01: Geminewal

In the midst of a dark night devoid of moonlight, the boy's lifeless body lay sprawled on the forest floor. 

A crimson pool formed beneath him, its stark contrast against the damp earth painting a tragic portrait of his demise.

Several deep gashes, inflicted by sharp weapons, marred his fragile frame. The most grievous wound, a jagged tear on the left side of his stomach, bled profusely, ensuring he would not live to see the dawn.

His half-open eyes fluttered shut, and with them, his shallow, ragged breaths ceased altogether. The boy's damaged body went still, a final surrender to death's cold embrace.

With disheveled, dirt-matted brown hair and an unremarkable, weathered face, he seemed the embodiment of mediocrity, an invisible figure in life and now in death. He was just another faceless existence, destined for a death as ordinary as the life he'd led.

But the universe had different plans.

As his lifeless form rested in the silence of the forest, an ethereal hum resonated through the air.

*Shawwww*

The vibration carried through the trees, rattling their leaves and disturbing the stillness of the night. The boy's body began to change. Slowly at first, then all at once.

In the heavens above, the world stirred for the first time in eons.

A kaleidoscope of purplish auroras unfolded across the skies, casting an otherworldly glow upon the earth below. The ribbons of light swayed gracefully, their brilliance igniting a mixture of awe and fear in those lucky enough to witness them.

The skies wept and sang, celebrating in a way unseen for trillions of years. Shakti, the eternal force governing the world, had chosen this moment to act.

The auroras bestowed their gifts without bias, scattering them across the world to those who worked hardest, regardless of their alignment or intentions. 

As Shakti was impartial, only effort and will mattered in the eyes of the divine.

*

Back in the forest, the boy's transformation was almost complete.

Bluish light encompassed his forehead, radiating an intense energy that seemed to rewrite his very existence. His dull brown hair darkened into a lustrous shade of deep purplish black, while his lifeless black eyes flickered to life, now holding a faint but fiery red glow.

The wounds that had marred his body disappeared as though erased by a divine hand. The plain, unremarkable features of the boy were reshaped into something regal, his countenance now exuding strength and presence.

When the light finally faded, a stately young boy lay where a fragile, dying child had once been.

~~~

In a distant city, far removed from the forest's tranquility, a man sat in a lavish chamber. 

The room, adorned with opulent furnishings, seemed fit for royalty. The man himself, however, appeared restless.

He sat slumped in a grand chair, his hand propping up his head as he attempted to nap. But his respite was abruptly interrupted.

A jolt of energy shot through his body, and goosebumps prickled his skin. His eyes snapped open, and veins bulge on his forehead as a crushing pressure descended upon the room.

"How?"

His voice trembled with suppressed fury.

"How?!... HOW?!"

The man's hair, a striking black, began to levitate as his rage consumed him. The air around him thickened with malice.

"I was sure no one survived. So how could this happen?" he growled, pacing the room with clenched fists he broke the wall next to him with a punch.

After a moment of denial, he resigned himself to the truth. Seizing a quill, he scribbled furiously on parchment, his handwriting sharp and deliberate. 

When he finished, he barked out a name.

"Adam!"

In an instant, a figure materialized. A tall, well-dressed man with sharp features and a bow of absolute obedience. Without a word, Adam accepted the sealed envelope.

"Deliver this request to the Hao Sect, the Low-Down Community, and the Mystik Org. Offer them enough money to classify it as A-rank. No mistakes," the man commanded, his tone icy.

"Yes, sir. Also, the 'Sky Heavens' meeting is confirmed for the 20th of next month," Adam informed him, before vanishing with the envelope.

Left alone, the man leaned back, his lips curling into a sinister smile. A low, eerie laughter echoed through the room, his glee chilling and malevolent.

~~~

As news of the aurora spread across the world, reactions varied. 

For some, the event brought fear and grief. For others, it inspired hope and joy. But all recognized the shift, it was a moment that disrupted a century-long balance of power.

The auroras were a signal to many, including those who had hidden in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. For them, this was a time to sharpen their claws, preparing for their inevitable rise to the surface.

But amidst the chaos, when all eyes were on the heavens, two figures emerged unnoticed.

One was a woman whose tireless efforts earned her the gift she had long sought. The other was a shadow, a presence that slipped through the cracks of reality, a soul that did not belong in this world.

-The wishes of the 'source' had been fulfilled-