Prologue

In the silence of the night, the room immersed in semi-darkness seemed like a labyrinth of shadows. A man, with stubble and a disheveled appearance, lay relaxed on a pile of cushions, the faint blue glow of the cell phone illuminating his face. His eyes, fixed on the screen, leisurely scrolled through the narrative of an online novel, his skillful fingers gliding unhurriedly across the screen.

"Spectacular... two exorcists taken down by a single vampire?" he murmured, raising an eyebrow. The supernatural narrative captivated him, plunging him into a world of intrigue and epic battles, so different from the monotonous reality he inhabited.

The room, a sanctuary for ordered chaos, exuded a peculiar atmosphere. Piles of books stacked on the shelves, some open and others closed, silent witnesses to a mind eager for knowledge. Posters of movies and anime adorned the walls, an eclectic collection of tastes and passions. The soft light emanating from a lamp in the corner cast dancing shadows over the papers scattered on the desk.

The gentle glow of the cell phone was interrupted by a vibrant message that broke Yami's

immersion. "Yami, have you seen the new chapter that was released?" - his friend's notification briefly lit up the screen. A discreet smile formed on Yami's lips, his expression revealing a mixture of satisfaction and fatigue.

Yawning, he skillfully swiped his finger across the screen, dismissing the message into the digital universe. His eyes returned to the cell phone screen, where the fantastic narrative awaited, promising new mysteries and unexpected twists.

Yami, with the night already advanced, realized that dawn was approaching. His digital clock, a faithful companion throughout the early hours, blinked indicating the first light of day. It was a familiar routine for him, living through the nights and waking up almost at dusk.

Thanks to the generous inheritance left by his late parents, Yami has always enjoyed a life without financial worries. This legacy provided him with the luxury of living comfortably, without having to worry about money matters or any kind of deprivation.

As Yami prepared to finish another night immersed in the novel's narrative, a strange feeling began to insinuate itself. A subtle sensation, like a chill down the spine, disrupted the usual tranquility. However, before he could understand or react to this omen, an inexplicable phenomenon took over the room.

A blinding flash erupted in the environment, accompanied by a deafening roar. The air seemed to vibrate, and a surge of unknown energy ran through Yami's body. The room trembled, furniture shook, and the atmosphere became increasingly claustrophobic.

The blinding light and the agitation of the environment were quickly replaced by total darkness. Yami's vision gradually disappeared, everything plunging into a black and silent void. His senses, one by one, faded away as he found himself immersed in an indescribable emptiness.

Then, as if in an instant he was plunged into the deepest darkness and in the next moment found himself elsewhere, Yami felt as if he were standing, but his eyes remained closed. The scorching heat that enveloped him was almost unbearable, penetrating every pore of his skin."

Carefully, he opened his eyes, but in doing so, he did not find the expected darkness. Instead, he caught a glimpse of an infernal scene around him. His vision was a canvas of devastation: a ruined city, rising amidst rubble and debris, as if it had been torn apart by a catastrophe of epic proportions.

The once majestic buildings were now mere shadows of their grandeur, skeletal and corroded.The vastness of the destruction was overwhelming, and the infernal scene reproduced a metropolis that had once pulsed with life, now reduced to rubble and ashes.

The dark and oppressive sky hung like a heavy shroud, carrying the desolate atmosphere of that infernal plane.

Yami felt trapped in a surreal nightmare, every corner revealing the anguish and pain rooted in that chaotic landscape. It was as if the very essence of the city lamented its own annihilation, and the desolate sight was almost unbearable to behold.

Aware that he needed to conserve energy in that suffocating situation, Yami began to carefully explore the space around him, sliding his fingers through the darkness, searching for any object that could be useful in that desperate moment. His anxious search was rewarded when he found something sharp in one of the nearby pockets.

Even in total darkness, his hands identified the pointed and sharp shape of the object. "It's definitely a knife," Yami deduced, feeling a mixture of relief and unease at the discovery. The blade was his only chance to escape from that sinister confinement.

