Aiden woke up with a groan, filled with the harsh symphony of car horns and distant sirens. His head throbbed like a drum solo gone wrong, he cracked open one eye, wincing at the harsh sunlight, and blinked several times to clear the blurry vision.
He wasn't in his bed. He wasn't in the dorm room. He was sprawled on the cold grass, his body stiff and aching, beside… a pizza box? Memories of the previous night flooded back
As he stumbled to his feet, a wave of nausea washed over him
Max burst out laughing. "You look like you got hit by a bus… in your sleep."
Aiden's face flushed. "Don't even ask," he mumbled
"So you're telling me, you passed out outside after throwing away a pizza box?"
Max chuckled, "You scared the living daylights out of me when I couldn't find you."
They walked, Aiden's head still throbbing
Max patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Look, maybe we should just head inside and grab some coffee. You'll feel better after some caffeine and a shower"
Meanwhile in Aethel
"Any news on the heir?"
Aeon's voice echoed through the chamber, laced with a hint of impatience.
Elara bowed her head slightly.
"The search for Eos is our top priority. We have scoured every corner of Aethel, consulted ancient texts, and even ventured into the forbidden realms bordering the World Tree. Yet, Eos remains elusive."
"But.." Elara paused
Elara spoke carefully. "There have been whispers… rumors of a human child, possessing abilities beyond the ordinary. Some say this child may be the key to locating Eos"
"Perhaps, Lord Aeon. Perhaps the whispers point not to Aethel, but to the other side, Earth, the world where the King found his heir."
Aeon's gaze sharpened. "A human child?"
Elara recounted the whispers she had gathered, painting a figure of a young boy on Earth, Aiden, displaying an oozing aura of strength and resilience that defied explanation. As she spoke, Aeon's posture straightened
"This human child may hold the key," he declared.
"We must investigate further. Elara, assemble a team. They shall journey to Earth, discreetly observe this child, and determine if he truly possesses the potential to be the bridge to finding Eos."
"The Heir may not be where we expected him, but we will find him. The fate of both realms depends on it."
Elara bowed once more. "As you command"
"Seriously, dude, if we fail this semester, it's your fault for dragging me into that pizza madness," Max grumbled as he dug through a pile of wrinkled laundry, searching for a vaguely clean shirt.
"That was literally your idea." Aiden replied
Aiden sighed , "Anyways, I can't believe we're actually heading off to college,"
"Feels like just yesterday we were freshmen"
Max chuckled, "Yeah, well, at least this time we won't get lost trying to find the cafeteria."
"I know college is going to be crazy, with new people and stuff. But no matter what, we'll still be best friends, right?"
Aiden looked at Max, a warmth spread through his chest.
"Of course man, what are you saying?"
Aiden leaned back, a playful glint in his eyes. "Speaking of friends, remember Sarah from back in middle school?"
Max's head snapped up, "Sarah? Uh, yeah, why?"
Aiden grinned mischievously. "Just wondering if she ended up applying to the same college as us."
Aiden's smile widened. "Oh, come on, Max. Don't tell me you wouldn't be a little curious if you saw her around campus."
Max mumbled something unintelligible from within the depths of his shirt, but Aiden wasn't finished.
"Seriously dude, imagine if you bumped into her in the library or something, wouldn't you want to say hi?"
Max, with a shy smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Maybe... But what would I even say? It's been like, what, seven years?"
Aiden patted his friend's shoulder. "You're a great guy. Who knows, maybe this college thing will be the perfect opportunity for both of you"
Max let out a hesitant laugh. "Fine, but if I make a fool of myself, it's all on you."
Aiden and Max's laughter died down, replaced by a tense silence as a sudden knock echoed through the room.
"One moment, please," Max said, his voice slightly higher than usual.
Grabbing one, he discreetly nudged Aiden, who understood immediately.
Together, they moved towards the door, Max keeping guard.
Aiden peeked through the crack, his eyes widening in surprise.
