Morning came the same way it always did, slow, boring, and too bright for my taste.
My alarm rang at exactly 6:00AM, shaking my phone on the bedside table. I reached out with one hand, slapped the screen twice, and groaned.
"ANother day again... Great."
I pushed myself up, ran a hand through my messy black hair, and stared at my reflection on the dark TV screen. Calm, emotionless face. Blank eyes. That was me, Drake Devon. Outside I looked like someone ready to punch anyone. Inside i was just... Tired.
My room was small but clean. Game posters on one wall, my old PC on the other side, and my bed stuck in the middle. I stood, stretched, and walked to the bathroom.
I brushed my teeth, washed my face, tied my hair into a low ponytail, and wore my usual school uniform. Plain white shirt, black pants. Nothing special. But when I looked in the mirror, I noticed the same thing everyday, my expression never changed. Calm, serious, no smile.
Even if I was thinking something stupid or panicking inside, my face stayed the same.
I walked out to the living room. Mom was already cooking breakfast.
"Oh, Drake! Good morning," she said with a warm smile.
"Morning" I answered quietly. I wasn't good at showing expresion, but Mom understood.
She placed a plate of eggs and rice in front of me. "Eat more. You look thinner than last week."
"I'm good," I muttered, but I still ate. My appetite wasn't big, but I didn't wat her to worry.
Dad came out too, stretching. "Drake, today's exam right?"
"Yeah. Should be easy."
Dad gave a small approving nod. "Good. You always do well, son."
I shrugged. "Just studying."
After breakfast, we left the house together. The morning breeze was nice. Quiet streets, early sun, and the sound of distant traffic. I plugged in my earphones and walked ahead at my own pace. School wasn't far.
When I reached the campus, students were already rushing in. I took my seat and waited for class to start. My friends greeted me, though it was mostly them walking while I nodded or grunted.
"Bro, you alwasy look like you wat to kill someone." Jake said ina joking way.
I sighed. "I'm not angry"
They laughed, because they were used to it.
Classes passed quickly. Math, englis, history, everything felt normal and predictable. I finished my exam early, handed the paper, and leaned back in my seat,
When afternoon came, the teacher dismissed us.
I was excited to go home for one reason: There was a new update for one of my games. Something spicy and mature. Not that i had much experience in that kind of thing. I was innocent despite what others might think, but games were games.
I walked towards the usual bus stop, scrolling throught my phone.
I heard a loud scream, "HELP! SOMEONE HELP!"
I looked up, a small shild, maybe eight years old, was running across the pedestrian lane, right in front of a speeding truck.
My body moved before my brain processed it.
"Hey!"
I dropped my phone, sprinted as fast as I could, and reached the kid just in time. I grabbed him by the shoulders and oushed him to the other side of the road.
But I didn't have time to move myself.
The truck was too fast.
There was a loud horn-
A blast of wind...
Then darkness...
My body felt weightless. Then pain exploeded through me. Like my bones were shattering one by one.
People screamed.
"Someone call an ambulance!"
"Oh my GOD!!"
"He saved the kid!"
I tasted blood in my mouth. My vision blurred. Everything felt cold.
But as I lay there, bleeding on the pavement, I felt something strange.
Peace.
At least I saved someone. That wasn't a bad way to go.
My last thought...
"I didn't even get to play the new update..."
Then everything went black.
---
There was no hospital. No sound of sirens. No people crying.
Instead, I woke up lying on somethin soft, grass? A gentle wind brushed my face. The sky wasn't blue... It was purple. Two small moons hung above me.
"What...?"
I sat up slowly. My body felt lighter, smoother, stronger. I looked at my hands. No wounds. No blood. No pain.
"What the hell is going on?"
I stood and looked around. I was in a massive field with strange glowing flowers. The air smelled sweet. Far away, I could see mountains floating in the sky.
"This isn't Earth..."
Was I dreaming?
Or
A voice suddenly whispered beside my ear. A feminine voice. Soft but cold, more like a robot.
[Host Identified...]
I froze.
"What? Who said that?!'
Before I could react, A glowing holographic screens appeared around me. Purple symbols. Heart shaped Icons. Strange demonic lettering.
"Demonic lettering??"
Then, eberything shook. The screem glitched violently.
[ERROR...]
[HOST GENDER MISMATCHED!]
[SYSTEM FORCED TO ADAPT...]
"WHAT SYSTEM?!!!"
The voice whispered again, clearer this time.
[SUCCUBUS SYSTEM ACTIVATING...]
"WHAT?! SUCCUBUS-?!"
I took a step back, but a screen popped in front of me, floating.
[SUCCUBUS SYSTEM]
[SYSTEM BOOTING...]
[ORIGIN PROTOCL: SUCCUBUS cORE]
[STATUS: ERROR - HOST GENDER MISMATCH]
[RECALIBRATING HOST PARAMETERS...]
[RECALIBRATING... 32%.... 69%... 100%]
>>HOST IDENTIFIED: DRAKE DEVON
>>RACE: hUMAN (TEMPORARILY)
>>SOUL STATE: fRAGMENTED
>>LIBIDO CAPACITY: LOCKED
>> EVOLUTION PATH: INCUBUS VARIANT
[WARNING: THIS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED FOR FEMALE HOST...]
[WARNING: FORCED ADAPTATION MAY CAUSE UNPREDICTABLE SIDE EFFECTS.]