The year is 2050.
It is said that technology has advanced so far that living without it is no longer possible.
My name is Edward — personal assistant and lifelong companion to a powerful CEO. For years, I have followed him through triumph and struggle, through fame and silence.
That day, we were flying across continents in a new model aircraft — sleek, silent, and faster than anything from the 2020s. The hum of the engines was steady, almost soothing. I stared out the window, watching silver clouds roll by like waves on an endless ocean. The air smelled faintly of steel and ozone.
"This era," I murmured to myself, "will be remembered in history."
But the next moment — everything changed.
A flash of white light filled the cabin. The sound of tearing metal screamed in my ears. My body was weightless — then nothing.
When I opened my eyes, I was no longer on the plane. I was lying on cold, damp grass. The air smelled of earth and pine. My head throbbed. Around me, the wreckage of the aircraft lay twisted and smoking. The acrid scent of burning fuel clawed at my throat.
Everyone… was dead.
A low wind whistled through the forest. I could hear faint creaks of metal cooling, and the faint buzz of unseen insects. I clenched my fists. My throat burned, but no tears came.
"I'll find whoever did this," I whispered hoarsely. "And I'll make them suffer."
The world around me looked like something out of medieval Europe — stone ruins half-buried in moss, trees so tall they blocked the sun. The sky glowed faintly gold, as if dusk had frozen mid-fall. I wandered through the forest, lost and disoriented, until my legs trembled beneath me. Every breath I took filled my lungs with damp, earthy air.
Then, without warning — a beam of light tore through the clouds.
"I am an ascended deity," a voice thundered above.
I shielded my eyes. The air shimmered with heat.
Before me stood a man — no, something more — his eyes brighter than the sun, his long white hair flowing like liquid light. The scent of warmth and something ancient filled the air, like sunlight on stone after rain.
My chest tightened. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice unsteady.
"I am the God of the Sun," he replied. His tone was calm, distant. "I know you do not belong to this world. I am omniscient… and yet, I cannot see who you truly are."
A lump formed in my throat. "Oh, ascended deity… I believe I've been summoned here. All of my companions are dead. Please—grant me knowledge of this world… and bring my friends back to life."
As soon as the words left my lips, he vanished, dissolving into mist. The forest grew still again, the light fading as if swallowed by the clouds.
I wandered aimlessly for what felt like hours until the ground gave way beneath me. I tumbled into darkness, hitting cold stone. Dust filled my lungs as I coughed and slowly stood. Before me was an ancient shrine, lit by the pale glow of faintly blue runes.
And there — on a pedestal — lay a sword.
Its surface was so dark that it seemed to devour the light around it. The air around the blade pulsed like a heartbeat, thick with a metallic scent — part iron, part smoke. I felt something heavy press against my chest, like invisible eyes staring into me.
When I reached out, the sword spoke.
"Who are you?" it asked, its voice echoing inside my skull. "How did you find me?"
I froze. My lips parted, but no sound came. My heart hammered against my ribs.
The sword continued, its tone low and almost human, "You… possess a strange energy. Who are you truly? I have waited for my master for more than a thousand years. But before I recognize you—"
The runes on the shrine flared red.
"—you must pass the trial."
To be continued...