Prologue 2B — The Man Who Reached the Stars
Segment 6
The silence stretched again—but this time, it didn't feel like waiting.
It felt like a door sitting half-open.
Adam rocked slightly on his heels—out of habit more than necessity—and glanced around at the endless stars before letting out a breath.
"Alright," he said, rubbing his hands together like he was about to step into a meeting. "We've covered the whole 'you're dead, but it mattered' part… which, by the way, still kind of surreal. Appreciate that, though."
He pointed vaguely into the void, like Rob was standing across from him instead of… whatever this was.
"So what's the follow-up? Because I'm guessing this isn't where you send me off with a gold star and a 'good luck out there.'"
Rob's presence shifted, not dramatically—just enough to feel like attention tightening.
"You will not be returning to your previous life," he said.
Adam snorted softly.
"Yeah, no, I figured that out around the whole 'falling into a burning building' part," he replied. "Kind of felt like a one-way trip."
There was the faintest ripple—amusement, maybe.
"You will be given another life," Rob continued. "A continuation, rather than an end."
Adam blinked once, then slowly nodded.
"…Okay," he said, dragging the word out as he processed it. "That's… yeah, that's a pretty big follow-up."
He ran a hand through his hair, pacing a step or two before stopping again.
"Reincarnation, I'm guessing?" he said, glancing back.
"Yes."
"Alright," Adam said, letting out a breath. "Alright, okay… yeah, I can work with that."
He pointed at his head again, half-smirking.
"Memory comes with me, or am I relearning how to walk again from scratch?"
"You will retain your memories."
Adam's shoulders dropped slightly.
"Oh, thank God," he said. "I do not have the patience to redo childhood completely blind. That sounds exhausting."
He paused, then added with a grin,
"Actually, I'd probably still complain either way, but at least this gives me a head start."
Rob didn't interrupt, so Adam kept going, settling into the conversation more naturally now.
"Alright, so new life, memories intact… where are we dropping in?" he asked. "Because that part matters a lot more than people think."
"You are being placed in a world you are already familiar with," Rob said.
Adam tilted his head, eyes narrowing slightly as his brain kicked into gear.
"…Familiar how?" he asked, already thinking through possibilities.
"You knew it as fiction."
That made him stop.
Completely.
"…Oh," he said.
Then he squinted slightly.
"…Okay, that could still be a lot of places."
He started pacing again, thinking out loud now.
"Alright, fiction… could be anything. If we're talking vampires—" he gestured loosely, ticking them off on his fingers, "—you've got Van Helsing, Hellsing, Vampire Diaries, The Originals… uh, 30 Days of Night—please tell me it's not that one—"
"Vampires are present," Rob said calmly.
Adam stopped mid-step.
"…Yeah, that part I picked up," he said. "I'm just trying to figure out how screwed I am."
He rubbed his chin, thinking.
"Because there's a big difference between 'brooding immortals with family issues' and 'everyone dies in thirty days because it's dark all the time.'"
There was a pause.
Then—
"Twilight."
Adam froze for half a second.
Then slowly looked up.
"…You're serious."
"Yes."
Adam stared at nothing for a moment… then let out a long breath.
"…Oh, thank God," he said, shoulders dropping. "Okay, yeah, I'll take that. I will happily take that."
He pointed again, more animated now.
"Don't get me wrong, still dangerous, still weird—but compared to some of the other options? That's basically easy mode."
There was a faint ripple of amusement.
"You are… simplifying," Rob said.
"Oh, absolutely," Adam replied immediately. "I am simplifying the hell out of that. That's a coping mechanism. Let me have it."
He shook his head slightly, then straightened.
"…Alright, Twilight world," he said. "I can work with that."
He paused, then added more thoughtfully,
"Although… the books and movies didn't exactly cover everything, did they?"
"No," Rob said.
Adam nodded slowly.
"Yeah, figured," he muttered. "They barely covered the vampires properly, let alone anything else."
He looked back up, more focused now.
"So what's actually out there?" he asked. "Because I'm guessing it's not just Cullens and Volturi."
"It is not," Rob said.
Adam folded his arms, listening.
"The version you knew was… narrow," Rob continued. "It focused on a small group and a limited perspective. The wider world contains far more."
