1. Kidnapped

The cage fell silent, the stars grew dim,

A weightless ache, a phantom hymn.

The seeker wept for the price revealed,

For wounds too deep, and love unhealed.

The sun had set hours ago, and the sprawling city of Andelith was awash in a muted golden glow. Neon signs flickered on busy streets as the nightlife began to stir. Aron Zephyr's car rolled along the less crowded outskirts, the hum of its engine a low, steady rhythm against the distant murmur of city life.

Aron's hands rested lightly on the steering wheel, his long, white hair tied into a neat ponytail that fell over his shoulder. The faint golden light from the dashboard reflected off his eyes—striking and luminous, like twin suns. His focus was sharp as he adjusted the rearview mirror, a faint sigh escaping his lips.

His phone buzzed in the cupholder beside him, and he reached for it without breaking his attention from the road. The contact name Seraphina blinked on the screen, accompanied by a familiar ringtone.

"Seraphina," he muttered, swiping the call to answer.

"Aron!" His sister's voice burst from the speakers, warm but laced with a stern edge that only siblings could conjure. "Finally. You've been dodging my calls all day. Where have you been?"

"Working," Aron replied flatly, his tone tinged with exhaustion.

"You've been working for three days straight. Have you even eaten? Slept? You can't let that research center consume your life. Again."

Aron rolled his eyes, his golden gaze flicking momentarily to the phone screen before returning to the road. He picked up the car keys dangling from the ignition, a small habit of his when deep in thought, spinning them around his finger for a moment before putting them back.

"I've slept," he replied, though the dark circles under his eyes told a different story. "And I ate... yesterday."

Seraphina sighed audibly, her disapproval palpable through the phone. "That's not what I called to talk about. Do you know what's been happening around the city?"

Aron frowned, his grip tightening slightly on the wheel. "Not really. I've been a bit... preoccupied. Why?"

"There have been disappearances. People are vanishing without a trace, Aron. It's all over the news. No ransom notes, no witnesses, no patterns. It's like they just... cease to exist."

The words hung heavy in the air, and Aron's mind drifted for a moment. He reached for the coffee cup in the holder, taking a small sip of the now-lukewarm liquid. The faint bitterness grounded him as he processed what she said.

"Any leads?" he asked after a pause.

"None," Seraphina admitted, her voice softer now. "And that's what's so unsettling. Even the authorities are at a loss. Everyone's scared, Aron. You need to be careful."

Aron sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair, fingers brushing over the tie that held it in place. "Seraphina, I'm not a three-year-old anymore. I know how to take care of myself."

"You've always been careless, Aron!" she snapped. "You might have your head in the stars, but you're still here on Earth with the rest of us. Just promise me you'll be cautious, okay?"

A ghost of a smile tugged at Aron's lips. "Fine, I promise."

"Good. And stop drinking coffee this late; it's terrible for your sleep—"

Seraphina's voice faded into background noise as something strange began to pull at Aron's attention.

It started faintly, like a soft rustling of leaves or a distant echo. A whisper, barely discernible, threaded its way into his thoughts.

Aron blinked, shaking his head as if to clear it. The road stretched ahead, illuminated by the car's headlights, but something felt... off.

"Aron? Are you still there?" Seraphina's voice called out, breaking through the haze.

"Yeah," he said slowly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Sorry, I—"

Another whisper. This time, clearer.

Aron...

His foot instinctively eased off the accelerator. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as the voice grew louder.

Come closer...

"What the...?" he muttered under his breath.

"Aron?" Seraphina's tone was sharp now, edged with concern.

He didn't reply. His head began to feel heavy, as if an invisible hand was pressing down on his skull. The whispers grew insistent, overlapping and echoing in an unrecognizable language.

Find... the... light...

Suddenly, the car veered sharply.

Aron snapped back to reality just in time to see the streetlight looming ahead. He yanked the wheel hard, but it was too late. The car skidded on the asphalt, tires screeching as it slammed into the metal pole with a sickening crunch.

The impact jolted him forward, his seatbelt locking him in place. The airbag exploded in a burst of white, momentarily dazing him. His phone tumbled from the cupholder, landing on the floor with Seraphina's muffled voice still spilling from the speakers.

"Aron? Aron! What happened? Answer me!"

He groaned, blinking rapidly as his vision swam. The whispers were deafening now, a cacophony that seemed to originate not from outside, but from within his own mind.

Come to us... You are chosen...

His head throbbed. He tried to move, but his body felt impossibly heavy. The faint scent of smoke filled the air as the car's engine sputtered and died.

And then, just as suddenly as they had started, the whispers stopped.

The world around him seemed to shift, the edges of his vision blurring like a heat mirage. He tried to focus, to ground himself, but everything felt... wrong. The streetlight, the road, the car—all of it seemed to dissolve into a hazy void.

"Aron!" Seraphina's voice was frantic now. "Are you okay? Answer me!"

He reached for the phone, but his hand passed through it as if it were made of mist. His golden eyes widened in shock.

Before he could process what was happening, the void consumed him.

The car sat idle, its front crumpled against the streetlight. Smoke wafted from the hood, mixing with the faint glow of the headlights. Inside, the driver's seat was empty.

The phone, lying on the floor, continued to emit Seraphina's frantic pleas.

"Aron? Please, answer me! Aron!"

But there was no one there to respond. Aron Zephyr was gone, vanished without a trace.

