Heaven's Outcast — Chapter 1: The Boy by the River
He dreamed of fire.
Of mountains crumbling, oceans burning, and the heavens collapsing into ruin.
At the heart of it all stood himself—a man wielding the destructive will of the world, tearing through fate to save what little remained.
And when the end came, his only thought was simple:
> "If this is the end… then let me end with it."
Light swallowed everything.
---
He woke to silence.
Cold water lapped against his skin, sunlight warming his face.
The chaos was gone. Only the whisper of the river and the cry of birds remained.
He pushed himself up, dazed. His body felt wrong—smaller, lighter, weaker.
When he looked into the water, a boy stared back at him. No older than sixteen, unfamiliar yet undeniably him.
> "...I was supposed to be gone."
The memory of his sacrifice burned in his mind. He remembered the war, the destruction, the moment he gave everything—and yet he still lived.
---
He raised his hand out of habit, calling the world's power.
For an instant, he felt it answer—the faint tremor of earth, the pulse of the wind, the rhythm that once bent to his will.
Then, it vanished. The connection shattered like glass.
> "You won't answer me anymore…"
"...Good. Maybe it's better this way."
He knelt beside the river. The face that looked back was calm, but empty.
Half of him was relieved—free from the burden.
Half of him was hollow—stripped of purpose.
> "I fought for life, but maybe… I just wanted to rest."
"Yet even death denies me."
The ground beneath him cracked faintly, then stilled.
He looked at his reflection and whispered,
> "So this is the outcome of my action."
He stood, the wind brushing past his hair.
The forest stretched endlessly before him, untouched and alive.
> "Now…"
"Let's see what this world has to offer."
A faint smile touched his lips before his vision blurred.
His knees gave way, and he collapsed beside the river, the sound of flowing water fading into darkness.
He passed out—
a forgotten god, adrift in a world he no longer belongs to.