The whole space rumbled. Jan's emotion surged, then he regained his composure.
A ringing sound echoed. He looked to his side. Surprise flickered across his face for a moment. Then, he started to dance in delight.
He reached out to the blank canvas beside him, but no matter what he did, there was no reaction. He couldn't interact with it. Nonetheless, Jan didn't give up. He tried everything, but without a physical form, he was unable to do anything.
Surrounded by the matter in space, he wondered if it was enough to construct a body. He gathered all the matter around him, watching as it cracked and split into tiny pieces. He felt a sense of wholeness fill his entire being as he consumed it. First, his veins formed, followed by his internal organs, skeleton, and skin, until his body was whole.
"Whoa, it actually worked," he said in amazement.
Floating mid-air was a man with ocean-blue hair and obsidian-black eyes. His aura of majesty filled the air, his body radiating a scarlet hue. It seemed that something was still lacking.
He waved his hand, and the plain below mimicked the motion, land upheaving to form a mountain.
But that was not his concern right now. He looked to the right and found the blank canvas. Reaching out, he felt the sensation of touching a liquid with strong buoyancy.
As he traced his finger on the canvas, a trail of golden light followed. Jan drew a circle, and it materialized in front of him. It was a void where no light could escape. He was in awe of this power, the thoughts of freedom and doing whatever he wanted filled his mind. The sensation of being free, unbound by any shackles of the world, was a reality he never expected.
"What if I do this then?"
He drew a sword on the canvas. After a glow, a sword floated before him, radiating a divine light. He reached for the sword, but the moment his hand gripped it, he felt an intense heat. Jolting away, his hand was in pain; smoke was rising from the burn.
"What is this? Why can't I hold this sword?" Jan felt confused.
Fissures burst open in the surrounding space. He spun his head around. The space was breaking apart, the cracks massive, filling his vision. The space shook as it shattered into bits, revealing a void. He stared into the abyss.
***
It was dark. Rich was in an unfamiliar place, enveloped by darkness. He could feel the coldness of the cement floor, paired with the echoing drops of water. It was mind-boggling.
The metal door creaked open, scraping against the cement floor. The ear-wrenching sound immobilized him as heavy shackles bound his whole body.
"So, this is the guy?" A regal and deep voice spoke.
"Yes, he's the guy we've been chasing," replied another voice, timid and cautious.
Rich couldn't see them because something covered his eyes. He could hear them talking about him.
Where am I? Will they execute me? He thought it was a fitting end for all the things he had done.
"Let's see what he's made of," the first voice commanded. "Remove his restraints."
"Yes, sir."
With deliberate gentleness, they freed his restraints from his body. The guard thrust in a key, and with a click, the metal chains crashed down. Next, he removed the chains from his feet. The guard raised his hand, focusing as it began to glow with a reddish aura. A magic circle appeared in mid-air. The next moment, Rich was glowing crimson red. His burden eased, and his sight returned. Finally, he could see.