Jack stood at the edge of the volcanic chasm, the heat from the Mighty Flames searing his skin. The soldiers, unmoved by his pleas or defiance, gripped him tightly by the arms, forcing him closer to the roaring inferno. He could feel the intense heat biting into his flesh, but he refused to scream. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction. As he was pushed closer, he called out one last time, his voice echoing through the treacherous landscape.
JACK:
Hana!
And then, with a final shove, Jack was cast into the flames. The searing pain was immediate and overwhelming. His skin blistered and cracked, and the fire consumed him from the inside out. As the flames licked at his body, turning him to ash, Jack's thoughts were only of Hana. His final word was her name, whispered as his consciousness faded into darkness.
JACK: (whispering)
Hana...
The flames devoured him completely, leaving nothing but ash in their wake. For a moment, there was nothing—no pain, no fear, no thoughts. Just the void. But then, suddenly, Jack's eyes flew open, and he gasped for breath as if surfacing from drowning. The unbearable heat was gone, replaced by an unsettling cold. He found himself once again in the dark room, his body whole and unharmed. The only light in the room came from a pair of menacing, gloomy red eyes staring directly at him.
RED EYES:
Nice to meet you once again, Jack.
Jack's heart pounded in his chest. The voice was familiar, and the presence of those eyes sent a chill down his spine.
JACK:
Who... who are you? We've met before, haven't we?
The eyes narrowed slightly, as if amused by Jack's confusion.
RED EYES:
Yes, indeed. We have met before.
Jack's mind raced as he tried to piece together what had happened. He remembered the flames, the agony, the moment he thought his existence had ended.
JACK:
I was about to be erased... wasn't I? So why am I here?
The red eyes seemed to glow brighter, as the voice spoke with a tone that was both mocking and curious.
RED EYES:
Because I wanted to see just how much more you could endure, Jack.
A wave of frustration and despair washed over Jack. The endless torment, the cycle of pain—it was all becoming too much.
JACK:
What are you saying? Why can't you just let me disappear? If there's no Hana, I don't want to live.
The red eyes seemed to pierce into Jack's very soul, as if measuring the depth of his despair.
RED EYES:
I am reincarnating you into another world—a world of magic and powers.
Jack recoiled at the thought. The idea of continuing to exist without Hana was unbearable.
JACK:
I don't want to go. I just want to disappear, to be free from all of this.
But the red eyes were relentless, their tone shifting to something almost enticing.
RED EYES:
There is a dragon in that world, known as the Wish Dragon. It is said to be capable of fulfilling any wish you desire.
Jack's breath caught in his throat. The promise of something more, something that could bring him back to Hana, was too powerful to ignore.
JACK:
Wait... what did you just say? Is that dragon really capable of fulfilling any wish I want?
The red eyes seemed to smirk, their glow intensifying.
RED EYES:
Yes. Anything you want—even the removal of the curse that binds you, allowing you to enter the Blessed Forest.
Hope, fragile and desperate, sparked within Jack's chest. The thought of finally reuniting with Hana, of escaping this endless torment, was too much to resist.
JACK:
If that's true, then... I'll go. I'll find this Wish Dragon, and I'll make my wish.
The red eyes chuckled, the sound echoing ominously in the darkness.
RED EYES:
Very well, Jack. But be warned—the path ahead is fraught with danger. The Wish Dragon is not easily found. You must be prepared to face trials that will test your very soul.
Jack steeled himself, determination flooding his veins. He had faced impossible odds before, and he would do so again. For Hana, he would do anything.
JACK:
I'll do whatever it takes.
With a final, sinister laugh, the red eyes began to fade, and the darkness around Jack deepened. The last thing he heard was the voice, echoing in his mind.
RED EYES:
Then let the journey begin, Jack. I look forward to seeing how far you'll go.
And with that, Jack was plunged into the darkness consuming him as he prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead in the world of magic and powers.