With careful movements, Yami handled the knife with precision, calculating each move, preparing to use the blade strategically and consciously. He knew that any hasty action could be fatal in that cramped and claustrophobic space.

Yami, remaining calm despite the suffocating situation, continued to make holes in the top of the coffin, feeling something akin to earth beginning to crumble over him. Each puncture was a determined effort to weaken the wood that imprisoned him. He persisted, drilling at various points in the hope of creating fissures that would help him break the structure and provide an escape route.

Meanwhile, the scene abruptly cut to a green field, a desolate and abandoned landscape. A vast expanse of tall, dense bushes dominated the scenery, with no sign of life in sight. The environment was silent, almost eerily tranquil.

The camera, in a sudden movement, focused on a specific part of the ground that began to stir. In an instant, a hand emerged from the parched and arid earth, breaking the surface with unsettling urgency.

Quickly, a second hand emerged from the ground, followed by a man emerging from the earth, with only his legs still buried. His dark hair was tangled and filled with dirt, and his fair skin was completely blackened by the soil. With a herculean effort, using his last reserves of energy, he emerged completely from the earth.

Gasping and exhausted, the man threw himself out of the earth, dragging himself away from the parched ground. Every movement was a supreme effort, as if he had been trapped under that earth for centuries.

As soon as he managed to distance himself, he lay on the ground, panting heavily. Despite his fatigue, his eyes displayed a mixture of determination and despair. He looked around the abandoned desert, trying to make sense of the strangeness of the environment around him.

Yami observed the scorching sun on the horizon for a moment, and on impulse, decided to head in the direction of the star, hoping to find some sign of human life or civilization in that desolate desert.

With cautious steps, he advanced through the deserted field, the tall bushes and the parched earth stretching around him. Every step felt like a battle against the scorching heat and the endless monotony of the arid terrain.

The merciless sun at its zenith seemed to point the way forward, but the vastness of the desolate scenery made it difficult to perceive any sign of life.

"I think he's asking for a ride, John," Mary said to her husband, noticing the man's agitation on the road.

John, adjusting his glasses and giving a quick glance at the man on the road, replied, "Well, it doesn't hurt to help someone in need, does it?"

As they approached the man, Mary smiled and added, "True, besides, you never know when we might need help too."

John pulled the truck up next to Yami, opening the passenger door. "Are you okay, son? Do you need a ride?" he asked, offering help in a gentle and helpful tone.

Yami, gasping and relieved, responded gratefully, "Yes, please! I'm lost and need to get somewhere."

John looked at Yami, quickly assessing him, and with a nod, invited him to get into the truck. "Get in, young man, we'll help you get where you need to go," he said with a friendly smile.

Yami, relieved to receive help, thanked them, "Thank you, I really appreciate this."

As Yami settled into the truck's seat, Mary turned to him with a warm smile. "I'm Mary, and this is my husband, John. Nice to meet you!"

Yami returned the smile, feeling more at ease. "I'm Yami. Thank you for stopping to help me."

"No need to thank us, dear. It's the least we can do for someone in need," Mary said with a kind smile, radiating warmth.

John, driving the truck, glanced at Yami in the rearview mirror. "And as for your destination, where are you headed?"

Yami hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of the confusion surrounding him. "Actually... I don't know." His expression reflected bewilderment, trying to comprehend the surrealness of the situation.

He vividly remembered the hell, followed by the experience of emerging from a coffin buried under the earth. He knew he had returned to life, but was lost as to the place and the time elapsed since his death.

Understanding Yami's situation, the couple offered him shelter in their home. Mary, in a welcoming tone, said, "You can stay at our house tonight. After all, we're going to visit our daughter in the big city. There are few humans living around here."

John agreed with his wife, driving the truck carefully along the road. "That's right. You got lucky today, young man. We're taking a trip that we don't usually make often."

Yami, grateful for the couple's generosity, felt relieved to have found people willing to help, even in such strange circumstances.