The morning sun streamed through the curtains of the apartment, casting golden lines across scattered blueprints and scribbled equations. In the middle of it all sat Kael, barely 24, already considered a world-class scientific mind. His eyes flickered with excitement as he adjusted the lens on his prototype — a clean energy core that could power an entire city without pollution.
"Just a little more... almost there," he whispered to himself.
A soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Kael, you haven't eaten yet," said Aria, entering the room with a smile and a tray of warm breakfast. Her long black hair was tied loosely, her eyes tired but bright.
Kael looked up and smiled. "I forgot again, didn't I?"
"You always forget. Genius or not, you'll collapse one day."
He took the tray, watching her for a moment before placing it aside. "Aria... did you know? This core... it might change the world."
"I don't care if you change the world," she replied gently, sitting beside him. "I just want you to be in it."
He chuckled, but something in her words stayed in his mind — like a whisper of fate. For Kael, life wasn't just about discoveries anymore. It was her. She was his light, the one person who made the chaos of his mind feel calm.
But neither of them knew… that someone else had noticed Kael's brilliance.
And they weren't smiling.
Across the city, inside a towering skyscraper hidden beneath layers of shell corporations and military secrecy, a dark meeting was in session.
"Kael Arden," a man in a gray suit said coldly, projecting Kael's image onto a large screen. "He's getting too close."
An older man lit a cigar, the smoke curling like a serpent around his expressionless face. "He's cracked the clean energy core. That's two decades ahead of what we've approved for the world market."
"Should we approach him with an offer?" asked one.
"No," the leader said flatly. "Geniuses like him don't sell out. They believe in 'changing the world.'" He spat the words out like poison.
A different voice, female and sharp, cut through the room. "Then we erase him before he becomes a problem."
No hesitation.
No remorse.
The decision was made.
Back in his apartment, Kael gently tucked Aria's hair behind her ear as she dozed off beside his blueprints. He didn't know the weight of what he'd discovered. He didn't know that while he dreamed of saving the world — others were planning to end his.
His phone buzzed. A message appeared:
"They're coming. Run."
His eyes widened.
Kael's heart raced as he read the message again—"They're coming. Run." His mind scrambled to process who 'they' could be. Villains? Corporate spies? The very organization he had unknowingly threatened?
He glanced at Aria, peacefully asleep on the couch. His lips tightened. No. He wouldn't let them harm her.
He grabbed his laptop and began encrypting his research files, the hum of the machine drowned out only by his pounding heartbeat. Outside, distant sirens wailed like a haunting warning.
Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed on the apartment door.
"Kael Arden, open up. This is the government!" a harsh voice demanded.
Panic surged. Government? No, this was no routine check.
Kael grabbed a small bag, stuffing in his most important research notes, a few personal items, and a concealed stun gun. With a final glance at Aria, he whispered, "Stay safe. I'll come back for you."
He slipped through the back exit just as the door burst open.
The cold night air hit his face, mixing with the rising fear. Somewhere deep inside, he knew this night would change everything.
His genius mind raced — how to escape, how to protect Aria, how to fight back.
But first, he had to survive.
Kael darted through the narrow alleyways, heart pounding in his chest. Behind him, the sounds of footsteps and shouts grew louder — they were closing in fast.
His mind searched desperately for a plan. There had to be a way to stay alive and protect Aria.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed again.
A message from an unknown number:
"Meet me at the old bridge in 10 minutes. Come alone."
His fingers trembled, but something about the message felt different — urgent, but not threatening.
Kael risked a glance behind. No one was following. Yet.
With no better option, he pocketed his phone and changed direction toward the bridge.
The city lights flickered as he arrived, breath visible in the cold night air.
A figure stepped out from the shadows — a woman with glowing eyes and an otherworldly presence.
"I am Lyria, a goddess," she said softly. "I have watched your life, Kael. I will give you a second chance. But you must listen carefully — this new life will not be easy."
Kael's mind reeled, but he nodded, desperate for hope.
Lyria continued, "You will be reborn in a world where magic exists. You will keep your genius, but with restrictions. You cannot use magic there, only your own strength and mind. When you turn fifteen, I will give you a recipe. This recipe can create an item to return you here — and defeat those who destroyed your life."
Kael's eyes burned with determination. "I will save her. I will stop them."
Lyria smiled faintly. "Then your journey begins... now."
A bright light enveloped him, pulling him into the unknown.
To be continue...