The apartment door creaked open, revealing Kalisto, a broad-shouldered man clad in a dust-streaked construction worker's uniform. He stepped inside, his grip firm on a plastic bag of fast food. The quiet stillness of Hauzen Street's dimly lit apartments greeted him.
"Alina? Are you asleep?" he called softly, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
No response came. Kalisto glanced at his daughter's closed door. He knew better than to intrude—she hated when he entered her room unannounced, even when she was fast asleep.
He set the bag down on the counter, rummaged in the living room drawer, and found a notepad and pen. Scrawling quickly, he left a note:
Sorry for coming home late. There's food in the fridge if you wake up hungry. Goodnight, kiddo.
Sighing, Kalisto ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He began unzipping his uniform, aching for a shower, when his hand brushed against something unfamiliar in his pocket.
Frowning, he reached in and pulled out a small silver coin. It gleamed faintly, catching the dim light of the kitchen. His brow furrowed. He didn't remember having any coins, let alone one like this.
Before he could inspect it further, a soft, ethereal glow surrounded the coin.
[Threshold Item Found!]
[Fractured Reality] : Temple of Good Luck
[Level] : Memory (Lower Tier)
Kalisto froze. A game-like interface hovered midair in front of him, its lines sharp and surreal.
[Would you like to enter this Fractured Reality?]
"What the...?" Kalisto muttered. He stared at the glowing words, his pulse quickening. He'd heard of Threshold Items before—rare objects that acted as keys to Fractured Realities, granting immense opportunities for those daring enough to enter. They were sought after by Walkers and temple-bound elites alike.
But why was one in his pocket?
His grip on the coin tightened. 'This has to be a mistake. Or a trap.'
Kalisto's eyes scanned the room as if expecting someone to step out of the shadows. "This doesn't make sense," he murmured. "Why me?"
Paranoia crept in. Could someone have planted it on him? Was this a setup? The idea of being targeted gnawed at him, but the thought felt ridiculous. He was just a construction worker, scraping by to provide for his daughter. What would anyone gain from targeting him?
Yet, the interface remained, its silent prompt awaiting an answer.
Kalisto's chest tightened. A Threshold Item was a golden ticket, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change his life—and Alina's. But it was also a gamble. Stories of Reality Walkers who failed their trials filled his mind. Some returned broken, others didn't return at all.
He paced the kitchen, his boots thudding softly against the tiles. His gaze flicked between the coin in his hand and the glowing prompt.
Finally, he opened the kitchen drawer and grabbed the metal bat stored inside. Reaching up, he took two knives from the shelf and tucked them carefully into his uniform. His mind raced with possibilities.
He turned back to the interface, his voice a low mutter. "If this is some kind of trap... I'll make whoever's behind it regret it."
[Would you like to enter this Fractured Reality?]
Kalisto swallowed hard. His knuckles whitened as he clenched the bat. His daughter's face flashed in his mind, her shy smile when he brought her small gifts, her quiet complaints about their tight budget. This was a chance—a dangerous one—but it could mean a better future.
"For Alina," he whispered, and then, louder: "Yes."
The world around him shifted. The familiar apartment walls twisted, bending in impossible directions. The floor rippled beneath his feet like liquid, and the lights dimmed into darkness.
Kalisto's grip on the bat tightened as nausea churned in his stomach. The transition felt endless until, finally, the distortion stilled.
He blinked, steadying himself as his vision cleared. He stood in a dim, cold chamber. The walls, slick with moisture, were formed of black stone. The air smelled faintly of decay, heavy and damp.
A single candle flickered on a small rectangular table in the center, its light casting long, trembling shadows. Kalisto's boots scraped against the uneven floor as he shifted his weight, scanning his surroundings.
'This really feels like a trap.'
The silence was oppressive, broken only by the faint sound of his breathing. His instincts screamed at him to leave, but the interface blinked again in his vision.
[Welcome! Registering user... Setting up Reality information...]
[Reality Master Name]
Spirit With Good Luck
[Fractured Reality Name]
Temple With Good Luck
[Rank]
Memory – Lower Tier
[Task]
/???/
Kalisto didn't trust it. His knuckles tightened around the bat as his gaze darted to the table. A circular mat lay beneath it, worn and frayed.
As he read the system prompts, a faint shuffling sound broke the silence.
Kalisto's head snapped up, his grip tightening on the bat. Across the room, near the table, a hooded figure appeared. It moved with an unnerving stillness, as if it had always been there, yet he hadn't noticed until now.
The figure sat cross-legged on the circular mat, its hands resting lightly on the table. A golden coin glinted between its fingers, catching the candlelight.
