My mind started to stir, slow and unsteady, like waking up from a dream I couldn't quite remember.
Everything felt strange, like pieces of me were coming back together one by one, but they weren't fitting quite right.
My thoughts were cloudy, and when I tried to focus, it was like looking at something through thick fog.
I blinked—or at least, I thought I did—but the darkness didn't change. It wasn't like closing my eyes or turning off a light. It was deeper than that.
No sky above me, no ground beneath me. Just... nothing.
I tried to move, but my body felt weightless, like I was floating in endless space. My heart started to race, the emptiness pressing down on me even though there was nothing there.
"Where am I?" I whispered, my voice trembling in the silence.
No answer. Just the suffocating stillness. I reached out instinctively, trying to grab hold of anything solid, but my fingers closed around nothing.
This wasn't normal. None of this was normal.
"Am I dead?" I muttered to myself, my voice barely more than a breath. It sounded small, swallowed by the void around me.
Panic clawed at my chest, my mind scrambling for answers. I couldn't be dead—could I? But if I wasn't, then what was this? Where was I?
And then, I heard it.
A hum.
It started faint, almost like a vibration deep in the air—if this place even had air. It wasn't loud, but it was there, surrounding me.
It came from everywhere and nowhere all at once, like the void itself was alive.
I froze, my breath catching. "What the hell is that?"
The hum didn't stop. It grew, a low, steady pulse that seemed to sink into my skin. My chest tightened as a strange thought pushed its way into my mind: I knew this place.
Somehow, in a way I couldn't explain, it felt familiar.
Not just familiar. I belonged here.
The realization made my skin prickle. How could I belong in a place like this? A place that wasn't a place at all?
But the feeling was undeniable. This void wasn't just some random nothingness. It was mine.
The hum grew louder, and then, for the first time, the darkness shifted. A faint glow began to pulse, spreading through the void like soft ripples on water.
It wasn't much, just the barest hint of light, but it changed everything.
The emptiness around me started to take shape. I could feel it, like the space itself was responding to me.
I stared at my hands, the pale glow reflecting off my skin. They felt different—stronger, like they were waiting for me to do something.
"Can I... control this?" I asked aloud, my voice trembling with both fear and curiosity.
My heart pounded as I raised my hands, unsure what would happen. "Okay," I said slowly, trying to steady my breath. "Let's try something simple."
I closed my eyes—or maybe I didn't. It was hard to tell in this place. I thought about trees. Big, strong trees with thick trunks and branches that stretched high and wide.
I pictured their leaves, green and alive, swaying in a breeze.
When I opened my eyes, the void was no longer empty.
Massive trees began to rise from the ground—or what felt like ground—growing up and out as if they'd been waiting for me to call them.
Their trunks were solid and rough, their branches twisting in intricate patterns.
Leaves rustled gently, even though there was no wind.
I stared, my jaw hanging open. "No way..."
Cautiously, I stepped closer to one of the trees, reaching out to touch it. My fingers brushed the bark, and I felt its rough texture, solid and real. It smelled like earth and wood, like the forest after rain.
"It's real," I whispered. My voice cracked with disbelief. "I made this."
I turned, looking around at the trees surrounding me. Each one was unique, their shapes and sizes different but alive, like they'd been pulled straight out of my mind.
"This is insane," I said, laughing softly, the sound echoing around me. My laughter was shaky, a mix of excitement and unease.
My mind raced with possibilities. If I could make trees, what else could I do? Could I create a river? A mountain? A whole world?
I glanced at my hands again, a strange, nervous energy bubbling up inside me.
"This place..." I muttered, my voice trailing off. "This place is mine. I can shape it. I can control it."
But as the thought settled, a chill ran down my spine. If this power was mine, then why was I here? What was I supposed to do with it?
I looked out at the glowing trees, their leaves swaying softly, and a strange mix of excitement and dread filled me.
I let my mind wander, imagining something simple. Grass. Soft, green grass.
The kind that feels cool and comforting under your feet.
Before I could even finish the thought, the space around me shifted.
The ground beneath me changed, becoming covered in a blanket of lush, green grass. It stretched out in every direction, rolling endlessly like an ocean of emerald.
I stepped forward tentatively, my bare feet sinking into the softness.
The cool sensation spread through me, grounding me in a way that felt strange and familiar at the same time.
A grin spread across my face. "Alright, that's pretty amazing," I muttered to myself, running my toes through the blades.
But I wasn't done. Not even close. If I could do this, what else could I make?
My grin widened as a ridiculous idea popped into my head. "Candy canes," I said out loud, feeling the absurdity of it. "Let's see what happens."
