Ken's eyes snapped open.
The sand beneath him was burning hot — unlike any desert heat he'd felt before.
He blinked, shielding his face from the harsh glare above.
The sun hung low, enormous and blistering in the sky, as if it had somehow moved closer to the world.
Heat waves shimmered on the horizon, distorting the cracked earth.
"What… what is this?" Ken gasped, crawling to his feet.
His skin prickled painfully, like it was on fire.
Sweat poured down his face, but it offered no relief.
The air itself seemed to burn.
Ken staggered forward, each step sending searing pain through his feet.
He reached for his shirt, but the fabric felt like it was melting against his skin.
"I have to find shade… water… anything…"
But the sun showed no mercy.
Seconds stretched endlessly as Ken collapsed onto the sand.
His vision blurred.
His lungs gasped for air.
The heat wrapped around him like a vice.
Time and again, he tried to move.
Time and again, he failed.
You have died.
Again and again Ken awoke.
The scorching desert swallowing him whole.
His body couldn't keep up.
His skin blistered.
His throat burned.
For more than 1,000 times, the sun's fiery grip claimed him.
Each death etched itself deeper into his mind.
And yet…
He kept coming back.
On one final awakening, the air was different.
Cooler. Softer.
Ken sat up, bewildered.
Around him stretched stone walls, bustling streets, and colorful banners.
People in fine clothes walked past him, chatting and laughing.
A grand kingdom — alive, vibrant, and full of warmth unlike the desert's cruel sun.
Ken's heart raced.
For the first time in a long time, he felt something he hadn't in ages:
Safety.
He stood slowly, taking in the towering spires, the lively market squares, and the distant sound of music.
The endless suffering felt distant now.
"Maybe… this is a new beginning."