Silence engulfed all sound, and darkness enveloped him. The lack of any surface or resistance gave the emptiness a hollow clarity as Lei Vaelith's body drifted freely, his limbs appearing to be untethered. He surrendered to the feeling of weightlessness and experienced an odd, subtle, but unmistakable wave of relaxation.
"I can grant you the desires of your heart, a life full of earthly splendour where you may wander the breadth of the world bathed in luxury and riches." The voice that warned and cautioned him eventually added...
"But realise that there is a cost—a cost so high that I am unable to express it, a burden that must be carried solely by your soul. It is entirely up to you, my child, to take the chance of walking into the dark without a light."
Lei experienced an odd clarity as he heard that.
"Yes," he muttered, his mind feeling uncannily empty yet certain.
I have no idea why l'm here. Or why i am not afraid,… he whispered.
"But this clarity doesn't feel natural."
Sensation returned as soon as he spoke, the slight weight of his own body grounding him once more, pressure beneath his feet.
Something deep within Lei's mind was pulled by the word "travelling." He recalled his hometown's winding streets and the nights he spent wandering, intoxicated by the freedom of tales and the aroma of exotic spices. The excitement had always outweighed the costs, even though each step had cost him hours of study and a risky future. However, it had ended badly, with a broken body, the bitter taste of wasted life, and the fists of strangers.
Suddenly, The bright white light from the front door and window stabbed at Lei's eyes as he jerked out of bed.
Lei stiffened and muttered to himself as he looked around. "This is my house, right? The one I sold to fund my travels five years after Mom and Dad passed away?"
Was that true encounter? Was it really?…,he asked himself, remembering how empty he had been.
Suddenly, a mechanical voice startled him.
There was a screen in front of him. It glowed with a blue hue as words flashed upon it.
Words came on the screen:
"Dear Host, this is your system. Immediately choose your best friend as your partner. It gives unlimited amounts of money, fulfilling all your wishes and dreams, but you must agree to pay the unspeakable price."
Lei Vaelith, who for so long had dreamed of such possibilities, felt a flicker of anticipation outweigh his fear.
"Yes. I agree to pay the price," he whispered without hesitation.
The holograph illuminated, and two buttons appeared: Yes or No.
Without hesitation, he pushed the Yes button.
The blue screen flashed with updates:
Budget: Unlimited
Money spent: zero
"Yesss!" he yelled, then froze.
"What if I'm hallucinating?"
Testing his doubt, he muttered, "System… give me 100 euros."
A sudden note appeared in the palm of his hand. He lifted his hand to look at it more closely—it was real.
The holograph corrected and updated:
Budget: Unlimited
Money spent: 100€
To be continued…