The rain fell without mercy.
Not just ordinary rain that soaked the streets—
but rain that carried with it a quiet, lingering emptiness.
Each drop echoed against the pavement,
soft… repetitive… endless.
Like time itself, moving forward without purpose.
The streetlights flickered weakly above,
as if they were struggling to stay alive.
And beneath that fading glow…
a young man walked alone.
His name was Zack.
His steps were slow.
Not rushed.
Not hesitant.
Just… moving.
As if he walked not because he wanted to—
but because he didn't know what else to do.
People passed by him.
Some laughed.
Some talked.
Some ran, trying to escape the rain.
But none of it reached him.
To Zack…
it was like watching a different world.
Distant.
Blurred.
Meaningless.
He stopped under a streetlight.
Rain dripped down from his hair, sliding across his face.
But he didn't wipe it away.
His eyes slowly lifted toward the sky.
Dark.
Empty.
Just like him.
"…why am I even alive?"
His voice was barely a whisper.
Yet inside him…
the question echoed louder than anything else.
🧠 INNER MONOLOGUE
If I disappeared right now…
Would anyone even notice?
Zack closed his eyes.
His heartbeat felt heavy.
"…I'm tired…"
This time, he didn't deny it.
He wasn't tired from work.
He wasn't tired from people.
He was tired of something he couldn't explain.
Tired of the emptiness.
Tired of a life that never seemed to move forward.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
Someone bumped into his shoulder.
Zack flinched slightly.
"…sorry."
The man clicked his tongue and walked away.
Zack just stood there.
Watching.
Then slowly looked down again.
"…I really don't matter, do I…"
🏠 A ROOM FILLED WITH SILENCE
That night…
Zack returned to his small room.
Empty.
Quiet.
No one waiting.
No one calling his name.
He opened the door slowly.
The soft click echoed through the space.
He stood there for a moment.
Looking around.
"…nothing changes…"
He took off his shoes.
Sat on the edge of his bed.
Staring at the floor.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
Silence filled everything.
"…if I disappeared…"
He stopped.
"…would anyone care?"
He sighed.
Closing his eyes.
🌌 THE DREAM
Darkness.
Silence.
Then—
CRACK!!!
The sky split open.
A deep crimson light flooded everything.
Zack stood in the middle of a ruined world.
The ground was shattered.
Mountains collapsed.
Flames consumed the sky.
"…where am I…"
His voice trembled.
Then…
a shadow covered the sky.
Slowly…
a massive black dragon descended.
Its body was enormous.
Too enormous.
Its eyes burned like crimson fire.
A suffocating aura surrounded it.
Zack tried to move.
But he couldn't.
"I… can't move…"
The dragon landed.
BOOM!!!
The ground shattered beneath it.
Zack almost collapsed.
The dragon stepped closer.
Its gaze locked onto him.
Then it spoke.
"At last… I've found you…"
The voice wasn't just heard.
It was felt.
Deep within his mind.
"…what are you…"
Zack whispered.
The dragon lowered its head.
Closer.
"You've forgotten… who you truly are…"
Zack trembled.
"…I'm just human…"
The dragon laughed softly.
"AHHAHAHHAHAHAHA"
But the sound shook the world.
"Humans… cannot stand here…"
Zack's breath hitched.
"…then what am I…"
The dragon opened its mouth slightly.
Dark flames flickered within.
"You are the heir…
the last heir of the ancient dragons…"
Zack's heart pounded violently
"…I don't understand…"
"You will…
when everything begins."
⚡ AWAKENING
"HAH!!"
Zack shot up from his bed.
His breathing was uneven.
Sweat covered his body.
"…that wasn't just a dream…"
For the first time…
he was afraid.
❤️ THE MEETING❤
The next day…
Zack walked as usual.
But something felt different.
Then,
BAM!
He bumped into someone.
"I'm so sorry!"
Zack looked up.
And for a moment…
everything slowed down.
A girl stood in front of him.
Her eyes were clear.
Calm.
"…it's okay…"
Zack replied quietly.
She looked at him.
Longer than normal.
As if she was trying to see something deeper.
"Are you okay?"
Zack froze.
"…why are you asking that…"
She smiled gently.
"I don't know… you just look lost."
Zack's chest tightened.
"…I am lost…"
She blinked, slightly surprised.
But she didn't step back.
"…then find your way back."
Zack shook his head slowly.
"…what if I don't know the way…"
She smiled again.
"Then maybe… the way will find you."
Zack stared at her.
"…why are you so kind…"
She let out a small laugh.
"I'm not kind… I just don't like seeing people
look like you."
"…like me?"
"Like someone carrying too much alone."
Zack said nothing.
Because she was right.
"…your name…"
"Siti Khadijah."
"…Zack."
She nodded.
"See you again, Zack."
She walked away.
And this time…
Zack didn't feel completely empty.
🌌 THE BEGINNING
That evening…
Zack walked home.
But the world felt… different.
The wind stopped.
Silence filled everything.
Too silent.
Zack stopped.
He looked at his shadow.
And then
…it moved.
Not with him.
But on its own.
Zack stepped back.
"…what is this…"
The shadow grew.
Darker.
Alive.
And that voice returned.
Closer.
Clearer.
Stronger.
"Your time… has come."
Next Chapter 2