A powerful, celestial wind erupted from the void, its force so absolute that it seemed to tear the very fabric of reality. Leah felt her spirit being seized by an invisible, unrelenting grip, pulling her forcefully away from the burning wreckage of the bridge. The night sky began to twinkle with an unnatural, diamond-like brilliance, and for a fleeting heart-beat, time itself seemed to stop mid-motion. The crackle of the flames and the roar of the river fell into a terrifying silence.
Leah shouted into the vacuum, her voice echoing with raw desperation.
"Leave me!"
"I have to save my Leo!"
"Please, don't take me anywhere!"
Despite her struggles, the whirlwind dragged her upward until the world below vanished into a blur of shadows. Suddenly, the turbulence ceased. Leah found herself in a realm that defied all earthly logic. She was in a room of infinite proportions, where the floor and walls were woven from thick, shimmering layers of silver clouds.
Leah opened her eyes, gasping as the shock of her surroundings hit her. She tried to move, to turn back, to run toward the edge of this ethereal space, but she found herself anchored to the spot. There was no escape; her very essence was held in place by a power far greater than her own.
Leah began to cry, her sobs echoing through the vast, clouded chamber.
"PLEASE, IS ANYONE THERE?"
"PLEASE HELP ME! I HAVE TO SAVE LEO!"
"LET ME GO!"
"THE ONE I'M IN LOVE WITH IS GOING TO DIE JUST LIKE ME!"
"I COULDN'T SAVE MYSELF, BUT AT LEAST LET ME SAVE MY LOVE!"
"PLEASE... PLEASE... PLEASE!"
She folded her hands in a frantic prayer, her eyes scanning the endless mist for a face, a sign, or a way out. Her tears began to fall, tracing paths down her cheeks before dropping onto the floor of clouds, where they vanished like morning dew.
Suddenly, a silhouette began to form in the distance. A tall man appeared in front of Leah, radiating an aura of absolute authority. In an instant, a magnificent throne materialized behind him—a seat so royal and ancient that it seemed to have existed since the beginning of time. The man was already seated upon the throne, watching her with eyes that held the wisdom of eons.
He rose and began to walk toward her.
As Leah listened to the steady, resonant thud of his footsteps, she looked up. He was incredibly handsome, his skin glowing with a celestial light. He wore clothes that were simple yet decent, possessing a legendary quality that commanded immediate respect.
Leah, who had been collapsed on her knees, felt a sudden surge of energy. She rose to her feet, her breath hitching as she looked at the figure before her. She was overwhelmed with emotion, her hands trembling as she folded them once more.
"Please help me," she whispered through her tears. "I need to go to Leo to save him."
"I have to go."
"Help me to save him."
The man remained silent, his expression unreadable, though a flicker of empathy crossed his features at the sound of her heartbreak.
Leah dropped to her knees again, her voice breaking as she made her final plea.
"PLEASE, I HAVE TO SAVE LEO!"
"The man I loved sincerely, with all my heart, is in grave danger."
"I have been so unlucky in everything, mostly in love."
"I never received love from anyone, and now the only one I have ever loved deeply is at death's door."
"I couldn't save my own life, but all I want now is to save his. He is the man I love the most."
"Please help me."
"I don't know who you are... but please help me, Sir."
Suddenly, a realization struck her. She remembered that no one on Earth could see her except Leo, yet this man was looking directly at her. She had been brought here by a force that transcended the physical world. Her eyes widened, and a different kind of awe filled her heart.
Leah asked the man, her voice small.
"No one can see me."
"Can you see me?"
The man did not speak immediately, but a small, knowing smile played on his lips.
"Are you a spirit like me?" Leah asked tentatively.
At this, the man erupted into a great, booming laughter that filled the entire clouded realm.
"HA! HAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHA!"
He laughed with a joy that felt like thunder, then turned and walked back to his throne, seating himself with graceful ease. Leah stood there, confused and stunned by his reaction.
She waited until the laughter subsided before asking in a polite, hushed tone.
"Who are you?"
The man smiled at her. "Any guess, little girl?"
Leah shook her head in her innocence. "I don't know."
The man looked at her deeply. "Some people call me the Creator. Some call me good, and some call me bad. People call me by many names, but those who truly believe call me by one."
Leah leaned in, her heart racing. "What is it?"
The man's tone became both polite and profoundly serious. "GOD."
Leah's breath caught in her throat. She stood with her mouth open in total shock.
"GOD!"
"No, no... how is that possible?"
She began to pepper him with questions, her mind reeling.
"Am I completely dead now?"
"How can I see God directly?"
"What is happening around me?"
"How can God look so handsome? I didn't think you would be so... young."
The Creator laughed again, a warm sound this time. "Yes, I am not old. But seriously, Leah, I am God."
Leah bit her lip, her skepticism surfacing despite the surroundings. "I don't believe you."
