It all starts here

It's a new day, the same old day as always. As the days go by, Bythos has gradually lost the ability to distinguish what day is it. As far as he can tell, there are only two types of days: working days and rest days.

Of course, Bythos dislike this kind of dull and uninteresting life, but he's already forty years old. Any fantasies he had of leading a different kind of life is long gone. Yet deep down he still harbours some kind of hope that things will change. This was what kept him going all these years.

Bythos looked at his phone, noting it's a Friday. The last day of the semester, prehaps the last day for good even. Still, he has the responsibility to his students to at least give them their last lecture. He grabbed his things and headed off to the university.

Luckily for him, there isn't much today aside from some administrative work and giving a lecture before ending work, as he is not involved in any research right now. Thus, the day flies past quickly and very soon, he has finished delivering his last lecture.

"That's all for today, I hope you will spend the holidays revising some of the stuff I went through this semester instead of just playing. Anyhow it's been great teaching all of you, but today is my last day here." Bythos solemnly informed all the students in the lecture theatre.

This was a bit of a shock to the students, as he had never shown any signs of intending to quit previously. Many students are also reluctant to see him go, as he has always been more easy going compared to the other professors, taking the time to joke with the students to get them more invovled.

Because the announcement was too sudden, the students had no time to organize a farewell for Bythos. Instead, they all gave him a group hug, took photos together and wished him all the best for his future endeavors. After which, Bythos headed home.

Upon reaching home, Bythos took out the item he prepared beforehand. A sturdy rope that's been stress tested to withstand up to 100kg. He locked the door behind him and tied the rope to the ceiling fan, which he also tested before hand to make sure it wouldn't fall apart.

It's a good thing he has lived alone for the last few years and is not close to any of his neighbours, so there's no worries of anyone looking for him for a while.

Just as he was about to slip the rope over his neck, a figure stepped out from the void in front of him. The man wears an entirely black cloak, obscuring his features. Intrigued, Bythos asked, "Who are you?"

To which he received the reply "I have no real name to speak off, but if God is the demiurge, then I am the Monad."

"And what do you want from me 'monad'? I'm in the middle of something." Bythos said.

The Monad stepped forward and grabbed the rope from Bythos' hand, and with a motion of his hands, the rope vanished into thin air. As he stepped forward, Bythos got a closer look at the face under the hood. It was the face of a young male with white hair and blood-red eyes. Strangely, there is an air of familiarity with that face which Bythos cannot explain.

He placed his arms on Bythos' shoulder and said, "Now why would you decide on this course of action?" with a look in his eyes that says he knows. "You're by all means considered successful, being an established physicist. You still have your best years ahead of you, why would you want to throw all that away?"

Bythos gave a weak smile and walked away, looking out the window, staring at the night sky. Finally, he said, "Truth to be told, I've never truely felt satisfied in all my life. I feel empty all the time...I don't know...Maybe this world isn't suitable for me."

"Maybe I can help you with that. I cannot give you contentment, but I can show you a different path, but only you know the answer at the end of the road. However, if you do accept my proposal, there will be a price to pay in the future. Do you accept?" he paused for a while, giving time for his words to sink in. "Choose well, your choice is brief, yet endless."

Without hesitating, Bythos replied with a "yes". This was prehaps what he's been waiting for in his entire life, and he do not want to miss it. Instead he will grab this opportunity tight and not let go.

The Monad smiled at Bythos' reaction, giving the impression that he expected this reply from Bythos. He stepped forward closer to Bythos and said, "Now then let us begin."

The Monad reached into his own body and pulled from his chest a glowing orb of light. Next, he punched deep into Bythos' body, bringing the orb of light into his body. Then, the transformation began.

A new burst of energy filled Bythos, so much so that it overpowered everything. His skin started crackling and peeling off, like tree bark. Every splinter that fell from his body felt like they were being ripped off his skin, revealing the glowing red flesh underneath.

Tears flowed from his eyes, yet those tears were like trails of acid flowing down his face, bringing him no respite. The insides of his body were constantly expanding and contracting, as if something is trying to get out.

Finally, the changes stopped, and Bythos collapsed onto the floor, too tired to stand. But it is not over yet.

The Monad took out a dagger from thin air and slit Bythos' throat, causing his blood to gush out. At the same time, he did the same to himself, causing his blood to spray from his wounds too.

Unlike Bythos however, the Monad's blood did not feebly drop onto the floor after leaving his body. Instead it began to gyrate in mid-air, forming a spiral, which later morphed into the shape of a dragon.

The blood dragon then flew towards Bythos, and burrowing its way into Bythos' body. After a while, Bythos' wound closed and the blood dragon fully entered into his body, replacing all of Bythos' blood with the Monad's.

Following this, Bythos' body began to regenerate, with all the cracks on his body mending. Bythos got up and looked around. Everything looks the same, yet he feels different. Looking into the mirror, he noticed that he looks about twenty years younger.

Bythos turned around and asked, "This can't be it?"

How disappointing if so.

The Monad nodded understandingly and said, "Of course not," while stepping aside. With one fell swoop, he stroke the air with his fist, causing a fissure in the space around it. The cracks in the air widened until they started shattering, forming a tear, revealing the depths behind it.

"This is your path way out of this world," the Monad said while gesturing towards the hole he just created. "I've taken the liberty of mapping out a path for you. Your destination should last you a relatively long time."

Bythos stepped forward towards the hole, and turned to the Monad asking, "So what's the price I have to pay for all of this? You haven't told me yet."

"You will have to bear my curse."

How vague.

Noticing that his answer was not clear, the Monad continued, "You'll understand some day, but to start off, you'll notice that there will be some changes in your mental state in the future. But it shouldn't affect that much. We're quite similar after all."

Without giving Bythos any more time to think, the Monad shoved Bythos into the void, and Bythos started drifting away.

"See you on the other side."

Through the small opening, Bythos heard the Monad say that. After which, the Monad disappeared behind the surface, followed by a loud bang. Then, all was quiet, as the opening mended itself.

As he was floating away, he started gazing at his surroundings. He was surrounded by countless glowing white light, like stars in the universe. As he drifted further from the world he was from, his world in his eyes transformed from a giant white sphere, to a small glass ball, until it too was indistinguishable from the countless other stars in the void.

Slowly, he find himself approaching the world he was destined for, as it began to grow larger and larger in his vision. Soon, he was face to face with the barrier to the world, and it parted on its own accord to make way for him.

He has arrived in the new world.