Hoo-ha...hoo-ha....
Where am I?
I'm running. Or am I falling? All around me is endless darkness, viscous, like liquid darkness that swallows everything. My feet touch an invisible surface, but I can't feel it.
- Hello! Hello?! - my voice echoes in the void.
Silence. No rustle, no answer.
- Maybe it's-" A nervous laugh escapes my lips. - Yes! It's just a dream! Just a bad fucking dream!
But inside, somewhere in the back of my mind, a doubt wakes up. What if it isn't?
Suddenly a whisper - distant, muffled, as if coming not from outside, but straight from my mind:
"The world around you is real...but your essence is beyond it."
I freeze.
- Who is it?! Show yourself! - A scream cuts through the darkness, but the darkness remains silent.
- Come out! Have the courage to show yourself!
But there is no answer. Only emptiness.
- Hey! Rin! Wake up!
A sharp voice jolts me out of my slumber.
I open my eyes with a jerk. A familiar face is standing over me. Short blond hair, a stern look.
- Cray? - the sleepy voice sounds muffled.
- Yes, it's me. Get up, stop sleeping.
I rub my eyes, trying to realize where I am.
- I'm sorry, Cray... I fell asleep so soundly I couldn't wake up.
- Yeah, after I fixed you up, you passed out right away.
I nod, remembering last night. Cray really helped me - gave me clothes, walked me to my room, let me rest. Good guy.
But a question plagues me.
- Cray, why was there no one in the temple last night?
- The pilgrims and priests were in the service in another part of the church. That's why you didn't see anyone.
I nod, but the feeling of strangeness doesn't go away.
- All right, come on out and see how many people are here. But first, breakfast.
On cue, my stomach rumbles loudly.
- Oh, yeah, that's what I need right now!
As I walk downstairs, I freeze.
There are dozens of people sitting around a long table. All of them are dressed in white robes, and some of them even have gold robes. The atmosphere is majestic, solemn.
- Don't worry, these are church officials. Sit down," Cray points to an empty seat.
I nod and, swallowing, sit down at the table.
- Good morning," I say, trying to hide my excitement.
- Hello, boy that Cray brought," a voice says from across the table.
I look up. At the head sits a man in snow-white robes with golden patterns. His penetrating eyes look directly at me.
- Have a seat," he points to the seat next to him.
I sit down, feeling uncomfortable.
- What's your name?
- Rin Kaa.
- I am the bishop of this church, my name is Cius," the man introduces himself.
I nod.
- My name is Ralius, I am the senior priest," the man to the right of the bishop introduces himself.
- And I am Apophius," the man on my left says.
I nod again, not knowing what to say. So I just start eating.
The food... gods, it's divine. I can't stop, the hunger consumes me.
- It's delicious! - I exhale, almost unable to speak.
Cius smiles.
- I'm glad you liked it.
I continue eating until the bishop's voice interrupts my hunger marathon:
- When you're done, come into the main hall.
I freeze, looking up.
- The main hall? - I question him warily.
- Yes. There's something we need to discuss.
Cray looks at me and nods.
- Okay..." I mutter.
After breakfast, I'm given new clothes-white, clean, free of dirt. They fit my body nicely, and I'm even starting to think I look... normal.
As soon as I leave the room, Cray is already waiting for me.
- Do you know why I've been summoned?
He only smiles enigmatically.
- You'll find out soon enough.
We walk up to the massive doors. They are tall, as if they lead to the sky, and there are people in embroidered robes on either side. As we approach, the doors slowly swing open.
I walk in... and freeze.
The hall is enormous.
The ceiling is lost in the height of the room, golden patterns and stained-glass windows glittering everywhere, shimmering with divine light. On the walls are paintings depicting scenes unknown to me, saints, angels ...
In the center of the hall are three thrones. One is higher than the others, decorated with gold and rare crystals.
On it sits Cius.
At the sides are Ralius and Apophius.
They look different from the table. Their robes are like legends come to life. Their white robes are embroidered with symbols, their rings shine, and their miters rise above their heads.
The bishop looks up at me.
- You have come.
- As you asked. But why?
Cius smiles slightly.
- You are our guest. Cray brought you, and he doesn't bring just anyone. So you belong here.
I'm swallowing.
- What can you tell me about yourself?
I lower my gaze.
- Almost nothing," I admit.
- Nothing? - Ralius stares in disbelief.
- I don't remember who I am. Just a name.
- And you don't know what kind of magic you have?
I blink.
- Magic?
My thoughts are confused.
- Can I have magic?
- Of course you can. Everyone is born with it.
I'm swallowing.
- I... I don't remember...
Bishop nods, as if expecting that answer.
- It's not a problem. We can help.
- How?
- In two days, we're having our annual rite of passage. It's where children who are fifteen years old awaken their magic for the first time. You can do it too.
I'm thinking about it.
- But I'm seventeen.
- It doesn't matter. We'll help you.
He smiles, but there's something... incomprehensible flickering in his eyes.
- In the meantime, get some rest. Cray, take care of him.
- Of course, sir.
As we leave the hall, Cray puts his hand on my shoulder.
- Get ready, Rin. This feast... will change your life.
I nod, but a feeling of unease rises inside.
I feel like I've heard it before.
"The world around you is real... but your essence is beyond it."
