Novel title: Reality Fracture Saga (RFS)
Victor Drake was having what he considered a "normal Tuesday." Not that he got many. At seventeen, being ordinary was a luxury he didn't have the budget for—mostly because life had a personal vendetta against him. Today, however, he was armed with optimism, a small bouquet of flowers, and a carefully curated gift for his girlfriend. Nothing could go wrong. Or so he thought.
A robber thought differently.
The first shot fired. Victor flinched, naturally. But then physics itself apparently filed a formal complaint, because the bullet did not follow the expected trajectory. No, it ricocheted off a frying pan, bounced off his phone, pinged between two idling cars, glanced off a TV in a shop window, struck a lamp post, and then, finally—him.
Victor staggered, processing the impossible. "Wait… what? How… that doesn't… follow… laws… of… physics?" His words were a jumble of disbelief, pain, and existential betrayal.
Everything went black.
---
When he opened his eyes again, he was floating. Or rather, suspended. Golden clouds swirled around him, and jagged crystalline mountains hovered in the distance. The sky wasn't blue, nor pink, nor any color he could name. It shimmered with impossible gradients, like a painting someone had made drunk.
A voice cut through the surreal calm.
"Victor Drake."
He turned. A man—or something like one—descended from the floating peaks. Radiant, impossibly tall, golden eyes like molten stars. Calm, but with the weight of the cosmos behind his gaze.
Victor squinted. "Uh… hi? Am I… dead? Because if I am, not cool. Also, did you see that bullet? It defied like, all the—"
"Enough complaining," the god said. "You have been chosen."
Victor raised an eyebrow. "Chosen? By… by you? What does that even mean? Chosen for what, a subscription service? Also, seriously, that bullet thing? I need answers, man."
The god's lips curved in a faint smile. "Answers come with understanding. And with this."
A shard of glowing energy materialized in his hand, floating toward Victor. It hummed, warm and alive. As it touched him, a voice echoed inside his head—male, teasing, slightly annoying:
"Finally. I was starting to think you'd be boring forever. Name's AETHER. Welcome to chaos, genius. Don't break everything… yet."
Victor blinked. "Wait—you're… a system? Like, one of those weird RPG things?"
"Exactly. But unlike the boring ones, I'm sentient, sarcastic, and fully operational. You have no idea how much fun this is going to be."
Victor groaned. "I swear, I just wanted to buy a gift…"
"Too late for regrets," AETHER replied smoothly. "We've got universes to ruin. Or save. Whichever you prefer."
Victor felt a rush of dizziness, a mixture of fear, awe, and the absolute certainty that his life—such as it was—had officially ended. And begun, all at once.