Returned

— 10 years later —

Under the starless night sky, the light from the moon was concealed behind thick, roaming clouds. The only illumination on the earth came from the artificial neon lights emanating from numerous buildings. The usual sounds of bugs and animals were eerily absent, leaving only the rustling of wind through the trees. It was reminiscent of the night of misery that had occurred a decade ago.

Within a grand eastern shrine, constructed with exquisite wood, the main shrine building stood at the heart of the complex. Atop its roof, a white stone pillar slowly transformed, its surface gradually turning an ominous shade of black, clearly visible to the naked eye.

The now completely blackened pillar emitted a series of cracking sounds, and fissures began to form, originating from its buried base.

Crack... Crack... Crack....

The cracks extended throughout the entirety of the pillar before it crumbled from the top down, disintegrating into a mound of black dust that collected around the dark cavity where the pillar had once stood.

From the depths of this cavity, a mysterious, smoke-like substance seeped out, silently emerging into the world, unbeknownst to anyone.

The enigmatic substance lingered in place, as if awaiting a specific moment. With the passage of time, the leakage ceased, and the mass of dark smoke slowly drifted away from the shrine, ascending toward the obscure heavens and making its way to the nearby town.

…

Emerging from the depths of unconsciousness, he gradually regained awareness, feeling his body enveloped by the comforting embrace of darkness.

His eyes slowly adjusted to the incoming light, a piercing morning sunlight that signaled the hour had surpassed 8 AM, growing uncomfortably warm.

"Cough! Cough cough!" His first utterance was a series of coughs, his memory flashing back to the pained and regretful expression on his former girlfriend's face.

Rising slowly, he surveyed his surroundings, attempting to discern his current location.

Seated on a makeshift bed constructed from stacked cardboard boxes, he found himself beneath a corrugated iron roof, sporting a sizable hole that allowed the intrusive sunlight to rouse him. The ceiling wasn't particularly high; if he were to stand fully upright, his head would surely collide with it. It seemed he had been sleeping in a modest shack fashioned from recycled materials easily found among refuse.

"Oh! You're awake, young man! How are you feeling?" An elderly man's gravelly voice rang out, drawing his attention to the entrance of the humble abode.

A Caucasian man, appearing to be in his late 50s, stood before him. His shoulder-length black hair exhibited a scattering of white, and his beard and mustache obscured his mouth, but his eyes exuded sincerity and warmth, reminiscent of a beloved grandfather from childhood. Despite his aged clothing, it had been carefully maintained, with visible patches and repairs.

"I'm okay, thank you very much. But how did I end up here? Where am I?" The young man inquired, his confusion evident.

"You don't remember anything?" The old man asked with a concerned expression, to which the young man shook his head, indicating a lack of recollection.

No, he did remember, but what he recalled was a nightmarish sequence where he met his demise. If not for that, why would he still be alive?

Observing the young man falling into silence, as if attempting to retrieve a distant memory, the old man decided to share what he knew.

"I don't know what happened to you, lad, but I discovered you unconscious in the alley, completely naked."

Upon hearing the old man's account, the young man's interest was piqued.

"Me? Unconscious? Naked?" He repeated, seeking confirmation.

"Yes... and..." The old man glanced at his shirt pocket, extracting a card that had been kept there before handing it over.

"Here, I found this card clutched tightly in your hand. You seemed unwilling to let it go. I don't know what it is, but it must be important to you." The old man explained, placing the card into the young man's hand.

Curiosity compelled the young man to examine the card, revealing a prototype he had carried in his shirt pocket on the day of his supposed demise... no, it was merely a nightmare.

"Could it truly have been a nightmare?" He pondered, doubts gradually seeping into his heart.

Card: Dilmun

Picture: -

Rarity: Legendary

Type: Unique-Location

Description: [Tap: Get 1 Non-Elemental Mana], [Get 1 Additional Elemental mana for Each Element's Location in the field (Maximum of 1 for each element).], [Pay 2 Mana and draw a card.], [Indestructible], [Eternity], [Soul bound]

Flavor text: The birthplace of the gods where the gods reside. Forever out of human reach only the soul of the virtuous could live beside the god for eternity.

The young man gazed at the card, still in its prototype form, printed from the printer in his apartment. It possessed only a rough outline of what he intended it to be; the effects were yet to be tested, and it lacked even a picture—it was merely a preliminary version.

