It was supposed to be an ordinary day like any other,
and I had no idea what was waiting for me that day.
I got out of bed, still half-asleep, dragging my feet to the bathroom, eyes fixed on the floor like I was hoping to find answers there.
Another school day. Again.
Nothing exciting. Nothing new.
— Hurry up, Elior! We're gonna be late again!
My little sister's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, yelling from the front door.
— Yeah yeah… I'm coming, I muttered without much conviction.
Once I was ready, I headed downstairs, still groggy.
Everything felt blurry, like a fog I couldn't shake off.
— You think life is gonna wait for you, Elior?!
My father's voice cracked through the air like a whip.
I'd done it again.
Let time slip through my fingers.
Checked out — again.
My mother looked at me, tired eyes. Not angry. Just… sad.
And that was even worse.
— We're not asking you to be perfect. Just to try.
You could at least pretend you care! she yelled, her voice breaking.
I could've said something kind.
I could've de-escalated.
But no.
I looked up, sighed… and said what I was thinking.
— If you'd just back off for a second, maybe I could breathe.
You talk to me like I'm a failure, but I never asked for anything…
Silence.
A sharp, heavy silence.
Then I grabbed my jacket, opened the door, and walked out.
Not to run away.
But because I knew that if I stayed… I'd say worse.
Outside, I thought about it all.
All those times they called me lazy.
Maybe they were right.
Maybe… I wanted to change too.
But I didn't know where to start.
I stared at the ground as I walked, like the pavement might show me how to live.
— That's just who I am…
Is it really a problem to be different?
Yeah, he wanted something to change.
But he still hoped it would happen on its own.
No pain. No effort.
"I'll go back and apologize. It's not that bad.
Just… one more minute outside."
One minute too many.
Then…
The ground trembled.
The air thickened.
Everything froze — like a video suddenly paused.
Time twisted.
A white light swallowed him.
And then… nothing.
When he opened his eyes, he was lying in the grass.
The sky above him was so blue, it felt unreal.
The air was pure. Too pure.
No cars. No voices.
He sat up.
— …Is this a dream? he whispered, throat dry.
In the distance, just a few meters away, stood a city — ancient, majestic, made of stone and wood.
It looked like it belonged to another era.
A forgotten world.
He got up slowly, brushing off his clothes.
Nothing looked familiar.
But everything felt real.
This isn't a dream. I can feel it.
But where am I?
And why me?
A glowing panel appeared in front of him, floating, with golden letters etched into its surface:
Welcome, Traveler.
An Origin Fragment sleeps within you.
Find it. Awaken it.
Elior frowned.
— Fragment? Traveler?
What the hell is this…?
He looked around. Not a single soul. Not a single sound.
He took a deep breath, and for the first time in a long while… he felt something new:
Fear
Not fear of monsters. Not fear of death.
Fear of being alone.
Fear that… maybe this time, he would finally have to face himself.