Chapter 1 — The Invitation
The world was an absolute dream. Almost too perfect.
Crystal towers soared into the clouds, sparkling in the sunlight and reflecting the soft blue of the sky. The streets shone like they'd just been polished, and people strolled peacefully along them, their faces free from worries about hunger, illness, or financial struggles.
It was the kind of world where children laughed and played without a care, where the sounds of laughter replaced any distant echoes of chaos, where the air felt fresh and invigorating. It was a paradise. A paradise created not from kindness, but simply from the absence of need.
Because most of humanity wasn't here anymore.
They had been swept away to the World of Imagination.
Every person faced the chance, at some point in their youth, of receiving the unsettling Invitation Card—a letter sent by the military to those selected to become citizens of that mysterious realm.
If you made it through the "Invitation Phase" of your life, usually before turning twenty-one, then you were set for life. No more worries of being called into that unsettling world.
And Luke Heth had made it.
At twenty-two, he had a stable job waiting for him: the National Astral & Subconscious Studies Agency—NASSA. The name was a bit of a mouthful, so most just called it "the Dream Department." He still had his acceptance letter, carefully folded in his pocket, as he raised his glass with coworkers at a rooftop bar.
"To Luke!" one of them cheered. "The man who beat the odds!"
Luke beamed, lifting his drink high. "To my wonderfully boring, safe life!"
Surrounded by laughter and clinking glasses, Luke felt a wave of relief wash over him. For the first time in years, he felt completely at ease. The tightrope of anxiety he had walked throughout his youth, wondering if the Invitation would ever come was finally behind him. He had crossed the finish line, and his life was no longer a gamble.
Gone were the sleepless nights spent staring at the ceiling, anxiously waiting for a knock on the door. No more fear of finding a dark card in his pocket. No more wondering which of his worst nightmares might become real.
He had succeeded. The "Invitation Phase" was a thing of the past now.
As the night wore on, laughter and toasts filled the air. A few of his coworkers playfully nudged him about finding a girlfriend now that he had his future in this world was certain. Luke just chuckled and continued sipping his drink, relishing the normalcy of it all.
A girlfriend could wait a bit longer. Maybe in a couple of years, he'd think about it.
The night was full of good company, laughter, and clumsy cheers. Eventually, as the celebration wound down, the streets were mostly quiet. A gentle breeze drifted through the pristine avenues, brushing past the glowing street lamps.
Luke after seeing everyone, then tucked his hands into his coat pockets and started the walk home, humming to himself.
He felt light, as if he could float. For once, his life was wonderfully simple.
That was until he turned the corner.
A sleek black vehicle was parked outside his apartment building. Its engine was silent, but the insignia painted on the side made Luke's heart jump.
A blooming red rose.
The mark of the Red Rose, an agency under the World Government.
This wasn't your ordinary department, for they were the military group responsible for monitoring and delivering the Invitation cards. They handed out the cards and ushered the chosen ones away, preparing them for their inevitable voyage.
Three soldiers stood by the vehicle, their dark uniforms catching the soft light from the streetlamps. As soon as they spotted Luke, one of them took a step forward, and he felt his breath catch.
"Luke Heth?" the soldier asked, his voice deep and calm, leaving no room for doubt.
Luke swallowed hard. "…Yes."
His heart raced, fearing the direction this conversation might take.
The soldier nodded once, extending his hand. Resting on his palm was an unusual card. It measured about six to seven centimeters long and three to four centimeters wide. It was sleek and black, with silver edges.
The moment Luke saw the card, his knees felt weak. He understood all too well what it meant.
"No. This isn't possible. Not now. I survived the Phase!"
With trembling hands, he accepted the card from the soldier. His name gleamed across the top in bold, elegant silver letters:
Name: Luke Heth
Status: Late candidate
Date of Invitation: August 2nd, 10:43 p.m.
Age Status: 22 (late candidate)
Congratulations. You have been chosen.
The soldiers remained motionless; their gazes were a mix of empathy and understanding.
Luke's voice wavered. "This… this is a mistake. I've already passed. I'm twenty-two! This is supposed to be over!"
The soldier's eyes softened just a bit. "We know, kiddo. Something shifted this time, and it looks like there are late candidates."
"Late candidates?" Luke asked, his mind racing with confusion.
How the fuck was that supposed to make any sense.
The soldier nodded but didn't elaborate.
Luke felt an overwhelming wave of realization. It seemed that even the Government was taken by surprise the revelation of late candidates. Tears pricked at his eyes as he grappled with the weight of it all. He wanted to toss the card away or crush it in his hands, but he knew that would be futile. Not only was the card indestructible, but throwing it away was akin to committing suicide.
Given that the black card was something akin to an identity card in World of Imagination, and those who lost it or misplaced it, would become identiless in the World. And this was by far a fate worse than death.
The soldier spoke again, tone clipped. "You will come with us. A late Invitation is… unprecedented. The brass doesn't know what to make of it. But the rules of the world are clear: once chosen, you must enter. There is nothing that can be done about that."
Luke's throat went dry. "…When?"
"Right now," the soldier said. "Normally, candidates undergo three months of survival training before their first Entry. But you_" he paused, almost hesitating, "You only have one day."
The words fell like stones in Luke's stomach.
One day.
A single day to prepare for a world that could kill him with a stray thought.
The soldier turned back to the vehicle. "Come. You'll be briefed at the base."
Luke stared at the dark card in his hand, the silver letters shining faintly. His entire future, the job, the peace, the safety he had celebrated hours ago was gone, just like that.