His mind was a black, empty space. There were no thoughts, only a deep, humming confusion. He did not know where he was or what was happening. The world felt wrong, like a dream he could not wake up from.
Then a soft voice cut through the silence.
"Are you alright, Azrael?"
He turned his head slowly. The voice was gentle, but it sent a shock of fear through him. He knew that name. It was the name of the villain. It was his name now.
His eyes focused on the person who had spoken. What he saw made his breath catch in his throat. It was a face he knew better than his own. He had drawn it hundreds of times.
She was beautiful, with long, silver hair that seemed to shine in the morning light. Her eyes were a bright, clear green, and her ears had a delicate point at the tips. She was a half elf.
She was Elvara.
The heroine of the story. The woman who would stand by and watch the hero kill him. She was real. She was right here.
She was sitting up in a large, luxurious bed. The sheets were made of silk, and the pillows were soft like clouds. He then realized he was in the same bed. He had been sleeping next to her.
A cold wave of panic washed over him.
'Wait. If I am Azrael, and she is the heroine Elvara… and we were sleeping together…' His mind raced, connecting the terrible dots. 'Then we are already married. This is real. I am actually in the story.'
The realization hit him like a physical blow. He scrambled back, away from her, his heart pounding in his chest. This was not a dream. This was a nightmare.
His thoughts turned instantly to his family.
'Mom… Hana… What will happen to them?' The question screamed in his mind. 'Who will pay for the medicine? Who will pay for school? They will be alone.'
He grabbed his hair, pulling it tight with trembling hands. He felt like he was suffocating. The weight of his old life crashed down on him, mixing with the terror of his new one. He was trapped.
Seeing his distress, Elvara stood up from the bed. She wore a simple white nightgown, but she still looked like a princess from a fairy tale. Her face was filled with a nervous concern.
"Lord Azrael, your health does not look good," she said, her voice quiet. "I will find a maid. I will call a doctor."
She started to walk towards the door.
"Wait," he managed to say, his voice hoarse. He could not let her bring other people in here. He needed to think. He needed to understand what was happening.
She stopped and turned back to him. "There is no need," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I just… I just need some time alone."
Elvara looked at him, her green eyes wide with uncertainty. She was not used to him speaking this way. The real Azrael was always cold and demanding.
"As you wish, my lord," she said, bowing her head slightly. "But it is already time for the academy. Aren't you going today?"
'The academy,' he thought. He remembered that part of the story. Azrael was a student at the Royal Academy, a place for the children of powerful nobles. He was eighteen, in his first year.
He also remembered that the real Azrael had forbidden Elvara from joining the academy. She was a year younger than him. He wanted to keep her locked away in the mansion, a beautiful prize that belonged only to him.
This marriage was not about love. It was a deal, a business transaction. Elvara's father was a noble, but his family was not as powerful as the Ashveil family. He wanted a connection to their power.
The Ashveil family had businesses all over the kingdom. They controlled one of the strongest private armies. In this land, which was divided into continents ruled by powerful families, the Ashveils were ranked third. There was no single king, only power.
Azrael's father, before he died, had made a promise to Elvara's father. He promised his son would marry her. It was a smart move from a business point of view.
He wanted a powerful heir. An heir born from his human bloodline and Elvara's half elven bloodline would be stronger, faster, and have a longer life. It was all about securing the family's future.
Kenji, now Azrael, looked at the girl in front of him. She was just a piece in a game she did not want to play. Just like him.
He felt a wave of depression wash over him. He did not know what to do. His own problems seemed small compared to the fate of his family. He was not worried about himself. He was worried about them.
"I am not going today," he said finally. "Leave me alone."
Elvara flinched at his sharp tone but nodded. She quickly left the room, closing the heavy wooden door behind her. He was finally alone.
He stayed in that room for three days.
He did not talk to anyone. Maids would bring food on silver trays, but he would not touch it. He only ate a small piece of bread or drank some water when the hunger became a sharp pain in his stomach.
He sat by the window, looking out at a world he did not know. He saw beautiful gardens and servants moving quietly about their duties. It was a world of wealth and power he had only ever drawn. It felt empty.
His mind was a storm of worry. He thought about his mother's smile, his sister's laughter. He imagined them waiting for him to come home. He imagined their fear when he never did.
'Will they be okay? Will someone help them?' The thoughts were a constant torture. He felt a deep, dark despair pulling him down. He did not want this life. He wanted to go home.
On the third day, as the sun began to set, something strange happened.
A faint light appeared in the center of the room. It grew brighter and brighter, until it took the shape of a person. The light faded, leaving a figure standing in the darkness.
The figure was familiar. It was him. It was a mirror image of the face he now wore. But this version was different. It was darker, more transparent, like a ghost. It was the real Azrael.
"You might be confused, Kenji," the ghost said. Its voice was calm, but held a deep sadness.
Kenji stared, frozen in shock. The ghost knew his real name.
"I can see what you are thinking," the projection of Azrael continued. "You want to know what is going on. I cannot answer all your questions. I am not physically present here. This is just a projection of me, a message I left behind before I died."
The ghost smiled, a sad, bitter smile. "I am here to guide you, for now."
"I cannot tell you why you are here, or how this happened. But I can give you the answer to the most important question. The one that is tearing you apart."
The ghost looked at him with eyes that understood his pain.
"Your family," Azrael said softly. "I assure you, Kenji, if you succeed in the mission, you will meet your family again. And not only that. All your suffering, and all their suffering, will be gone. You will have a happy life, Kenji. So please, help me with this mission."
Kenji was stunned into silence. 'Mission? What mission? Is this really Azrael?'
As if reading his mind, the ghost answered. "Yes, I am Azrael. Or what is left of him. Your mission is to rewrite the fate of Azrael Ashveil. It might sound simple, but it can become harder than you think."
The projection of Azrael floated closer.
"You probably think you have an advantage," he said. "You have read the story. You know what comes next. You think you can just avoid the mistakes I made and climb the ladder of power."
"But it will not be enough. This world is not as simple as the one in the book."
The ghost's form flickered slightly.
"Kenji, I know your past. I know how much you have suffered. In this world, you will suffer too. But I need you to do something for me. Something I was never able to do."
He looked at Kenji, his ghostly eyes pleading.
"I need you to enjoy every moment of life here. Whenever you get a chance, find some happiness. Live the life I never could."
The ghost paused, letting the words sink in.
"And remember, you do not have to worry for your mother and sister. They will not suffer. Trust me on this."
Kenji felt a small spark of hope ignite in his chest. The first spark he had felt in three days. If what this ghost said was true, then there was a reason for all this. There was a way back.
"Lastly," the real Azrael said, his form starting to fade. "I have a parting gift for you. Something to help you on your journey."