As he touched the card, he noticed it was made of an unusual material that retained its shape no matter how much he crumpled or folded it.

"This is peculiar," he mused to himself, studying the card intently.

"Are you hungry, lad?" Old man Murphy inquired, drawing the young man's attention.

"Oh! How rude of me." Suddenly remembering something, the young man flashed an awkward smile and swiftly tucked the prototype card into his shirt pocket.

"I'm Daniel, Daniel Blake. You can call me Dan... er, Mr..." Daniel extended his hand toward the old man, offering a friendly smile.

"Murphy. Just Murphy. Everyone around here calls me 'Old Man Murph' or simply 'nosey old man,'" Murphy introduced himself, laughing as he shook hands with Daniel.

Leading Daniel out of the shack, Murphy pointed in a specific direction where a water tap connected to a building in the alley was located, with a small mirror affixed to the wall above it.

"Go wash up first, I'll bring the food over," the old man instructed before walking off in another direction, where a street food cart selling grilled meat on skewers awaited.

Daniel headed toward the water tap, cleansing his face before glancing at the mirror before him.

"What?!"

The reflection that greeted him nearly startled him. It was his own face, but aged significantly, appearing to be in his early thirties. The last recollection he had was when he had turned 22, just a few days before the incident.

"This... this can't be real... it's just a nightmare, right?" Daniel muttered to himself in shock, his mind reeling as he attempted to regain composure.

After splashing his face with water, Daniel approached old man Murphy, who waved him over and presented a paper bag filled with grilled meat.

"Here! Eat and take your time to think. Did you get robbed or something? I could take you to the nearest police station, you know. The head police officer owes me a favor. Despite the state of this society, I believe he would lend a hand in your case," the old man cheerfully suggested, extending the paper bag of grilled meat.

Daniel offered a faint smile, appreciating the old man's efforts to lift his spirits and provide comfort in his own way.

"It's okay, Uncle Murphy. By the way, what's today's date? I completely forgot," Daniel inquired.

Murphy retrieved an old smartphone from his pocket, glancing at the date before responding.

"Oh... It's Friday, December 18th, 2033. It appears you suffered a blow to the head; otherwise, you wouldn't have forgotten this day," the old man replied, wearing a smile.

"What? What day is it today?" Daniel asked, his confusion evident.

Old man Murphy paused, meeting Daniel's gaze and recognizing the genuine bewilderment in his eyes.

"You truly have no idea, do you?" The old man then displayed his smartphone to Daniel.

"Here, it's better for you to see it yourself." He handed his phone to Daniel, revealing a webpage with a government report about a momentous event.

The page detailed the Ascension ceremony of Crown Prince Victor Justius, who would ascend to the throne that very day.

"What!" Daniel exclaimed in shock, his eyes fixed on the smartphone screen, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Now, it became clear that he had somehow died, ten years had passed, and he had been inexplicably resurrected, given a second chance at life.

He didn't know why or how this had happened, or if some powerful entity had deemed him deserving of another opportunity.

But now, he would seize this chance to live life on his own terms, uncertain of when his existence might come to an end. Perhaps tomorrow, the force that restored his life would lose its power, or the higher being that granted him another chance would lose interest.

He vowed to live without regrets until his final breath.

As for seeking revenge against Victor... he would assess his options once he regained his wealth and assets.

For now, he needed to reclaim his fortune and contemplate his next steps.

"Uncle Murphy, I now know what to do. Thank you for your assistance. I will definitely repay you," Daniel expressed his gratitude to Murphy and returned the smartphone to him.

Murphy looked into Daniel's eyes, realizing that he had regained his composure and resolved to follow his chosen path. He reached into his pants pocket and retrieved two bills, each containing 100 Tessia coins.

"Take it, lad. I don't know what has happened to you, but... don't lose hope. And if you ever face setbacks and have nowhere else to go, remember that my humble shack will always welcome you," Murphy spoke earnestly, placing the two bills into Daniel's hand.

"Uncle Murphy..." Daniel murmured, unsure of how to respond. This was the first time a stranger had shown him such kindness.

"I promise! I will repay you tenfold!" Daniel made his pledge, securing the money in his pocket, and bowed deeply to the old man.

"Don't mention it," the old man smiled, waving off the gratitude, signaling Daniel to proceed with his plans.

Daniel returned the smile, picking up a few pieces of grilled meat from the paper bag, and walked towards the bus stop.