Chapter 1: The Shattered Sky
The sky above Elaris was a broken thing. Shards of light and shadow drifted where the sun should have been, casting fractured beams onto a scarred earth. Yuji squinted against the brightness, his breath catching as he took in the ruins stretching out before him. Crumbled towers jutted like broken teeth from the earth, their once-proud spires now buried under ash and vines. The air smelled of charred wood and something metallic, like blood left too long in the sun.
Yuji staggered forward, clutching his side. His clothes were caked with dirt, his hands scraped raw. He couldn't remember how he'd gotten here—only that he wasn't supposed to be here at all. He was supposed to be... what? Home? At school? The memories were slippery, fading the harder he tried to hold onto them.
But one thing was clear: this wasn't Earth.
His heart raced as he surveyed the alien landscape. A fissure carved through the earth nearby, its depths glowing with an eerie, pale blue light. He could hear whispers emanating from it, words just on the edge of comprehension. A chill ran down his spine, but he couldn't look away.
"What the hell is this place?" he muttered, his voice hoarse.
The whispers seemed to answer, growing louder for a moment before fading again. Yuji shook his head, forcing himself to focus. He wasn't just lost—he'd been brought here. There was no other explanation. And if he'd been brought here, then it had to mean something.
This is it, he thought, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and exhilaration. This is my chance.
All those books he'd read, all those shows he'd watched—it was happening. The signs were too obvious to ignore. A mysterious world. A shattered sky. Powers beyond comprehension. He was the protagonist of this story. He had to be.
His pulse quickened as he glanced at his hands, half-expecting them to ignite with magical flames or crackle with electricity. Nothing happened. He grimaced, rubbing his palms against his pants. Maybe it wouldn't be that easy. Maybe he'd have to earn it.
A sound behind him snapped him out of his thoughts. It was faint but unmistakable—the crunch of footsteps on gravel. Yuji spun around, his heart leaping into his throat.
A figure emerged from the shadows of a ruined archway. At first, Yuji thought it was a man, but as the figure stepped into the light, his stomach twisted. It was tall and gaunt, its skin stretched tight over its bones. Its eyes glowed with a sickly green light, and its jaw hung slightly open, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
The creature tilted its head, studying him. Then it began to move.
"Crap," Yuji hissed, stumbling back. His foot caught on a loose stone, and he nearly fell. The creature quickened its pace, its movements jerky but unrelenting.
Yuji's mind raced. He had no weapons, no magic, no plan. The creature let out a low, guttural growl as it closed the distance.
This isn't how it's supposed to happen! Yuji thought, panic rising in his chest. I'm supposed to have powers! I'm supposed to be—
The creature lunged. Yuji threw himself to the side, hitting the ground hard. Pain shot through his shoulder, but he scrambled to his feet, adrenaline dulling the worst of it. He grabbed a broken piece of stone from the ground and swung it wildly as the creature turned toward him again.
The improvised weapon connected with the side of its head, and the creature staggered. Yuji didn't wait. He ran, his breath ragged as he darted through the ruins. He didn't look back.
After what felt like an eternity, he collapsed behind a crumbled wall, his chest heaving. His hands trembled as he gripped the stone shard, his knuckles white.
The whispers from the fissure returned, softer now but no less insistent. Yuji closed his eyes, his mind racing.
You survived, he told himself, trying to steady his breathing. You survived because you're meant to. This is just the beginning. You'll get stronger. You'll figure it out.
But as the whispers grew louder, doubt began to creep in.