He opened his eyes to a world that felt strangely unfamiliar.
The last thing he remembered was darkness—deep and absolute. But now, he was no longer confined. He was alive. Yet something had changed.
The air around him was heavy, the silence pressing in like a weight. Darkness lingered, thick and unwelcoming. Slowly, he sat up and began to move, driven by an instinct he couldn't name.
Eventually, he reached a place where faint light filtered through the cracks in the walls of a crumbling cave.
Above him stretched an endless night sky, scattered with countless flickering stars. Moonlight poured in, casting long, shifting shadows across the rough stone.
Just moments ago, something strange had occurred while he lay asleep on the ground. A sphere of light descended from above, enveloping his body. When it vanished, so did his sense of self—he couldn't remember who he was.
Then, all at once, a flood of memories came rushing back. Images, emotions, and experiences surged through his mind, overwhelming him.
"What just happened? Don't tell me I hit my head," he whispered, reaching up to feel for any injuries.
The memories were painfully vivid—filled with isolation and an aching longing. He was a boy named Baam, raised in darkness, yearning for light.
Rachel. A blonde-haired girl who had visited him in this underground world since he was a child. She was his only connection to the outside, his only companion.
She brought him food, told stories of stars and sky, and spoke of a world beyond the darkness—a world where the Tower stood.
The Tower. As his memories named it, it was a place where only the strong climbed ever higher, while the weak were left behind.
---
Baam stood in the dim light of the cave.
He raised a hand to his face. His fingers were small, delicate. His body was thin—fragile, almost skeletal. Long, unkempt brown hair framed his pale face, and his clothes, once white, now hung from him in tattered strips.
Then—footsteps. Soft echoes drifted through the stillness, drawing his attention.
He turned slowly. From the shadows emerged a figure he recognized instantly.
Rachel.
She looked just as he remembered—blonde hair, a gentle presence, a kind smile. In her hands, she carried a small basket filled with food and supplies.
"Baam. Are you alright?" she called.
"I'm fine," he said quietly. "I just... I had a strange dream. I fought someone... and I was tied to a cross, unable to move."
Rachel smiled faintly and set the basket down beside him. "You've always been such a dreamer."
But then her expression changed. The sadness in her eyes deepened, and she hesitated before speaking again.
"Baam, there's something I need to tell you."
He looked up. "What is it?"
She drew a shaky breath, her hands tightening in front of her. "I'm leaving. And… you can't come with me."
Baam froze. Confusion flickered across his face. "What do you mean? Where are you going?"
Rachel looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "I've been chosen by the Tower."
The Tower.
A place whispered of in her stories. A place where dreams were pursued, where power awaited those strong enough to climb.
A pang of frustration gripped him. His voice trembled. "Can't I come too? I don't want to be left alone again."
Rachel shook her head. "I'm sorry, Baam. You can't. But I promise—I'll never forget you."
He clenched his fists, desperation rising like a tide. "Why not? Why do you get to leave and I have to stay?"
His voice dropped, quieter, heavier. "You always told me about the stars. About the blue sky. Princesses, the top of the Tower..."
Rachel stepped closer and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "It's not my choice. The Tower chooses who may enter. It's a place for those who chase the stars. But not everyone is allowed in."
She hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "This is something I have to do. Please... don't look for me."
Then, without another word, she turned and walked away, her footsteps fading into the cave's silence.
Baam sat there, stunned. The girl who had brought light into his darkness was leaving—just like that. His thoughts spun. Why her? Why not him? What made him so unworthy?
Panic surged in his chest.
"Wait, Rachel! Don't leave me! Please!"
But she didn't turn back.
She disappeared into the darkness, and once again, Baam was alone.