Unknown... come home... the people need you. Only you can save them."
"Who are you? Why are you telling me this? What people?"
"Fulfill your destiny... come home..."
"What destiny? What people? What the hell are you talking about?! Who are you?! Hey! Answer me!"
Alarm ringing...
I woke up, drenched in sweat. My body felt cold, like I'd just watched a horror movie alone in the dark. This was the third night I'd had the same dream—but the voice this time was new
.
"Raza, wake up! It's time for school! You're going to be late. Your lunch is on the table!"
"Ah, crap—I overslept!" I rushed to get ready and headed downstairs. My aunt was in the kitchen cooking breakfast. I sat down, still shaken from the dream.
"Raza, are you okay? You look worried. Did something happen?"
"It's nothing. I'm fine."
"Don't lie to me. I know something's bothering you. You can talk to me—I'm your aunt."
"...Fine. I've been having weird dreams. For three nights now."
"Hmm. Tell me what you've seen."
I told her everything—about the dreams. A burning village, a battlefield filled with corpses and blood. Screams echoed through the air. A woman with black hair and blue eyes, injured and clutching a child. She tried to say something...
"What did she say?" my aunt asked.
"She said, 'Protect the child at any cost. He is the last hope for the people.' What do you think it means?"
"Hm... That's a strange dream. I don't really know what to make of it. Maybe it's just your imagination. Did you watch any anime or movies before sleeping?"
"Yeah, I did. But that's normal for me. I always watch anime. I've never had dreams like this before.
"We can talk more after school. You're getting late. Eat your breakfast and go."
"Alright, alright—I'm going."
As I walked to school, I tried to brush off the dream. Maybe it was just a weird dream... If I keep thinking about it, my brain's going to explode
"Hey Raza! You're late!"
I turned and saw Rain—my aunt's daughter. One year older than me. We grew up together. After my parents died in an accident, my aunt took me in and raised me like her own.
"Hey! Raza! You listening? Why are you so late?"
"I was just talking to Aunt... nothing important. Just... a weird dream."
"Dream? Well, never mind that—we're going to be late! Let's race!"
Before I could reply, she took off running.
"What the—!? Rain! Wait! I can't run anymore!" I panted, completely out of breath. What did she eat for breakfast?!
Five minutes later, I finally caught up.
"Young man, you're late!"
"Shit. Not again. Sir, I'm only three minutes late!"
"Three minutes can change your life! When I was your age, I had to cross mountains and rivers to get to school!"
"Okay, sir, but class is about to start…"
"Hey, wait! I'm not finished with my story!"
Saved... from another long lecture. That was close.
I walked into class.
"Hey, you finally made it. What took you so long?" Rain asked.
"I'm not a monster like you—I'm human."
"You should work out. You're so weak you can't even run for five minutes."
"Hey! I'm not weak—I'm just... average. Not everyone is a freak like you."
Rain wasn't just athletic. She was inhuman. She could run ten kilometers without breaking a sweat. Sometimes I wondered if she was even human.
Anyway, enough about her. I sat down, opened my book—but instead of studying, I pulled out a novel. I was reading, enjoying my time, when suddenly—
Pain shot through my head. My body went cold.
Before I could say anything, I passed out.
The voice returned.
"Come home. Fulfill your destiny."
"Who are you?" I asked.
This time... I got a reply.
"I am the Guardian of my world."
"Guardian of a world? What does that have to do with me?! I'm just a normal guy! Why me?!"
"You were made for this. Fulfill your destiny."
"Tell me! What is my destiny?! Who am I, really?!"
"Hm... So no one's told you yet..."
"Raza! Wake up! Raza!"
A familiar voice echoed in my ears. I opened my eyes. Rain was there, worried.
I wasn't in the classroom anymore.
"Where... am I?" I asked.
"You're in the infirmary. You were out cold for three hours! What happened?!"
"Three hours?! It only felt like five or ten minutes... What the hell is going on?"
"Raza, are you even listening? You're ice-cold and sweating like crazy."
"I said I'm fine, okay? Don't worry."
"You say you're fine, but your body tells a different story. After school, go straight home. No detours."
"Alright, alright. I'll go straight home."
After school, I started walking home, deep in thought. What was that voice trying to tell me? Maybe if I sleep again, I'll have the same dream... It's better to try than do nothing.
Phone ringing…
"Mom?"
"Yes, Rain?"
"I need to tell you something. Raza fell asleep during class—he was out for three hours. His body was ice-cold, and he was sweating a lot."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Do you think... it's time?"
"No. Someone is interfering with this world and trying to break his seal. If that happens now, he might die. The seal is only meant to be broken when he turns twenty-four. If it's broken too soon, his soul could be destroyed."
"Can anyone even do that?"
"No ordinary person—not even a caster—can break that seal. Whoever's doing this... we need to find them before it's too late."
"But how do you know someone's interfering?"
"Before school, Raza told me he's been having the same dream for three nights."
"And?
"It wasn't a dream. It was a memory—someone planted my vision into his mind."
"Do you have a plan?"
"Yes. I'm going to set up a magic circle around him. If anyone tries to connect with him through his dreams, we'll find out who."
When I got home, Rain was already there.
"Didn't you have something important to do?" I asked.
"I finished it already."
"No way... That fast? You really are a monster."
"That's rude. I'm just smarter than you."
"Smarter? You mean gorilla smarter?"
"You want a gorilla punch to the face?! It'd probably suit you."
"Both of you, stop fighting," Aunt said. "Raza, go rest. Rain said you're not feeling well."
"I don't have a cold! Rain's a liar!"
"If you go to your room, I'll make your favorite food."
"...Fine. I'm going."
"Thank you. I'll bring it to your room."
I had my own problems. I needed answers.
I went to my room, sat on my bed, and tried to focus. How do I connect to that dream again? Then... it happened again.
I fell asleep—but this time, there was no voice. No dream.
"What's going on?" Rain's mom muttered. "The magic circle... it disappeared."
"I can't sense him anymore."
"Mom, I'm going to check his room—"
"Wait—Raza's not in his room!"
"This is bad..."