The first day passed in silence. A silence that pressed down, filling every cell of my mind. I spent it cooped up in my room, trying to grasp at any scraps of memory. The world outside the window had a life of its own-rare footsteps, voices, the muffled tinkling of bells-but it all seemed distant, as if behind a thick veil of sleep.
And yet something began to become clear. First the sensations, vague as smoke. Then words, sounds I'd heard long ago. And finally, a memory: I did have magic.
What kind? I didn't know. But the words surfaced in my mind, sharp, filled with a meaning I could not yet fathom:
Shadow of the Forgotten
A step beyond the Fringe
The Echo of Nothing.
Along with the names came the echoes of the power they gave me.
Shadow of the Forgotten
I could disappear. Not literally, but enough that people just stopped noticing me. Once their gaze slid over me, the memory of my presence faded like a candle in the wind.
I disappeared into the crowd as if I'd never been there.
And if I wanted to... if I really wanted to, the shadows around me thickened, swallowing me up, as if the world itself was trying to hide me from view.
A step beyond the Fringe
When I was in danger, something inside of me would trigger, and the next moment I would be somewhere else without even realizing how it happened.
Sometimes doors that were supposed to lead to dead ends would suddenly open into corridors that weren't there before.
And if I focused on a place, the line between me and it began to blur. The world was becoming... unstable.
The echo of Nothing
I noticed that people across the street would get nervous when I stared at one point for too long. They didn't understand why, but something was scaring them.
When I spoke, my voice sometimes sounded muffled, distorted, as if the words were not coming out of my mouth, but from far away, from the void.
And when I lost control of my emotions, the air around me changed. It became heavy, sticky, as if the world itself was trying to freeze in anticipation.
But the problem was, I didn't know how to use those powers. All I could remember was their names and that they belonged to me.
And there wasn't much time left. Tomorrow was the rite.
I didn't know what they were going to do to me.
But somewhere in the back of my mind I knew I wouldn't like it.
Somewhere in the upper part of the church.
- Mr. Bishop, what are you going to do with the boy I brought in? - Crey's voice was cautious, but there was concern in it.
In a semi-dark room, lit only by candles, sat a man in heavy church robes. The bishop turned his head slowly, his face hidden for a moment by the shadow of his hood.
- To help him unlock his magic, of course," he replied with a pious smile. - After that, we'll decide what to do with him. If his power is close to the Light, we'll leave him here to serve.
- And if he doesn't want to? - Kray's voice trembled.
- Then he simply won't know he had a choice," the bishop's voice held an icy sneer.
Cray swallowed nervously.
- But... How can you do that? He doesn't remember anything, he has nowhere to go... Isn't it better to help him instead of...?
He didn't have time to finish.
- Exactly! - the Bishop's voice became as sharp as a knife blade. - He's nobody. He's nobody. If he proves useful, we'll give him a purpose. If not... we'll just get rid of him.
The Bishop leaned forward, his eyes flashing with something sinister.
- You want to go to the Gardens of Eternity, don't you?
Cray froze. His eyelids fluttered.
Those words... They meant too much to him.
- I... I'll do whatever it takes," his voice was tense but firm. - Even if it condemns the child to suffering.....
The bishop smiled.
- That's good.
The day of the rite had arrived.
I didn't know what to expect. My thoughts were confused, my heart was beating so fast that it seemed to be about to burst out of my chest. Food and drink lost their flavor, everything around me felt alien, wrong... like I wasn't even supposed to be here.
Knock, knock.
I flinched at the unexpected sound.
- Can I come in?
It was Cray.
- Sure, come in," I answered, trying to keep my voice steady.
He came in, and I knew right away something was wrong. Cray was the same as always... but not at the same time. A detail, a small thing, an elusive feeling I couldn't quite grasp.
- Today's your big day. It's all set. I believe in you, boy," he said with a soft smile.
But his smile was insincere. And his voice didn't sound like it did before. Too strained, too foreign.
I tried to smile back - nonchalantly, as sincerely as I could.
- Yes... I think it'll go well.
- Then I'll leave you to it," he nodded briefly and headed for the door.
But as he grabbed the handle, he stopped.
- I'm really sorry.
His voice was almost inaudible, as if it wasn't him, but the air itself whispered those words to me.
And he was gone.
I was alone.
The rite was only hours away, but anxiety was already squeezing my throat. I stepped out onto the balcony, hoping the fresh air would ease my trembling.
Downstairs, people like me were gathered. Children. Teenagers. They were laughing, chatting, waiting their turn at the gate. Confident, calm. There was no fear or doubt in their eyes.
A light breeze blew past, bringing with it a familiar, warm scent.
I knew that scent...
A memory flashed before my eyes: I was standing in front of someone. A misty, indistinguishable face, muffled words dissolving into the void. I can't hear him... but that smell. It pulls me to it, calls to me.
There was a loud knock on the door.
I flinched, my heart pounding in my chest.
- Rin, come out! The ritual is about to begin!
Cray. This time his voice sounded... worried.
- Yes, I'm on my way! - I shouted, stepping away from the balcony grate.
As I opened the door, I saw him, sweating, worried.
- Cray, are you okay?
He didn't answer right away. Just a quick toss:
- "Come on. We should go.
I nodded.
I followed him into the unknown.