The Beginning of The End

He stood Face to face with the monster charging towards him, Its skin glowing in the moonlight, its eyes filled with malice, and its muscles possessing strength enough to easily level a sky scrapper. His face was blank with no emotion, but also a strange sense of curiosity.

"How did I even get here?" He wondered.

"So this is the monster that almost killed me two years ago," he whispered into the wind as he recalled the events that made him into his current self

"What a drag..."

****

Ryder opened his eyes and found himself in a strange place. He was lying on a soft bed, covered with silky sheets. The room was spacious and luxurious, decorated with fine furniture and paintings. He looked around, but saw no one else. He got up and rubbed his eyes, feeling confused and groggy.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," a voice said behind him.

When he turned, he saw a woman standing near the door. She was smiling at him, holding a tray of food. She was beautiful, with fair skin, brown hair, and green eyes. She wore a simple white dress that hugged her curves.

Ryder screamed and jumped back, dropping the sheets. He felt exposed and vulnerable, wearing only a pair of shorts. He bombarded her with questions, while panicking.

"Who are you? Where am I? What happened to me?"

He touched his stomach, remembering the pain he felt before he lost consciousness.

"My stomach...it hurts..."

He also remembered the old man, who had raised him like a son. The sounds of gunshots and the images of the old man sacrificing himself to save him from the robbers flashed in his head, giving him a brief wave of headache.

He placed his palm against his head as the pain surged through his veins, "The old man...is... is he alive?" He managed to say as he endured the pain which was now fading.

He saw a flash of sadness in her eyes, and he knew the answer.

"I'm sorry, he's gone. He died instantly, from a bullet to the head. You were the only one I could save," she said as she approched, trying to comfort him.

She put the tray on a small table close to the bed, and walked towards him. She reached out to touch his face, but he flinched away.

"Stay away from me!"

Who are you? How do you know me?" Ryder demanded.

She sighed. "I expected this," she said as she sat on the edge of the bed.

She looked at him with a gentle expression, and spoke in a calm tone.

She placed her finger against her chin, looking at the ceiling in a playful manner. "My name is Lily. I'm...well, you could call me a goddess."

"And as for where you are, you could say You're in one of those worlds in the fantasy books you used to read in your previous world."

Ryder stared at her, as if she had grown a second head. He thought she was crazy, or lying, or both. He shook his head, and tried to get off the bed.

"This is a joke, right?"

"A prank? A nightmare?"

"You're not a goddess, you're a lunatic!"

"And this is not a world, it's a hallucination! I want to wake up, I want to go back and see the old man!"

He was about to run out of the room, when she snapped her fingers. Suddenly, he felt himself falling. He looked down, and saw the ground far below him. He looked up, and saw her flying next to him. She was smiling, as if she was enjoying his terror.

"Don't worry, this is just a demonstration. I'll take you back in a second."

"But first, let me explain a few things to you. You see, there are many universes, parallel to each other, with different laws and histories."

"This is one of them, and it's very different from yours. Here, people can use magic, and there are all kinds of creatures, some friendly, some hostile."

Ryder simply stared at her as she spoke. He was too scared to speak and too shocked to think. He just screamed, as he plummeted towards the earth.

She snapped her fingers again, and they reappeared in the room. He collapsed on the bed, panting and sweating. He looked at her with a mix of fear and awe, and she smiled at him with a mix of amusement and affection.

"Do you believe me now?" she asked.

Ryder nodded, slowly. He had no choice. He had seen it with his own eyes, felt it with his own skin, and heard it with his own ears. He was in another world, a world of magic and monsters.

He had many questions, but he didn't know where to start. He felt overwhelmed, and exhausted. He needed some time to process everything, to accept his new reality.

She sensed his confusion, and decided to give him some space. She picked up the tray, and handed it to him.

"Here, eat something. You need to regain your strength."

"It's not much, but there's more downstairs."

"You've been unconscious for two weeks, after I healed your wound."

"You were shot, but you survived. You're lucky, you know. Not many people can say that."

"So cheer up..."

He took the tray, and looked at the food. It was unfamiliar, but it smelled good. He felt hungry, and decided to eat. He needed some normalcy and comfort.

"Well, I'll be waiting for you downstairs," she got up and made her way towards the exit.

He felt a pang of grief as he watched her leave. He had just learned that the old man who had raised him was dead. He wiped the tears from his eyes, and tried to be brave. He knew the old man would want him to be strong.

He decided to take a shower, and clear his head. He walked into the bathroom, and gasped. It was the most luxurious bathroom he had ever seen. It had shiny marble floors, clear mirrors, a large bathtub, and a high-tech shower. He felt like he was in a palace.