"No need for the bat," the figure said in a calm, almost soothing voice. "Violence often breeds more trouble than it's worth."
The hooded and robed figure spoke, idly playing with the golden coin in its palm.
The soothing cadence of the figure's voice momentarily eased Kalisto's vigilance, but not enough to let his guard down completely.
Kalisto squinted, attempting to pierce the shadows cloaking the figure's face. Unfortunately, the hood, coupled with the dim, flickering candlelight, shrouded its features too well.
"Are you the Reality Master of this place...?" he asked nervously, his voice tinged with reluctance.
The idea of fighting a Reality Master was unappealing, to say the least. Kalisto knew these supernatural entities wielded powers that could obliterate him in an instant.
Though his knowledge was limited, one key fact stood out: battling a Reality Master wasn't always necessary. Instead, one could opt to undergo their tests and trials, earning their blessing to become a Walker.
"I... I'm not here to fight," he stammered. "I want to request a trial... A trial to become your Walker."
Kalisto stepped forward cautiously, lowering the metallic bat in his hands as a gesture of peace. Despite this display, he wasn't reckless. Hidden beneath his construction worker clothes, he still carried a pair of kitchen knives—his insurance against any sudden hostility.
"Hmm. Requesting a trial instead of choosing violence? An unusual sentiment, considering how well-armed you are," the hooded figure remarked, its tone tinged with amusement.
As the figure flicked its finger near the candlelight, the flames danced unnaturally, twisting and bending in ways that made Kalisto's skin prickle. To him, this casual display felt like a warning—a subtle acknowledgment of the weapons still hidden on his person.
Sweat trickled down Kalisto's forehead.
After a brief pause, Kalisto took a deep breath and made his decision. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the knives and tossed them behind him, the clatter echoing faintly in the still room.
This act of disarmament was his way of showing sincerity. He had no desire for violence and genuinely sought the trial.
The hooded figure observed the gesture and smiled faintly.
[Trial has been found!
Task: Test your luck against the Reality Master!
Instructions: Play a game of coin flip!]
The glowing system prompt appeared before Kalisto's eyes, leaving him momentarily bewildered.
"Sit down," the figure commanded.
Kalisto didn't hesitate. Though the tone was imperious, almost arrogant, he complied without objection, lowering himself onto the circular floor mat opposite the Reality Master.
"The game is simple. Five rounds. I'm heads, and you're tails." The figure held up the golden coin for emphasis.
"If the coin lands on heads more often, I win, and you'll have to relinquish something of value to me. In exchange, I'll let you leave this Fractured Reality unharmed."
The figure's casual tone made Kalisto uneasy, but he nodded, understanding the terms.
"If the coin lands on tails more often, you win. In that case, I'll grant you the privilege of becoming a Walker. No bindings, no obligations—you'll be free to use the abilities however you please."
Kalisto weighed his options. At least he wouldn't lose his life if he failed. He nodded again, signaling his agreement.
The hooded figure tilted its head slightly. "What's your name?"
Kalisto hesitated for a moment before answering. "It's Kalisto... Kalisto Owen."
Cling!
The figure tossed the coin into the air without warning. Kalisto flinched, surprised the game had already begun.
The coin spun briefly before landing with a soft clink. It rolled in circles on the table before coming to a stop.
Heads.
The figure's calm voice broke the silence. "What's the most important thing in your life?"
Kalisto hesitated, his thoughts briefly straying to the answer that mattered most.
"...my daughter."
Cling!
The coin flipped again, landing neatly on the table.
Tails.
Kalisto exhaled slowly, relief easing some of his tension.
"Do you consider yourself a good, neutral, or bad person?"
"I'm a good person," Kalisto replied firmly.
Cling!
This time, the coin landed almost immediately.
Tails.
Kalisto's confidence grew as the score evened out.
"Is there anything you want to achieve in life?"
Kalisto fell silent, contemplating his answer. Finally, he spoke.
"Yes. I want to be wealthy enough to give my daughter everything she wants, without her feeling guilty about our finances."
Cling!
The coin spun in the air before landing.
Heads.
Kalisto's stomach tightened, his brief surge of confidence faltering.
The figure's voice took on a solemn tone. "Now, tell me, Kalisto... If the most important thing in your life were taken away, along with all your hopes and dreams for the future—"
"Would you still consider yourself a good person?"
The words hung heavy in the air, yet Kalisto didn't falter.
"Despite it all," he said steadily, "I would still want to be good."
Cling!
The golden coin sailed upward, spinning in a mesmerizing arc.