I focused on the trees around me, imagining their trunks twisting into red-and-white spirals and their leaves turning into bright, sugary decorations.
The transformation was instant.
The once-majestic trees became oversized candy canes, their stripes vivid and almost glowing. The "leaves" turned into little ribbons of candy that dangled and swayed like holiday ornaments.
I burst out laughing, the sight so ridiculous I couldn't help it. "Oh, man, this is too much. What is this, Willy Wonka's nightmare?"
I walked up to one of the candy cane trees and tapped it. It felt cool and smooth, exactly like real candy. Curious, I broke off a small piece and popped it into my mouth.
It tasted... incredible. Sweet, with just a hint of peppermint.
I chewed thoughtfully, shaking my head. "Okay, this might be dangerous. If I stay here too long, I'm going to give myself diabetes or something."
The air around me hummed again, that deep, resonating sound that seemed to encourage me to keep going. I could feel the energy in this place—alive, buzzing, waiting for my next move.
But as fun as it was to play around, a nagging thought pulled me back to reality. I couldn't just keep messing around forever. I needed a plan.
Reaching into my pocket, I was surprised to find something familiar—my old notebook. It was small and a little beat-up, but it felt comforting in my hand.
I flipped it open to the first blank page, the sight of it sparking a strange sense of purpose.
"Alright," I said, clicking my tongue as I stared at the empty page. "Time to get serious. Sort of."
I scribbled down the first thing that came to mind:
Create my kingdom.
I looked around at the grass and candy canes and let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, this is a start, but I need something epic. Castles, rivers, mountains... the whole deal."
Next, I wrote:
Get stronger.
I tapped the page with my pen, frowning slightly. "This power is amazing, but I don't even know what I'm doing. I need to figure it out, push it, see how far it can go."
The next thought came quickly, almost making me laugh as I wrote it down:
Explore anime worlds.
I grinned, shaking my head. "I can't not check that out. I mean, if this power lets me hop into my favorite shows, I'm going full isekai protagonist mode."
I paused for a moment, the grin softening as I added the last goal:
Build meaningful relationships.
My pen hovered over the page as I stared at the words. "Yeah... maybe this is the chance to start fresh. Meet people. Actually connect with them. Maybe even..."
I hesitated, then wrote in smaller letters underneath:
Maybe even meet someone special.
The moment I wrote it, I snorted, shaking my head. "Alright, calm down, Kai. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. One step at a time."
I looked around again at the vast, empty space. My space. It was still mostly blank, but it felt different now. It was mine to shape. Mine to fill however I wanted.
I let out a deep breath, feeling the power buzzing in the air around me. This was it. Time to get serious.
I focused on the ground beneath my feet and raised my hands once more. The space seemed to respond, almost like it was waiting for me.
I thought big. Huge, even. A palace. A towering fortress that would be the heart of my kingdom. Something majestic, something to make a statement.
The ground rumbled softly under my feet, like the earth was waking up. Slowly, stone walls began to rise from the ground.
The palace took shape in front of me, towers stretching toward the sky, grand doors appearing like they had always been there.
The air shifted. It smelled like fresh stone and wood, with a hint of something floral in the air. Gardens bloomed around the palace, flowers of all colors bursting open, as if they were celebrating their new home.
The flowers swayed in the air like they were dancing, moving to a rhythm only they could hear.
I took a step back, just to admire the view. The palace was massive, even more magnificent than I had imagined. The stone was smooth and gleaming, the towers tall and elegant.
It looked like something out of a fairy tale, and for the first time since I'd arrived here, I couldn't help but smile.
This place... It was mine.
I raised my hand again, a thought popping into my head. I wanted to see myself. Not just as I was, but as I could be in this world.
A mirror shimmered into existence in front of me, the silver surface swirling as if it were alive.
I stared at my reflection, feeling my breath catch in my chest. The person staring back at me wasn't who I remembered.
My hair had turned midnight black, falling sleek and smooth like dark waves over my shoulders. My eyes glowed with a soft golden light, burning bright with a kind of power I couldn't fully understand.
My face had changed too. My features were sharper, more defined—almost like I'd been carved from stone. I looked... important.
Like someone who belonged here, in this place. Someone meant to rule.
I let out a low whistle. "Whoa. I look like I'm straight out of a fantasy novel."
I ran my fingers through my new hair, still trying to wrap my head around it. I felt different—stronger, more... alive.
It was like the power had seeped into me, filling me up, and now I was someone else entirely.
I grinned, letting the weight of it all settle in. This was who I was now. Someone new. Someone with the power to create worlds.
"Alright, Kai," I said to myself, cracking my knuckles with a grin. "Let's see how far we can take this."