And yet, it was about to happen.
He thought about all the sleepless nights he had spent here, staring at the cracked ceiling and wondering if he would ever find a place to call home. This could be it. This could be his escape.
But there was one thing Lucien needed to know before he allowed himself to fully embrace this hope.
What about you, Mary? What about all the time you've spent with me? Will you... will you still visit me?"Will I be able to see you again? He said with a sad but kinda joyful heart.
Mary's face faltered for just a split second, but she quickly composed herself. "I'll always be here for you, Lucien. Even if you're not here anymore, you'll always be a part of this family. I promise."
Lucien didn't understand fully at the time but those words for some reason felt hollow to him with no clear explanation , the thought of her still lingering in his life filled him with a strange comfort.
Lucien rushed to his room, his heart
racing faster than his feet could carry him.
"FINALLY"
After years of waiting, after months of feeling like he didn't belong anywhere, he was about to be adopted. The thought sent a wave of warmth flooding through his chest, a smile creeping up his face that he hadn't worn in years.
Without any hesitation he threw open the door to his small room, the walls littered with half-finished drawings, his bed a tangle of sheets that never quite looked neat, but that didn't matter now. His eyes scanned the room, the dim light casting shadows on the walls, and then he focused on his suitcase sitting at the foot of his bed.
For the first time in years, he had finally seen the light that is called
"HOPE"
He grabbed his clothes and began hurriedly stuffing them into the case. Shirts, pants, shoes—anything he could fit in there. His mind was racing through all the possibilities: the new family, the new home, the life that was about to unfold. A family. His family. He had never truly known what that felt like, but now, it was within reach.
The thought of leaving this orphanage behind, the place that had kept him trapped for so long, sent a shiver of relief through his spine.
He imagined a house, a real home, filled with warmth and laughter.
He imagined a
mother
father
and
possibly and
older or younger brother or sister
who would **love** him, not because they had to, but because they wanted to. No more loneliness. No more wondering when his next meal would come or if someone would care if he disappeared.
His hands shook with excitement as he packed faster. He was trying not to think too much. He didn't want to ruin this by overthinking it. He was leaving. He was going to be happy. For the first time, he was going to have a place where he truly belonged.
Suddenly, his excitement was interrupted by a strange **shifting sensation** in the room.
Lucien froze, his hand still gripping the hem of a shirt. **What was that?** He looked around the room, his heart skipping a beat. The air felt heavier, as though something in the room had shifted. His eyes darted around. The walls seemed to ripple, just for a moment, like the entire room was warping out of existence.
Then, before he could react, it happened.
A **brilliant circle of light** began to materialize before him, glowing a sickly greenish hue, its edges crackling with energy. His breath caught in his throat. He had heard of summoning circles—old magic, forbidden magic—but this? This was something he had only seen in stories. And yet, here it was, opening right in front of him.
"What the hell?" Lucien muttered, stepping back, his pulse racing. He felt as though he was staring at the impossible. This couldn't be real. Could it?
Before he could process anything, the light intensified, and the circle seemed to **pull at the very fabric of reality**. Lucien could feel the energy crackling in the air, tugging at him. He tried to move, to run, but his feet felt glued to the floor.
In an instant, the air around him **whirled** like a cyclone, spinning faster and faster. He couldn't breathe. His surroundings began to blur into a haze. The walls, the bed, the clothes—everything became a blur, swallowed up by the light.
Then, with a violent tug that seemed to rip at his very soul, he **vanished**.