Chapter 1 – The End of Code and the Beginning of Flame
The hum of servers was the only sound left in the office.Monitors cast pale light across empty cubicles, cold and sterile, like the glow of an aquarium filled with ghosts. The clock on the wall blinked 3:47 A.M.
Drake's eyes had been dry for hours. He hadn't blinked in so long that his vision shimmered at the edges, like pixels trying to keep up with reality. Lines of code scrolled endlessly on his screen—green and white streams of logic, his only company for the last decade.
He stretched his neck, bones cracking softly. The chair groaned in protest. His fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment, then dropped. One last keystroke.
Process Complete.
A small blue window popped up. Build Successful.He stared at it for a long, empty second.
"Finally…" he whispered, his voice rough and distant. "It's done."
There was no one left to hear him. The other programmers had gone home hours ago. Maybe days ago—he'd lost track of time.
He leaned back, eyes closed. For a moment, he let himself breathe. Not because he felt good about finishing, but because it was over.This project, this company, this cycle of sleepless nights chasing deadlines and disappointment—it was finally over.
He unplugged his old coffee mug from the warmer. The smell was burnt, acidic. He dumped it into the bin without a second glance, grabbed his coat, and walked toward the exit.
The building was silent. The hallway lights flickered as he passed, like they knew this was his last night here.
Outside, rain hissed against the pavement. The city glowed with tired neon—reflections of advertisements sliding down puddles. Drake walked without an umbrella, letting the water soak through his clothes. It felt… honest. Cold. Real.
He stopped at a crosswalk.The red light flickered above him. Across the street, a diner glowed faintly through the rain. Steam and warmth. Coffee. Maybe he'd have one last cup before heading home. Maybe he'd even sleep for once.
The light turned green.
He took one step forward.
Headlights.A blinding flash.The sound of a horn cutting through the storm.
Then silence.
At first, he thought he'd fallen asleep.No pain. No weight. Just… floating.
When he opened his eyes, there was no city, no road—only an endless expanse of stars and darkness. The air—or whatever it was—shimmered like glass rippling under water.
"…So this is death," Drake murmured. "Figures it's another void."
"Not quite."
The voice came from everywhere at once. Calm, melodic, ancient. Like wind passing through hollow stone.
He turned. A figure stood—or hovered—before him. Cloaked in starlight, its face hidden behind a shifting mask of light. Not human. Not even close.
"Who… are you?" he asked, though part of him already knew.
"A being between worlds," the figure said. "You may call me what you wish. God, if it comforts you."
Drake let out a tired laugh. "A god, huh? Should've guessed. So, what now? Judgment? Reincarnation? Or do I just… drift forever?"
The being tilted its head, almost amused."Your soul burned bright, even in a world that smothered such flames. You built universes from symbols, gave logic to nothingness. You created, even when life gave you no reason to."
Drake frowned. "You mean… programming?"
"In essence, yes. You shaped systems—machines that obeyed your will. Creation, within the limits of your reality."A pause. Then, softly: "Would you like to try again, but without the limits?"
The words hung in the void, heavy and unreal.
"Try again," Drake repeated. "You're saying I can live again?"
"In another world. One woven with mana and life far older than your own. One where thought and energy are one."
Drake exhaled slowly.He should've felt disbelief. Fear. Hope. Something. But all he felt was… curiosity.
"And the catch?"
"No catch," the god said. "Only the truth: every choice carries weight. You will begin anew—your soul reborn in a vessel fitting your spirit. And before you depart, you may choose three wishes."
"Three, huh?" Drake muttered, rubbing his chin. "Guess I should think this through."
He took his time. The void was silent except for the pulse of starlight around them.
"First," he said at last, "I want instant comprehension. If I learn something, I want to truly understand it. Magic, language, skill—it doesn't matter. No limits to learning."
The god nodded. "Granted. What is your second?"
"I want infinite potential. I don't want to be bound by ceilings or talent. I want to keep growing, no matter what form I'm born into."
A low hum reverberated through the void. The god's tone shifted slightly—caution, maybe even curiosity."You ask for a dangerous gift. Growth without limit means challenge without end. Infinity attracts chaos."
Drake smiled faintly. "Story of my life."
The god paused, then gestured for him to continue.
"And lastly," Drake said, "I want infinite mana. The energy to fuel every dream, every idea—without fear of running out."
The space fell silent.The stars dimmed, as if even the cosmos had taken a breath.
Then the god spoke again."Three infinite paths. You will find that even endless power can bring despair. But… you amuse me, mortal. Your wishes shall be granted."
A bright sphere of light appeared between them, pulsing like a heart."May your next life be one worthy of infinity."
Drake blinked as the light enveloped him. His last thought before the world shattered was simple.
"A fresh start, huh? Don't screw it up this time."
Darkness.Heat.Pressure.
He gasped—or tried to—but the sound was muffled. His body felt small, coiled, and confined. The world was thick around him, like liquid stone. Panic surged.
Where… am I?
He kicked, scratched, pushed. Something cracked. Then again—CRACK. Light pierced through the darkness, blinding and beautiful. With one last desperate shove, the shell broke.
He tumbled forward onto cold rock, shivering. For a moment, he just lay there, breathing raggedly.Then his new senses flooded in.
The air was alive. He could see mana in it—soft streams of blue and gold swirling through every crack in the cave walls. Each pulse resonated with something deep inside him.
His body felt strange—light but powerful. He looked down and froze.
Black scales. Glossy and smooth like obsidian, etched with faint veins of gold that shimmered with his heartbeat. Tiny claws dug into the stone beneath him. A tail twitched behind him, and when he inhaled, a puff of smoke curled from his nostrils.
"…Oh, you've got to be kidding me."His voice—if it could be called that—was a growl in his mind."I'm… a baby dragon?"
He flexed his wings—small, stubby things that barely lifted. His reflection shimmered in a nearby puddle: bright amber eyes, slit pupils, and a faint glow beneath his scales.
He wasn't human anymore. Not even close.
And yet… he felt right.
A pulse of warmth stirred in his chest. Mana—pure and endless—flowed through his body like blood. When he focused, he could hear the cave itself breathing with it.
Instinct whispered: Release it.
He inhaled, exhaled, and—A spark leapt from his throat.A thin, golden flame danced across the stone floor, searing a perfect spiral before fading.
Drake blinked. "Did I just… burn a hole in rock?"
He focused again. The patterns of mana rearranged themselves before his eyes, forming shapes and equations he instinctively understood."Comprehension, infinite potential, infinite mana…" He chuckled to himself. "Guess the old god wasn't lying."
The air outside the cave shimmered with sunset light. Forests stretched endlessly beyond. The horizon burned red and gold.
He stood at the mouth of the cave, small but unafraid. The wind ruffled his scales, carrying the scent of a thousand unknown lands.
"Another world, huh?" he murmured. "No deadlines. No bosses. No limits."
The golden light of dusk reflected in his eyes. A flicker of flame curled from his breath.