Adam tilted his head.
"…Such as?"
"Creatures you would recognize from folklore," Rob said. "Chupacabras. Wendigos. Other predatory entities that lack higher reasoning."
Adam's eyebrows shot up.
"…Wait, seriously?"
"Yes."
"Like—actual wendigos?" Adam asked, half-laughing. "Those things are nightmares."
"Yes."
"…That's great," he muttered. "Love that for me."
He rubbed his face, then looked back up.
"Okay, so not just intelligent threats," he said. "We're talking… animalistic predators too."
"Yes. Many are driven purely by instinct."
Adam nodded slowly.
"…So they don't negotiate."
"No."
"They don't hold territory, make deals, any of that."
"No."
"…They just hunt."
"Yes."
Adam let out a low breath.
"…That's worse," he said quietly.
He paced again, faster this time, energy picking up.
"Okay, so intelligent supernatural—vampires, shapeshifters, that whole group—they have their own politics, their own systems…"
"Yes."
"But everything else?" he asked, gesturing outward. "The creatures, the folklore stuff—they're just chaos."
"They are hunted," Rob said.
Adam stopped.
"…Hunted by who?"
"Humanity," Rob replied. "Where it is capable."
Adam blinked.
"…Wait, humans fight back?"
"Yes."
He stared for a second.
"…Okay, that I did not expect."
"There are trained forces," Rob continued. "Guards. Hunters. Individuals raised specifically to combat such threats."
Adam let out a short laugh.
"…Of course there are," he said. "That actually makes sense."
He pointed again, more animated now.
"Because if people know this stuff exists—and they have to know, right?"
"Yes."
"…then they're not just going to sit there and hope it goes away," he finished.
"No."
Adam nodded, pacing again.
"Alright, so nobles, governments, people with power—they know," he said. "They build defenses, train people, protect their territory."
"Yes."
"And the church?" he asked.
There was a slight pause.
"They are among the most active," Rob said.
Adam raised an eyebrow.
"…Yeah, that tracks," he muttered.
"They view such entities as evil," Rob continued. "Many consider them to be manifestations of corruption or… devils."
Adam nodded slowly.
"Which means they don't really care if something's intelligent or not," he said. "If it's not human, it's a target."
"Yes."
"…Yeah," Adam said quietly. "That explains a lot."
He paused, letting it settle.
"So it's not a clean system," he said. "It's not controlled."
"No."
"It's not peaceful."
"No."
He exhaled.
"…It's just constant pressure."
"Yes."
Adam ran a hand through his hair again, then let out a breath that turned into a faint grin.
"…Alright," he said. "That's… yeah, that's a world."
Not fear.
Not hesitation.
Just… recognition.
Then he glanced back at Rob.
"So where do I land in all of this chaos?" he asked. "Because I'm assuming you're not throwing me in the woods and hoping I figure it out."
"Most are placed randomly," Rob said.
Adam winced.
"…Man, that's brutal."
"They lack the necessary influence to warrant directed placement."
Adam nodded slowly.
"…And I don't."
"No."
He let out a breath.
"…Okay, yeah, that makes sense."
Then—
"You will be placed in a more advantageous position," Rob said.
Adam raised an eyebrow.
"Advantageous how?"
"You will be born into an influential family," Rob replied. "One with resources, reach, and awareness of the world around it."
Adam exhaled slowly.
"…Nobility," he said.
"Yes."
He stood there for a second, then laughed quietly.
"Of course it is," he said. "Because why not make it complicated right out of the gate?"
There was a faint ripple again.
"You will have opportunities others do not," Rob continued. "But those opportunities come with risk."
Adam nodded.
"Yeah, no kidding," he said. "Families like that don't stay on top by accident."
He looked back up, expression more focused now.
"…But it's still better than random," he added.
"Yes."
Adam nodded once.
"…Alright," he said.
He took a breath, letting everything settle—really settle this time.
The world.
The threats.
The position.
The expectations.
Then he looked back at Rob, a faint grin returning.
"So," he said, rolling his shoulders slightly, like he was getting ready to step onto a job site—
"What exactly am I going in with?"
Segment 7
Adam stood there for a moment, hands resting on his hips, like he was staring at a blueprint that just got a lot more complicated.
