A Reader's Grimoire In A Novel World

In a small apartment, a young man lay on a couch with a phone in his hand, swiping on his screen every now and then, his expression tense.

'Hmm... He's going to die for sure...' he thought, but kept on reading the novel until he finished the latest chapter.

"Damn!! I need more chapters! I'm going to have to wait another day. It's all over for the team," Liam sighed dramatically, dropping his phone beside him.

His body trembled slightly as he was still feeling the fear and adrenaline of reading peak action books.

'Damn, even the fear from the pages is reflected in me. I better take a stroll around,' he thought, glancing down at his legs. They shook as he was about to get up and he sighed tiredly.

He stood slowly, every movement careful and slow as he could hear his bones crunching against each other at the joints.

His bones felt like glass—fragile and delicate, always on the edge of failing him. Walking was something he did in small doses, never for long.

Liam lived in a modest apartment with his single mother. He had graduated from high school two years ago but hadn't been able to attend college to study theatre arts—his lifelong dream—because of his disability.

He limped to his room, pulling on a brown hoodie and gray sweatpants. As he dressed, he winced slightly, moving with care as if any sudden action could cause his bones to shift in the wrong way. His rough black hair stuck up, a result of his constant habit of running his hands through it—one of the few things that didn't hurt.

Before heading out, he glanced over at the pair of crutches by the door but left them behind, too stubborn to rely on them for what was supposed to be a short walk.

'Asura's Rebirth is amazing, really. I wonder if I should gift the author.' The thought brought a small smile to his face as he made his way down the street.

Reading novels on his phone had become a habit for him as he couldn't do anything else other than stay home after school.

He loved reading about characters that achieve their life long goals and survive the tortures authors put them through.

The cool air brushed against his face, as he yawned tiredly.

After just a few blocks, he heard the all-too-familiar cracking sound in his legs, and he had to stop. Looking down, he noticed them shaking already.

'Fuck, I'm so useless. Just a one-mile stroll and I can't even manage that.' He thought and turned around to go back.

A call entered his phone and he pulled it out. He couldn't help but close his eyes and sigh when he saw who it was.

[Call from -Fat Doctor-]

"Hello..."

"Mr Liam. The results of the scan just came out and it's not looking good at all. The more strain you put on your body and bones, the more you damage them.

You said that you have visited a few hospitals so you already know that this is a severe case of Osteoporosis Imperfecta. I would recommend you to minimize how much you stress the physical body, as there is no known cure for this condition yet." The voice that came through the phone call made Liam feel even worse about his life.

His face was painted with sadness as he kept quiet.

"Hello?" The man's voice came through again.

"I'm still here, I heard everything." Liam replied and cut the call after that.

'There's no way I can play very well in the orchestra if my body keeps failing me like this. I literally have no future.' He thought and then he looked in front of him.

*Ding!*

He pulled out his phone as he felt the vibration and looked to see a message.

[Mum: Have the doctor finally texted or called. I really hope there hasn't been negative changes to your body.

Please think about me and don't quit life. The neighbors are keeping an eye on you ever since you tried suicide, stay safe and stay inside. I'll take care of you.]

Liam felt like squeezing his phone, but his hands trembled and he feared dislocating his fingers.

He calmed down.

'I'm already putting so much stress on her. I wish I could help, but it seems I'm totally useless now.' He thought as he let a car run between his legs.

The people that he walked passed looked at him with pity and some even offered him help to walk back home.

Born with a rare disability that left his bones brittle and weak, Liam had never been able to live like other kids. Sports were out of the question, even simple games of tag in the schoolyard. Any misstep could lead to a break, a fracture, or worse. Interactions with others had been scarce—people were kind, but pitying. They never saw him as a friend, only as someone they needed to handle with care.

'I should've brought my crutches,' he thought, grimacing as his legs refused to obey him any longer. He came to a stop, planted in place, unable to push his body forward.

"Get out of the way!"

Liam heard a voice behind him, and he turned his head to see a white truck speeding toward him, its tires screeching as it failed to brake in time.

It was only now that he heard it's loud horns blaring.

It was as if the world slowed down. The sounds of the world drowned out, replaced only by the pounding of his heart in his chest. He instinctively tried to move, to run, but his body—his cursed, fragile body—wouldn't budge.

'No… Not like this.'

He raised his arms weakly in a futile attempt to protect himself, but the impact came before he could brace. The truck smashed into him, sending him flying into a nearby wall.

*Cough!*

"Ahh... Such bad luck. But why..." he mumbled, his vision blurring as pain engulfed his entire body. Blood trickled from his forehead, seeping into his eyes, blinding him.

Through the haze, he heard voices—people recording him, taking pictures, but none rushing to help. He could feel his consciousness slipping slowly and he couldn't help but look to the sky.

A thought then came to his mind as he reasoned his situation.

'What happens after death? Does my soul just float in the void?'

Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the blood, his body shaking uncontrollably. He didn't want to die. Not now. Not like this. His mother had always been so good to him, sacrificing so much.

"I'm scared..." His voice was a whisper, barely audible, as the pain pressed down on his chest. And then, darkness claimed him.

...

'Huh?'

Liam slowly became aware of the sounds of birds chirping, distant and muffled. His eyes fluttered open, revealing a dark sky above, covered with blackish clouds.

'What is this? I feel... warm.'

He turned his head weakly to the side and saw the remains of a wooden carriage, its frame engulfed in flames. Bodies of bloodied men lay scattered around him and he ignored it all.

'Oh.'

The sight barely registered in his mind before he closed his eyes again, the pain in his body suddenly flaring up.

After a minute, he forced himself upright, gasping as pain from his waist stringed him. His clothes were blood-soaked, and he glanced down to see a deep cut across his waist bone.

"Argh!" He gritted his teeth, his hands instinctively moving to the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood.

'What kind of dream is this?' His mind raced as he struggled to make sense of the situation. The pain was too real, too sharp.

His heart thumped harder when he heard growling from behind him. Turning slowly, he saw two glowing red eyes peering at him from the darkness of the trees.

It was now he realized that he was on a path between a forest of trees and bushes.

The wind howled in his ears, the leaves swirling around him. Yet, he didn't blink. His body, despite its injuries, didn't feel as fragile as it had in the real world.

He gulped and began crawling toward the burning carriage, each movement sending waves of pain through his body, but he continued.

Then, he heard it—the sharp sound of something slicing through the air, coming straight for him.