"What should I do to make you believe that I am God?" He asked.
As Leah struggled for an answer, He spoke again. "I will show you, little girl."
He gestured into the air, and a flash of light appeared. He showed her the aftermath of the fight on the bridge—the men she thought she had killed. They were struggling in the water, but they had nearly escaped death. Leah felt a wave of guilt wash over her, but also a strange sense of relief.
She finally looked at Him, her heart heavy with a mixture of joy and sorrow. She fell back into her request.
"Please, I have to save Leo. Please send me back to him."
"Leo is in danger. I request you, God."
"I can do anything for his life. Please, just give me one chance to save him."
God looked at her, his voice echoing with the weight of truth. "IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU, LITTLE GIRL."
Leah's heart sank. "Why, God?"
"Saving Leo is not entirely possible, Leah. It is his fate."
"If you try to save him, you and your physical body will end up in even greater danger."
Tears streamed down her face once more. "What are you trying to say? Why can't I save my Leo?"
"You are a spirit, Leah, existing without your own body. I know you possess the supernatural powers of water and ice. But Leo's path is treacherous; his dangers will continue to come in the form of fire. If you try to save him using your powers, you will lose yourself."
Leah stood paralyzed as He continued.
"If you use too much of your power, your spirit will lose its strength, and consequently, your physical body—which is currently fighting for its life in the hospital—will also weaken. You are putting your entire existence at risk."
"If you use your power beyond its limit, it will bring you to destruction. You could gain other powers in the future, but the biggest threat is this: using your power will make you weak. It could make you disappear for hours or even days, invisible and unable to reach him."
"If you exceed the limit, it could kill your spirit. It could kill you before it kills Leo."
He leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "I am telling you this because if you want to live your life and return to your body, you must forget about Leo and wait for your own recovery. Leave him to his destiny."
Leah's voice was a mere whisper. "What about Leo?"
"FATE," God replied. "Fate and destiny will decide everything."
"Choose, Leah. Either choose yourself... or choose Leo."
Leah stood in the silence, her mind flashing back to the words of her friend Kayla, and the moments of kindness Leo had shown her. She wiped her tears away, her expression hardening with a fierce resolve.
"Leo is more important to me than myself," she said, her voice growing stronger.
"I have nothing in my life! NO FAMILY. NO LOVE. NO DREAMS. NO HOPE."
"But Leo has everything. He has a family who couldn't bear to see him harmed. For me, I never had anything except him. My happiness and my love began with him. Even if he is the reason for my death, I would be happy."
"This is not a sacrifice, God. This is my love."
"I could die for Leo a thousand times, but I cannot stand to see him hurt. Please, God, help me."
The Creator's expression softened, moved by the purity of her devotion.
"Remember, girl, your estimated deadline is six months. If you use your powers too much, your spirit's life and your human life will end before you reach that time."
Leah nodded, accepting the cost without hesitation.
"Very well, little girl. I will send you back to Earth and to your Leo again."
"But I have a fourth condition."
Leah looked up. "What is it?"
"You must never reveal to Leo that you are a spirit. And remember: if you use your power beyond its limit, you will disappear from his sight for a period of time. If you push too far, you will lose control of your power, and it will claim your life."
Leah accepted the terms, bowing her head in agreement.
With a simple snap of His fingers, the world of clouds vanished. Leah instantly found herself back on the bridge, standing in front of Leo's car. The vehicle was on the verge of being completely consumed by the fire.
"LEO!" she screamed.
He was still unconscious, his head lolling against the seat. Leah felt a surge of protective rage. She snapped her fingers, and a torrent of water erupted from her hands. She shot the freezing stream onto the burning car, the sheer force of her supernatural power dousing the flames in seconds.
Thick white smoke billowed into the night air. Leah rushed to the car and, with a strength that shouldn't have been possible, she ripped the car door from its hinges.
Leo slumped forward, falling into her arms. Leah gasped as she felt the solid weight of his body—for a fleeting moment, she could actually touch him. She looked up and saw God standing a few feet away, a small smile on His face as He watched her.
Leah hugged Leo tightly for that precious second, her heart overflowing. Seeing her joy, God nodded and disappeared into the shadows.
Immediately, a wave of profound weakness crashed over Leah. She felt her strength draining away, her essence flickering. Leo slipped from her arms and fell onto the grassy ground. The physical connection was severed; she was a spirit once more, unable to grasp him.
A searing pain erupted in the nerves of her hands, making her cry out in agony.
"Ah!"
She clutched her hands to her chest, the pain nearly unbearable.
"For me, Leo is more important than anything," she whispered through the suffering. "I will risk my whole life for him. I will stand in front of the fire every time it tries to harm my Leo, even if it burns me completely."
Her vision began to blur. As the strength of her spirit faded, Leah fell into unconsciousness, her form turning invisible as she vanished from the side of the man she had just saved.