm not losing to you!"
He took off with Takashi, racing through the stairs and hallways. The four of them crashed into the classroom, laughing and panting.
Takashi flopped into a chair. "I can't even walk anymore…"
They all laughed as the bell rang.
And school began.
Later During Lunch
Takashi came up to Ren. "Let's have lunch together."
All four of them joined the same table and began eating.
One of the boys asked, "So, what's everyone doing this vacation?"
"I'll be visiting my grandparents' house," Takashi said.
Ren smiled. "That sounds so nice."
Then, sneaky as ever, Ren tried to steal an egg roll from Takashi's tiffin using his chopsticks.
Takashi caught him mid-act. "Ren, I'm not giving you this."
Ren grinned and tried again.
But Takashi blocked him then immediately shoveled the rest of his lunch into his mouth before Ren could make another attempt.
Ren stared, shocked, as Takashi chewed and laughed at the same time.
After swallowing, Takashi said with a mouthful grin, "Next period's physical education, right?"
"Yeah," Ren replied.
The bell rang.
Everyone closed their lunch boxes and began filing out of the room. The classroom emptied.
Only Ren was left.
Just as he got up to leave, he heard something chanting.
Soft at first, in a language he didn't recognize. Then louder. And louder.
He looked around the room. No one was there.
The chanting grew deafening.
Ren looked down at his hands they were turning translucent. Fading.
Panicked, he ran toward the door. But with each step, his body blurred.
He reached out his fingertips barely touched the doorknob
And vanished.
Ren opened his eyes slowly. He rubbed them.
He was lying on cold stone, in a narrow, shadowed alleyway.
He sat up, dazed. 'Where… where am I?'
Ahead, a hooded figure slumped against the wall.
A woman. Still. Silent.
Ren approached cautiously. "Ma'am? Are you okay? What is this place?"
No answer.
He reached out and tapped her shoulder.
Her body slumped forward.
A swarm of glistening black insects burst from beneath her cloak, flooding onto the ground and scurrying over his feet.
Ren screamed.
He spun around and ran blindly, breath ragged, through the twisting alleys. His footsteps echoed off the walls, panic pounding in his chest.
Then—light.
A wide street opened before him.
Carriages rolled past. Horses trotted lazily. And people, human and otherwise filled the street.
Dwarves. Elves. Beastfolk in armor and cloaks. Speaking strange dialects. Laughing. Trading. Buying food.
Ren stood frozen, eyes wide with disbelief.