"So we finally meet, descendant of Malrium."
Its voice rumbled through the void like a distant storm, each word sending icy tremors down Mason's spine. His breath was caught in his throat, and his heart pounded violently as the entity's distorted, malevolent tones echoed around him.
"W-who are you?"
He was paralyzed with fear; every fiber of his being, every cell in his body screamed one thing—run.
But he couldn't run, no matter how hard he tried—it was as if he were trapped in sleep paralysis, his body frozen while terror surged through him.
"Soon."
The entity's distorted voice echoed like a thunderclap before fading into the darkness, leaving behind a single image seared into Mason's memory—its wicked smile, staring at him with predatory hunger.
His eyes shot wide open, wild and unblinking, as though some unseen hand had yanked him from the depths of his nightmare.
He shot to his feet in terror, his breath ragged, sweat streaming down his face as if he'd just run the longest marathon known to mankind.
The room fell into a stunned silence. Dozens of eyes locked onto him, their stares heavy and unblinking—but none more piercing than the teacher's, whose gaze cut through the air like a blade.
"What is the problem this time Harris? You were chased by another naked female gorilla? Not that gorilla's weren't naked to begin with."
"Hehehe, something like that." He chuckled nervously, rubbing his hands over his head, trying to shake off the nightmare. But the fear still clung to him.
It didn't feel like just a nightmare—it felt too real, too vivid. Like he'd been under a trance, living it rather than dreaming it.
"Your excuses are becoming more vague and ineffectual each passing day Mr Harris, either you sit down and listen quietly, or you kindly get the hell out of my class."
"Sorry sir."
He sank into his seat quickly, avoiding the dozens of eyes fixed on him, especially his two friends, who were barely holding back their laughter.
'What was that?'
This wasn't the first time it had happened, but today's nightmare felt different—too vivid, too real to be just a dream.
School ended as quickly as it had started. Mason, along with his two friends, Mike and Peters, strolled casually down the second-floor hallway, catching up on hit reality series, video games such as Fortnite and Minecraft and other social activities that was trending on several social media platforms.
"Man your zoning outs are as hilarious as ever, did you see the look on Mr Obed's face? Bro wasn't buying it, he looked like he wanted to fuck you up."
Mike, was a five foot seven inches tall boy with a passion for gaming, he was the kind of friend who could spend hours lost in a video game, mastering every level with ease.
He was quiet to others and a bit of a nerd, he wasn't the loudest in the group, but his passion for gaming and all things techy spoke for itself.
"Yeah, what happened back there man? It's the third time you've zoned out this week."
His other friend, peters, was what you'd call a certified gooning virtuoso, If you thought there was no one worse than Mason, think again."
Unlike Peters, Mason had standards, he carefully selected the essential materials for his solo sessions based on worldwide taste, the best, most trending and underrated explicit content there was.
He was a well represented man of culture.
Peters on the other hand beat his meat to anything he could find, furries? Transgender? he didn't care what race or shape the content was directed at, as long as the hole's being penetrated, his lube was always on standby.
"I don't know, I keep having these weird dreams over and over again, but enough about that, what's good with you? How's Clarissa?"
Peters remained silent, Mason's question stirred up memories he wished not to remember.
"She enrolled into the Caster's Academy."
"What!? Wait a minute, does that mean?"
"Yeah, she fucking awakened, she's now a spirit caster."
A spirit caster was the term used for individuals who had managed to awaken the natural phenomenon known as Spirit Powers.
It was similar to magic, but the difference? A spirit caster's abilities were entirely dependent on the creature they summoned. Their powers came from the spirits they called forth.
In a world where an individual's worth was measured by the amount of spirit power they possessed, everyone dreamed of becoming a spirit caster. But not everyone had the privilege of obtaining such power.
It was believed that anyone with the potential to awaken their spirit core would do so between the ages of 11 and 15. In the history of the city, no one had ever awakened after this age.