"…Alright," he said, exhaling slowly. "So I'm going into medieval supernatural chaos, with nobles, monsters, hunters, and whatever else is crawling around out there…"
He looked up at Rob, squinting slightly.
"I'm not going in empty-handed, right? Because I feel like that'd be a pretty short story."
There was a brief pause.
"You will not be unprepared."
Adam nodded once.
"Good," he muttered. "I'd like to make it past the first week if possible."
He shifted his stance, then pointed slightly.
"So what are we working with here? Skills? Systems? Something custom-built?"
There was a subtle shift in the space.
"You will be granted three wishes."
Adam blinked.
Then slowly straightened, a grin forming.
"…Okay," he said. "Yeah, that's—that's a solid start."
He rubbed his hands together once, then immediately stopped.
"…There's a catch."
"There are restrictions."
Adam pointed instantly.
"Called it," he said. "Nothing this useful comes without rules."
He took a breath, then waved a hand.
"Alright, go ahead—what's off-limits?"
"You may not request absolute power, infinite growth systems, or abilities that violate the natural balance of the world," Rob said. "Any request exceeding these limits will be adjusted to reflect its intent within acceptable parameters."
Adam nodded along.
"Okay, so no becoming a god, no infinite scaling, no breaking reality just because I feel like it," he said. "That's fair."
He paused, then smirked.
"…Honestly, if I got all that, I'd probably mess it up anyway."
There was a faint ripple of amusement.
Adam rolled his shoulders slightly.
"Alright… first wish," he said. "Survival comes first."
He started pacing again, talking as he thought.
"I don't want just raw strength," he continued. "That's too basic. I want something that gives me options—control, mobility, flexibility."
He paused mid-step, then snapped his fingers.
"…Yeah, okay—that's it."
He looked up.
"I want something like the Shadow Monarch system from Solo Leveling," he said clearly. "Summoning shadows, controlling them, using them for movement, stealth, information… all of it."
He gestured outward as he spoke.
"Not just power—control of the battlefield, awareness, positioning. That kind of system."
There was a pause.
Then—
"That request exceeds acceptable limits in its original form."
Adam pointed again.
"Yeah, I figured," he said with a short laugh. "That system gets ridiculous if you let it scale."
He ran a hand through his hair, already adjusting.
"So we strip the scaling," he said. "No infinite army, no exponential growth—just a fixed version."
Another pause.
"That can be granted."
Adam slowed, focusing.
"…Alright."
"You will receive Shadow Authority," Rob said. "A modified system inspired by the concept you described, without growth beyond defined limits."
Adam nodded, a grin forming.
"Okay… yeah, that's perfect," he said. "Same idea, just not completely broken."
He pointed once.
"Wish one—Shadow Authority."
He didn't stop long before moving on.
"Second wish…" he murmured, pacing again.
This time, he thought more carefully.
"I'm not surviving that world alone," he said. "Not long-term."
He glanced up.
"So I need something that helps me build people," he continued. "Not control them—just… strengthen them."
There was a slight shift.
"Explain."
Adam gestured loosely.
"Something that enhances allies, stabilizes them, suppresses weaknesses," he said. "Helps them grow faster, but still naturally."
He paused, then added with a small grin,
"Basically, I want to be a really unfair mentor."
Another pause.
Then—
"That aligns with acceptable parameters."
Adam blinked.
"…Really?"
"Yes."
He let out a short breath.
"Alright, I'll take that win."
He rubbed his chin, thinking.
"…Actually," he added, looking up again, "something like the Holy Nails from High School DxD."
He pointed slightly as he explained.
"They enhance, stabilize, and refine whoever they're used on," he said. "Not mind control—just improvement. Pushing people toward their potential."
There was a pause.
"That will be granted in a modified form."
Adam nodded, satisfied.
"Yeah," he said. "That fits perfectly."
He pointed again.
"Wish two—Holy Nails."
This time, when he moved to the third wish, he slowed down a lot.
Adam stopped pacing completely, staring out into the stars.
"…Alright," he said quietly. "This one's not as straightforward."
He rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a small, awkward laugh.
"Yeah… okay, this is gonna sound a little off, but I'm just gonna say it."
He took a breath.
