Prologue

Dante has always been a genius, not the kind that every mother thinks her son is, especially since he never had parents or anyone who truly loved him to tell the truth. He graduated from school at 10 years old, started medical school at 11, and graduated with honors at 15. He chose the research area because he didn't like people very much. At 25, he was considered a brilliant researcher in all areas of medical advancement. His colleagues joked that "all that separated him from a Nobel was the old committee admitting that a boy had surpassed them."

Our story begins, or in this case ends, at an airport. Dante was on his way to another endless and tedious nomination for a stupid award that his employer forced him to go to raise funds. Dante's only thoughts were about his books, magazines, comics, and manga at his "home". His colleagues always said it wasn't a house but a library with a bed, and they weren't far from the truth. In his 25 years of life, Dante read, listened to, or watched an absurd number of stories.

While sitting waiting for the plane, Dante saw a family. The little girl was excited about the trip, her eyes shone as only a child's eyes could. Her parents were smiling at her as they calmed her down. Dante looked at that and gave a low sigh. He didn't care about awards or recognition, he loved to read. He dreamed of a friendship or love like the ones in his books, he dreamed of a family he never had. It's a pity that fate had other plans.

The boarding went normally and the plane trip was calm with slight turbulence that became stronger and more constant. The pilot informed us that we were going through a storm and that turbulence was expected. However, the fear in his voice was perceptible to Dante. He had already heard that voice, that tone from countless doctors minutes before giving a fatal diagnosis to a patient, and that was his last thought before the explosion…

The explosion that followed in the background was blinding. I don't know if it was due to the drop in pressure or lack of air, Dante woke up already on the ground. By some miracle, the pilot managed to land on a plain. However, the plane's wings shattered, and flaming wreckage and debris surrounded the accident.

The screams and crying were disorienting. There were numerous injured and countless dead. Dante cleared his mind and for a moment imagined himself in his mental palace, a technique he used mostly to memorize his favorite stories. At one point, his palace became an endless library with an armchair in the middle and a small writing desk surrounded by countless shelves and bookcases. Inside his mind, Dante was able to calm down. He did this frequently, just entered his mental library and ran his hand over the spines of his books. This calmed him down and gave him clarity.

Dante opened his eyes and returned to the hell that surrounded him. He unbuckled his seatbelt and began to move. His body hurt a lot, especially his chest. I must have hit it in the fall. It's already a miracle that anyone is alive. Rummaging through the plane's wreckage, he found a first aid kit and medical equipment. He put everything in a medical bag and picked up cutlery, tapes, and anything that could help. His chest pain was increasing, but he didn't care much. He found several sheets and blankets in the crew cabin. Unfortunately, the flight attendant's neck was broken by the impact, still strapped to the seatbelt. Dante didn't have time for this, he just closed the woman's eyes and went back to his work. He first went to those who were asking for help. Some were catatonic and couldn't stop screaming, others were crying and in despair. Dante began to look for help. The first step in first aid is to check your own safety and ask for help. There must be some emergency phone in the pilot's cabin. It wasn't hard to get into the cabin, the door was open. Inside, the pilot or co-pilot was still alive. One of their legs was crushed in the wreckage, but the other was fine, just slightly unconscious. Dante begins to try to wake the man up.

Hey man, wake up. It's not time for the princess's nap. The pilot wakes up, although still disoriented. Dante calms him down and asks him to try to contact the control tower or something like that. The pilot manages to contact the tower. However, his location equipment was damaged, which could make the rescue take a few hours. At the end of the conversation, Dante addresses the pilot. I haven't asked your name yet, my name is Dante by the way. My name is Alvin. How are you staying calm? I'm freaking out, look outside, there are so many screams, and my whole body hurts. Freaking out won't help us, Alvin. I'm a doctor and I need help. I don't know how long it will take for help to arrive, but I know it's much more than most of them have left. I need help and I need it now. Alvin sighed and nodded his head. You're right, where do we start? We need help. Find everyone who is still conscious and able to help. Let's set up an area far enough away from the plane in case it decides it's a good day to explode. Look for landmarks and help bring the injured to the place where I will lay out the sheets and blankets. Alvin managed to gather 10 people who were still able to move. Dante separated them according to the severity of the injury using the START method. Of the approximately 233 passengers, 11 had only minor injuries and were able to help with the rescue. 32 had medium and severe injuries that resulted in probable amputations, but they were not at direct risk of death. 47, including the little girl, had serious injuries that required Dante's direct intervention. He worked for hours. Dante's hands began to tremble and his vision was blurred, but he continued. Of the 47, Dante managed to save 38, totaling 152 dead. In the end, Dante's chest was burning. He lowered his face and was able to confirm what he had suspected for some time. A piece of metal had been in his chest all this time. Due to the effort, it probably reached his heart. His last vision was the little girl lying with her parents. He had managed to stop their bleeding. They would probably be fine. Dante fell to the ground and before closing his tired eyes, he heard the pilot shouting his name in the distance. Damn, I guess that's it. I'm going to die with envy of a couple and a little girl. Damn, I wanted someone to love me, I want a friend, a boyfriend, a family. A tear falls on the ground and a man falls right behind.