Rebekah stared at the glowing screen, still lost in its moving colors.
The soft sound of the machines filled the quiet store. The clerk's voice brought her back, ringing inside her ears.
"Would you like to buy one, miss?"
She blinked. "Ah…yes. One set, please."
The man nodded and turned around to get the console from a glass shelf.
The silver box gleamed under the white lights, smooth and simple, with the words 'SoulLink: The Eclipse' etched in black across the front.
A smaller case beside it held what looked like a thin headset and a pair of finger rings.
"That'll be a 100 dollars," the clerk said, placing it carefully on the counter.
Rebekah's chest eased up a little knowing that the price was just like what was said in the T.V.
After all, she only received 250 dollars a month by the light family while Omen received half a thousand.
She took a slow breath and pulled out her black pouch.
The man took them without a comment and handed her the box in a small brown bag.
As she held it, something in her heart jumped, hope, maybe, or fear.
"Does it really work for everyone?" she asked, unable to stop herself.
The clerk gave a small shrug. "That's what they say. No age limit, no vision required. As long as your brain's alive, you can enter the world of Sephora."
The words sent a shiver down her spine. She nodded quickly, thanked him, and turned to leave.
Outside, the cool air hit her face, moist and soft. The streets of Zone 3 were quieter now. Most shops had started closing, their lights dimming one by one.
Rebekah hugged the bag to her chest and began walking fast, her slippers slapping against the stone roads.
Her hoodie fluttered behind her in the breeze as her long hair brushed against her cheeks, two perky points rising due to the extreme coldness.
"Omen's gonna freak out," she whispered with a small smile.
As she walked, her thoughts raced.
The Divine Order…the government…SoulLink.
Why would all of them join hands for a game?
It didn't make sense.
She remembered the broadcast, the host's smug smile, the way he said "authorised use of Endowments and Stigma."
That was unheard of. People were jailed for using their powers without permission, yet this game was encouraging it.
Rebekah bit her lip.
She didn't understand it, but she didn't care right now.
All that mattered was Omen.
The boy had been blind since she'd known him, moving through the Light clan back then with careful, quiet steps.
He never complained, never showed anger, but she knew how much it hurt him, to never have seen the world he lived in.
And now, maybe, through this game…he could.
Her pace fastened. The streets were emptier, darker now.
A few stray cats ran across the alleys. A group of rough men stood near a vending stall, their laughter sharp and echoing. She kept her head down, gripping the bag tighter.
Her body still remembered the way their eyes had followed her earlier.
The fact only made the two perky points on her chest tingle more, but she ignored it.
'Don't lose focus,' she told herself. 'Just get home.'
The building finally came into view, tall and new, with yellow lights in the hallway windows.
She rushed through the doors and pressed the lift button. The machine groaned before opening.
Inside the elevator, the hum of the cables filled the silence. Rebekah's heart beat faster now, not from fear but from excitement.
She imagined Omen's face when she'd show him the console, that quiet disbelief, that rare smile he tried to hide.
When the lift doors opened, she stepped out and hurried down the corridor. The dim lights buzzed overhead as she reached their apartment.
She opened the door softly, trying not to wake him if he was asleep. But the moment she stepped inside, she heard him stir.
"Rebekah?" His voice came from the small bed near the window.
"Yeah," she said quickly, closing the door behind her. "I got it."
There was a pause. Then a slow breath. "You did?"
She smiled even though he couldn't see it. "Yes. The World Of Sephora. It's right here."
Omen tried pushing himself up but to no avail, the white bandage still covering his eyes.
His pale fingers brushed against the edge of the blanket. "How much did it cost?"
Rebekah sighed.
"Enough," she said simply. "Don't worry about that." The girl simply placed the box beside him on the bed. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you can try it. The man said it works for anyone. Even if they can't see."
For a moment, Omen said nothing. Then his hand moved, tracing the smooth edges of the box. His fingers stopped at the words engraved across it.
"SoulLink: The WORLD OF SEPHORA."
There was a strange calmness in his face as he said it, as if he was saying something important.
Rebekah sat beside him and carefully opened the box.
Inside was a small, sleek headset with two glowing rings meant to be worn on the fingers. The instructions were simple, connect, wear, close your eyes, and think of the word "Start."
She watched with her azure eyes as Omen reached for the headset, his fingers trembling slightly. "It feels…warm," he whispered, even though he was almost a cripple and had no strength left in his body.
"Do you want to wait till morning?" Rebekah asked softly.
He shook his head. "No. I want to try it now."
His voice had changed, quiet, but steady. The boy looked almost impatient to her.
Rebekah still nodded and helped him put on the device. The small rings clicked onto his fingers, glowing faintly blue.
The headset wrapped around the back of his head, its smooth metal surface touching the bandage over his eyes.
When everything was in place, she stepped back.
"Omen?"
The boy smiled faintly, the kind of smile she hadn't seen in years.
"Let's see if this world is as real as they say."
Then he whispered the word.
"Start."
The rings flashed, light spread through his body in thin lines, bright and fast like living veins of energy. For a second, Rebekah froze. The room filled with a faint thud, almost like a heartbeat.
And then…silence.
Omen's body relaxed, his breathing even, but his lips curved slightly upward.
Rebekah stood there, eyes wide.
She had seen many miracles as a priestess, healing, light, blessings, but this…this felt different.
She didn't know where he had gone or what he was seeing, but she could feel it in her chest, that he wasn't here anymore.
Her voice came out as a whisper.
"Omen?"
The pale boy didn't respond, only smiled faintly, as if watching something beautiful behind those closed eyes.
Rebekah slowly sat beside him, her heart beating faster.
She didn't understand what kind of game this Eclipse really was…
But one thing she knew for sure, it wasn't normal.
The faint glow from the headset reflected in her eyes as she looked at him, worry and awe mixing together.
"Omen…" she whispered again, holding the side of his bed hard.
"I just hope this world doesn't take you away from me too."
Outside, thunder rumbled faintly in the sky, and the lights flickered once before going out.
It was the beginning of a new era.
***