He turned on the shower, and adjusted the temperature and pressure. He felt the warm water wash away the dirt and blood from his body. He wondered if he had any powers, and how to use them. He hoped Lily would teach him soon.

He dried himself with a fluffy towel, and put on the clothes that Lily had left for him. They were white and blue, and they fit him perfectly. He felt like a new person.

He left the room, and followed a white light that guided him to the stairs. He descended to the dining room, where he smelled the delicious food. He saw a table full of dishes, some familiar, some not. He also saw Lily, sitting with two other people—a man and a woman. They looked at him with interest.

"Come on, don't be shy. Join us," Lily said, smiling.

He hesitated while looking down, "I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier."

He walked towards them, and sat across from Lily. He looked at the other two people, and felt a bit intimidated. They were both young and good looking adults, but they had different vibes.

The man had dark hair and a calm expression. He wore a long black and white jacket, with a top tucked into his trousers underneath it. He had a friendly smile, and a calm demeanor.

"I'm Byakuya. It's nice to meet you," he said, greeting him with a smile

"Hi, I'm...Ryder," he said, using the name he had in the other world.

The woman had red eyes and a cold demeanor. She wore a red dress, that hugged her curves. She had a sharp gaze, and a haughty tone.

"I'm Emilia," she said, without looking at him.

"Okay," he said, quietly.

He turned to Lily, and asked her the question that was on his mind.

"Uhm... What's your name?"

"You can call me Lily," she replied, winking at him.

"The last name's Starfall."

"Byakuya and Emilia here are like your new big brother and sister," she said, gesturing her arms towards the both of them.

"And you... You're a Starfall now," she smiled at him.

Ryder remained speechless as she spoke. He continued to stare at her even after she stopped talking.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Lily asked.

"The food isn't going to eat itself. Dig in..." She urged him.

He ate and found the food delicious. His mind became more settled and he began to ask Lily more questions.

"So... Why me? Why did you save me and bring me here?" He asked as he ate, while avoiding eye contact with Lily.

"You're not aware you're originally from here, are you?"

"What?" He looked at her with surprise written all over his face.

Lily saw the expression on his face and nodded her head in affirmation. "In addition to that, let's just say you have a power I'm interested in," she added.

"But for now, you need to regain your memories."

"If I'm correct, you can't remember anything before the day you woke up in that world, right?" She asked.

"Y... Yes" Ryder replied, still trying to wrap his head around the revelation he had just received from Lily.

"I've tried thinking back many times, but nothing comes up," he added.

"It's okay, let's take baby steps. Your memories are important, but first you have to gain strength," she smiled at him.

"This is... A lot..." He whispered to himself as Lily spoke to him. He needed to clear his mind so he decided to take a look around the castle.

He gave Lily a positive nod as a response to all she had said,and got up from his seat, gently, "Is it ok if I take a look around the castle?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure. Have fun," Lily replied.

He left the dining room, and explored the castle. He was impressed by everything he saw. The castle was huge, and modern. It had marble floors, crystal lights, smart devices, and elegant furniture. It had a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom, a library, and an office.

"So this is where I live now," he marveled as he walked around the castle.

"Who would've thought..."

He felt like he was in a dream, a dream that he didn't want to wake up from. He wanted to see more.

He explored the castle grounds, and saw a variety of plants and fruits. He picked an apple from a tree, and bit into it. It was juicy and sweet, unlike anything he had tasted before.

He went into the forest surrounding the castle, and saw some of the creatures that lived there. He saw a rabbit with horns, a bird with scales, and a snake with wings. He was fascinated, and scared.

He realized that this world was truly very different from his own.

He returned to the castle, as the sun set. He saw Lily standing outside, gazing at the sky. She turned and saw him, and smiled.

"You're just like him," she said, softly.

"Who?" he asked, curiously.

She shook her head, and walked into the castle.

"You'll find out soon enough," she said.

"I wonder if I'll figure something out about my past soon," he wondered as he followed Lily into the castle.

***

In a dimly lit room in a sky scrapper, two figures stood side by side, staring at the moonlit sky through the glass walls of the building. The entity on the right was exposed by the serene light of the moon. It was Byakuya.

The individual on the left remained unseen, shrouded by the darkness from the shadows of the furnitures in the room.

"I guess the first chapter of the book has now been opened, Elder," Byakuya said, with a calm demeanor.

"Byakuya..." The old man called his name.

"So you've finally brought him to us," the old man said.

"The boy who opens the book of the beginning..."

"The beginning of the end..."

"The end of the world."