Chapter 1 – The Girl in the Glowing Market
"I'm alive… but this life doesn't feel like mine."
Vian woke up lying on cold stone, beneath an open sky tinted in deep indigo. Lanterns glowed above him, suspended on ropes tied across the alley. He could hear the muffled noise of a crowd nearby — laughter, footsteps, and the crackle of fire from cooking stalls.
He stood up slowly, brushing dust off his jacket. Around him, people walked by wearing clothes he'd never seen before — leather belts with tiny vials, long cloaks, boots covered in mud, and strange glowing jewelry.
"Is this… a market?"
The buildings were made of brick and worn wood, and the signs above the shops had runes instead of alphabets. There were no cars. No wires. No phones.
And then…
She appeared.
A girl. Half of her face was hidden behind a silver mask. Her white hair fell smoothly to her back, glowing faintly in the lamplight. She walked calmly through the crowd, like she didn't belong to this world — yet was part of it more than anyone else.
And for one brief moment… she looked at him.
Their eyes met. The noise around him faded. His heart skipped a beat. And then she passed, disappearing behind a cart.
Vian blinked. A smile formed on his lips.
"Seriously? A crush? In another world?" He chuckled softly. "You're losing it, Vian."
But before he could laugh again — A loud, harsh voice shattered the moment:
"I said MOVE, girl!"
Vian's smile faded. He looked down the alley.
A huge man with broad shoulders and armor was dragging a girl — a child, maybe 15 or 16 — by the wrist into a narrow, darker path. The girl looked terrified.
Vian's legs moved before he could think.
"Hey! Let her go!"
The man stopped and turned slowly, revealing a scar across his cheek. His eyes were cold and filled with annoyance.
"What did you just say?"
Vian didn't answer. He stood firm.
In a blink, the man charged.
Vian couldn't even react.
THUD! A brutal punch landed in his stomach. His breath flew out of his lungs, and he crashed into the wall behind.
Blood filled his mouth. He coughed hard.
The man wasn't done. He walked over, grabbed Vian by the shirt, and slammed his head into the wall once more.
Vian collapsed, groaning.
The man placed his boot on Vian's chest, pressing hard.
"You're weak," he growled. "But you smell… different." He leaned closer. "What kind of clothes are these? You… don't belong here."
Vian's vision blurred.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind — low and ancient:
"Do you want to kill him?"
His hand twitched. The air grew heavier. Something inside him stirred — cold and sharp.
And then —
WHOOSH.
A glow appeared nearby. SHE had returned.
The masked girl stood at the alley entrance, her palm glowing with a red sigil. The air bent around her.
Before the man could move, his knees buckled. He collapsed to the ground like gravity had tripled. His limbs trembled, stuck.
She walked past him like he was nothing.
Kneeling beside Vian, she looked at his bloodied face.
"You're not dead…" she said softly. Her eyes narrowed. "But I don't know you."
Vian tried to speak — nothing came out.
"I didn't come to save you," she said. "I came to stop him."
And with that, she stood up and walked away. Leaving Vian on the cold ground, staring at her fading silhouette.
"I thought she rescued me… But maybe, she didn't care at all."
"Thanks for reading! More chapters coming soon. Please add to library ❤️"