Zaren walked slowly along the cracked road in the pale morning light. Every step to Crestwood School felt heavy. Another day of school. I hate this, he thought. His face was rough and full of scars. With his mother gone and his father, Darian, working as a school helper, Zaren had only known hard times and cruel words from others.
At the old, rusty gate of the school, the sound of chattering students filled the air. Zaren paused for a moment, feeling the same old fear and sadness. He took a deep breath, pushed the heavy gate open, and stepped into the noisy schoolyard. The happy voices of his classmates only made him feel even more alone.
Carrying his worn backpack, he climbed the old stone steps to the classroom. The steps creaked under his feet, and the hall smelled of old books and sweat. As he walked down the narrow hall, he could hear small groups of students whispering and laughing at him. He kept his head down, wishing he could just vanish.
Finally, he reached the door of his classroom. With trembling hands, he pushed it open. The room went quiet for a moment as everyone looked at him. Zaren felt a sting of fear and shame.
Soon, a big boy named Dranik came forward from a group of friends. With a mean smile, Dranik said, "Hey, Zaren, I forgot my lunch box today. Can I borrow yours?"
Zaren's heart sank. Every day, Dranik made fun of him, and today was no different. Looking at the small, old lunch box in his hand, he said in a quiet voice, "I need it too."
Dranik's smile turned to anger. "What?" he shouted. "You act like I am your servant! You are nothing but a weakling!"
Before Zaren could speak, Dranik hit him hard on the cheek. Zaren felt a sharp pain and then everything went dark for a few seconds.
When he woke, the room was filled with cruel laughter. His face hurt and blood ran down from a cut on his cheek. Through blurry eyes, he heard a deep voice: "What are you doing, Dranik?"
It was Darian, his father, who worked as a helper at the school. Darian's face was full of worry as he stepped into the room.
Dranik spat and said, "Mind your own business, old man," then stormed out with his friends.
Darian knelt beside Zaren and gently wiped the blood from his face. "Son, are you okay?" he asked softly. Zaren could only nod weakly. "I am sorry you had to go through this. I promise I will find you a school where you are treated better," Darian said.
But the hurt was too deep for Zaren. He could not stand the laughter and teasing. Without a word, he got up and ran out of the classroom.
"Zaren, wait!" Darian called, but his voice was lost in the noise of mocking voices.
Zaren ran down the stairs and out into the cold schoolyard. He crossed the street quickly, his mind a jumble of fear and pain. Just then, a green light flashed ahead at the crossing. For a brief moment, he slowed down.
Then he saw something strange at the edge of the road—a dark, shadowy figure with a weird, empty smile. Zaren felt a chill run down his spine. What is that? he thought, his heart beating fast.
Before he could think more, a loud horn blared, and a big truck came around the corner. The truck hit him hard. Zaren was thrown across the road. Pain exploded in his head, and he lay on the pavement with blood streaming from a deep cut. The world around him grew dark.
When Zaren opened his eyes again, he heard many voices. "Son, hold on!" his father cried as he ran toward him. The truck driver knelt beside him. "I'm so sorry, boy! I will take you to the doctor," the driver said, his face full of regret. A few people gathered, whispering, "Who is this boy?"
Lying on the cold pavement, Zaren felt tears mix with the blood on his face. Am I really so worthless? he thought. His father's voice came again, "I have only you, my son!" In that moment, Zaren saw that strange dark figure again, standing behind his father with that odd, empty smile. It filled him with fear. Is this the end? he thought.
Overwhelmed by pain and fear, Zaren closed his eyes and soon lost consciousness.
When he woke up again, the noisy world was gone. He was lying on soft, cool grass in a large, quiet cave. The cave walls shone with many small, sparkling crystals. A gentle light filled the space, much different from the harsh light of the schoolyard.
"Where am I?" Zaren asked, his voice small and unsure. He sat up slowly, rubbing his aching head. The cave was silent, except for the soft sound of grass rustling and water dripping far away.
Then, a calm voice spoke inside his mind. "Welcome, my lord. I am Lumis, your system," the voice said in a clear, gentle tone. "I have been with you all along, guiding you. Now, you must survive and use the power that lies within you."
Zaren's heart beat quickly. System? Power? he thought, confused but also curious. He remembered the pain and humiliation from earlier, but now, in this quiet cave, a small hope began to grow.
Before he could think further, he heard a small noise. A goblin, small and ugly with a crude dagger, came out of the shadows. Its eyes shone with a mean light as it moved toward him.
"Focus on its head, Zaren," Lumis said. "Your power is now at Rank D. You can beat this goblin with one strong punch."
Fear mixed with a new strength inside him. The goblin rushed, and without thinking much, Zaren swung his fist hard. There was a loud crack as his punch hit the goblin's head, and the goblin fell to the ground, its blood splashing on the stone.
Zaren stared at his shaking hand. I... I did that? Am I really strong? he wondered.
Slowly, he got up and walked toward a large, clear crystal set into the cave wall. It looked like a mirror. When Zaren touched the crystal, he saw his reflection. The boy he knew was gone. In the crystal, his hair was bright silver, his eyes a clear blue, and his body was strong and well-built. His clothes were dark with blue light along the edges. It was as if he had been born again.
"Who is this?" Zaren asked softly, reaching out to touch his new face.
"Your new form, my lord," Lumis said. " You are now in another world—a place where your past is gone and your new life begins. Use your strength and learn to fight for your future."
A mix of shock and hope filled Zaren. The painful memories of bullying and the harsh words of his classmates began to fade, replaced by a feeling that maybe he could change his fate.
Taking a deep breath, Zaren said with quiet determination, "I will survive. I will not let my past stop me. I will fight for a better life."
Zaren stepped away from the crystal. The cave was calm and the soft light made him feel safe, even though he knew the road ahead would not be easy. The voices of his past were far away now, replaced by a new feeling of hope.
"I am Zaren," he said firmly, "and I will not be a victim of my old life. I will create my own future."
With each step deeper into the cave, Zaren felt the heavy pain of his past slowly lift. The cave, with its bright crystals and soft, swaying grass, felt like a door to a new world. Here, in this quiet place, he began to understand that he was not defined by the hurt he had suffered. He was now given a chance to be strong and brave.
As he moved forward, Lumis's calm voice stayed with him, "Every challenge will unlock more power within you. Use it well."
Zaren knew he had much to learn and many battles to fight, but for the first time, he felt ready. The cruel memories of school and the harsh words of his bullies could not hold him back now. He took a steady breath and whispered, "This is only the beginning."
And so, Zaren stepped forward into the unknown, leaving behind the pain of his past and moving toward a future that he would shape with his own two hands.
(Chapter 1 Fin)