The starship groaned beneath him, every shudder echoing the fractured state of its core. But for Arvan Frax, the physical chaos was already distant, swallowed by an encroaching darkness that stretched beyond time and space. One moment he was fighting for his life amid flickering red lights and shattered corridors; the next, he was suspended in an endless void where the rules of reality unraveled.
Here, there was no gravity, no weight, no sound except for the distant whisper of existence itself. A pale, ethereal glow suffused the vast nothingness, casting gentle illumination on floating motes of light—like stars caught in a sea of velvet black. The air—or what passed for it—felt thick with anticipation and an ancient, unfathomable power.
Arvan's body was weightless, drifting like a leaf in a cosmic current. Yet every sensation was painfully vivid: the rapid beating of his heart, the metallic tang of blood in his mouth, the raw ache in his ribs from the battles just fought.
His breath came shallow, uncertain. He opened his eyes wide, searching the void for any sign of familiarity.
Then, from the silence, a voice.
Not spoken aloud, but resonating directly within his mind—a presence that was at once comforting and terrifying, vast yet intimate.
"Arvan Frax."
The voice was timeless, neither male nor female, but something far older than any being he had ever known. It carried the weight of galaxies, the wisdom of forgotten eons.
Arvan's pulse quickened. "Who… who are you? What is this place?"
"You stand between life and death, between worlds. Your journey has brought you here—a crossroads where choices shape fate."
The void rippled, and before him, a shimmering sigil unfolded like a blooming flower of light and shadow, pulsating with radiant energy that seemed to breathe.
"You possess the power of EsGod, but only a fragment. A force both incredible and perilous."
Arvan's mind reeled. He remembered stories, legends whispered in the deepest corners of the gaming and novel worlds he once escaped into. EsGod—the supreme Esper, a godlike being capable of bending reality, manipulating dimensions, and commanding the very essence of life.
That power… and now it's mine?
"But I'm just a man," Arvan murmured, voice barely a whisper. "How can I control such power? I'm not a god."
The presence responded gently, "Power without control is destruction. That is why your gift is limited, tethered by rules and boundaries unknown even to EsGod himself. You can summon and command the essences of others, but only within a delicate balance."
Arvan swallowed hard. "What happens if I fail?"
"Failure is an ever-present shadow. Your strength will grow with each choice, each sacrifice, but so will the darkness that hunts you."
The sigil glowed brighter, spinning slowly in the void.
"You must choose, Arvan Frax. Accept this covenant and embrace the path of the guardian—one who stands between worlds, who holds the fragile balance of power and chaos."
For a moment, silence stretched. The weight of the decision pressed upon him like the crushing pressure of a star's core.
His thoughts spiraled back to Purbalingga—the humid air, the bustling streets, the simple comfort of a quiet life filled with stories and dreams. He remembered the dull ache of his mundane routine, the endless grind of work that wore him down day by day. And the novels, the games, the comics—his escape, his sanctuary.
Could this be more than escape?
Tears welled in his eyes, not from weakness but from the overwhelming surge of emotion—fear, hope, despair, and determination all tangled together.
He reached out with trembling hands, fingertips grazing the glowing sigil.
"I accept."
The moment his skin touched the light, a surge of energy erupted through his body—a torrent of power so fierce it stole his breath. Visions flooded his mind: stars collapsing, dimensions folding, countless lives intertwined in an endless dance of creation and destruction.
His body convulsed, then stilled, as the energy settled deep within him.
When Arvan opened his eyes again, he was back on the starship. The red emergency lights flickered violently, alarms blaring in a crescendo of warning. The metallic taste of blood lingered, but beneath it was something new—a steady, undeniable pulse of power humming through his veins.
He stood taller, though every muscle throbbed with exhaustion. His psychic eyes glowed with a calm intensity, the faint blue light steady and strong.
He was changed.
But the fight was far from over.
The voice of the universe had spoken, offering power with a price.
To wield the gift of gods is to carry their burdens. Every step forward would be a step into the unknown.
But Arvan Frax was ready to walk that path.