"In my last life, I never really made time for anything outside of work," he said. "Didn't think about it much back then, but…"
He trailed off, then shrugged lightly.
"If I'm doing this again, I don't really want to go through another life completely alone," he finished.
The words weren't heavy.
Just honest.
"I'm not asking for anything crazy," he added quickly. "Not like a whole lineup or anything—that's just asking for problems."
A faint ripple passed through Rob.
"I just want something real," Adam said. "Connections that actually matter."
There was a brief silence.
Then—
"That can be granted."
Adam let out a slow breath.
"…Alright."
"You will receive three destined mate bonds," Rob said.
Adam blinked.
"…Three?"
"Yes."
He stared for a second, then let out a short laugh.
"…Okay, yeah, that's more than I expected," he said. "Not complaining—just… recalibrating."
"There will be complexity."
Adam groaned.
"Yeah, no kidding," he said. "Nothing about this has been simple so far."
He rubbed his face, then smirked slightly.
"…Do I at least get to choose who?" he asked.
"You may."
Adam paused.
Then grinned.
"…Alright," he said. "Yeah, I've got a couple ideas."
He stood there for a moment after that, letting everything settle.
Three wishes.
Not unlimited.
Not broken.
But strong.
Flexible.
Useful.
Adam exhaled slowly, then looked back at Rob with a small, confident grin.
"…Yeah," he said. "I can definitely work with this."
Segment 8
Adam let out a long breath, rolling his shoulders like he was settling into something real now.
"…Alright," he said. "This is the part where we make sure I don't misunderstand anything and accidentally ruin my own life, right?"
There was a faint ripple from Rob.
"That would be advisable."
Adam smirked.
"Yeah," he said. "I've learned that lesson at least once already."
He lifted a hand slightly.
"Let's start with Shadow Authority."
He began pacing again, slower this time, more deliberate.
"So I can summon shadows of the dead," he said. "What's the time window on that?"
"Twenty-four hours," Rob replied. "The individual must have died recently."
Adam stopped mid-step.
"…Alright, yeah, that's tighter than I expected," he said. "So no showing up to an old battlefield and building an army from history."
"No."
He nodded.
"Good," he muttered. "That'd get out of hand real fast."
He resumed pacing.
"And I need the body, or at least recent proximity to it?"
"Yes."
"…Timing's gonna matter a lot then," Adam said, half to himself.
He rubbed his chin.
"Okay—next question. How many can I actually have?"
"You will gain one shadow slot per month of life."
Adam blinked.
"…Per month?" he repeated.
"Yes."
He let out a short breath, thinking it through.
"…Alright," he said slowly. "That starts small, but it builds over time."
"Yes."
Adam nodded.
"I like that," he said. "Feels like something I actually grow into instead of just having handed to me."
He pointed slightly.
"And the shadows themselves—how strong are they?"
"They retain the exact strength, speed, and abilities they possessed at death."
Adam froze for a second.
"…Exactly?" he asked.
"Yes."
"…Including supernatural abilities?"
"Yes."
He let out a low breath.
"…Okay, that's strong," he admitted. "So if I manage to take down something dangerous…"
"You may claim it."
Adam grinned slightly.
"…Yeah, I'm gonna have to be careful with that."
He started pacing again.
"They don't scale, though, right?" he added. "No leveling up after I get them."
"No."
"Good," Adam said. "That keeps it from spiraling."
He snapped his fingers.
"Intelligence?"
"They possess the cognitive ability of a twelve-year-old human."
Adam tilted his head.
"…Honestly, that's perfect," he said. "Smart enough to follow orders, not smart enough to start arguing with me."
There was no response.
Adam smirked and continued.
"They're linked to me somehow, right?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"You will maintain a telepathic connection," Rob said. "You may sense their positions and receive information directly."
Adam stopped.
"…So I've got a mobile information network built in."
"Yes."
"…That's incredibly useful," he muttered.
He ran a hand through his hair again, energized.
"Alright—Shadow Swap," he said. "I can switch places with them?"
"Yes."
"Range?"
"Unlimited."
Adam blinked.
"…You're serious."
"Yes."
He let out a short laugh.
"Okay, that's—yeah, that's huge," he said. "What's the limiter?"
"Once per day."
Adam pointed immediately.