"That's awesome man, now you've got a spirit caster as a girlfriend! Man you're lucky." Mason showed his excitement, but beneath his smile, a deep sense of disappointment and sadness quietly washed over him.
Becoming a spirit caster had been his lifelong dream, but now, past the age of awakening, he had no hope of ever achieving it.
"Not exactly."
"Hm? What's that supposed to mean?"
"She broke up with me the day she transferred?"
"What!?" Both boys shouted in shock as they strolled down the busy streets of the city, heading home.
"She said that she couldn't be with someone who hasn't awakened, that I'd only be a burden to her moving forward."
"Fucking hell, that's cold."
"Bro got yeeted out of the smash window just because he wasn't a spirit caster." Mike stroked his chin thoughtfully as he spoke, his gaze drifting into the distance.
"At least my breakup justifiable in a sense, yours was just awful." Peters chuckled loudly as memories of Mike's break up resurfaced.
"Awful?" Mason asked, eyebrows raised. "How?"
"Don't tell him!"
"Peep this." Peters tapped Mason's shoulder, trying to control his laughter.
"Alright, three weeks ago this fool took his new girlfriend shopping in that store that opened up months ago, find and dine. One point they both got split up searching for what they want with Mike stranded at the usual gaming section."
"So..."
"Chill, I'm getting there, so his babe called him up asking to meet back at the woman's center. Several minutes passed she kept waiting for him, so eventually she called him up and asked where he was."
"He said what do you mean, he's waiting for her where she asked him to, she asked where he was, only for bro to say that he was at the section that sold kitchen utensils and house keeping items."
The two boys burst into laughter as Mike mistook the women's section—which usually sold clothing and accessories for wome, for a cleaning store.
"And just like that, the relationship ended."
"So much for keeping a secret, fuck you man."
"Ah come on, did you seriously expect me to keep it from Mason this long, in all honesty I performed better than expected, given I kept it secret for three whole weeks, till you pushed me."
"Okay okay, I'm sorry, I did not mean to make fun of your break up."
"It's alright man, but all jokes aside, it goes to show just how much awakening affects one's status in society. Those who couldn't awaken are seen as weak and a burden, to them we don't really matter."
"No shit."
To Mason, their words hit him like a harsh reality.
According to his mother, his father—a supposed C-rank Spirit Caster—had left them just months after he was born.
He knew nothing about him—what he looked like, his favorite foods or sports—nothing, except for the old, scrawny amulet his father had left behind.
"What, man that has to be the biggest messu-" As Mason spoke, his breath got caught in his throat. The tingling sensation from earlier returned, only this time it was stronger, more intense.
A sharp gasp escaped his throat as his eyes shot wide open, he fell to his knees, his hand pressed against his chest.
"Mason!" The two boys rushed to their friend, completely taken aback by the sudden change in his movements."
"What's wrong, Mason!?"
His breathing became ragged, his chest rising and falling in rapid succession.
He felt his blood boiling, heat surging through his veins, as hot as steel placed inside flames for more than an hour.
His muscles became tensed, his skin tingled, almost as if thousands of needles pierced through his body at the same time.
His vision blurred, the sky above him spinning rapidly, as if he were high on some potent weed.
Something inside him was shifting, every cell in his body burning with an intense heat.
"W-what is happening to me..."
"Hang on buddy, we'll take you to a doctor!"
The two boys struggled to lift him onto their shoulders. Once they managed, they scuffed down the streets as fast as they could
From their standpoint, Mason was fading fast.
HONK HONK!
As they crossed the street, a loud horn from a truck jolted them back to reality. They turned toward the sound, their eyes widening in horror as a speeding truck barreled toward them.
They dropped Mason, paralyzed by the fear that coursed through their bodies.
They could see it—something straight out of the anime and manhwa they had devoured over the years—steadily approaching them.
The blinding light of reincarnation—or transmigration, whatever nonsense the two boys called it—flashed before them, their minds racing as they thought they had seen their last moments.
Just when they thought it was all over.
Mason's heart skipped a beat.
[System activate....]