The days passed by in a monotonous blur. After sealing the Demon King once again, life returned to its usual dull rhythm—Brianna pestering me with chores, random low-level monsters stirring up trouble, and the villagers heaping empty praise on me for being their "eternal protector." It was all routine, like a story on repeat.
But something was different today. I felt it the moment I woke up.
The air was thick with a strange energy, one that didn't belong in this world. It was subtle, like a distant hum at the edge of my senses, but it set off every alarm in my mind. I couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was coming.
"Good morning, Sion-dono!" Brianna chirped as she barged into my room with her usual enthusiasm, holding a tray of breakfast. "I made your favorite—uh, are you even listening?"
I wasn't. My eyes were fixed on the window, where a dark cloud was forming on the horizon. But it wasn't a storm—it was more like a distortion, a tear in the fabric of reality itself.
"Brianna, stay here," I said, my voice colder than usual.
"Huh? What's going on? Is it the Demon King again?"
"No. This is something else."
For once, she didn't argue. I walked past her, stepping out into the open air. The distortion in the sky was growing, warping the space around it. Whatever was coming, it wasn't from this world—or any world I was familiar with.
The ground trembled as the rift widened, and I felt the same malevolent energy I'd sensed earlier. But this wasn't the chaotic, brute force of the Demon King. It was… calculated, refined, and deeply unsettling.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the rift. It was humanoid but cloaked in shadow, its features indistinct except for a pair of glowing, silver eyes that seemed to pierce right through me. The presence it exuded was overwhelming, like staring into the void itself.
"Siobhan, the Cursed One," the figure spoke, its voice echoing like a thousand whispers. "I've traveled across countless realms to find you."
I narrowed my eyes, scanning the entity before me. Whoever—or whatever—it was, they weren't like the usual enemies. This wasn't a mindless brute seeking to conquer or destroy. This was something far more dangerous—a being with a purpose.
"And what exactly do you want?" I asked, my tone indifferent.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to offer you what you desire most," it replied, a chilling smile forming in the darkness of its face.
"What I desire?" I scoffed. "You think you know what that is?"
The figure tilted its head slightly. "You crave release. An end to this cursed existence. I can sense it—the burden of power weighing on you, the endless cycle of boredom that gnaws at your soul. You want someone who can challenge you, someone who can end it all."
My heart skipped a beat. It was unnerving how accurately it described my innermost thoughts. But I kept my expression unreadable. "And you think you're the one who can do it?"
"Oh, no. I'm not here to fight you." The figure's smile widened. "I'm here to deliver a message. There is a realm beyond this one—a place where power like yours is but a spark among stars. If you seek a true challenge, you'll find it there."
For a moment, I felt a flicker of hope—something I hadn't felt in centuries. Could this be real? Was there truly a place where beings stronger than me existed? Or was this just another trick, another pointless game?
"Why should I trust you?" I asked, my voice laced with suspicion.
The figure's silver eyes gleamed with amusement. "Trust? That's irrelevant. You're free to ignore me and continue your endless existence here. But if you want to break the cycle… you'll come. The path is open."
With those words, the figure began to dissolve, its form scattering into wisps of shadow. "The choice is yours, Siobhan. Continue to sleep in your comfortable prison, or take a step into the unknown. I'll be waiting… if you're brave enough."
The rift snapped shut, and the world returned to its usual state of calm. But I could still feel the lingering presence of that being, like a thorn lodged in the back of my mind.
Brianna came running out, her face full of worry. "Sion! What was that? Are you okay? What did they say?"
I didn't answer right away. I was too lost in thought, contemplating the offer. A realm beyond this one… a place where true power resides. Could I really find the challenge I've been longing for there? Or was it just another dead end?
"Sion?" Brianna's voice pulled me back to the present. "Are you okay?"
I gave her a small smile, more to reassure her than anything. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking."
"About what?" she asked, her eyes full of concern.
"About whether it's time to stop being bored," I said quietly, more to myself than to her.
She didn't understand, but that was fine. She didn't need to.
As I looked up at the sky, a strange excitement began to stir in my chest. Maybe, just maybe, this was what I've been waiting for. A chance to break free from the chains of power that have held me captive for so long.
For the first time in centuries, I felt something I thought I'd forgotten—anticipation.