Blood soaked the ground beneath his knees.
The boy could no longer remember how long he had been fighting. His arms trembled, his breath came out in shallow gasps, and every movement sent waves of pain through his broken body. Around him lay the corpses of unknown creatures—twisted, lifeless forms scattered like fallen shadows.
Above him, the sky was darker than black.
Not stormy.
Not cloudy.
But empty—as if the world itself was watching in silence.
The boy's name was Rush.
No one knew where he truly came from. Not the people of this world. Not even Rush himself. Years ago, he had been found alone in a forest and taken in by a family that never truly accepted him.
Only his father had ever shown him warmth.
The others saw him as a burden. A mistake. Someone who did not belong.
Yet even so, Rush had never hated them.
He had protected them. Again and again. When danger came to his town, he stood in front of it. When fear spread, he faced it alone. Even after awakening powers he never asked for, he used them for one purpose—to protect.
And now, this was where that path had led him.
Blood dripped from his fingertips as his strength finally gave out. His vision blurred, the world tilting as darkness crept in from the edges.
Is this it?
Am I really going to die like this?
For a moment, he wondered if anyone would grieve him.
If anyone would even remember his name.
As the last light faded from his eyes, the darkness answered in silence.
When Rush opened his eyes, he found himself in a place beyond comprehension — a vast expanse of white that stretched into eternity. There was no ground, no sky, only endless light.
Suddenly, that light shifted. A brilliant glow gathered before him, forming into an orb that pulsed softly, like it was alive.
Rush squinted and asked, "Is this… heaven?"
A voice answered, calm and resonant, echoing from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"It is not heaven. This is the space in between — a path that lies beyond life. From here, one may return, move forward, or begin anew."
"Then… are you God?" Rush asked quietly.
"You may call me that, if it helps you understand," the voice replied. "But I am not the god of your world. I watch over others — worlds that now teeter on the edge of chaos. Darkness grows stronger each day. I need someone to stand against it… and I have chosen you."
Rush frowned. "Chosen me? Why? I couldn't even save my own world."
"Even so," the voice said gently, "your heart remained pure. You fought not for glory, but for others. I cannot interfere directly — but I can grant you my blessing, and a fragment of my power."
The light shimmered, enveloping him in warmth.
"You will also keep the strength you once possessed. If there is something you truly desire, speak it now."
Rush hesitated, his voice trembling. "I… I don't want power. I just want a family that loves me. A place where I belong."
The voice seemed to pause, as if considering his wish.
"A simple, selfless wish. Very well. But if I grant it, what of your memories? Do you want to keep them?"
"Don't erase them," Rush said. "Just seal them — until the time is right."
"Granted," the voice said, its tone soft yet commanding. "You will receive my blessing, sealed with ultimate skill and memory. You shall be born into a noble house, where love and peace awaits you. When you need them the most , your past will awaken once more. Live well, Rush… and when the time comes, remember who you are."
The light grew unbearably bright. Rush felt his body lift, drifting away as the voice faded into silence.
The endless white dissolved into color — into a world of magic and steel, of swords and sorcery, of destinies intertwined.
And somewhere, far beyond, the universe itself began to shift — forever changed by Rush.