Filip couldn't tell whether minutes or hours had passed since the darkness had swallowed them.
There was no ground beneath his feet, no sky above—only an endless void pressing in from all directions. The silence wasn't empty. It was heavy, suffocating, as though it were waiting for something to shatter it.
Beside him, Rio trembled.
At first, the shaking had been violent and uncontrollable, like his body was rejecting reality itself. Now it had weakened, fading into small, uneven tremors—and somehow, that felt worse. His breathing was shallow and irregular, and his eyes stared into nothing, unfocused and hollow.
"Rio…" Filip said softly.
There was no response.
Filip swallowed. The silence felt dangerous, like if he didn't fill it, something else would.
"So… what do we do now?" he asked, forcing his voice to stay steady.
Rio didn't answer. He didn't even blink.
Filip clenched his hands together. Say something. Anything.
He started talking—not because he had answers, but because stopping felt impossible.
"Okay. Let's think. We've… been given two options." His words echoed faintly, as if the void itself were listening. "Rebirth. No memories. We'd live normal lives again, but… we wouldn't remember each other. Or anything at all."
He paused, then continued more quietly.
"Or we go to another world. A dangerous one. We keep our memories—but we risk dying for real."
As the words settled, their weight finally crushed down on him.
"No matter what we choose…" Filip admitted, his voice unsteady, "we lose something. Either our past… or our future."
His voice cracked.
"I'm scared," he said. "Not of dying. I'm scared of losing you."
That finally reached Rio.
The trembling slowed further. His breathing gradually steadied, though his expression remained distant, clouded by grief. His thoughts drifted—his family, his home, the people who would never know what truly happened to him.
Would anyone even understand?
He exhaled slowly.
Thinking like this won't help.
When Rio finally spoke, his voice was hoarse, but clear.
"We need more information."
Filip blinked, then released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Yeah… yeah, you're right."
The void stirred.
A presence returned—not physical, yet impossible to ignore.
"You may ask," the godlike voice echoed gently. "Before you choose."
Filip straightened instantly. "Okay—okay! So, like—powers? Magic systems? Skills? Do we get something like a hero setup?"
Rio sighed, rubbing his face. "You're exhausting."
A faint hint of amusement rippled through the voice.
"Magi exists," it explained. "But it requires effort, study, and discipline. There are no predetermined systems. No guaranteed growth."
Filip's excitement visibly faltered.
"You will begin isolated," the voice continued. "Far from civilization. The land is dangerous. Survival will not be simple."
"…So no instant hero life," Filip muttered.
"No," the voice replied calmly.
Filip turned to Rio. "What do you think?"
Rio lifted his gaze. "How far is the nearest city?"
"A journey of several months," the voice answered.
Rio's jaw tightened. "We're teenagers. No combat experience. No magic training." He paused. "What are our chances of surviving?"
The silence stretched.
"You will receive limited aid," the voice said at last. "Three talents each. Equipment suited to your chosen paths. Nothing more."
Rio nodded slowly, committing every word to memory.
"…What about our clothes?" he asked suddenly.
Filip stared at him. "That's what you ask?"
"It matters," Rio replied flatly.
"You will be given equipment," the voice said. "Functional. Magical. Appropriate."
The presence faded once more, leaving them alone in the void.
Rio took a deep breath. His hands clenched—then relaxed. He turned toward Filip, his eyes steady despite the fear still lingering within them.
"I'm scared," Rio said honestly. "Of the future. Of dying. Of everything going wrong."
Filip didn't interrupt.
"But…" Rio continued, his voice softer now, "I don't want to be alone."
He hesitated, then met Filip's eyes.
"Come with me. To the other world."
For a moment, Filip just stared.
Then he smiled.
"Obviously," he said without hesitation. "I'm not letting you do this alone."
He placed a hand on Rio's shoulder. "I'll stay with you. No matter the world. No matter the danger."
Something inside Rio finally loosened.
For the first time since the darkness began, he felt lighter.
"…Thanks," he whispered.
Together, they nodded.
And made their choice.