The sun was midway through the sky. I was long overdue to get out of bed, but I did not want to wake up.

My body felt heavy and lethargic. No matter if I ate or not, I felt no energy. It was difficult for me to get up and face the day, but I had to get ready for work.

I was unmotivated and was tempted to call in, but I needed the money to pay my mountain of never ending bills.

I had to make sure everyone had a place to live and food to eat. The bare minimum was all I could afford to provide.

I used to spend all my other time trying to create a new and better life for me and my large family.

Countless hours were spent trying to improve myself and my skills. I read books and watched videos on how to be a better leader, a better manager, a better businessman, a better son, a better everything… I learned a lot and grew as a person, but I felt bad about myself.

Why was it not enough? What did I lack? Was I doing something wrong?

I researched ideas, followed gurus, hired mentors… the list goes on. All to make more money on the side. I made businesses that didn’t sink or fly, but just floated. And I too floated along with life.

Overtime, nothing drastically changed. I made some money, but I began to take steps backwards.

Businesses failed.

I was in debt.

My relations with my family grew strained.

I tried to fix the issues, but more problems and failures arised. I questioned if I was capable. I questioned my intelligence. I questioned what I was doing with my life. Eventually, I started doubting myself.

Slowly, I uprooted my confidence. Fractures cracked through my already fragile foundation. It was to the point where I couldn’t make simple decisions without worrying if I was going to mess up. I was left with a hollowed shell of myself but filled with anxiety and negativity.

I was tired, unhappy and hopeless. But worst of all, I alienated those I worked so hard for. I lost my relationships with my loved ones.

We lived in the same house, but we were worlds apart. We ate together, but we were silent as if we were strangers. We still held birthdays, but it was just for etiquette, or at least that’s how it felt.

It is hard to enjoy the company of others when you're miserable and depressed.

I began to isolate myself. I didn’t talk to family and friends. I stopped hanging out and interacting with others. I stopped returning calls and messages.

I became lonely, and that eventually became my norm.

I fell deeper into depression that I, myself was not aware of. It’s hard to see when you’re fumbling in the dark. Depression sneaks up on you, and before you know, you’ve been long led astray.

I gave up on making change happen and mindlessly repeated my days on autopilot.

I woke up. Ate. Worked. Slept. Repeated. For years…

Today was another of those repeating days. Like always, I had difficulty getting up and getting ready for work. I dragged my body and like a lifeless puppet strung along, I went and did my job.

However, when I came back home…

“SURPRISE!!! HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY LEON!”

I was definitely surprised. Shocked, but embarrassed really. I had forgotten today was my birthday.

I didn’t want to disappoint their efforts so I placed a tired smile on my face. Honestly, I was ok if they didn’t celebrate it.

My birthday was only a reminder of my 30 years of failure. I was the oldest and the supposed role model, but I amounted to nothing after all this time.

My large family of 15 people sang me happy birthday. It was hard for me to keep myself from breaking down.

Was I even worth celebrating?

I locked those feelings deep inside as I played the part of the happy, righteous, and can-do-all oldest brother. Before I could blow out the candles, my parents hurriedly interrupted me.

“Leon, wait! We all wanted to say something to you.” They smiled and looked around the room.

I looked at them in confusion as anxious thoughts spiraled in my head.

Were they disappointed?

We’re they going to blame me?

“Ready?! 1, 2, 3! Thank you Leon!!!”

I was stunned. I didn’t know what was going on, or what to say. I was waiting to be hated. I didn’t expect them to say kind words to me.

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“Honey, you’ve been working so hard keeping everything together. We wanted to tell you how much we appreciate you.”

“Son, I’m so proud of you. I’m sorry you had to take care of the majority of everything because I no longer couldn’t.”

“We couldn’t have gotten here without you! Thank you Leon!”

“Hey bro. I’m sorry you had to put your life on pause. I wish everything you want comes true!”

“Thank you for all you do Leon!”

“Thanks for the Ro Blocks card Leon!” Everyone laughed at my little brother's comment.

All my other siblings shared their thoughts and gratitude.

I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t think straight. My family loved me even though I was a failure. Even though I couldn’t live up to my words and promises. I was so ashamed and embarrassed.

Their words were simple, yet I was so happy and comforted. They accepted all my failures, and even thanked me when I couldn’t do more for them.

I had forgotten my simple hopes and dreams.

Long ago, I had made a small list of goals I was going to achieve in this life. I was going to get a nice place on an island where my parents could retire.

They worked so hard bringing us up. They got up early and worked in the hot sun till late into the night. It was one of my goals to see them able to enjoy life. They deserved so much more, and I was determined to make that happen.

I hoped my siblings could enjoy their youth and grow into responsible well-rounded adults, who could support themselves.

And I saw myself living a comfortable laid back life.

Oh, how the time has gone by. Nothing seemed to go to plan.