"Yep, there it is," he said. "Still worth it, though."
He nodded, satisfied.
"And storage—I can store things in shadows?"
"Yes."
Adam leaned forward slightly.
"…Like a mobile storage system?"
"Yes. Larger objects require more time."
Adam grinned.
"…That's going to save me so many problems."
He paused, then added,
"And environmental shadows? Can I manipulate those?"
"Limited control," Rob said. "Weak while you are human. It will improve with time and transformation."
Adam caught that instantly.
"…Noted," he said.
He took a breath and nodded firmly.
"Alright," he said. "Shadow Authority—clear."
He lifted his hand again.
"Holy Nails."
This time, he stayed more still, thinking carefully.
"So I need contact to use it," he said.
"Yes."
"Even through clothing?"
"Yes."
Adam nodded.
"Alright, so it's subtle."
"It is undetectable."
"…Even better," he muttered.
He shifted slightly.
"And each person has a limit."
"Four total effects."
Adam nodded.
"…Okay, so I can't overload someone."
"No."
"Good," he said. "That would've been broken."
He counted lightly on his fingers.
"So enhancements, suppressions… total of four."
"Yes."
"And it's not instant power."
"No. It accelerates growth."
Adam nodded.
"Yeah," he said. "So they still have to put in the work."
"Yes."
"Perfect," he said. "That keeps things stable."
He glanced up again.
"And suppression works on enemies?"
"Yes."
Adam tilted his head.
"…Even strong ones?"
"There are limitations."
"Alright," Adam said. "Go on."
"Humans cannot resist."
Adam blinked.
"…At all?"
"No."
He let out a breath.
"…That's strong."
"Supernatural beings may resist while you remain human."
Adam nodded slowly.
"Okay… so early on, I have limits."
"Yes."
"And later?"
"If you become supernatural, resistance is removed."
Adam stopped completely.
"…Completely?"
"Yes."
He stared for a moment, then let out a low breath.
"…That's terrifying," he said. "Useful—but terrifying."
He shook his head slightly.
"Alright," he said. "I build early, and later I scale influence."
"Yes."
Adam nodded.
"…Yeah. That's solid."
He lowered his hand slightly.
"Last one."
He didn't move this time.
"So… mate bonds," he said.
"Yes."
Adam exhaled slowly.
"They're real," he said. "Not forced."
"Yes."
"They grow naturally."
"Yes."
He nodded.
"…And they get stronger later."
"Yes."
Adam rubbed the back of his neck.
"…Alright."
He paused, then looked up again.
"You said I can choose?"
"Yes."
Adam tilted his head slightly, thinking.
"…Can I choose two of them?" he asked.
"Yes."
He didn't hesitate.
"Alice Cullen and Rosalie Hale," he said.
There was a brief pause.
"Why those two?" Rob asked.
Adam let out a small breath, then laughed lightly.
"…Alright, I'm gonna sound a little ridiculous saying this out loud," he admitted. "But back in my world, I always had a bit of a thing for those characters."
He shrugged.
"And yeah, the actresses didn't exactly hurt either," he added with a grin.
There was a faint ripple—definitely amusement.
"They're strong characters," Adam continued more seriously. "Not just powerful, but… layered. They've both been through things. They're not shallow."
He paused, then added,
"I figured if I'm going to build something long-term, I want people like that in my life."
There was a moment of silence.
Then—
"That is acceptable."
Adam nodded.
"…Alright."
He glanced up again.
"And the third?"
"You will encounter her sooner than expected," Rob said.
Adam let out a quiet breath.
"…Good," he said. "I'd rather not spend a few hundred years talking to myself."
"There will be time before the others appear," Rob added.
Adam nodded.
"…Yeah, I figured. Different timeline."
"Yes. You will be born in the year fourteen-ten."
Adam blinked.
"…Six hundred years early," he said.
"Yes."
He let out a breath.
"…Alright," he said. "That's… a long time."
He didn't dwell on it.
Just accepted it.
For a moment, everything went still.
Adam took one last breath, then straightened.
"…Alright," he said.
Then a small grin formed.
"Yeah," he added. "I can definitely work with this."
Segment 9
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Not because there was nothing left to say—but because, for the first time since Adam had arrived here, everything felt… settled.
No more questions.
