CHAPTER 1- THE ONE

The sun stood high in the sky, casting its golden light over the small town. The streets bustled with life—merchants shouting prices, children running about, and the occasional soldier making his patrol rounds. But amid the noise and cheer, a single boy sprinted through the narrow alleyways, his breath heavy, his heart pounding.

His small hands, bruised and trembling, were stained with blood.

He didn’t stop running until he reached the orphanage—a battered old building standing at the edge of town. The wooden doors, weathered by time, felt like a gateway to safety. He reached for the handle, but just as his fingers brushed against the worn-out wood, something caught his eye.

A light.

From the other side of the orphanage’s stone wall, a glow flickered like a distant star. It wasn’t the warm, golden hue of the sun, nor the dim flickering of a lantern. It was something different—purer, untouched by the world’s dust and filth. His curiosity burned hotter than his fear.

Slowly, he stepped back from the door and made his way around the wall, his bare feet crunching against the dry grass. As he turned the corner, his breath hitched.

There, resting on the ground, was a stone.

It shone with an intense orange light, its surface pulsating like a quiet heartbeat. Despite its brilliance, it wasn’t warm. The air around it felt normal, untouched by the energy that radiated from within. The boy took a step closer, the glow reflecting in his wide, dark eyes.

He hesitated.

A memory flashed through his mind—shouts, a struggle, the blood on his hands. He clenched his fists. Whatever had just happened to him, whatever had led him to flee back here, it didn’t matter right now. Something about this stone called to him.

A whisper.

Not a sound, not words—just a feeling.

His fingers twitched.

Then, without fully understanding why, he reached out and touched it

The moment his fingers brushed against the glowing surface, his mind blanked.

A sharp silence swallowed the world, a void where time did not move.

Then—

Darkness.

He didn’t know how long he had been unconscious, but when his eyes cracked open, the sky had already shifted to a deep shade of blue. The cool evening breeze brushed against his face, yet his body burned from the inside.

He groaned, rolling onto his side. His small body felt… strange. Feverish, yet there was no pain. His mouth felt dry, his tongue heavy, like something was shifting inside him. His skin—normally covered in scrapes and bruises—was smooth. Untouched.

The bruises were gone.

His breath hitched as he pressed his hands against his arms, then his legs. Nothing. No pain. No marks. It was as if whatever had happened earlier in the day had been wiped clean from his body.

The stone.

His head snapped toward where it had been, but—nothing.

The glowing orange stone was gone.

He swallowed hard, trying to make sense of it, but the heat in his body made it difficult to focus. Pushing himself to his feet, he stumbled toward the orphanage. He needed water. He needed to clean the blood off his clothes before anyone noticed. He needed to—

A feeling.

Something made his skin prickle. A presence.

Slowly, his gaze drifted upward.

A figure stood in the distance, just beyond the orphanage fence. Tall. Unnaturally tall—no less than seven feet. His long, sharp eyebrows stretched out like the branches of an ancient tree. His face was unreadable, hidden in the shadows cast by the moonlight, yet his eyes—cold, knowing—were locked onto the boy.

Watching.

His breath quickened. Who was that? How long had he been standing there?

His instincts screamed at him to move. He didn’t hesitate.

Heart pounding, he turned on his heel and ran inside.

The wooden door creaked as he pushed it open, slipping through the dimly lit halls. The orphanage was silent, most of the children already asleep. He hurried to his small room, quickly stripping off his blood-stained clothes.

As he scrubbed the fabric, his mind raced.

The stone. The heat. The missing wounds.

And that man.

Who was he? Why was he watching?

And why did it feel like—

Different

The next morning, Shane felt… normal.

No fever. No heat in his body. No lingering pain. It was as if nothing had happened.

As he mopped the old wooden floors of the orphanage, he pushed away the thoughts of the stone, the old man, and the strange feeling in his body. Maybe he had imagined it all. Maybe the fever made him hallucinate.

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“Shane! Come here, I found something!”

His heart stopped.

His grip on the mop tightened, a cold sweat forming on his back. Did he find the stone? Did he see the blood? He turned around sharply, his breath caught in his throat—only to see Smith, his closest friend, holding something small in his hands.

Shane’s eyes narrowed. It wasn’t the stone. It was—

His old watch.

The one he lost weeks ago.

His fear immediately turned into irritation. “Are you a fool, Smith?! You scared the shit out of me!” He snatched the watch from his hands. “Let me work now.”

Smith raised an eyebrow. “Alright, alright, no need to bite my head off.” He walked off, shaking his head.

Shane sighed, trying to calm his racing heart. He wasn’t usually this jumpy, but everything from last night still clung to him. The stone. His wounds vanishing. That towering old man with the piercing stare.

As he lost himself in thought, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

His body tensed.

His breath hitched.

He turned his head slowly—

It was Smith again.

“What’s going on with you?” Smith asked, frowning. “You’re acting weird.”

Shane forced a quick smile. “It’s nothing. I’m good.”

Smith didn’t look convinced, but he just shrugged and walked away.

