The universe has forever remained an enigma, shrouded in a secret far beyond human comprehension. Despite the steady evolution of science and technology, they remain utterly powerless to pierce its deepest veils. A grand beginning followed by an unfathomable, limitless end—at least, according to our rational grasp. It is almost impossible for any living being, whether manifest or hidden, to truly understand the mystery that looms over every corner of existence. Yet, it is often safer not to delve too deep into these secrets; for the sake of one's own mental and cognitive sanctity, one must avoid the strange phenomena of the "Great Void," black holes, and wormholes that spark endless, haunting questions. Despite our advanced methods of research, the furthest we have reached is the knowledge of supermassive black holes—entities that swallow everything with their sheer mass. An eternal question remains: What if a person were pulled inside? Theories vary—some speak of time coming to a halt, others of a transition to another realm. The truth is, the reality is difficult to define. Perhaps there are civilizations out there that have reached conclusions far beyond our wildest imaginations—if they even exist.
Blackness followed by an even deeper void... Nihility in its most literal sense. But why am I still aware of this? In absolute nothingness, one should be erased from everything; even perception and senses should vanish. Or am I mistaken? Wait... it feels as though I can see a blue spot, or perhaps I am merely hallucinating. It is expanding. What is happening? What are these strange sensations suddenly coursing through me? Why the hell am I speaking? Why do I understand what I am saying? Wait... wait... wait...
"Damn it! What is this place? Who am I? And why was I brought here?"
I screamed within, but the echo of my voice had no presence. I felt like a being newly created in this space with a pre-existing consciousness, capable of speaking fluently and possessing a basic understanding of things despite the static clouding my mind. But the most alarming part was that my body was becoming increasingly transparent, and this phantom entity was being pulled violently in the opposite direction. "Dammit! This is no time for thinking. I must escape, now!"
I attempted to fly, and suddenly, my body stopped being dragged. A glowing, square-like portal appeared in the heart of the void. "Perhaps I will find an answer within... I'm going in."
I passed through it only to find strange symbols and talismans floating around me. New terms and concepts began to flow into my thoughts from an unknown source, yet I understood their meanings perfectly. The matter seemed deeper than any logical explanation. I reached the end of the path, and suddenly, a devastating headache exploded in my skull.
"Aaaaaah! My body... it's disappearing!"
At that moment, a brilliant light blinded my eyes. A mummified vessel appeared before me, resembling my transparent phantom. It sat perfectly still in the heart of the void. A strange necklace placed upon it caught my eye, and the moment I reached out to inspect it, the unthinkable happened.
"Damn it! What's happening? Why is my form being pulled into it so fast? I have to get out... GET OUT!"
Everything drowned in total darkness. I thought I had returned to the initial void, but my consciousness remained alive. I felt violent vibrations and things falling upon me. Suddenly, a great light erupted. As the image cleared, I found myself in a place completely different from the void. I tried to stand up abruptly, but my strength failed me, and I collapsed.
"What in the name of hell... Why has my form changed?"
I looked at my hands and feet. I resembled that mummified being I had seen in the void. Terror and awe seized me, and suddenly, an instinctive warning flared from within: "You must get out of here, now!" I scrambled away, despite my inability to fully control my limbs. I fell repeatedly until I finally managed to emerge into the open.
I stood there, trying to process what was happening. Questions poured over my mind like rain; I nearly lost my sanity. I noticed that everything that crossed my mind was translated internally as voices and information, as if this body I now inhabited contained an ancient memory trying to guide me—though it was beginning to fade.
"I must stop questioning and focus on the basics... relaxation first."
I lay down on soft grains called "sand," as the strange memory informed me. I looked up at the sky; it was a beautiful sight—a blue light decorated with glowing white dots... "stars." Then, I inspected my new body. It was dark, resembling the color of the void, and covered with glowing crimson lines that looked like ley lines of energy. "I must not make any strange movements. I need to focus to understand this world."
Suddenly... the silence was pierced by a whisper that turned into a scream: "Quick! Go to the other side! Don't let it touch you!"
My body tensed. These were voices similar to mine, words I understood perfectly. I moved toward the source despite the pain in my body, as if a fire were burning inside me. I saw them: four individuals who resembled me in human form, but they were moving with fear. Beside them was a tall, terrifying creature that looked nothing like us. The sensors in my body vibrated just by looking at it; it was dangerous.
The beast turned toward me and lunged with terrifying speed. I froze in place—not out of fear, but as if I were waiting for it. The moment it came within a few steps of me, the monster suddenly collapsed. Its body froze completely, turning pale as if the very soul had been drained from it in an instant. I didn't know what had happened, but the four people began running toward me, their faces a mixture of terror and relief... "Victory."
One of them spoke in shock: "You... you stranger... how did you do that to this creature?"
Another replied nervously: "Everyone, calm down! We might have survived because of him, but we don't know who he is... We might be next!"
A third stepped forward cautiously: "Let's greet him and thank him first, but do not lower your guard... Hello, we thank you for your help. Could you please honor us with your name?"
I answered with a stutter, trying not to reveal my ignorance of this world: "I... I have no name... Damn it!"
They took a step back. One of them said in a low voice: "His appearance does not suggest peace... He looks terrifying, like a man of war ready to kill at any moment."
Another whispered: "Quiet! He might kill us! His form suggests a high rank... perhaps a general or something of the sort."
The one named Joey shouted: "Shut up, you fools! Don't talk nonsense in front of someone with his power!"
I looked at them calmly, trying to suppress the aura of fear radiating from me, and said in a steady voice:
"I apologize for my appearance and my silence... My name is 'Niko.' I just remembered my name. I was lost in this wasteland and heard your cries, so I came to help... I hope you can guide me, if possible."
The name "Niko" emerged from my mouth naturally, as if it had been buried in the depths of this body.
Joey replied with a wide smile: "Ah, my friend! You truly gave us a fright! We are grateful to you. I am Joey Vargas, and these are my companions: Nelson kael, Bahti Zane, and Shozo Ren. We are elite scouts. We came to face this 'Sand Lizard' that you slew in a heartbeat. We owe you our lives, Niko. How can we help you?"
I spoke honestly: "Can you guide me to a place where I can find answers to my questions? Also, I feel a severe dryness in my throat."
Joey answered joyfully: "Certainly! Perhaps you mean the Library or the High University. We are actually heading to the Kingdom of 'Arcadia' to deliver our reports. You can join us; we have a carriage parked on the other side, away from the monsters."
I replied: "That is great. Thank you... please, take care of me."
Shozo handed me a water flask: "Here, this is because of the desert's dryness. We have enough in the carriage."
I drank the water, feeling the liquid revive my parched throat. This was the beginning of the journey. We are now on our way to "Arcadia." I will find answers there, but more importantly, I must find a way to change the appearance of this strange body so as not to arouse suspicion... Yes, this is how my story in this vast world began.
[End of Chapter 1]