Chapter 1
Jack, a mere shadow of his former self, was haunted by the echoes of a life shattered into pieces. A year ago, his world imploded when a car accident claimed the lives of his parents, leaving him an orphan adrift in a tempestuous sea of grief. The driver, a reckless scion of the city's wealthiest family, had escaped unscathed. Driven by a fire of rage and injustice, Jack had confronted the young man, a spark igniting a wildfire of retribution.
Now, he was a hunted fugitive, every breath a countdown to capture. Cornered on a precipice of despair, with nowhere to run, Jack had leaped into the abyss, his body a fragile vessel plummeting towards an uncertain fate.
As consciousness flickered back, a world of ethereal beauty unfolded before him. A magnificent structure, resembling a celestial temple, stood as a beacon of serenity amidst an aura of holiness. Disorientation washed over him. Where was he? How had he survived the fall? His hands, smooth and adorned with a jade-like glow, sent shivers down his spine. A mirror reflected the image of an eighteen-year-old, strikingly handsome, a far cry from the gaunt and desperate fugitive he had been.
A surge of alien memories flooded his mind. He was no longer Jack, the orphan on the run. He was the heir to a mysterious family, the Patirach, a name whispered with reverence in this enigmatic world. A world where gods walked among mortals, where immortality was a given, and where power was derived from faith and divinity.
This was a realm without boundaries, a universe shrouded in mystery, its origins unknown. Here, anyone could ascend to godhood, but the path was arduous. Those who failed remained as civilians, living eternally yet relegated to the shadows. The true power lay with the awakened, those who had ignited the divine spark within them, creating their own worlds and amassing followers who, in turn, amplified their strength.
Lost in contemplation, Jack was jolted back to reality by a gentle voice. "Young master, it's time to wake up. You'll be late for school." A young woman, her face etched with concern, stood by his bedside. She was Whit, his childhood companion, the only constant in his fragmented memories.
Today was the day of his awakening ceremony, a pivotal moment in the life of every Patirach heir. With a heavy heart, Jack rose from the bed, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within him. The boy from the harsh world outside was gone, replaced by a prince destined for divinity. As he stepped out of the room, a new chapter in his life was about to begin, filled with both promise and peril.
[To be continued...]