Standing outside was a young man, dressed in a crisp suit, his face clean-shaven and his demeanor calm
The mysterious person added, "I apologize for the unannounced visit, but I believe it's important I speak to him"
He then points at Aiden
Aiden's heart lurched
Max, sensing his friend's unease, stepped forward.
"Look man we appreciate you coming by, but we're not really interested in any memberships right now."
The man remained calm but firm. "This isn't about selling memberships. It's about what happened last week."
Max, however, remained skeptical. "What happened last week?" he pressed, his voice tight.
"The car accident?" Aiden responded
The man's smile remained unchanged. "Yes and… it was extraordinary."
Before either of them could respond, The man continued.
"We can offer you answers, protection, and a purpose far greater than you could ever imagine."
As the man stepped inside, an eerie stillness filled the dorm room.
Aiden felt his legs weaken, and he gestured for them to move to the worn-down couch.
Max perched anxiously on the edge of the opposite seat, ready to step in at the slightest signal.
"So you said you can offer me answers," Aiden began
"Start with this – how do you know about the accident? And why do you think I have anything to do with… whatever this is?"
The man sat down, his posture relaxed despite the weight of the questions.
"Your accident was not a mere coincidence. It drew our attention for a very specific reason."
The man continued, "Let's not pretend ignorance. You know, deep down, that your survival was no ordinary occurrence."
"And that concerns you because…?" Max chimed in
"It concerns me because I've seen this before. People with extraordinary abilities, capable of defying the laws of nature. And usually, such power doesn't manifest out of thin air."
Aiden's hands clenched. " I appreciate that you're concerned," he said, choosing his words carefully,
"but frankly, I'm just as baffled as everyone else. It was a nasty crash. I got lucky, that's all."
The man leaned forward slightly, "Luck? No memories of anything… unusual? A feeling of strength? A resilience that you can't explain?"
Aiden felt his heart quicken. The man had hit unexpectedly close to the truth, the whispers and strange occurrences blurring in his mind.
"I don't know what you're talking about,"
Max finally spoke up, his voice tight. "Back off man. He's been through enough already."
The man held up a hand in a placating gesture. "You're standing in the middle of something extraordinary. Something that could put you, and others, in grave danger if it's harnessed by the wrong hands."
Aiden scoffed. "Danger? Look, man, I'm just trying to make it through college in one piece, not start some epic battle or something. This… this doesn't concern me."
The man leaned forward again, "Imagine this. You walk out of a collapsing building – unscathed. You brush against a deadly virus - unaffected. This isn't luck, It's power"
"Look around you man. This is my dorm room. My life. College textbooks, ramen noodles, and not some fantastical battle against unseen forces."
Aiden clenched his fists " I survived an accident. It's a good thing, a lucky thing. Why not leave it at that?"
Aiden added, "I'm just a college kid, trying to figure out what major I want. Sure I survived a crash. That doesn't mean I'm some kind of superhuman or that I'm in danger from whatever threat you're implying."
His voice rose as he added more
"I have a life to live. I won't be a subject of your research project or whatever it might be. I have no interest in whatever conspiracy theories you're peddling too."
I suggest you take your fantastical stories and leave. We have a full semester ahead of us."
The man responded, "The fate of countless lives may very well hinge on your decision."
Aiden's gaze locked with his, his frustration bubbling over. "And just who decides that? You?"
"Very well."
The man then gave Aiden his contact card
"Before I leave, let me just tell you that the world is not as it seems"
He left, closing the door with a soft click,
Aiden and Max stood in stunned silence for a few seconds, the weight of the encounter settling upon them. Max finally let out a long breath.
"Well," he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, "that was… something."
Aiden stared at the card the mysterious man left behind, a feeling of unease gnawing at the edges of his mind.
Maybe it was just the shock of the encounter, or perhaps a sliver of curiosity, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't entirely over.
"Yeah," Aiden replied,
"It definitely was something."
He tossed the card onto the desk