Darkness flooded Ian's vision as his consciousness was forcibly dragged into a twisted Illusion Realm.
A cramped rental apartment. The air was thick with the smell of instant noodles and dust.
He lay on the bed, his face pale and his breathing shallow. Beside him, his phone screen displayed missed calls and debt collection messages.
A light rain fell outside, tapping against the window pane with a monotonous, hopeless rhythm.
He reached for the water glass on the bedside table, but his arm fell limply to his side. His eyes slowly closed as he died, all alone.
「Wizard World, Starlight Magic Pharmacy.」
Blood stained the courtyard red. The Alchemy Tree had been uprooted, its five Activation Fruits smashed to pieces on the ground.
His parents, his little sister, Malena… all of them were nailed to the walls, their eyes vacant and long devoid of life.
A figure wearing an Immortal Heart Robe stood in the center of the ruins.