---

Aron's head throbbed as his consciousness stirred. His body felt heavy, and the air around him was dense, carrying the scent of age and decay. Slowly, he opened his eyes, his vision blurry at first but sharpening as he blinked away the haze.

He was no longer in his car.

Instead, he stood in a vast, open space surrounded by towering stone ruins. The remnants of a once-grand temple loomed ahead, its intricate carvings worn by time but still exuding an aura of majesty. Golden light filtered through cracks in the ceiling, illuminating the intricate designs etched into the stone walls.

"What... where am I?" Aron muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the stillness.

He glanced around and noticed he wasn't alone. A group of people stood nearby, scattered in small clusters. Their appearances were as varied as their expressions—confusion, wariness, curiosity. If Aron counted correctly, there were about 25 individuals in total, each distinct in their demeanor and presence.

Despite their differences, no one spoke. The silence was thick, broken only by the faint rustle of the wind weaving through the ruins. Aron's gaze drifted back to the temple before him. It felt significant, almost alive, as if it were watching them.

Suddenly, a voice boomed from above, smooth yet resonant, filling the air with an unearthly authority.

"Welcome, Saviors."

The word hung in the air, echoing through the temple. Aron felt a chill run down his spine.

The voice continued, its tone both commanding and enigmatic.

"You have been called here to restore what has been lost. The world is fractured, divided into nine regions, each in need of revival. It is your task to bring life back to this broken realm. Choose a region, and your journey will begin."

The group remained silent. No one moved, no one spoke. Some exchanged glances, but most stood frozen, as if the weight of the words had rooted them to the ground. Aron could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his mind racing with questions.

"Revive the world? What does that even mean?" he thought, his gaze fixed on the temple's glowing doorway.

The voice returned, sharper now, as if impatient.

"Choose."

Still, no one moved.

Why will they even chose?

Aron felt like it was a ridiculous situation. He was practically kidnapped and had to save a world out of no free will, isn't this forced labor?

The light emanating from the temple began to pulse, as though it were alive. It seemed to sense the hesitation and reluctance of the group. Then, without warning, the light surged, expanding outward in a wave that enveloped everyone.

Aron shielded his eyes, his surroundings dissolving into a blinding glow. He heard startled cries and gasps, but before he could make sense of it, the world shifted again.

When Aron's vision returned, he was standing in a different place entirely. The air was fresher, the ruins gone, replaced by an open field dotted with vibrant greenery. He felt disoriented, his legs wobbling beneath him.

"I'm going to fall," he realized, his body tilting forward uncontrollably.

Before he hit the ground, a firm hand grabbed his arm, steadying him. Aron looked up, his golden eyes meeting the sharp scarlet gaze of a tall, imposing man.

The man's expression was cold, almost indifferent, but his grip was steady and strong. His presence exuded authority and calm, contrasting with the chaos Aron felt inside.

"Careful," the man said, his voice deep and even.

Aron blinked, his mind catching up to the moment. "Thank you," he managed, straightening himself with the man's help.

The man released his grip, nodding slightly before stepping back. Aron realized he recognized him—this man had been among the group in the temple.

Before he could dwell on it further, two other figures approached. One was a young woman with short pink hair, her bright eyes scanning her surroundings with a mix of curiosity and concern. The other was a man with a gentle demeanor, his soft smile and relaxed posture exuding a sense of calm.

"Looks like we've all been brought here together," the pink-haired girl said, her voice light but carrying an edge of nervous energy.

The gentle man nodded, offering Aron a reassuring smile. "Are you all right? You looked like you were about to collapse."

"I'm fine, thanks to him," Aron replied, glancing at the scarlet-eyed man.

The man didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

The pink-haired girl crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "So... I guess we should introduce ourselves. Seems like we're stuck together, at least for now."

Aron nodded. "I'm Aron Zephyr. I'm, uh, an astrophysicist."

The girl grinned. "I'm Livia. Diver by profession. Adventurer by heart."

The gentle man spoke next, his voice warm. "My name's Zane. I'm an archaeologist, though I suspect my expertise won't fully cover whatever this is."

Finally, the scarlet-eyed man turned to them, his expression unreadable. "Zander Arthur. Special Forces."

Aron took a moment to process the introductions, his gaze lingering on Zander.

This man...gives familiar vibe like his sister? 

Sudden chills, Aron remembered the phone call...Damn.

The group fell silent for a moment, each processing the strange circumstances they found themselves in. Livia broke the quiet, gesturing around them.

"So, does anyone know where we are? Or why we're here?"

Zane shook his head. "Not exactly. But I do know that the ruins we saw in the temple were ancient—far older than anything I've studied before. Whatever brought us here is tied to that place."

"The voice said something about reviving the world," Aron added. "And the nine regions. Maybe... this is one of them?"

Zander's eyes narrowed. "If we're supposed to 'revive' something, we need more information. Standing around speculating won't help."

"True," Livia agreed, her hands resting on her hips. "But where do we even start?"

Aron glanced at the horizon. The landscape was vast and unfamiliar, dotted with distant mountains, forests, and what looked like a glimmering lake. The sheer scale of it was overwhelming.

Before anyone could suggest a course of action, a faint glow appeared in the air before them. It coalesced into a small, hovering orb of light that pulsed gently, as if beckoning them forward.

"Looks like we have our answer," Zane said with a wry smile.