"Big brother Louis! There's a package here for you!!!" a cute, girly voice called from the front door, her hurried steps echoing through the house, followed by the sound of fumbling.
"Package? Who's it from?!" Louis's voice rang out from upstairs as he hastily tried to pull on his clothes.
"It says it's from your best buddy, the MFG... uh... The Most Fashionable Guy?" the girly voice replied, her tone laced with both curiosity and amusement.
Louis paused mid-motion, rolling his eyes with a groan. "Of course, it is. That guy's ego could power a solar system. Hold on, I'm com... ooff!"
Before Louis could finish, a small, black-haired girl barreled into him at the base of the stairs. She was petite, barely reaching his chest, and her short hair swayed from the collision. The sleek and elegant grey box she was carrying—with intricate white markings—flew out of her hands with surprising force, arcing through the air like it had a vendetta.
"Whoa, watch—!" Louis started, but it was too late.
The box hit the ceiling with a resounding thud, hung in the air for the briefest moment, and then came crashing down... right onto Louis's face.
Thwack!
Louis stumbled backward, clutching his nose. "What the heck is in this thing? A brick?!"
The girl winced, biting back a laugh as she helped steady him. "Sorry, big bro! I didn't mean to! But you should've seen your face—"
"Don't." Louis glared at her, his tone half-serious and half-amused.
The box, now lying innocently on the floor, seemed to hum softly, as though mocking him.
"Well, it better be worth it," Louis muttered, reaching down to pick it up, his curiosity already overtaking his irritation.
PS: OPEN IT WHEN YOU ARE ALONE. WE DON'T WANT YOUR CUTE SISTER TURNING BLIND NOW.
Louis stared at the note, his expression turning from curiosity to alarm. "This..." he muttered under his breath before turning to the petite figure standing expectantly in front of him.
"Ellie," he said, folding the note quickly and placing the box under one arm. "Can you head back downstairs? I just need to... uh... put this brick in the right place. Okay?"
Ellie tilted her head, her short black hair bouncing slightly. "But I want to see what's in it!"
Louis grimaced. "Okay, okay... I'll open it after breakfast so we can all see what's inside."
Ellie's sharp blue eyes narrowed, scrutinizing him. "Promise me."
Louis sighed, exasperated. "I promise," he said, locking his gaze with hers.
"Pinky promise," Ellie demanded, holding out her little finger with the kind of seriousness only a younger sibling could muster.
Louis groaned. "Seriously..."
"I'll tell Grandpa you have a girlfriend," Ellie threatened, her tone sweet but laced with mischief.
"I don't have a girlfriend!" Louis retorted, indignant.
"Who would believe you?" she shot back, smirking.
"Do I look like a playboy to you?"
"Very much," she replied without hesitation, her smirk widening.
"Fine," Louis muttered, locking his pinky with hers. "Pinky promise."
Ellie beamed triumphantly before skipping off, leaving Louis alone with the mysterious box and a heavy sigh. "I swear, this girl will be the death of me before this thing ever has the chance."
Louis's gaze lingered on the sleek, mysterious box for a moment, his fingers brushing over its smooth surface. He sighed heavily, grabbed a tissue to dab at his still-bleeding nose, and turned back toward his room. "I swear, this better not be some weird prank..."
...
"How do I even open this thing..." Louis muttered, sitting cross-legged on the floor with the box in front of him. He tilted it, shook it lightly, and tapped its surface, only to find no seams, no hinges—nothing that even remotely resembled an opening mechanism.
Frustration began to bubble as he furrowed his brows. "This makes no sense—"
'Just call out to it,' a familiar voice echoed in his head, startling him.
Louis jumped. "Can you at least notify me before you do that?!" he exclaimed, clutching his chest like he'd just seen a ghost.
'Geez, relax, bro.'
"You're old enough to be my ancestor," Louis shot back with irritation, wiping his nose again.
'Good argument,' the voice admitted, sounding amused. 'Anyway, read the instructions, you idiot!'
"There are no instruct—"
'You're no longer a mere mortal, Louis. You've ascended. Use your divine power.'
Louis blinked, staring blankly at the box. "What divine power? Where is it?"
'You are beyond salvation, brethren,' the voice groaned, clearly exasperated.
