The small room was dimly lit by the glow of a computer screen.
Aragon sat cross legged on the floor, staring at the monitor with complete focus. The room around him was messy books scattered on the desk, clothes thrown carelessly on a chair, empty snack packets lying nearby.
But Aragon didn't notice any of that.
On the screen, an anime hero stood on top of a ruined battlefield.
His cloak moved in the wind. Dozens of defeated enemies surrounded him.
The hero raised his sword and said confidently,
"Power isn't something you're given.
It's something you take."
Aragon leaned slightly forward. His eyes shone with excitement. The hero in the anime was powerful, fearless, respected by everyone.
A true overpowered main character.
The kind of character that could defeat enemies, protect people, and live the kind of life Aragon had only ever imagined.
The episode ended the screen went dark. Aragon leaned back against the wall and sighed.
"…That world looks way more fun."
He rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the ceiling.
"If only life was like that."
A world of magic...
A world where strength meant everything...
A world where someone like him could become strong…..
For a moment, Aragon imagined himself there. Attending a magical academy. Training with other students.
Becoming powerful....
Becoming someone people respected...
Then his alarm clock suddenly rang loudly. Reality returned, reality was different.
The school hallway was loud with voices. Students laughed, talked, and walked in groups. Aragon walked alone, his bag hung loosely over one shoulder, and his steps were slow.
A few boys standing near the lockers noticed him. One of them smirked,
"Well look who it is"
Another laughed
"The weak guy"
Aragon tried to ignore them and kept walking. But one of them stepped in front of him.
"Hey..!"
The boy pushed Aragon lightly on the shoulder
"Why are you always walking around like that? You look pathetic"
The others laughed.Aragorn clenched his fist. He wanted to say something. He wanted to push back.But when he tried to move forward, his body reacted slower than he expected. He stumbled slightly. More laughter followed.
"See? He can't even stand properly."
The boys walked away, still laughing.
Aragon stood there quietly,
His chest felt tight…..
He hated this feeling...
The feeling of being weak…..
Later that day, inside the changing room after sports class, Aragon sat alone on the bench. Other students were talking and joking loudly nearby.
Aragon slowly tied his shoes. He remembered the anime from the morning. The hero standing proudly on the battlefield.
Strong…..
Unstoppable...
Respected....
Aragon let out a small laugh,
"…That world was better"
He leaned back and closed his eyes,
"If only…"
"If only I could have power like that"
The thought stayed in his mind.
A simple wish but one that felt impossible.
*Presently: The Throne of Shadows
Darkness filled the ancient chamber.
Cold air moved slowly across the floor.
The massive throne stood silently at the end of the hall. And sitting upon it was the being known as Noir, The shadow guide.
One of the legendary Majestic Five.
His glowing eyes watched Aragon calmly. Aragon stood several steps away from him, still recovering from the brutal trial he had just survived.
The silence between them lasted for a few seconds.
Then Aragon finally spoke
"…Why me?"
His voice was tired but steady
Noir tilted his head slightly
"Why you?"
"Yes."
Aragon's eyes narrowed slightly
"You're offering power to someone you barely know."
He crossed his arms
"There has to be a reason"
For a moment, Noir didn't answer
Then he slowly leaned back in his throne.
"I have been wandering in this dungeon for a very long time"
His voice echoed softly in the chamber
"Centuries… perhaps longer…."
The shadows around him moved gently as he continued speaking
"At first, I simply watched the world"
"Heroes rising…."
"Kingdoms falling….."
"Mortals chasing power…."
His glowing eyes focused on Aragorn again
"But none of them interested me..."
He raised one hand slightly
"Until I saw you…..!"
A Life Worth Watching
Aragon frowned slightly
"…Me?"
Noir nodded slowly
"I looked into your past"
The words made Aragon tense slightly
"I saw your previous life"
"The struggles….."
"The humiliation….."
"The endless feeling of being powerless…..."
Aragon looked away for a moment
Noir continued calmly
"Most people in that situation would eventually break…"
"But you didn't"
The shadows behind Noir shifted slightly
"And then… there was the day the monsters attacked Ravenhold village"
Aragon's head lifted
He remembered that day clearly,
The fear…..
The chaos...
The screams...
Noir's voice became quieter
"Most men ran"
"But you stood your ground"
"You fought… even though you knew you might die….."
A small smile appeared on Noir's face
"That was the moment I became interested"
The chamber grew quiet again Aragorn looked down at the ground for a moment. Then he raised his head,
"So you watched my life like a story"
"Something like that"
"And now you want to give me power?"
Noir nodded
"Yes….!"
Aragon's eyes hardened slightly
"And what do you gain from this?"
Noir stood up from his throne
The movement was slow but powerful
Dark energy moved gently around him
"I gain something very simple…."
He stopped in front of Aragon
"Entertainment…..!"
Aragon raised an eyebrow
Noir continued calmly
"I want to see what someone like you becomes when given the power to change fate"
The shadows around them grew slightly darker
"So tell me, Aragon"
"Will you accept the power of shadows….?"
Aragon stood silently,
His mind was filled with memories.The laughter in the school hallway.The helpless feeling of being weak.The dream of becoming strong.Then he remembered the anime hero from that morning.A man who took power instead of waiting for it.
Aragon slowly raised his head
"…Alright."
Noir's eyes glowed slightly brighter Aragorn continued
"I'll accept your offer"
The moment the words left his mouth the chamber trembled. Darkness rushed across the walls like a living storm. Ancient shadows awakened from every corner of the room.
Aragon felt something powerful flowing into his body,
Cold....
Heavy.....
Ancient.....
The throne behind Noir cracked slightly as the energy spread across the hall.
Noir watched quietly
"Good…."
Far Away
In the capital of Rivergate Kingdom, the royal courtyard was filled with movement. Three heroes stood together near the entrance gate.
Among them was Selva, her armor shone under the morning sunlight.
A royal officer stood before them
"Your destination is the Stormvale Kingdom"
"The purpose of this journey is simple"
"To strengthen the political alliance between our kingdoms"
Selva listened quietly. This wasn't a dangerous mission. Just a diplomatic journey. Still, something in her mind felt strange.
For some reason… She thought about Aragon…..!
In the Darkness
Deep within the dungeon, silence returned. The shadows slowly settled.
Everything was dark again.
Then a faint sound,
Breathing...
The darkness shifted slightly.
And suddenly two eyes opened…
Aragon's eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. The power flowing inside him felt unfamiliar,
Strange...
But undeniably real…..
The boy who once dreamed of power…
had finally taken the first step toward it...!!