Darkness
There was no light.
Only a void that resembled the one I saw before dying.
But then a bright white light covered everything, making close my eyes shut due to the sheer intensity of it.
When it seed like the lights finally dimd, I opened my eyes only to see a screen. Flashing so letters, I knew all too well.
[You Died. Gar Over.]
I stared back at my screen. Then suddenly—
THUD!
The sound of soone slamming the desk echoed in my ears. My hands burned with the pain of hitting sothing hard with my full force.
My gaze dropped low, and I looked at my hand, which was now resting on the desk. Fingers curled in a tight grip.
I had just hit my desk out of sheer frustration?
Wait.
What the hell is happening?!
I was in that weird room, and that demon pierced my heart with his claws. And now, I am back in what feels like my room.
My body is lighter than before, the black t-shirt was clinging to my sweat-soaked body. It all felt weird, but at the sa ti familiar.
Was that just a dream? Did I ever transmigrate to begin with?
The seven months that I lived as Noah... was a dream?
Dante?
Croft?
Michael? Aunt Josephine?
Were they just fignts of my dream?
"Hahahaha," I laughed dryly and stood up from my chair. My gaze swept across the dirty apartnt—Paint peeling off, clothes thrown on the mattress and food packets thrown all over the place.
It was utter garbage. Just as always.
I am Ethan Walker. I am 18 years old? Or was I 19 years old? I don't rember. Birthdays are sothing that is a foreign concept to .
So, I don't usually celebrate it.
My eyes shifted back to the monitor. The screen was still showing the ga over ssage. I had been trying to defeat that hidden boss, the Fiend.
And I failed each ti miserably.
Reaching into my trousers, I took my phone out. The screen opened with the wallpaper of a cat staring blankly at .
The ti was 5:00 P.M., and I was getting hungry already. Rembering that my supplies had run out—Mostly bread and cup noodles. I quickly took a hoodie from my jumble of clothes and wore it over my black tee.
I walked over to the exit door and turned the knob but not before giving my ssy room a last glance. "It was a dream, huh?"
But it did not feel like one.
Treading along the corridor of the apartnt complex, my eyes fell on the security guard who was still using his phone to chat.
This feels like a deja vu.
I simply walked past him out into the streets. The sky outside was in the shade of orange, the sun barely visible beside the mountains. The air felt cleaner and fresher, and by the small puddles in the streets, it must have rained pretty well.
"How long have I been living here?" All these questions ca to again.
Right. Right. After my Grandma died, I auctioned her house so I could avoid paying the property tax. I can barely earn for my own, how am I supposed to do all this while maintaining the scholarship grades, working and gaming?
I don't even have ti for others. Or for Myself.
Boosting my steps, I walked past the people. Few of them were wearing sweaters, and so wore overcoats with an umbrella slung over their hands.
There were all sorts of people—
Couples.
Singles.
Old.
Young.
All are busy in their worlds, just like . But this ti, I had a clearer view around as if those relations made sense—as if sothing had opened my eyes to them.
They did not feel monotone or depressed but rather happy.
Everything felt so wrong, but at the sa ti—it felt right.
Looking around, I finally stopped at the crossing. Cars, trucks and bikes passing by but my eyes remained glued to the black and white lines on the road. My heart thumping in my chest.
This is where I had died... Is everything about to repeat?
The signal on the post turned green, the traffic stopped for the people to cross, and so did I, even if I was hesitant.
I crossed.
My heart now raced, beating like a drum in my chest.
But this ti.
No car sent flying. I crossed safely over to the other side, stopping right before the bright green and white flashing lights of the convenience store.
I turned around and looked at the streets again. Cars had started moving, passing by in a blur. People went about their business as usual, nothing seed wrong.
It was fine.
All of it was a dream.
I didn't have to fight any monsters or a world-ending threat. I can just exist—exist as Ethan Walker, not Noah Von Blitzfeld.
Shifting my eyes to the front, the glass door of the store showed my reflection—A skinny guy in an oversized hoodie staring back at with his grey eyes. Dark circles forming under it.
My long black hair was ssy and unkempt, falling all over my forehead. I raised my hand and slid the hair back, giving myself a clean look and looking less nerdy. My face was average at best, skin softening around my jaw.
But if I work out, I might get so boost in Charm.
Hehehe.
Grabbing the door, I walked into the store. Yellow lights fixed on the ceiling illuminated everything inside—from the people to the items kept on shelves.
I headed towards the food section for a few cups of ran. What else can I even afford? Healthy food? Yeah, right. I don't even know the nas of the few vegetables.
But still, maybe I should try to change it.
Change my habits and start living at least. Wait, why am I even thinking like that? Perhaps that dream changed ?
Pfft- Nice joke.
Arriving at the food section, I browsed for so edible and affordable ran. I would need to buy a few of them so I could pass this week at least.
Bump!
Thud!
Soone collided with around the corner, making stumble a few steps back. The sa cannot be said for the person who collided with .
I clearly heard them falling.
"I am sorr—" I blurted out upon the impact, but paused. My eyes widened as it landed on the person sitting on the floor.
It was a girl who seed about the sa age as . She had beautiful violet hair tied into a proper ponytail. Her purple eyes were covered by a white fra spectacles.
She was wearing a simple white shirt that clung to her a bit too much, and my focus was on her racks that hung a bit too loosely. Uhm, over the shirt she wore a brown overcoat still marked by remnants of rain. Her short leather skirt ending right over her knees, then covered with high socks.
She seed like a character out of a novel or an ani.
And she was equally beautiful, too.
"Ouch!" She cried out, making snap out of the daze. I kneeled and picked up the items that had fallen out of the basket.
Doing whatever a gentleman would do. If I ever was one.
Standing up with her basket, I extended my free hand towards her and spoke. "I am sorry, miss."
Her purple gaze looked back up at , her eyes widened as soon as it landed on . Her lips parted as if to say sothing, but she stopped and instead reached for my hands.
Her hands were soft, with no signs of any calluses. I gently pulled her up. She was not that tall, only reaching up to my chest.
She did not talk or say anything but simply stared at .
"Are you alright?" I asked her, feeling the level of awkwardness rising. But she did not reply.
Seeing this, I decided to part ways here and do what I ca for. "Once again, I am sorry for bumping into you." I lowered my head and turned around.
"Wait!" She shouted from behind , her voice echoing in the store. Disturbing the other custors. "You are Ethan, right?"
My eyes widened. How does she know ?
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