After finishing his work, Shane didn’t tell anyone where he was going. He needed to see for himself.

He walked back to the place where the old man had been standing last night. The spot beyond the orphanage’s fence. The place that had sent chills down his spine.

But just as he reached it—

A presence.

His breath slowed.

Someone was standing behind him.

An old voice, deep and steady, spoke:

“I can’t leave you alone now. It is dangerous.”

Shane took a slow step backward, his eyes locked on the towering figure before him.

An old man can’t be this tall…

His heart pounded in his chest. The man’s presence was overwhelming—silent, yet suffocating.

"What do you mean it's dangerous…?" Shane asked, his voice uneasy as he stepped further away.

The old man remained still, watching him intently, as if waiting for something.

Shane clenched his fists. “Who are you…? What do you want? Get away, creep!”

Finally, the man spoke. His deep voice carried weight, as if every word had meaning beyond what Shane could grasp.

“Be not afraid. I know what happened yesterday.”

Shane’s breath hitched. His body tensed.

“What do you mean you know?”

The old man’s eyes didn’t waver. “I know about the stone. You found it. It belongs to me.”

Shane’s stomach twisted. He shook his head. “I don’t know where the stone is! Someone took it.”

The old man stepped forward. “I know it’s gone. But it is not with someone else.” He paused, letting the words settle before continuing, “It’s you. You had it.”

Shane’s pulse quickened.

“…What?”

The old man’s expression didn’t change. “Looks like you’ve already adapted to it.”

“I don’t have it! I already told you!” Shane protested. Then he hesitated. “Wait… adapted? What do you mean by—”

“We cannot talk here. It’s dangerous.”

Before Shane could react, the old man raised his hand. A shimmering energy swirled in the air, bending reality itself.

A portal.

Shane’s mind screamed at him to run, but his body refused to move. His eyes widened as the old man calmly stepped through the swirling gateway.

Shane’s breath came in short gasps. His legs felt heavy, his instincts screaming at him to stay. But something deeper inside him—something he couldn’t explain—pulled him forward.

And before he could stop himself, he stepped through.

The moment he emerged, the air around him was different.

The smell of salt filled his nose. A cold wind brushed against his face.

They were standing on the edge of a massive cliff, overlooking an endless ocean. The sky stretched far and wide, untouched by the world he knew.

The old man turned to him. His eyes, deep and knowing, locked onto Shane.

“It’s you now.” His voice was steady, unwavering. “You are the one who did the act.”

He took a step closer.

“And now, you are the one….”.Theis eyes, deep and knowing, locked onto Shane.

“It’s you now.” His voice was steady, unwavering. “You are the one who did the act.”

He took a step closer.

“And now, you are the one….”.

The sun blazed high in the sky, casting golden streaks across the vast desert. In the middle of it all stood a tall old man, his robes flowing in the wind, his eyes gleaming with an ancient wisdom. He turned to Shane, his voice calm yet commanding.

"Come with me."

Without waiting for a response, the man took a step forward—and vanished into thin air.

Shane's breath hitched. His heart pounded against his ribs. Was it an illusion? A trick of the heat? He hesitated only for a moment before stepping in the same direction. The instant he crossed the invisible threshold, a force field crackled around him, a shimmering veil of energy that rippled like liquid glass. And then—he was through.

What lay before him defied every law of reality he had known.

A massive city stretched endlessly before his eyes, hidden from the world yet teeming with life. Towering buildings, sleek yet elegantly simple, reached toward the sky. Their designs were unlike anything he had ever seen—futuristic, yet refined. Above them, flying cars zipped through the air, weaving between floating platforms and sky bridges. The streets bustled with a diverse mix of beings—humans, aliens, and machines alike. Some strolled the sidewalks, others soared effortlessly through the air. Robots lined the streets, assisting civilians, guiding traffic, and performing tasks Shane couldn't even begin to comprehend.

He turned in a slow circle, struggling to take it all in. This was not just a city—it was an entire world, hidden in plain sight. A civilization so advanced, so untouched by the rest of existence, that its very presence shattered every assumption he had about his reality.

His mouth was dry. His mind raced with a thousand questions. But one thought echoed louder than the rest.

"How has this place remained hidden for so long?"

"You coming, boy?"

The old man's voice snapped Shane out of his daze. Without hesitation, without a single question, he followed. His feet moved on instinct, drawn by the sheer mystery of it all. The man led him to a two-story building—simple from the outside, but the moment Shane stepped through the door, the world shifted again.

Inside, the air buzzed with movement and conversation. Humans, aliens, and machines worked side by side in perfect harmony. Strange holograms flickered mid-air, displaying symbols and data Shane couldn’t comprehend. Sleek machines whirred past, carrying supplies or scanning documents. The scent of something metallic yet oddly soothing lingered in the air. Conversations flowed in a dozen languages, some he recognized, others that didn’t even sound possible.

Shane walked through it all, barely able to process what he was seeing.

The old man led him deeper inside, into a room that resembled an office—at least, in the loosest sense. A massive circular table stood in the center, lined with screens and strange glowing devices. Papers and digital pads were scattered across its surface, and the walls were lined with shelves filled with books, artifacts, and objects Shane had never seen before.

