Under a dark blue sky filled with stars, Kairo awoke on the sands of a barren desert. He rose slowly, brushed the sand off his face, and looked around, finding nothing but an endless stretch of sand. He wondered how he came to be in this place.
"... Where am I? What am I doing here?"
His words echoed through the quiet desert. He tried to recall the last thing that happened, "I was walking down an alley near the shop I work at... could this have something to do with that strange gate?" He began walking through the desert, searching for shelter, thoughts racing through his mind.
The ground was rugged, his feet sinking into the soft sand, making movement difficult. He stumbled upon a strangely concealed trapdoor, as if whoever hid it wanted it to be discovered. A wooden door covered in sand, with only its handle protruding.
Kairo entered through it, descending a staircase. As he went down, he came across an old wooden door. He tried to open it, but it collapsed to the ground.
The place looked ancient, as if no one had entered for ages.
In the center of the room was a dusty wooden table with a small book and a box. He opened the book, finding mostly blank pages, with some filled with lengthy writing. He started from the first page.
He read: •Dear reader, if you're reading this book, I may be dead now. You are the chosen one. Since you came to this world, you might be able to fix it. If you're wondering what's happening, I don't know all the details either, but I know the plan will work. Try to control your mana to become strong enough to change this world's fate. Open the box, and you'll find what you need to get out of the desert. The remaining pages contain ways to use your power correctly.•
"... What is this?"
'Is this some kind of prank? But it could be true... how did I get to this desert? Will what's inside the box give me an answer?'
He tried opening the box, but it was locked. Looking around the room, he saw a drawer in the wooden table, opened it, and found a key.
He tried the key on the box, and it opened.
Inside, he found a strange crimson stone. When he touched it, it began to glow. Kairo stood still as the glow surrounded him, marking an area just a few centimeters around him.
A bright light appeared, blinding Kairo for a moment.
When he opened his eyes, he saw only darkness surrounding him, piercing through to his very soul. It was a cold room, like a cell without bars.
Was this teleportation?
"This confirms the letter's truth."
"What is this place, anyway?"
After checking his pockets, he found his wallet and mobile phone, but unfortunately, the battery was dead.
He sat down and opened the book to understand where he was,
flipping through the pages.
Many pages were blank, while others were filled with instructions, but he found nothing about this place.
He read: •An important note: There are two main types of power in this world, mana and ki. The number of people who possess ki here is almost zero, but they are quite similar. The primary reliance is on mana, and the best way to use it is through meditation. A person's mana can only be increased through curses or ancient artifacts.•
•To harness water, you must imagine the water in the size and shape you desire. The amount of water you can control depends mainly on your mana level and the intensity of your training.•
He tried following the requirements, extended his hand, cleared his mind, envisioned the amount of water he wanted, and attempted to release it.
A single drop fell from his hand.
He was struck with amazement and intense excitement that made him forget his exhaustion. He eagerly flipped through the rest of the pages.
.
.
..
Wait, how am I able to read this book?
It's not a language I know. How am I understanding it?
I'll wonder about that later; I need to find an exit now.