Rebekah stared at the glowing screen, still lost in its moving colors. The soft hum of the machines filled the quiet store. The clerk's voice brought her back.
"Would you like to buy one, miss?"
She blinked. "Ah…yes. One set, please."
The man nodded and turned around to get the console from a glass shelf. The silver box gleamed under the white lights, smooth and simple, with the words SoulLink: The Eclipse etched in black across the front. A smaller case beside it held what looked like a thin headset and a pair of finger rings.
"That'll be 1800 dollars," the clerk said, placing it carefully on the counter.
Rebekah's chest tightened. That was almost all the money they had saved. Still, Omen's words from earlier echoed in her mind.
She took a slow breath and pulled out her old leather pouch. The bills inside were wrinkled, worn. She counted them twice before sliding them over. The man took them without comment and handed her the box in a small brown bag.
As she held it, something in her heart stirred, hope, maybe, or fear.
"Does it really work for everyone?" she asked, unable to stop herself.
The clerk gave a small shrug. "That's what they say. No age limit, no vision required. As long as your brain's alive, you can enter the world of Eclipse."
The words sent a shiver down her spine. She nodded quickly, thanked him, and turned to leave.
Outside, the night air hit her face, cool and damp. The streets of Zone 3 were quieter now. Most shops had started closing, their lights dimming one by one. She hugged the bag to her chest and began walking fast, her slippers slapping against the pavement.
Her hoodie fluttered behind her in the breeze as her long hair brushed against her cheeks. She could still feel the warmth from the store lights fading off her skin.
"Omen's gonna freak out," she whispered with a small smile.
As she walked, her thoughts raced.
The Divine Order… the government… SoulLink.
Why would all of them join hands for a game?
It didn't make sense.
She remembered the broadcast, the host's smug smile, the way he said "authorised use of strengths and weaknesses."
That was unheard of. People were jailed for using their powers without permission, yet this game was encouraging it.
Rebekah bit her lip.
She didn't understand it, but she didn't care right now.
All that mattered was Omen.
The boy had been blind since she'd known him, moving through the small apartment with careful, quiet steps.
He never complained, never showed anger, but she knew how much it hurt him, to never have seen the world he lived in.
And now, maybe, through this game… he could.
Her pace quickened. The streets were emptier, darker now. A few stray cats ran across the alleys. A group of rough men stood near a vending stall, their laughter sharp and echoing. She kept her head down, gripping the bag tighter.
Her body still remembered the way their eyes had followed her earlier. It made her chest tighten, her breath quicken, but she ignored it.
'Don't lose focus,' she told herself. 'Just get home.'
The building finally came into view, tall, cracked, with flickering lights in the hallway windows. She rushed through the doors and pressed the lift button. The old machine groaned before opening.
Inside, the hum of the cables filled the silence. Her heart pounded faster now, not from fear but from excitement.
She imagined Omen's face when she'd show him the console, that quiet disbelief, that rare smile he tried to hide.
When the lift doors opened, she stepped out and hurried down the corridor. The dim orange lights buzzed overhead as she reached their apartment.
She opened the door softly, trying not to wake him if he was asleep. But the moment she stepped inside, she heard him stir.
"Rebekah?" His voice came from the small bed near the window.
"Yeah," she said quickly, closing the door behind her. "I got it."
There was a pause. Then a slow breath. "You did?"
She smiled even though he couldn't see it. "Yes. The Eclipse. It's right here."
Omen pushed himself up, the white bandage still covering his eyes. His pale fingers brushed against the edge of the blanket. "How much did it cost?"
Rebekah hesitated. "Enough," she said simply. "Don't worry about that."
He tilted his head slightly. "You used the savings, didn't you?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she placed the box beside him on the bed. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you can try it. The man said it works for anyone. Even if they can't see."
For a moment, Omen said nothing. Then his hand moved, tracing the smooth edges of the box. His fingers stopped at the words engraved across it.
"SoulLink…The Eclipse."
There was a strange calmness in his face as he said it, as if he were saying something important.
Rebekah sat beside him and carefully opened the box. Inside was a small, sleek headset with two glowing rings meant to be worn on the fingers. The instructions were simple, connect, wear, close your eyes, and think of the word "Start."
She watched as Omen reached for the headset, his fingers trembling slightly. "It feels… warm," he whispered.
"Do you want to wait till morning?" Rebekah asked softly.
He shook his head. "No. I want to try it now."
His voice had changed, quiet, but steady. Determined.
Rebekah nodded and helped him put on the device. The small rings clicked onto his fingers, glowing faintly blue. The headset wrapped around the back of his head, its smooth metal surface touching the bandage over his eyes.
When everything was in place, she stepped back.
"Omen?"
He smiled faintly, the kind of smile she hadn't seen in years.
"Let's see if this world is as real as they say."
Then he whispered the word.
"Start."
The rings flashed. The light spread through his body in thin lines, bright and fast like living veins of energy. For a second, Rebekah froze. The room filled with a faint hum, almost like a heartbeat.
And then…silence.
Omen's body relaxed, his breathing even, but his lips curved slightly upward.
Rebekah stood there, eyes wide.
She had seen many miracles as a priestess, healing, light, blessings, but this… this felt different.
She didn't know where he had gone or what he was seeing, but she could feel it in her chest, that he wasn't here anymore.
Her voice came out as a whisper.
"Omen?"
He didn't respond, only smiled faintly, as if watching something beautiful behind those closed eyes.
Rebekah slowly sat beside him, her heart beating faster.
She didn't understand what kind of game this Eclipse really was…
But one thing she knew for sure, it wasn't normal.
The faint glow from the headset reflected in her eyes as she looked at him, worry and awe mixing together.
"Omen…" she whispered again, clutching the side of the bed.
"I just hope this world doesn't take you away from me."
Outside, thunder rumbled faintly in the sky, and the lights flickered once before going out.
***