No more adjustments.
Just the quiet understanding of what came next.
Adam exhaled slowly, glancing out at the endless stretch of stars.
"…You know," he said after a moment, voice lighter than before, "this is probably the strangest 'orientation meeting' I've ever been in."
There was a faint ripple from Rob.
"That would be accurate."
Adam chuckled under his breath, shaking his head slightly.
"Yeah," he said. "Still better than some job sites I've been on, though. At least here I get answers."
He shifted his stance, hands resting at his sides now, more relaxed.
"…So that's it, then?" he asked. "No hidden clauses? No last-second surprises where you tell me I forgot to read page twelve of the contract?"
"There are no additional conditions."
Adam squinted slightly.
"…You're sure?" he asked. "Because I've learned to be suspicious when things sound this clean."
"There are risks," Rob said. "But you are already aware of them."
Adam nodded slowly.
"Yeah," he said. "That part's pretty clear."
He let out a breath, looking out at the stars again.
"…It's a lot," he admitted. "Different world, different time, monsters, politics, everything trying to kill me in one way or another…"
He paused, then shrugged lightly.
"…But honestly?" he added. "I've dealt with worse deadlines."
A faint ripple of amusement followed that.
Adam smiled slightly, then rubbed the back of his neck.
"…Still," he said more quietly, "it's weird."
"Explain."
Adam hesitated—not because he didn't have the words, but because he didn't usually say things like this out loud.
"…I don't really get to say goodbye," he said.
The space around him didn't change.
But something in the silence did.
"There is nothing to return to," Rob said.
Adam nodded.
"Yeah, I know," he said. "I'm not… expecting anything like that."
He glanced down at his hands—or where they should have been.
"…Just feels strange," he added. "One moment you're there, doing your job, thinking about what you've got planned for the week…"
He let out a small breath.
"…and then that's it."
No bitterness.
No anger.
Just… acknowledgment.
Rob did not interrupt.
Adam appreciated that.
He straightened slightly after a moment, rolling his shoulders like he was shaking something off.
"…Well," he said, tone shifting again, lighter now, "on the bright side, I don't have to worry about emails anymore."
There was a faint ripple.
"That is correct."
Adam smirked.
"Yeah, I'm counting that as a win."
He took a deeper breath this time, letting it out slowly.
"…Alright," he said. "No going back, new start, full chaos ahead. I think I've got the general idea."
He glanced up at Rob again.
"…You're from there, right?" he asked. "That world."
"Yes."
Adam nodded.
"Figured," he said. "You talk about it like it's… not just something you've watched."
There was no elaboration.
Adam didn't press.
Instead, he asked something else.
"…Why me?" he said.
Not defensive.
Not doubtful.
Just… curious.
Rob was quiet for a moment.
Then—
"You acted," he said, "when you did not have to."
Adam huffed quietly.
"Yeah," he said. "Didn't really feel like a choice at the time."
"That is what made it one."
Adam glanced away slightly, considering that.
"…Alright," he said. "Fair enough."
He didn't argue.
Didn't deflect.
Just accepted it.
Another moment of silence passed—shorter this time.
Then Adam clapped his hands together once, lightly.
"…Okay," he said. "I think I'm ready."
There was no hesitation in his voice now.
No uncertainty.
Just… readiness.
Rob's presence shifted—subtle, but unmistakable.
"Then it is time."
Adam took one last look around.
At the stars.
At the endless space.
At the place that had… somehow become real, even if it didn't feel like anywhere.
"…You know," he said, a small grin forming, "if this is what the afterlife looks like, I gotta say—it's a pretty solid view."
There was a faint ripple.
"It is not commonly seen."
"Yeah," Adam said. "Figures."
He rolled his shoulders one last time, like he was about to step forward onto something unknown.
"…Alright," he said.
The space around him began to shift.
Not violently.
Not suddenly.
Just… folding inward, like the stars themselves were drawing closer.
Adam didn't panic.
Didn't resist.
He just stood there, watching it happen.
"…Well," he said quietly, more to himself than anything else,
"let's see how this goes."
The light grew stronger.
The stars blurred.
The space between moments collapsed into something new.
And just before everything faded completely—
Adam smiled.
"…Alright," he said,
"let's see what life holds."