Chapter 1: Prologue – Part 0
"No… don't do this!"
A hand wrapped in darkness descended from the sky like a colossal fist, crushing everything beneath it. Screams. Lights. Blood.
All of it vanished in an instant.
Adrian awoke with a gasp, heart pounding. Sweat dripped from his forehead, plastering his hair to his skin. The room, cloaked in shadows, felt even more suffocating after the nightmare.
"Again… that same nightmare," he whispered, staring at the ceiling veiled in the darkness of night.
The silence was heavy. Only the ticking of a clock broke the monotony.
"When did I finally find peace…?"
He sat up, hugging his knees. His eyes wandered through the darkness, as if searching for an answer in the void.
"Mom… Dad… I miss you so much… I wish you were here…"
Outside, the moon cast a silver glow through the gaps in the curtain. The trees swayed gently in the wind, their shadows dancing on the walls like ghosts from the past.
Part 1: Genesis – The Awakening
Adrian Elian, an orphan, was just an ordinary person. At least, that's how he saw himself ever since the night his life was torn apart.
He had lived in an orphanage since he was six years old. Now, at sixteen, the most important decision of his life loomed ahead like a storm on the horizon. He looked out the window, eyes lost in the golden clouds of the morning sun.
"Adrian! Lunch is ready!" Maria, the orphanage director, called from downstairs, her voice firm yet motherly.
"Coming! Good morning, Maria!" he replied, trying to hide the weight in his voice.
Maria was like a mother to all the children there. Her hands were calloused, her eyes strong, and her rare smile could warm even the most broken hearts. Some said she had been a powerful woman in her youth—there were even whispers of legendary feats.
"Adrian, what will your choice be?" she asked as he reached the foot of the stairs, her gaze full of expectation.
He swallowed hard. He knew exactly what she meant.
In that world, there were the Heirs—those chosen by divine spirits, fragments of ancient myths and legends. Once awakened, these chosen ones could alter the course of history. Some joined great factions, others formed their own groups, and a rare few dared to challenge forgotten divine realms alone. There were also those who waited silently, hoping to be chosen by a powerful entity to become its servant or subordinate.
The weight of these possibilities pressed on Adrian's chest like invisible chains.
"So what do you want me to do?" he retorted, a mix of irony and frustration in his eyes. "Beg for some figure to accept me as a servant? Get married, have kids, and repeat the same story as always?"
Maria remained silent, as if she could see beyond his words. Outside, the wind rustled the trees, and the curtains danced with a whisper of omens.
Without waiting for an answer, Adrian turned and ran—out the door, down the corridor, and into the morning light—chased by thoughts he could no longer silence.