This is the supernatural

By the time Alex looked up again, Adam was already seated with an apple in his hand, staring back with keen interest.

Maybe it was because he had broken the boundary, but Alex could sense now just what the being before him was.

The best word he could come up with was transcendent.

The only thing he could tell was that even though Adam looked like some European playboy, his true essence was too vast for him to comprehend.

"So what now?... Do you send me back to my bedroom?"

Adam took a bite out of his apple and chewed slowly before swallowing. "You are in a hurry to leave. Most would want to spend a bit longer in my paradise."

"… I have things to take care of."

"Indeed, you do," Adam said. "You have to decide. Do you wish to advance now?"

Alex pondered for a minute before answering. "Give me some time to understand things. Once I've made sufficient preparations, then… the trial can begin."

Adam nodded thoughtfully. "As you wish."

"Slow and steady wins the race," Alex added.

"Indeed, it does." Adam took another bite from his apple. "Then it is time for you to go back."

"Wait!"

"Hmm?"

"Is this a dream or is this reality?" Alex asked.

"…" Adam stared at him strangely before revealing a smile. "Why can't it be both?"

Before Alex could do anything, a powerful gale appeared from nowhere and sucked him in.

He didn't even get a chance to struggle before he disappeared from paradise.

Taking a bite from the red apple in his right hand, Adam glanced at where Alex once stood, revealing a thoughtful gaze.

***

Alex abruptly sucked in cold air as he found himself back in bed in his apartment.

He blinked a few times, his eyes on the ceiling as he pondered on everything he had experienced in the 'dream'

"It worked." Was all Alex could muster with a sigh.

He hadn't expected it to happen like this.

It was so sudden that he found it hard to believe what happened but it was easy to tell just by his breathing.

Alex felt his lungs clear up and each breath he took nourished every part of his body, giving some form of strength he never knew he could tap into in his new body.

Apart from that, his body also felt lighter and it was easier to move around, nothing compared to how stiff it once was when he had first gotten the body.

If all that wasn't enough to show that something had changed within him, then the sight before his eyes was even more definitive proof!

Illusory white lines, moving in a waveform, were scattered all over.

It seemed to have no origin and also seemed to originate from all things.

Alex found it hard to take his eyes off the beautiful sight.

With a mixture of surprise and intrigue, Alex muttered. "So this is the supernatural."

Mysticism.

Alex was intrigued by it the moment he learned of its existence in Eventide.

Nyx gave him a heads up but upon getting here, it was even greater than he expected.

Unparalleled strength, unfathomable powers, incomprehensible capabilities.

Of course, it all came at a price but still, it was amazing… and also terrifying.

Recalling what happened in the forest when he arrived made him understand that despite being a powerhouse on Earth, he was nothing in Eventide.

A random nobody could take his life with no chance of him fighting back.

In a world where supernatural dangers were just as real as natural ones, Alex had to be prepared for both.

Of course, he hadn't expected to enter the supernatural world so soon but it's not like he disliked it.

Better now than later… he muttered with a faint smile.

He found himself drawn to the beautiful white lines floating in the air like lines from a spectrum.

His eyes flickered a few times before he decided to return to sleep.

Since it had happened, there was no need to waste time with unnecessary thoughts.

It was finally time to take the next step!

***

Unfortunately, his eagerness the night before cooled down as morning came.

His eyes throbbed painfully while he felt as though a hammer was being slammed into his head continuously.

If not for his outstanding will, Alex would have immediately passed out after waking up from the sudden pain that assaulted his senses.

Even standing up was a hassle.

Unlike the night before, the white lines in his field of vision were no longer so beautiful.

Instead, they were a source of constant pain for him.

"Ugh, what is this?" Alex restrained the urge to curse aloud as he massaged his temples with little effect.

Only when he closed his eyes did he gain some reprieve from the pain, allowing him to connect the dots.

"The white lines… does it have something to do with them?" He wondered as he kept his eyes shut.

If that were the case, things had become even more complicated.

The lines were everywhere which meant he had to keep his eyes closed always to avoid suddenly collapsing.

"What to do?" Alex muttered with a frown.

It was a hassle to think considering the headache he was experiencing but he had no choice.

If he stayed in bed, there was every possibility that it would get worse.

Once that happened, even his outstanding willpower wouldn't save him.

Just then, he heard a knock on the door followed by a voice.

"Sir, are you awake?"

He quickly replied. "Yes!... Come in."

The door opened and a dark-haired maid walked in. "Sir, Madam requests that you have breakfast with her. She currently awaits your presence."

"Forget that, is Arthur around?" Alex brazenly asked.

The pain he was experiencing was too much for him to worry about etiquette.

The maid hesitated before responding. "...Sir stepped out an hour ago."

"..." Alex restrained the urge to curse as he questioned. "Where did he go?"

"To the Morning Weeklies."