The Primordial Echo

Zayn thought to himself, 'I'll be needing my past life talent in acting.' He paused, confidence settling in. 'It shouldn't be too hard.' After all, he had spent years mastering different roles, slipping into personas like second nature.

But little did he know, Zayn HeavensFall was more complex than he could have ever imagined.

The deeper he would dive into this new life, the more he would realize that playing this role wasn't as simple as memorizing a script—it was a web of emotions, relationships, and secrets far beyond what he expected.

Zayn quickly typed out a reply, 'Nah, I got something important, next time,' before locking his phone and slipping it into his pocket.

Without wasting any more time, he headed toward the door, stepping out of the apartment. The quiet hallway greeted him as he made his way to the elevator, pressing the button and waiting as the numbers slowly ticked down.

Once the doors slid open, he stepped inside, his reflection staring back at him in the metallic walls.

Moments later, he exited the building, the crisp air hitting him as he took in the world outside, ready to face whatever came next.

Zayn glanced down at the back of his hand, his eyes tracing the intricate design of five snakes inked into his skin.

They slithered from his fingers to the edge of his hand, their sleek bodies coiling as if alive, each scale detailed with eerie precision.

He flexed his fingers, half-expecting the snakes to move, but they remained still—just a mark.

Yet something about them felt unsettling.

A strange warmth pulsed beneath his skin, as if the tattoo wasn't just for show.

His mind stirred with a deep, instinctual recognition, though he had no memory of ever getting such a mark.

'So this is Zayn HeavensFall's [Stigmata],' he thought, a mix of curiosity and unease settling in.

What exactly did this symbol mean?

And more importantly… what kind of power did it hold?

Zayn's eyes narrowed as the realization settled in. 'In fact, I do know what it is,' he thought, his gaze lingering on the intricate markings.

This wasn't just some ordinary tattoo—it was the original Zayn's core power, his [Stigmata]. The memories flooding his mind confirmed it.

The name came to him, as if spoken from deep within his consciousness, carrying a weight he couldn't ignore.

The Primordial Echo.

A power shrouded in mystery, a force that seemed to resonate with the world itself.

He couldn't yet fully comprehend it, but he could feel it pulsing inside him, an ancient energy that belonged to the HeavensFall bloodline.

Zayn's thoughts raced as he tried to make sense of it all.

This isn't just a symbol. It's something far deeper, something that could give me power beyond what I ever imagined.

It wasn't just a mark. It was a connection, and somehow, it was his now.

Zayn pushed the thoughts of his new power to the back of his mind for the moment, choosing to focus on the more immediate task at hand.

He unlocked his phone again and quickly navigated to the contacts, dialing for a taxi.

As he waited for the cab to arrive, he glanced over at the phone's "Personal Info" folder.

Where he had conveniently found the address listed—an address that was now his, part of the original Zayn HeavensFall's life.

The minutes ticked by slowly as he planned his next steps.

He realized that he needed to grab his card from the apartment, a vital item for the task ahead.

He needed to purchase some necessary equipment for the upcoming event after the holidays—a major one that would test him and potentially change everything.

His mind buzzed with the implications of it all, but he pushed the thoughts aside for now, focusing on the task at hand.

As soon as the taxi arrived, he would head to his apartment to collect what he needed, then prepare for what was coming next.

***

Zayn stepped out of the cab and, after paying the driver, began walking toward the mall. As he entered, his mind focused on the task at hand: 'I need some mana potions for mana recovery and some health potions.'

As Zayn looked around to find the best option, he eventually walked into a shop in the mall named "Rohenna." The store had a decent number of customers—neither too many nor too few. He made his way to the counter, ready to make his purchase.

The lady at the counter looked up at him, her blonde hair framing her face and her violet eyes filled with curiosity. "How can I help you, sir?" she asked.

Zayn explained, "I needed some things for a dungeon trip. I'm an academy student." Her eyes sparkled with surprise for a brief moment before she returned to her professional demeanour. "Oh, I see. I'm sorry, but anything like swords, spears, or gauntlets are already sold," she informed him.

Zayn wasn't concerned about that, as he hadn't needed those items anyway. "Miss, I only need two mana potions and three health potions," he clarified, clearing up the misunderstanding.

"My apologies, sir. We do have the potions. Please wait for just a few minutes," she said, her tone now excited.

After waiting for a few minutes, the lady returned with the two mana potions and three health potions. "Here, sir, your potions. It will be £70. Two mana potions for £40 and £30 for the health potions," she said.

In this fantasy world, the currency was imperial pounds, and while the prices might seem low, the quality of the potions was only average, making the cost fair.

Zayn, however, didn't have to worry about the price. As a die-hard fan of the original Zayn, he had written many comments about Zayn's character, and from those, he knew the original Zayn was extremely rich—perhaps the wealthiest in the academy in terms of personal wealth.

Zayn paid the price and walked out of the shop. He called a cab, and after some time, he arrived outside his apartment.

Once inside his room, Zayn's thoughts wandered. 'I need to be ready to face the main cast,' he thought, letting out a sigh. 'I need to avoid her, at all costs.'

The original Zayn's crush had always been a big problem—she was smart and cunning. He knew he had to act like the original Zayn at first, gradually changing his behaviour over time so that it wouldn't seem suspicious to anyone observing him.

'This is where my acting talent comes in,' he reminded himself.