The flickering light of Ethan Vale's monitor cast long shadows across the cluttered desk in his cramped apartment. He leaned back in his creaky office chair, staring blankly at the screen. A spreadsheet filled with red numbers glared back at him, a harsh reminder of his mounting debt and a life spiraling out of control.
It was past midnight. The city outside hummed with distant traffic, but inside, the only sound was the rhythmic tapping of his pen against an empty mug. Ethan hadn't eaten since morning. Maybe he would splurge on instant ramen later—if he could muster the energy to care.
"This is my life," he muttered, running a hand through his unkempt hair. "A dead-end job, no friends, no family… what's the point?"
The buzzing of his phone snapped him out of his thoughts. A reminder flashed on the screen: "Rent due tomorrow."
He sighed, grabbed his jacket, and decided to go for a walk. Maybe the cold night air would clear his head—or at least distract him from the gnawing sense of hopelessness.
The streets were eerily quiet. Ethan walked aimlessly, his hands shoved into his pockets, his breath forming faint clouds in the winter air. He crossed a dimly lit bridge spanning the river, the icy water below reflecting the streetlights above.
Then he heard it.
A screech of tires.
Ethan turned just in time to see the headlights of an out-of-control truck barreling toward him. His body froze, and in that split second, time seemed to slow. The world became a blur of sound and motion—the roar of the engine, the shattering of the guardrail, and the cold, crushing weight of impact.
Pain exploded through his body, followed by an overwhelming darkness.
Ethan awoke with a gasp, his lungs burning as though he had been drowning. He sat up, clutching his chest, only to freeze as he took in his surroundings.
This wasn't the bridge.
He was lying on a bed of moss in the middle of a dense forest. Towering trees with glowing leaves stretched toward a sky filled with unfamiliar constellations. The air was thick with an otherworldly energy, and faint whispers seemed to echo in the distance.
"What the hell…?" Ethan muttered, struggling to his feet.
He was wearing the same clothes from the night before, but they were torn and bloodied. His body ached, yet there was no sign of the fatal injuries he should have sustained.
As he looked around, a faint light caught his eye. He raised his hand and noticed strange glowing symbols etched into his skin. The markings pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat, and warmth radiated from them.
"Am I… dead?" Ethan whispered, the words catching in his throat.
A low growl interrupted his thoughts. He spun around to see a serpent-like creature slithering out from the shadows. Its scales shimmered with an iridescent glow, and venom dripped from its fangs.
"Okay, this is definitely not Earth," Ethan said, backing away slowly.
The serpent lunged. Instinct took over as Ethan dodged clumsily, tripping over a root and landing hard on his back. He scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding as the beast coiled and prepared to strike again.
"I don't even know what you are!" Ethan shouted. "And I'm not dying again—not like this!"
The serpent struck, its fangs grazing Ethan's arm as it coiled tightly around his torso. His chest burned as his ribs felt like they were about to crack under the pressure. His vision blurred, his strength fading. Desperation clawed at his mind.
Not again. Not here. Not like this!
Through the haze of pain, his eyes were drawn to his hand. The glowing symbols etched into his skin flared brighter than ever before, pulsing wildly like a living thing. The light began to spread, crawling up his arm and branching outward like veins of molten fire.
"What is this?" he gasped, his voice barely audible.
The serpent hissed again, tightening its grip, but the heat flowing through Ethan's body surged. His skin felt like it was on fire, but it didn't hurt—it felt alive, like something primal and untamed was awakening inside him.
Suddenly, the light exploded outward in a brilliant flash. The serpent shrieked as the energy slammed into it, sending it reeling off of Ethan and onto the ground. The glowing symbols on Ethan's hand continued to shine, their rhythm quickening.
The creature writhed, its iridescent scales cracking and burning as the light consumed it. The clearing was bathed in a golden radiance as Ethan staggered to his feet, clutching his arm. He could feel the energy building, rising to a crescendo as if it had a will of its own.
"No… stop!" Ethan shouted, his voice hoarse. But the power ignored him, surging out in another wave.
The serpent let out one final, ear-piercing screech before its body dissolved into ash, leaving behind a single, faintly glowing crystal suspended in the air.
Ethan fell to his knees, staring at the crystal, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The heat within him began to fade, leaving behind a strange, hollow warmth. His body felt heavy, but his mind buzzed with confusion and fear.
"What… just happened?" he whispered.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the crystal floated toward him, its glow intensifying. Ethan flinched, raising his hand instinctively, but the moment it touched his palm, it dissolved into golden light that rushed into his chest.
A torrent of sensations overwhelmed him—flashes of the serpent's life, its instincts, its hunger, its strength. He felt its power melding with his own, a foreign yet undeniable presence rooting itself deep within him.
The glowing symbols on his hand pulsed once more before dimming, leaving him trembling and disoriented. He looked at his palm, still tingling with residual energy.
"What the hell… is this?"
A sharp crack echoed through the trees, drawing his attention. Ethan turned, his heart pounding, as a figure stepped into the clearing.
It was a tall man dressed in worn leather armor, a scar running down his cheek. A crossbow hung at his side, and his sharp eyes scanned the scene, settling on Ethan and the pile of ash where the serpent had been.
"You're still alive? That's… unexpected," the man muttered, his tone laced with curiosity. He approached cautiously, glancing at Ethan's hand. "I've seen a lot of things in these woods, but whatever that was? That's new."
Ethan tried to speak, to ask for help, but his body gave out, and the world turned black.