Regardless of how routine birthday events were, they reminded me why I kept moving even though I could barely keep myself together. My family and their well-being grounded my will to push through all these years.

Tears filled my eyes. I felt sorry I couldn’t do more. That I couldn’t achieve more for them. I was deep in remorse. 10 plus years have gone by with no results. Only pain and suffering came to those I loved, while I lost who was along the way.

My voice trembled and cracked as I tried to hold back my crumbling mask and raw emotions.

“Thank you… everyone. Honestly…thank you.”

I closed my eyes and tears streamed down my cheeks. Taking a deep breath, I made a wish thinking of all the hopes and dreams that were lost and failed as I blew out all the candles.

I would remember this night forever, and partially regret the moments to come.

We actually stayed together as a family that evening and enjoyed each other’s company.

Maybe it was because of me and my foul moods that made everyone stay away before?

I had been dragging the long burden of depression for years, and maybe that caused much discomfort for anyone to be around me.

It has been so long being alone and isolated in my cold room. There was such a nostalgic feeling being surrounded with the warmth of love and laughter of my family. It wasn’t until much later on when everyone returned to their rooms.

Late that night, but before midnight, I took a stroll outside.

It was a clear moonless night. The glittering stars strewn across the cosmos was breathtakingly beautiful. Tonight was perfect and everything seemed to be how it was before.

All members of my family were happy, and surprisingly I was too. I had forgotten where my depression had disappeared to.

Taking out my phone I wanted to take a picture to capture this moment and feeling forever.

I raised my phone and snapped a picture. I carefully looked at the photo. The starry sky was majestic and magical. Softening my gaze, I imprinted all that I felt at this moment. However, the moments to come would change my life.

While softly looking at my photo of the stars, a ding from a text notification sounded. An odd text message appeared as a banner on my phone.

The sender was a strange mesh of nonsense characters that I assumed was spam. However, the message was not.

It read: “Would you give up your life to give your family all you wished for?”

I paused. I knew the message was spam, but I took the question seriously.

That was all I wanted. Everything I’ve done to this point was to give my family and I a wonderful and prosperous life.

Another text message popped up. “There is not much time. You must decide. Now.”

It didn’t feel right, and I always ignored any unknown numbers but I felt desperate and compelled to, so I replied and texted back.

“How? I’m not sending you any money or doing anything.”

Right when I pressed the send button, a reply already popped up. It was too fast. As if whoever sent it already saw and knew what I wrote.

“Nothing of the sort is needed. I will grant your wishes you made when you blew out those candles. I can even add some more. In return, I want your word.”

I didn’t know how they found out about my birthday or what happened just earlier, but everything could be found through social media these days. In my head, I was sure this was a scam. That or I was dreaming. When something is too good to be true it usually is.

Was making everything I tried to achieve happen in the last decade and a half of my life that easy to accomplish?

I was a bit irked by the scammer, and replied wanting to stop the conversation from ruining my perfect night.

“How could you even do that? If that was possible then everyone would be rich and happy. I would be rich and happy! This is a scam. Stop bothering me.”

I was trying to block the number. However, the button was not there. Another message appeared.

“You cannot block me with your limited powers. I am giving you a chance. As proof, I will give you something now.”

I was confused, but I doubted the scammer. Was the person going to send me money? I wasn’t going to fall for stupid tricks. However, the person did not send me money. It was far beyond anything I could imagine.

The space before me warped and contorted. It looked like a picture being burned as it stretched and bubbled. A tear through space opened up to a perfectly circular hole of darkness.

A faded black and worn out book floated out and hovered midair, as the portal closed.

I couldn’t fathom what had just happened. It was beyond what I was expecting. Whoever or whatever it was sent me a book out of thin air. It looked old, but still holding together. There were odd shapes and symbols engraved in gold all around.

The strangest thing though was that I could understand the characters on the book.

“Krone’s Book of Magic.” Mesmerized, I spoke out loud. I was shocked at my own actions. Another ding from a text message broke me from my stupor.

“Now. Choose. Would you give up your life to give your family all you wished for?”

There were more questions I needed answers to so I replied back to find out more.

“You can’t expect me to just agree without more details. Who are you? How did you do that? And how are you going to grant my wishes? What are you going to do to me? Am I going to die or be killed? What’s the catch?”

A ding responded and a reply was received before I even sent my message.

“There’s no time.

You need to choose after this or forfeit my offer. I am Krone. I am interacting with you through my spell. Your wishes will be granted through an old covenant with the divines and my ancestors.

You will not die or be killed in this transition process, but like all things in creation, there is a price. To put it on relatable terms of your world, you can think of this as a permanent job offer.

One of those benefits will be to grant your wish, but at a cost. Your existence and everything you’ve done till now will be traded for your wish. No one will remember you. It will be as if you never existed on your planet.

You will have to leave your world to take on this role.

NOW CHOOSE.

Will you give your life to give your family all that you wished for?”