Another old man sat inside, just as tall as the one who had brought him here. He turned as they entered, his piercing gaze studying Shane.

"It’s him, Ren," the first old man said simply.

The seated man—Ren—nodded, his expression unreadable.

"Child," he said, his voice calm but heavy with meaning. "My name is Ren, and this is my companion, Ryu—the one you walked with. We have a lot to discuss."

Shane barely registered his words. He was too fixated on how tall both of them were—easily over seven feet. Their presence was overwhelming, not just in size but in the weight of authority they carried.

Ren gestured toward a chair. "Sit."

Shane hesitated but eventually lowered himself into the seat. Ren and Ryu sat across from him, placing a cup of tea in front of each of them. The aroma was unfamiliar, yet strangely comforting.

As the steam curled into the air, Ren leaned forward slightly.

"Now… let’s begin."

Ren took a slow sip of his tea before setting the cup down with a quiet clink. His gaze met Shane’s, firm and unwavering.

"This place you are in," he began, "is called the Earth’s Base. It is known throughout the cosmos, yet hidden from the earthlings… for good reasons."

Shane’s fingers tightened around his cup. Hidden from the earthlings? His mind raced, trying to piece together what that could mean, but before he could ask, Ryu leaned forward, his deep voice cutting through the air like a blade.

"You have not found the stone," he said bluntly. "The stone has found you."

Shane’s breath caught in his throat. He hadn't even mentioned the stone—how did they know?

Ryu continued, his piercing gaze locked onto Shane. "You have been chosen. Because you have done the act that proved you are worthy of the stone."

Shane sat there, stunned, barely able to process what he was hearing. His mind was spinning, trying to remember—what act? What moment had determined his fate?

Ryu gave him no time to dwell on it.

"You now hold the strongest and most ancient power in your hands," he said. "And it is not simply a weapon." He leaned in, his voice lowering. "It is something that brings responsibilities. To protect. To save. To be there when needed."

Shane swallowed hard, his heart pounding. This was too much, too sudden.

Ren finally spoke again, his voice calm yet carrying the weight of centuries.

"This may come as a shock to you, but we have been here on Earth for a very long time. Wars have been fought on this planet—great battles, ones that could have shattered everything. And yet, no one remembers them."

Shane frowned. "How is that possible?"

Ryu’s eyes darkened. "Because we made sure of it. Every single earthling was made to forget."

Silence filled the room, heavy and suffocating. Shane sat there, staring at them, his thoughts a chaotic storm.

If they were telling the truth… then everything he thought he knew about his world was a lie.

Shane shot up from his seat, his fists clenched, his face burning with frustration.

"You bring me here—somewhere I don’t even know—tell me that everything I’ve ever believed was a lie, that I’ve been living in the shadows, and now I have some great power?" His voice shook with anger. "Are you serious? This is ridiculous! A complete joke! I want to go back. Now!"

Ren didn’t flinch. He simply gestured around the room. "Look around you," he said calmly. "Do you think we are joking?"

Shane’s breathing was heavy, his heart pounding against his ribs. But as his eyes flickered over the strange technology, the aliens, the impossible world outside, doubt began to creep in. This wasn’t something that could be faked.

Ren’s voice softened. "You need to understand the situation of the cosmos, Shane… because now, you are the target."

Shane swallowed hard. The weight of those words pressed down on him. Slowly, he sank back into his seat.

"I’m listening."

The room was quiet, save for the soft clinking of cups as Ren and Ryu exchanged glances, speaking in hushed voices. Shane couldn’t make out the words, but he could feel the weight of them. They weren’t just talking. They were deciding.

His fingers curled around the edge of his chair. He wasn’t used to being ignored, especially not after being thrown into this bizarre place with no warning.

He sighed, glancing at the cup in front of him. The tea’s aroma was thick, unfamiliar, yet strangely inviting. It wasn’t like anything he had smelled before—was this even tea? The steam swirled in lazy patterns, almost hypnotic.

Just as he felt his mind drifting, Ren’s voice cut through the air.

"There is a threat out there."

Shane’s head snapped up.

Ren’s expression darkened, his voice steady but heavy. "And now, it’s looking for you."

A chill ran down Shane’s spine. He sat up straighter, his heart beating a little faster.

Ryu exhaled, as if bracing himself. Then Ren spoke again, his voice even lower.

"His name is Noah."

Shane frowned. "Who?"

Ren’s next words made the air feel heavier.

"Also known as The Monster King."

Something about the way he said it made Shane’s stomach twist. There was no hesitation in Ren’s voice, but there was something else. Something close to fear.

Shane swallowed. "What does that mean?"

Ren leaned forward slightly, his fingers tapping against his cup. "He carries the memories and personality of something ancient. No one knows how old he truly is."

Ryu finally spoke, his tone quieter than before. "He does not rule a kingdom. He conquers them."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

For the first time, Shane realized—whatever this was, whatever he had gotten himself into—there was no turning back.