I was still sitting on the pulsing ground of this cursed world, breathing heavily, my heart pounding as if it wanted to escape my chest.Sweat drenched my face, and my mind was trembling.
I saw a monster… I spoke its name, and it vanished.But I don't know how—or why.All I have with me is an old journal, and memories of a woman who died without explaining a thing.
I held my head in both hands.I whispered to myself:– "I can't… I can't stay in this place. This isn't my world… this isn't my war…"
Suddenly…A voice came to me.Soft… but clear.Sarcastic, yet sharp.
– "Ah, the spoiled grandson finally broke down. How long did it take you? Five minutes? I bet on three."
I slowly lifted my head.
No one.
Then I heard a light hop on the nearby rock.And when I looked, my eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.
There was a small creature, no taller than half an arm.Its body was covered in smooth gray fur, its eyes wide and glowing violet, and it had a long, coiled tail like a wire.But the strangest part… was how intelligent its expression looked—annoyingly intelligent.
It grinned, revealing tiny gleaming teeth.It pointed at me with a claw:
– "Adam, son of Fatima, grandson of Aisha the Guardian... finally, you've inherited the pendant.And congratulations to us… the new disaster has arrived."
I stared at it in disbelief.
– "Who… who are you?"
It leapt into the air and landed gently on my shoulder, then whispered:
– "My name is Lapobo.I was your grandmother's secret companion.And now… her pendant is in your possession, which means one thing only:I'm stuck with you."
I looked down at my chest.There was a simple leather pendant I hadn't noticed before, with a black stone hanging from it, pulsing faintly with light.
Lapobo pointed to it and said:
– "That's not just jewelry.It's the link between you and this world. Between you… and me."
I asked, my voice trembling:
– "Why can't anyone else see you?"
He laughed mockingly:
– "Because I can only be seen by the one who holds the pendant.Only guardians… only the chosen.And you, though you don't look like any kind of 'chosen one'… are now the new guardian."
I swallowed hard.– "But I don't know anything. I don't know how to fight, or even how to breathe here! I'm not made for this…"
He cut me off, standing atop my head like a tiny prince:
– "Oh, I know.You're not made for anything.Which is exactly why… I'll make you into something."
He jumped again and landed in front of me, then said sharply:
– "Listen closely, Adam:This world is called Nimura.It's a living entity—its soil has faces, its air is dust and memory.The monsters here feed on fear from your world. The more afraid people are… the stronger the beasts become.Your grandmother fought to stop them before they crossed over.Now, it's your turn.And if you don't… people will die. The world will die."
I was silent.The ground felt tighter beneath me.How could I be forced into a war I didn't understand?
Lapobo stepped closer and looked straight into my eyes:
– "I'm not saying you'll succeed.I'm just saying… I'll try to keep you from dying in the first battle."
Then he smiled and said:
– "Learn well, little human,Because the first monster… will be born tonight."
And for the first time… I didn't feel alone,But I also knew… I was no longer free.