"Aren't you supposed to be the Savior or something?"
'Ugh, fine. Focus on your inner being—like you do when you meditate before playing the organ. Then direct that energy to your eyes. I'm outta here.'
"Wait! What if my eyes blow up?!" Louis shouted, panicking.
'Then praise be to the Almighty—oh wait, that's me. See ya!' The voice cut off abruptly, leaving Louis alone in his confusion.
He stared at the box, feeling a mix of dread and determination. "Meditate and focus, huh?" he muttered to himself. "Great. Just great. If this thing blows me up, I'll haunt him forever."
Louis sighed and closed his eyes, muttering, "Focus, Louis. Focus." He adjusted his posture, sitting up straighter and resting his hands on his knees. The faint throb of his still-bleeding nose was an annoying distraction, but he did his best to push it aside.
He took a deep breath, then another, trying to conjure the same state of calm he achieved when playing the organ—his refuge in times of stress. But instead of soothing chords, all he could think about was the absurdity of the situation: a mysterious box, an irritating voice claiming divinity, and a nosebleed that wouldn't quit.
"Inner being," he muttered under his breath. "Sure. Why not?"
As Louis continued to breathe deeply, something shifted. The world around him seemed to grow quieter—not just the ambient noises, but even the pounding in his head and the ache in his body faded. He felt... lighter, as though a veil was being lifted from his senses.
And then, he saw it.
A faint glow began to emanate from the box. His eyes snapped open, and to his astonishment, the once-ordinary surface now shimmered with intricate patterns of light, like glowing veins spreading across its form.
"What the...?" he whispered, leaning closer.
The patterns pulsated softly, almost as if they were alive, responding to his presence. Instinctively, Louis reached out and placed his hand on the box. As soon as his fingers made contact, a warm sensation spread through him, like a gentle current of electricity.
Suddenly, the voice returned, smug as ever. 'See? Easy. And look, your eyes didn't blow up. Praise me later.'
Louis rolled his eyes. "What did I just do? What is this thing?"
'You activated the box. Or rather, you unlocked its connection to you. It's a conduit, a key to the divine energy that now flows through you.'
"A key to what?" Louis asked, skeptical.
'Patience, brethren,' the voice said, feigning wisdom. 'All shall be revealed in due time. Or, you know, right now if you touch the center of the glowing part.'
Louis hesitated, watching the pulsating patterns. They seemed to converge on a small circle in the center of the box, which now glowed brighter than the rest.
"Why do I feel like this is going to hurt?" he muttered.
'It might. But hey, what's a little pain in the name of progress?'
"You're the worst," Louis groaned, but he pressed his hand to the glowing circle anyway.
The moment his hand connected, the box flared with light, blinding him. A rush of energy surged through his body, and he gasped, his heart racing as the world around him dissolved into a kaleidoscope of colors and sensations.
When the light finally dimmed, Louis found himself in a completely different place. The floor beneath him was no longer his room's threadbare carpet but a smooth, obsidian surface that reflected a sky swirling with stars and vibrant auroras.
"What... Where am I?" he whispered, standing up shakily.
'Welcome to the Nexus,' the voice said, suddenly much calmer, almost reverent. 'This is where your journey begins.'
Louis looked around, his awe quickly giving way to skepticism. "The Nexus? Sounds like a fancy name for a fancy place. Care to explain what's going on, or do I just start wandering aimlessly?"
'You're here to awaken your power, Louis. And, of course, to face your first trial.'
Louis froze. "Trial? What kind of trial?"
'Oh, you'll see,' the voice said, its tone unhelpfully chipper. 'But don't worry—if you die here, it's totally not permanent! Probably.'
"PROBABLY?!" Louis shouted, but the voice had already gone silent, leaving him alone in the cosmic expanse.
Before he could process the absurdity of it all, a low growl echoed from the darkness ahead. A pair of glowing red eyes pierced the shadows, locking onto him.
Louis took a shaky step back. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me..."
The beast emerged—a massive, otherworldly creature with shimmering scales and fangs like jagged crystals. It roared, and the ground trembled beneath him.
"Trial, huh?" Louis muttered, his voice trembling. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath, summoning every ounce of courage he had. "Alright, then. Let's do this."
If only this was a trial of Courage...