I stood frozen, my arm fused with a creature of shimmering blue light. Its gaze, piercing and ancient, held me captive. “Who are you?” I asked again, my voice trembling.

“I am the guardian of this temple. And who are you?” It asked in a demanding tone.

“I am…” My answer faltered as the ground beneath my feet shifted, and suddenly, I was somewhere entirely different. I blinked rapidly, the air thick with opulence. A royal chamber adorned with majestic furniture and ornate sculptures surrounded me. The polished marble floors gleamed in the soft glow of a magnificent crystal chandelier. Confusion bubbled within me, yet there was an unsettling familiarity with this place.

Before me stepped a man with long white hair and striking violet eyes. He appeared to be in his late forties, draped in a long white coat. A sad expression brushed his features, but it transformed into one of utmost respect as he addressed me. “I greet the chosen one.”

“Chosen one? Me?” I considered and looked around to make sure he was speaking to me. His expression grew serious, and his melancholy shifted into a sharp intensity. “The Almighty Phoenix Will—is the name of the mark you have received. and use that power of the mark to oppose the approaching evil.”

“Great, more unclear things!” I huffed, crossing my arms. “At least give me a clue as to what this evil is or what the power is.” I thought to myself. “In every moment of silence, the universe reveals its timeless truths. Be patient, and you shall receive the answers you desire,” he replied cryptically.

As soon as the words left his lips, everything around me crumbled: the rich tapestries, the marble, and even the man himself disintegrated into soft particles of light.

“What's happening? why everything is crumbling?” I spoke to myself, but my voice echoed back to me in whispers. Before he vanished completely, he said, “Be safe, my...” I was thrown back to the temple, my heart hammering in my chest. “Be safe, my what? What is he trying to say?” I felt like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces desperately missing.

Suddenly, something hit me on the head. “Ouch!” I looked up; it was the ghostly thing from earlier; he gave me an irritated look and shouted, “Stop dreaming, you idiot!!!” he looked at me with an annoyed face. “Who are you, or at least say your name?” he asked again as I rubbed the back of my head.

"My name..." While thinking about what to say, I remembered the boy and the girl with the flowers. “Why are you smiling now?” he asked. “Uh... it's nothing,” I stammered. “Forget it; you don't seem to be answering me, and I've no pat..." ”Za..zane, you can call me Zane. What about you?” I asked it,

“Neel,” it replied curtly. I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd seen this blue shimmer somewhere before. As the moonlight washed over me, memories of that boy and girl with flowers flickered in my mind, bringing me an unexpected smile.

“Why are you smiling now?” Neel cocked its head.

“Uh... it’s nothing.” My heart warmed. “Wait, what's happening to that mark on your hand? Why did it shine just now?” Neel's eyes widened with sudden excitement. “What's happening, Zane?”

“I don’t know! Just wait and see!” I exclaimed, barely containing a sense of foreboding. The concentrated energy I felt coiling around us suddenly shattered—light exploded outward, and I shielded my eyes. When I dropped my hands, there lay a book, its cover pulsating with a soft, eerie glow. “It’s a book?” We exclaimed in unison, both enthralled and wary.

I reached down to pick it up. As I flipped it open, Neel shouted, “Stop right there, Asshole!”

“Why?” I asked, confused.

“What if it explodes?” Neel replied, eyes wide.

“Whatever,” I scoffed, ignoring Neel’s protests. I opened the book, and dazzling light erupted, engulfing us both. “Ahh, I'm going to die! Help me!” Neel wailed tearfully.

"Calm down, idiot. It’s just a light," I said, trying to reassure us both. I leaned closer to examine the pages. There was nothing. "It's all blank pages," I said while looking at Neel. Suddenly, a single line appeared on a page, and a strange familiarity swept over me as I read words in a language I had never seen yet completely understood.

“TRANSLOCAR EXODIMUS,” I read aloud, feeling the words resonate deep within me. As soon as I completed the incantation, the air crackled. Instantly, I felt myself being yanked from one place to another.

“Ahhhhh!” Neel screeched as we hopelessly plummeted into space, our dimension shifting. “Stop it, Neel! My ears hurt!” I yelled back, both of us suspended mid-air in a terrifying descent.

“Idiot! We are falling! Do something!” Neel cried, and I instinctively looked down. A carriage came into view, surrounded by masked figures brandishing weapons. Panic surged through me. “Ahhh! I’m going to die!” I screamed and grabbed Neel's head. 

The world blurred as we hurtled towards the ground, our fate hanging precariously in the balance…