Before stepping into this unknown world, I was just a college student about to graduate. My life had been full of hardships, but I always believed my efforts would eventually pay off. Everything changed in an instant.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself surrounded by strangers. A kind-faced woman and a calm-looking man gazed at me with gentle smiles. I didn’t understand anything, and confusion wrapped around me like a dense fog.
Memories flooded back, chaotic and overwhelming.
I saw myself running down hospital hallways, my heart pounding as I rushed to see my grandmother. She was all I had after losing my parents in a plane crash when I was a child. Despite her frailty, she always welcomed me with a smile that brightened even my darkest days. But that light had dimmed, too.
A single phone call changed everything.
“We regret to inform you that your grandmother didn’t make it…”
The rest of the words faded into the void. I ran toward the hospital without thinking, the cold night biting at my skin. Each step was a silent plea, a desperate attempt to defy the inevitable. But the world stopped me.
A car came out of nowhere. The impact was excruciating, pain tearing through every fiber of my being, followed by an all-consuming emptiness. Blood stained the pavement beneath me as my vision blurred. I thought about everything I’d done, everything I’d failed to achieve. Was my life really going to end so absurdly?
“This can’t be the end.”
In the darkness, a light appeared. It was warm and radiant, embracing me. A soft voice broke the silence:
“If that’s what you wish, you will live.”
That light enveloped me, pulling me toward an unknown place. Memories of my life unraveled around me, distant echoes. The images of my grandmother were the clearest—her smile, her voice… her unconditional love.
And then, she appeared.
“Just look behind you,” a calm yet powerful voice said.
My heart raced as I turned slowly. My breath caught when I saw her. It was her. My grandmother.
Her warm eyes looked at me with tenderness, disarming even the strongest soul. Her smile lit up the space around us, just as it had always illuminated my life.
“My dear Victor, you’re here,” she said, her voice as soft as I remembered.
Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. The pain, guilt, and loss all surged to the surface in an unstoppable torrent.
“Grandma… I’m so sorry… It’s my fault you’re here. I was always a burden to you,” I managed to say through my sobs, unable to meet her gaze.
She shook her head, gently cupping my face with her warm hands.
“Victor, you were never a burden. Never. You were my greatest blessing,” she said, her words soothing like balm. “You gave me a reason to wake up every day, to smile.”
I tried to argue, but the words caught in my throat. I looked at her, searching for something to justify my guilt, but all I found was pure love.
“You didn’t deserve so much from me… You gave everything, and I could never give you anything in return,” I murmured, feeling the weight of my guilt.
She smiled, that smile that could calm the fiercest storm.
“You gave me everything I needed: love, companionship, happiness. What more could I ask for?” she said, gently stroking my hair. “If you ever feel sadness or pain in your next life, I hope I’ll be the one to wipe away your tears.”
I embraced her tightly. My heart ached, but I also felt a peace I hadn’t known in years.
“Thank you, Grandma. For being everything to me. My mother, my friend, my family… Everything good in my life, I owe to you.”
She returned the embrace, her soft hands running over my back.
“From the moment I first saw you, I knew my life had a purpose. I’m content with everything I’ve lived because I shared it with you.”
Her body began to fade, transforming into a soft glow that slipped through my arms.
“No, wait… Don’t go!” I pleaded desperately, trying to hold on to the impossible.
She looked at me one last time, her expression full of love.
“I’ll always be with you, Victor. Always,” she whispered before disappearing.
I fell to my knees, unable to stop crying. But this time, the tears weren’t only of sorrow; they were also of gratitude. I had said goodbye, but I knew she would always live in my heart.
A hand rested on my shoulder. It was the man who had appeared out of nowhere. He patted my head silently, offering comfort without words.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently, cracks forming in the sky, and
and a thunderous noise echoed around them.
—There is no time, this space is falling apart. I brought you here to talk to you.
—You are the chosen one... you must recover a lost treasure. If you do, you will be granted a wish,” said the man, while Victor could barely articulate words, immersed in confusion.
A wish... That idea was spinning in his mind.
—A wish? —he asked, surprised and with a glimmer of hope—. Can I bring back the dead?
—I'm sorry, that's impossible, but your grandmother's soul rests in peace. He will be reincarnated in another life, you don't have to worry. His next life will be very happy," he said with a soft and comforting smile.
—. The door is here, do you agree to complete the mission to recover what was lost, in exchange for a wish? —He paused before asking again.
—. Tell me, do you accept?
Victor knew that this opportunity was unique: a wish in exchange for fulfilling a mission from a stranger who saved him from death. Although it was surreal, he was grateful that he was able to say goodbye to his grandmother. So, without any regrets and without asking any more questions, he accepted the mission out of desire.
"Yes, I accept," I said without hesitation, without stopping to look at the man in front of him.
The man had fiery red hair, shiny brown skin, and was wearing unfamiliar clothes with elegant embroidery of the oriental style, clearly not of this world. He was taller than Victor, and if he were in his world, he would probably be one of the most coveted men for his beauty. Victor hadn't paid much attention to him when they met, but he knew he wouldn't forget his name or his face.
—Can I know your name? —She asked quickly, without stopping to look at him
"Name..." the man said, a little surprised, as if he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to say.
"I want to know your name, but if you can't say it, that's okay," Victor said with a slight smile, lowering his head slightly.
"Damerías," the man responded, he smiled at me before pushing me towards a portal that had appeared behind me.
Before disappearing, Damerías looked at the large tree with cracks and observed it almost nostalgically. Whisper:
"I miss the days when we were happy," he said, disappearing, taking one last look at his favorite place.
On the other side of the portal, I felt something strange. Screams, pressure, sounds he could barely process. That's when I understood: I was being born again.
The cold hit me as I was wrapped in blankets. A soft voice caught my attention.
"It's beautiful, my little one," said a woman with silver hair and luminous eyes, bending down to pick me up in her arms.
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