In the city of Sedra, at the heart of the nation of Dompo, a young man was locked in a fight against three opponents. The scene unfolded in a modest neighborhood, and the brawl seemed entirely one-sided. The young man had no trouble neutralizing his three attackers, who now lay on the ground, utterly defeated.

Standing around 5’10”, with shoulder-length blonde hair and piercing brown eyes, the young man exuded a cold determination. Dressed simply in a blue t-shirt, jogging pants, and black sneakers, he appeared ordinary at first glance, but his confident demeanor said otherwise. His name was Yumé.

“Guys, maybe don’t act tough if you can’t handle the consequences,” he taunted with a smirk.

“Shut up, Yumé! You freakish monster!” spat one of the boys on the ground, wiping blood from his lip.

Yumé’s eyebrows knitted together, and a small vein pulsed on his forehead. A sadistic smile spread across his lips, but something far more unsettling began to happen, his eyes shifted color, glowing with a golden light.

“Looks like you didn’t learn your lesson,” he said softly, stepping forward.

“Look at his eyes!” one of the boys screamed in panic, scrambling to his feet and fleeing.

In mere seconds, the three attackers had bolted, terror etched across their faces.

“Tch, cowards,” Yumé muttered as his eyes returned to their natural brown hue. He composed himself and continued on his way, as though nothing had happened.

His destination: home, or rather, the house of his foster family. An orphan his entire life, Yumé had never known his real parents. He had moved from one foster home to another, never staying long in any of them. His strange abilities often led to mistrust, even fear. Ostracized and alone, he had built a tough exterior, hiding his sadness behind a wall of violence and defiance.

When he arrived at the house, he opened the door and stepped inside.

“I’m back,” he announced.

He had barely crossed the threshold when he saw Mr. Drumond, his current guardian, sitting on the couch with arms crossed and a stern expression on his face.

“Take a seat, Yumé,” he ordered firmly.

Yumé obeyed, realizing he was about to be scolded.

“I got another call,” Drumond began. “Parents complaining that you beat up their kids. Again.”

“They started it,” Yumé retorted defensively. “And for the record, I’m not apologizing.”

“Good grief…” Drumond sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. “I’m sorry, Yumé, but I can’t do this anymore. You’ve only been here for two months, and this is the twenty-fifth call I’ve gotten. I’m not the right person to help you. I’ve contacted the orphanage, they’ll be coming to pick you up tomorrow.”

“Tch, don’t worry about it. I’m used to this,” Yumé replied as he stood abruptly and stormed out of the house.

He wandered the dimly lit streets of Sedra, alone as always.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“I don’t need anyone. I’m better off on my own,” he muttered, tears welling in his eyes.

As he walked, a piercing scream suddenly broke the silence. Without hesitation, Yumé sprinted toward the source of the noise. When he arrived, he saw a woman lying unconscious on the ground. Standing next to her was a masked man wearing a hooded jacket. The mask, stark white, had a red circle on the forehead and thin black lines trailing down from the eyes, giving it a sorrowful expression.

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?!” Yumé shouted.

The masked man said nothing, his piercing gaze fixed on Yumé. Then, without warning, he lunged forward, aiming a punch. Yumé dodged with ease and countered with a powerful strike. Though the masked man raised his arms to block, he stumbled back, momentarily thrown off balance.

For a brief moment, the man froze, staring intently at Yumé’s glowing golden eyes. An aura of light now surrounded the boy’s clenched fists.

“I’d hoped no one would see this,” Yumé said with a grin. “But you don’t seem all that impressed. Weird.”

“You’re not as special as you think, kid,” the masked man growled coldly.

He raised both arms, holding them wide open, and stood still. Confused but determined, Yumé charged at him at full speed.

“I don’t know what you’re planning, but I’m not letting it happen!”

Before Yumé could reach him, the man clapped his palms together. A powerful gust of wind erupted from his hands, blasting Yumé backward into a wall. The impact cracked the surface, and Yumé crumpled to the ground, dazed.

“What the hell was that?” he muttered, struggling to get back on his feet.

As he regained his composure, he saw the masked man standing over him, a knife raised and poised to strike.

“Damn it… Is this the end?” Yumé thought grimly.

But before the knife could land, an unknown figure appeared out of nowhere, delivering a devastating punch to the masked man’s stomach. The force of the blow knocked him unconscious.

The newcomer was tall, about 6’3”, with bronze skin and neatly braided hair that fell to his shoulders. He wore a white tank top, blue jeans, and black sneakers.

“Finally!” the man said with a satisfied grin. “You really made me chase you.”

“Who the hell are you? And what’s going on here?!” Yumé demanded, still shaken.

“No need for so many questions,” the man replied calmly.

Without another word, he grabbed the unconscious masked man and pulled a small orb from his pocket. Crushing it underfoot, he summoned a swirling portal.

“Wait a second !” Yumé shouted, launching a punch at the stranger.

The man caught his fist effortlessly but staggered slightly under the force.

“Not bad,” he admitted with a smirk. “But I’ve got more important things to do.”

Undeterred, Yumé tackled him, sending both of them and the masked man tumbling through the portal.

When Yumé opened his eyes, he was stunned. He was no longer in Sedra. Instead, he found himself in a vast field of shimmering grass, swaying gently in the breeze. The sky above was not blue but a strange greenish hue, and birds with four wings soared gracefully overhead.

“Where… Where are we?” he murmured, awestruck.

The stranger set the masked man down and turned to Yumé.

“This is Utopia,” he said simply. “But I’m afraid I’ll have to knock you out so you won’t remember it.”

“Try me,” Yumé replied, his fists glowing as he readied himself for a fight.

The stranger raised an intrigued eyebrow and lowered his arms.

“So, you’re a Sonka?” he mused. “What’s a Sonka doing in Barsova?”

“A Son-what? What are you talking about?” Yumé asked, thoroughly confused.

The stranger smiled.

“I see you have no idea who you are or where you truly come from.”

“Utopia? Sonka? None of this makes any sense!” Yumé exclaimed. “And you’re saying there are others like me? That I’m not the only one with these… abilities?”

The stranger crossed his arms, looking thoughtful.

“Normally, I wouldn’t bother explaining,” he said. “But it’s rare, no, unheard of to find someone from Utopia in Barsova. Come with me, and all your questions will be answered.”

Yumé hesitated, torn between distrust and curiosity. This strange world, these cryptic revelations everything felt surreal, yet a part of him needed to know the truth.

“Pff… Looks like I don’t have much of a choice,” he said finally, his voice tinged with resignation.

A knowing smile spread across the stranger’s face.

“A wise decision,” he said, turning to walk through the shimmering field. “My name is Kenny. Welcome to Utopia.”

Yumé followed, each step taking him deeper into this mysterious new world. Little did he know, this was only the beginning of an adventure that would change his life forever.