Darkness.
But not peaceful.
Not like sleep.
This was the kind that pressed in on your lungs — suffocating, heavy, endless.
Then—
A flash of light.
A scream.
Metal clashing.
Fire.
His father shouting his name—
> "KAELEN—!"
And then... silence.
---
When Kaelen opened his eyes, he did not see a sky.
He saw… a ceiling.
Flat. White. Square tiles.
Buzzing lights.
He blinked once. Then again.
His body felt wrong. Too light. Too stiff. Too... unfamiliar.
The bed beneath him was soft. The blanket scratchy. The room smelled of dust and lemon cleaner.
He sat up slowly, groaning.
Every joint ached, like he'd been asleep for years.
His vision blurred, then focused.
There was a mirror near the door.
He stood — unsteady — and walked toward it.
What stared back was not the face of Prince Kaelen Ardyn of Valdara, warrior of light, heir to the Celestial Crown.
It was someone else entirely.
A boy.
Maybe nineteen.
Dark hair, ruffled messily across his forehead.
Golden-brown eyes, clear but tired.
A scar under the jaw.
Sharp cheekbones. Strong nose. Smooth skin.
Almost... too perfect.
Like a face drawn to make others look twice.
He raised his hand.
So did the boy in the mirror.
Kaelen's heart pounded.
> "What… is this?"
He touched his face, then his chest.
His shirt was loose — a soft black hoodie, unfamiliar fabric.
Underneath it, he felt warmth pulsing.
A faint golden glow flickered just beneath his skin — over his heart.
He pulled the collar down.
There it was.
A mark, softly glowing — shaped like a small sun with tiny wings.
The Soul Crystal.
Still with him.
Still alive.
But the body…
> "This is not mine."
Suddenly—
A knock at the door.
"Yo, Aiden! You good in there?" a voice called from outside. "It's almost 8. Don't tell me you're skipping again."
Kaelen froze.
> Aiden… is that this body's name?
He didn't answer.
A pause.
"Alright, man, your loss. But you've got history first period. The new professor's brutal."
Footsteps faded.
Kaelen turned back to the mirror.
> Aiden Voss. A student, maybe? In this world?
I've become… someone else.
But the crystal's still inside me. That means Father's spell worked. I survived.
Then where are the others?
He looked around the room. Posters. A cluttered desk. A glowing screen showing strange letters. A jacket thrown on a chair.
This wasn't a palace.
This was a student dormitory.
He stepped toward the door and slowly opened it.
Bright morning light poured in.
Outside — concrete walkways, trees, students rushing past with books and coffee cups.
A girl looked at him. Stared a little too long. Whispered something to her friend.
A group of boys walking by glanced at him, nodded. One of them muttered, "Dude's a model or what?"
He kept walking.
> I don't belong here.
But if I want to find the other crystals… I must learn how this world works.
And until then... I'll play this role. Aiden Voss. University student. Handsome, mysterious, quiet.
But beneath the skin... I am Kaelen Ardyn. And my mission is far from over.
Behind him, far away in a realm no one could see…
A sword lay shattered.
A throne sat empty.
And a shadow moved in the dark — sensing the Soul Crystal had survived.