The Earth stood on the edge of extinction.
Civilizations had crumbled, oceans had swallowed cities, and the air itself had become poisonous to ordinary life.
Yet above that dying world, the night sky remained breathtakingly beautiful.
Countless stars shimmered across the infinite darkness with an almost mocking serenity.
I gazed upward for a long time before breaking the silence.
"Look at them, Andy."
"The stars look so peaceful."
"So beautiful."
"It almost feels as if the universe is mocking us."
"They shine above us as though whispering—our beauty, our silence, and our heights are forever beyond your reach."
Andy smiled faintly before looking toward the heavens himself.
"Ali... if you're trying to say that space is a realm of eternal peace while only Earth suffers chaos, then you're mistaken."
His voice carried quiet wisdom.
"You know better than anyone how vast the cosmos truly is."
"Every single day, stars collide with unimaginable violence."
"Entire galaxies devour one another."
"The Sun itself burns with unimaginable fury."
"What appears calm from below is often the most unstable place imaginable."
He turned toward me.
"And if someone looked at Earth from those distant stars..."
"They too would think this planet looked peaceful."
I couldn't argue with him.
He was right.
Yet I smiled.
"Maybe."
"But I still like this illusion of peace."
"Even if it's temporary..."
"Even if it's only on the surface..."
"It gives my heart a moment to rest."
My expression slowly faded.
"I miss Siya."
The words escaped almost involuntarily.
Andy lowered his head.
"So do I."
"And more than missing her..."
"I worry about her."
"I wonder where she is."
---
Far away...
Deep within an unknown facility buried beneath endless darkness...
Someone suddenly awoke.
The room echoed with frantic breathing.
Heavy gasps filled the silent chamber as sweat poured from the face.
Siya sat upright.
Her heart raced violently.
Her entire body trembled.
It wasn't fear.
It was something far stranger.
An invisible pain gripped her soul.
She placed a hand over her chest, trying to steady herself.
"What is happening to me...?"
"It feels as though someone needs me."
"As if... someone is calling my name."
The sensation refused to disappear.
It only grew stronger.
Then, a familiar voice reached her through meditation.
"Boss... can you hear me?"
"Please answer, Siya."
Ali.
She closed her eyes and connected to his consciousness.
"Yes, Ali."
"I can hear you."
His voice immediately became anxious.
"Boss... your voice doesn't sound right."
"Are you okay?"
Siya remained silent for a moment before replying.
"I don't know."
"I feel restless."
"As if somewhere... someone desperately needs me."
Ali tried to reassure her.
"Maybe you're feeling the pain of the prisoners trapped around you."
"The suffering here is affecting your mind."
"Perhaps."
"But this feels different."
"Much deeper."
Before she could think further, Ali's voice suddenly became excited.
"Boss!"
"He has awakened."
Siya's expression instantly changed.
Her eyes widened.
"So soon..."
"The trial has begun."
She closed her eyes, sensing the flow of cosmic energy.
"Has he entered meditation?"
"Yes."
"A protective energy field has formed around him."
"It has become a cocoon."
Siya slowly nodded.
"Then his true examination begins now."
"If he overcomes this inner journey..."
"His destiny will awaken."
"But if he fails..."
"He will remain trapped within his own consciousness forever."
Her voice became firm.
"Listen carefully, Ali."
"Protect him."
"Do not allow anyone to disturb his meditation."
"This single moment will decide the fate of his entire existence."
"He still possesses the body and emotions of a child."
"The visions he encounters may terrify him."
"He may lose his way."
"If possible..."
"Channel your spiritual energy through meditation."
"Guide him."
"Help him find the correct path."
Ali answered without hesitation.
"Yes, Boss."
"We'll protect him."
Siya ended the connection.
The silence returned.
Yet her heart remained restless.
She stared into the darkness surrounding her prison.
That strange feeling refused to leave.
Someone...
Somewhere...
Was calling for her.
But who?
Was it a soul crying for salvation?
Was it an approaching catastrophe?
Or had something else awakened within the fabric of existence—
A new threat...
Or the world's long-awaited savior?