When Peace Isn't Enough

The old wooden floor creaked under Atenzi's feet as he moved through his evening workout. Golden sunlight poured through the dojo windows, making dust sparkle in the air like tiny stars.

Atenzi's tanned skin glistened with sweat. His curly white hair - gone grey way too early - stood out against his tanned skin. His golden eyes, usually warm and friendly, now burned with focus as he faced an invisible opponent.

Each move was spot-on, like his body was showing off the balance he wanted in his life. As Atenzi finished up, he let out a long breath. The tension in his muscles melted away.

This dojo was his safe place. Here, the outside world's mess faded away. It was just him, his body, and his mind, all working together perfectly.

Atenzi lit some incense and knelt down to meditate. His mind wandered to the book he'd been reading. It was all about finding true peace. The author said even the worst enemies could get along if they just listened to each other.

Atenzi loved this idea. The world seemed more divided every day, but he really believed kindness could fix any problem. He smiled, imagining a world where everyone thought like this.

As the sun set, Atenzi got up, his joints popping a bit. He quickly changed into normal clothes and stepped out into the cool evening air.

The city was alive around him. Car horns honked, music played in the distance, and people chattered everywhere. Atenzi took a deep breath, smelling car exhaust mixed with street food.

It wasn't the clean mountain air he sometimes dreamed about, but it was real. This was humanity in all its messy glory, and Atenzi loved it, warts and all.

His apartment was just a short walk away. He headed home, thinking about his quiet evening ahead. A new chapter in his book was waiting, maybe with some of that fancy tea his neighbor gave him.

It was a simple life, but it made Atenzi really happy.

The streets got quieter as he turned into his neighborhood. Big apartment buildings gave way to older, smaller homes. Streetlights flickered on, making warm pools of light on the cracked sidewalks.

In the distance, a dog barked. Its sound echoed in the growing quiet.

That's when Atenzi felt it - the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Something was wrong. His steps slowed down as his body tensed up, ready for trouble.

It came fast and hard.

Four shadows peeled away from a dark alley. They moved like predators. Atenzi's heart raced as he saw the glint of knives in the dim light.

"Well, well," a rough voice said. "Looks like we found ourselves a late-night wanderer. Hand over your wallet, and you might just walk away from this."

Atenzi's mind raced, looking for a way out. He raised his hands slowly and spoke in a calm voice. "Guys, we don't need to do this. We can work this out without anyone getting hurt."

A harsh laugh answered him. The leader, a big guy with an ugly scar on his face, stepped forward. "Peaceful? No chance. Get him, boys!"

The world exploded into action.

Atenzi's training took over. He dodged the first attacker, sending the guy sprawling. A knife slashed through the air where Atenzi's head had been a second ago.

He ducked, swept his leg out, and heard a grunt as another attacker hit the ground. For a moment, it seemed like Atenzi might win.

He moved like water, flowing around attacks and using his opponents' strength against them. He was outnumbered, but not outmatched.

Then came the burning pain.

A knife found its mark, slicing deep into Atenzi's side. He gasped and stumbled. The taste of blood filled his mouth.

The world started to spin. Streetlights blurred into streaks of harsh light. Atenzi fell to his knees, pressing his hand against the wound. Hot blood seeped between his fingers.

He looked up at his attackers. What he saw in their eyes chilled him more than the growing cold in his body. It wasn't cruelty he saw, just... nothing. To them, he was just a thing to use and throw away.

As his vision got dark, Atenzi felt hands going through his pockets. They took his wallet and phone. Then they were gone, melting back into the shadows as quick as they'd come.

With his last bit of strength, Atenzi tilted his head back. His golden eyes, usually so calm, now blazed with pain and fury. He screamed at the sky, his voice raw with anger.

"Why?! I've lived a good life! And this is what I get?"

Blood bubbled on his lips as he spoke, getting weaker with each word. "If I get another chance... if I survive this... I swear, I won't be the nice guy anymore. I'll be the wolf. I'll take over everything. I'll reshape this whole messed-up world!"

As darkness closed in, Atenzi had no idea that someone - or something - had heard him. In a place beyond human understanding, ancient powers stirred. They'd noticed a soul balanced between peace and power.

