The train, a futuristic machine with metal wheels spinning at a dizzying speed, glided over the magnetic surface. Inside, the decor was a model of contemporary elegance, a perfect blend of comfort and innovation. Jin Kang Soo sat in one of the aisle-side seats, his gaze lost in the bright screen of his phone. Articles scrolled rapidly under his fingers, a multitude of strange and unsettling news—meteors targeting Earth, supernatural phenomena impossible to explain, unexplained mutations affecting individuals worldwide. One hastily taken photo showed a man lifting a car with his bare hands, his muscles tensed beneath skin glistening with sweat. Lower down, another story spoke of a woman claiming to predict global disasters in her dreams. Jin scrolled through the information feverishly, a strange sensation growing inside him as his eyes fixed on each new line. Everything seemed to be rushing, every seemingly insignificant detail carrying a greater mystery, a puzzle whose pieces refused to fit together. But deep down, a certainty settled in him—he couldn't escape the imminence of change. Nor did he truly understand what was happening to him.
Around him, the train kept moving. Holographic screens hung from the ceiling, broadcasting announcements and advertisements, boasting about the latest gadgets, solutions for a better life, and a trouble-free future. The passengers, all immersed in their own realities, seemed indifferent to the changes looming on the horizon. A man in a gray suit adjusted his tie while checking his virtual agenda, while a woman in a black suit nervously tapped on her touch screen. Their routine gestures only intensified Jin's sense of isolation. A sigh escaped his lips.
"They have no idea what's coming. No one knows anything. And me?" he wondered, rubbing his temples in a desperate motion.
For several days, a persistent migraine had accompanied him due to his constant thinking. He had left Yoona's apartment just a few hours earlier, his bag slung carelessly over his shoulder, his heart heavy. He had advised her to find refuge at a friend's house, a precaution he hadn't thought was enough. His presence, too close, had now become a danger he could no longer ignore. The landscape slowly passed by the windows, a gradient of artificial lights illuminating the evening's darkness. The city seemed to live at its own pace, a parallel world governed by rules Jin no longer understood. Suddenly, a strange heat rose within him, like a latent fire gently burning beneath his skin. His vision sharpened, the details of the world becoming clearer, more precise. The colors took on a new intensity.
"Is this... the change they're talking about?" he thought, his hand gripping the edge of his seat. A shiver of excitement ran through his body. He felt the power awakening within him, an energy that felt unnatural.
But suddenly, the atmosphere froze. A chill ran down his spine. The presence of an invisible entity seemed to seep into this dimension, the air itself heavy, suffocating, as though time had stopped. The rhythmic clacking of the wheels, once constant, ceased, and the voices of the passengers fell silent. The train, though still in motion, seemed suspended in a parallel reality. Jin looked around, his eyes wide, his breath halting. All the passengers were frozen, their faces still, trapped in a scene where everything seemed out of time.
Then, another dimension of the world revealed itself. The light from the holographic screens went out, plunging the car into complete darkness. A wave of dense darkness engulfed Jin, stripping him of all his bearings. He fell heavily to the floor, his breathing erratic, desperately searching for a point of support. His body felt heavy, as though paralyzed by an invisible force.
"Finally, you're here." The voice echoed in the darkness, deep, majestic, yet terrifying. It seemed to come from everywhere at once, a whisper invading every space, every corner of his mind.
Jin struggled to rise, his eyes scanning the darkness. A towering, imposing figure slowly emerged from the shadows. Its contours were blurry, but its eyes gleamed with a golden glow, two eternal flames splitting the darkness.
"Who... who are you?" Jin murmured, his voice trembling despite himself. A visceral fear welled up inside him, but he forced himself to hold steady.
"I am what your world has forgotten. A royal deity. A force even the stars fear." The voice resonated in his mind like a thunderclap.
The entity moved forward, its silhouette growing with each step, its presence overwhelming Jin, who felt crushed beneath an invisible weight. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, but deep inside, a spark of defiance remained.
"And me? Why me? I'm just... just an ordinary guy."
The creature burst into laughter, a chilling laugh, like a biting breeze sweeping across a desert of ice.
"Ordinary? No. Inferior. You are much more than you think. Divine blood flows through your veins, though you are too blind to see it. I chose you before your birth. You are destined to be my vessel."
Jin, despite the fear twisting his guts, slowly stood up, his knees trembling but his gaze burning with defiance. He locked eyes with the entity, a smirk on his lips.
"Your vessel, huh? You mean your puppet? I'm not interested."
A low rumble reverberated in the air. A monstrous, colossal beast emerged from the darkness, its red eyes glowing like embers. Its fangs, as long as swords, were sharp enough to make the air tremble around them. The beast roared, but the entity raised a hand, silencing it with a single gesture.
"Silence. He is still useful."
Jin burst into laughter, nervously, but his laughter was sincere.
"Useful, huh? So that's it. You need me. Not the other way around."
A heavy silence fell, and the entity stood there, its piercing gaze seeming to probe every corner of Jin's soul.
"I'll tell you what I want." The voice reverberated in Jin's mind. "I want you to break this miserable life. To bring down this corrupt government. To find meaning in this chaos. If you're willing to do that, then maybe we can talk."
A sinister smile spread across the entity's face.
"Very well. We have a deal. Your quest from now on will be to devour the black meteorite that will fall on Mount Chongryu. Once you do that, I'll tell you more, and I'll answer your questions."
Around Jin, a glowing rune circle, red as blood, formed on the floor. The entity spoke words in an ancient tongue. A burning pain manifested on his shoulder, and Jin gritted his teeth, fighting against the pain that threatened to overwhelm him. He made no sound, refusing to yield.
Then, suddenly, everything stopped.
Jin opened his eyes, gasping for air. The train had returned to normal, the passengers resuming their activities as if nothing had happened. But when he looked at his arm, he saw a tattoo. The tattoo on Jin's shoulder spiraled in interwoven circles, forming a central circle from which arms extended, reminiscent of both tree roots and strands of energy. The edges were sharp, like shards of glass, while the spirals twisted and curled in erratic directions. Inside this circle, ancient symbols were engraved in a language Jin couldn't understand. The ink itself had an iridescent hue, shifting between black and shades of red. When he reached out to observe it more closely, the ink seemed to move beneath his skin, reorganizing, as though adapting to every intention of Jin, every thought passing through his mind. There was no longer any doubt: he was no longer just an ordinary man.
He smiled weakly, a new glint in his eyes.
"So, this is how the mess begins."