"That's interesting," a voice said, cutting through the silence. "Most would have shown some sort of reaction by now."

I remained silent. The world around me was dark—so dark that I couldn't tell if my eyes were closed or open. Was this how it ended? A fitting conclusion, I supposed. Any fragile hope I had for restoring my ruined family to its former glory had long since crumbled. Life wasn't a story. And if it was, I wasn't even in the cast.

"Just end it already," I said finally, weary of the waiting.

"You misunderstand," the voice replied, calm and steady. "Your journey does not end here. This is merely the beginning."

A hoarse laugh escaped my throat. "The beginning? Of what? I'm tired. I don't need your beginning. What I want is an end."

"Truly?" the voice asked, a hint of amusement threading through its tone. "Is that truly what you desire?"

"Of course," I answered.

"Then why haven't you ended yourself long before now?" The question hung in the air, sharp and cutting.

I paused, unsettled. Why hadn't I? Was it instinct? Fear? I chuckled bitterly. I had never gotten what I wanted. Now, even death was beyond my grasp.

"What you want is not death, child," the voice claimed, resolute. "You want escape. I will give it to you."

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I remained silent.

"If you truly wished for death, you would have seen countless paths to achieve it. Hold your breath. Stab your eyes with your fingers. Bite off your tongue. That barely scratches the surface. Did those methods even cross your mind?"

They hadn't. Was the voice right? Was I so pathetic that, even in the face of despair, I clung to some hidden hope for a happy ending?

"Not an ending, my child," the voice urged gently. "What you desire is a beginning. One filled with joy rather than pain. Could you truly have it?"

The idea stirred something deep within me. A beginning. Could such a thing exist?

"Robbed of the joy that should have been yours, robbed of the family you deserved, robbed of status by your own blood—I recognize your resilience," the voice proclaimed, growing louder with each word. "You will walk the path of the shield."

The path of the shield? What did that mean?

"When you wake, remember to close your eyes for twenty seconds. And remember this: there are seven others."

Seven others? Seven others like me? Before I could unravel the meaning behind those words, the world shifted. Sleep's embrace pulled me under.