Atenzi's world faded to black. But this wasn't the end. It was just the beginning...

Atenzi floated in nothingness. Pain and awareness slipped away like sand through an hourglass. The cold ground beneath him faded, replaced by a feeling of weightlessness.

Was this death? The big sleep he'd thought about so often?

But no - there was something else. A pull. A presence.

Suddenly, Atenzi gasped. His eyes flew open like he was waking from a bad dream. The dark street and smell of his own blood were gone. Instead, he found himself in a wild mix of light and color. It was impossible to describe or understand.

His body, which had been dying moments ago, now felt whole. It was filled with an energy that both excited and scared him.

"What... what is this?" he whispered. His voice got lost in the chaos around him.

As if answering him, the mess began to take shape. The wild energy hardened into actual things.

Atenzi blinked hard, trying to process what he was seeing. Walls of pure white appeared, so clean they seemed to glow. A floor formed under his feet, smooth and cool like polished marble.

Even the air changed. It felt crisp and tingly, almost electric. It made the hairs on Atenzi's arms stand up.

He found himself in a long hallway that seemed to go on forever in both directions. But something about it felt... off. If he tried to focus on it too hard, it made his head spin.

There were no lights that he could see, but everything was perfectly clear and bright.

Atenzi took a careful step forward. His bare feet made no sound on the spotless floor. He looked down at himself, expecting to see his bloody clothes. Instead, he wore a simple white outfit, as clean as everything around him. His wound was gone. There wasn't even a scar to show it had been there.

"Hello?" he called out. His voice echoed strangely. "Is anyone there? What is this place?"

As if answering him, a door appeared in the wall to his right. It hadn't been there a second ago - or had it? Atenzi wasn't sure of anything anymore.

The door swung open silently, showing a room beyond. Driven by curiosity and a weird feeling of purpose he couldn't explain, Atenzi stepped through.

The room was as white and plain as the hallway, except for one thing in the middle: a desk. And behind that desk sat a man unlike any Atenzi had ever seen.

The stranger's skin was so white it seemed to glow a little. His eyes were golden, just like Atenzi's, but they looked ancient and wise in a way that seemed impossible. He peered at Atenzi through sleek, futuristic glasses that reminded Atenzi of a video game character.

The man's hair was super blonde, almost white. It was styled to look both perfectly neat and messy at the same time. He wore a crisp white vest over a spotless white shirt, with fancy white pants to match. The whole look was striking and a little unsettling. It was like Atenzi was looking at someone who didn't quite belong in any world he knew.

The stranger's lips curved into a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. When he spoke, his voice seemed to make the very air shake.

"Welcome, Atenzi," he said, pointing to a chair that had appeared across from him. "Please, sit down. We've got a lot to talk about. It's all about your part in saving - or destroying - worlds."

Atenzi stood frozen, his mind spinning. This had to be a dream, right? Some crazy hallucination from losing too much blood. And yet... everything felt too real, too vivid to be just in his head.

"Who... who are you?" Atenzi managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper. "What is this place?"

The stranger's smile got a little wider. Something - maybe amusement, maybe excitement - flashed in his golden eyes.

"Who I am doesn't matter right now," he replied. "What's important is who you are, Atenzi, and what you're about to become. As for where we are..." He spread his hands, gesturing to the white space around them. "Let's call it a stopping point between realities. It's a place where destinies are made and the fate of whole universes hangs in the balance."

He leaned forward, staring hard at Atenzi. "You made a promise, Atenzi. You swore to reshape the world, to rise above all the unfairness you've suffered. I'm here to give you that chance - and so much more. The question is, are you ready to take it?"

Atenzi's head was spinning. He felt confused and scared, but deep down, there was a spark of excitement too. He remembered his attack, how he'd screamed at the sky. He had meant every word. He had felt them in his bones.

Now, faced with this impossible situation, Atenzi felt that spark grow into a flame. Whatever was happening, whatever this strange man was offering, he knew one thing for sure: his life would never be the same.

Slowly, carefully, Atenzi walked to the chair and sat down. He met the stranger's gaze, their golden eyes locked on each other. Then he spoke the words that would change everything:

"I'm ready. Tell me everything."