Chapter 1 – The Sky Shattered
The sky looked ordinary that afternoon as I walked home from school. The breeze was calm, and the streets were almost empty. But in a split second, everything changed. A blinding bolt of light streaked down from the heavens, slicing the air like a sword, and I was sucked into a whirlwind of energy that made my head spin violently.
"Wh-what… is this?!" I screamed, but my voice was swallowed by the swirling light.
When I opened my eyes, the familiar streets were gone. Towering trees surrounded me, their leaves glowing faintly, and the air felt heavier, tinged with a strange, magical scent. The ground was covered in luminescent moss, and small floating creatures, almost like fairies, flitted in the air.
"Where… am I?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
Suddenly, a deep voice echoed from the shadows of the forest."Finally… you have arrived."
I turned, heart hammering, and saw a tall figure stepping out of the darkness. His eyes glowed red like burning coals, and his black robe flowed as if alive. In his right hand, he held a massive sword that shimmered with a blue aura, sending chills down my spine.
I wanted to run, but my legs refused to obey. The sword moved toward me, slowly, deliberately—and then everything went black.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a massive hall carved entirely from black stone that glittered like obsidian. The figure stood before me, unmoving, eyes piercing."You are in the Other World," he said, his voice echoing. "Here, life and death follow different rules than in your world. And you… you have a great destiny."
"What do you mean?" I tried to sound brave, though my voice shook.
A thin, chilling smile appeared on his lips. "You are no ordinary human. I need someone like you… or you will die here."
My heart raced. Destiny? I'm just a normal student. Why me?
"Your first question has been answered by your life," he said, stepping closer. "From this moment, you will learn the rules of this world—or you will meet a swift end."
I swallowed hard, trying to gather courage. "I… I will learn," I said, voice quivering.
He nodded once and pointed to a glowing portal at the side of the hall. "Step through this, and see if you are worthy of survival."
I stepped forward, and the world around me dissolved into blinding white light. Moments later, I fell to the ground in a dense, magical forest. Strange creatures rustled in the trees, and a faint magical hum filled the air.
I looked around, heart still pounding. This is just the beginning…
Then, from the shadows, came a whisper that froze my blood:"You will not survive… but we shall see how strong you truly are."
Above me, a massive shadow loomed. I knew instantly—this was no ordinary forest. My hands clenched, my sword instinctively drawn from nowhere, and I realized: fight… or die.
Cliffhanger: The shadow lunged at me with terrifying speed, its glowing eyes fixed on my heart. I had only seconds to react…