A New Beginning

Theresa didn't waste any time getting dinner ready. Jude was right there beside her in the kitchen, acting like the perfect boyfriend—just like he always did whenever she was around.

Evan sat nearby, watching him out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't impressed. That sweet and helpful act never fooled him, especially not when it was put on just for his mum's sake.

What really confused Evan was why Jude was even bothering with all this in the first place. It definitely wasn't love—Evan could bet his life on that. And it wasn't money either. His mum wasn't rich. She was just a nurse at one of the major hospitals in the city. She made enough to take care of him, pay the bills, and keep the fridge stocked. But that was it. Nothing fancy.

"My handsome prince, food is ready!" Theresa called out from the dining table.

The second Jude heard the pet name, he nearly burst into laughter. He raised a hand to his mouth and tried to hold it in, but the smirk was already halfway there.

Theresa saw it. Her eyes snapped to him with that sharp, no-nonsense look only mothers knew how to give. Jude quickly turned away before their eyes could lock.

Evan sighed and slowly sat up. He dragged himself toward the dining room, still feeling tired.

"Handsome prince," Jude said in a mocking tone, clearly trying to tease him.

"Don't mind him, dear," Theresa stepped in before Evan could say anything. "You're very handsome, my child. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise."

Evan gave her a weak smile. He knew she was only trying to make him feel better. Deep down, he didn't believe her—but she was the only one who ever said nice things to him. Sweet names like that? Only his mum ever used them.

Mothers really are the best, he thought as he settled into the chair beside her.

Theresa had made his favorite meal: chicken soup filled with juicy drumsticks. The rich smell hit him like a warm hug. For a moment, all the anger he felt toward Jude faded. Even with that annoying guy sitting across the table, Evan didn't care.

Food was one of the few things that made Evan feel at peace. The other was playing video games.

"How was school today?" his mum asked in a soft voice.

She already knew how bad things were. Evan had been bullied in every school he'd attended. She'd moved him around a lot, hoping one would be better. The new school was slightly calmer, but the bullying didn't stop. Instead of punches, they used words to hurt—thanks to the school's strict rule against fighting.

Still, words could hurt just as badly as anything else.

"Guess what, baby?" Theresa said, her voice bubbling with excitement. "I got you a new pair of headphones. For your gaming."

Evan gave a small smile. His face stayed mostly blank, but he mumbled, "Thank you, Mum."

Jude joined the conversation with a mouthful of food.

"Don't you think all these video games are making him dull?"

"Not at all," Theresa replied calmly. "Evan is a smart kid. Even with all his gaming, he's still the best student in his class. He gets that from his father. They both loved video games."

Evan paused mid-bite. The chicken sat in his mouth, untouched. His ears tuned in. His mum almost never brought up his father. And she didn't let him ask either. So whenever she slipped up and mentioned the man, Evan soaked in every word like it was gold.

Theresa caught the way he froze, his eyes locked on her like she held the answer to a question he'd been asking for years.

"That's a story for another day," she said quickly, brushing it aside like it didn't matter.

Evan swallowed his chicken slowly, disappointment settling deep in his chest.

Theresa turned to Jude, changing the subject.

"So, how did it go?" she asked. "I thought you said you wouldn't be back for three more days. What happened?"

Evan's face dropped. He already knew what was coming.

More lies. More big, made-up stories from Jude about where he'd been and what he'd done. Evan didn't care. All he wanted was to finish his chicken, get it over with, and head back to his room. Silence sounded a lot better than sitting through another one of Jude's fake adventures.

Jude had already launched into one of his usual fairy tales. The kind no one really believed—except Evan's mum, who always listened like it was some beautiful story from a book. Evan didn't even look up. His hands were busy with the chicken drumsticks on his plate. He tore into them with full focus, chewing every bit of meat off the bones like it was a mission.

Kael, his chubby grey cat, lay curled up at his feet under the table, occasionally looking up as if silently judging how fast he was eating.

But Evan's mind wasn't really on the food.

It was on Azra.

He had already decided. He was going to play it tonight.

His eyes slid over to Jude, who was still talking, wearing that smug, crooked grin like always. If the game let you wish someone dead after completing a quest, Evan knew exactly who he'd choose.

No second thoughts.

Jude. That bastard.

But he also knew Jude's death wouldn't stop the bullying. People like Evan—overweight and awkward always had targets on their backs. Maybe if he could just slim down mysteriously, things would change. Maybe.

"I'll play the game," Evan told himself, "if not for anything else, then for that one wish."

His mother's voice broke through his thoughts. "Take it easy, baby," she said, her eyes on him as he demolished the last drumstick like he was in some kind of food competition.

Evan slowed down a little but didn't respond. He just wanted to finish and get back to his room—away from Jude's irritating voice.

Then Jude chimed in, flashing his usual smug grin. "You should really watch your weight, man. Stop eating more than your body can carry."

Just like that, Evan's tiny bubble of peace shattered. He clenched his jaw, already expecting the usual sting that followed Jude's words. But before he could say anything, his mum snapped.

"Please, Jude. I'd appreciate it if you don't talk to my baby that way."

Jude raised both hands in surrender and laughed awkwardly. "I'm just kidding," he said with a fake smile.

Evan didn't bother replying. He'd lived with Jude long enough to know the truth behind that kind of grin.

"I'm full, Mum," Evan said, forcing a small smile.

"Are you sure?" she asked gently, her eyes searching his face.

"Yes, Mum," he nodded.

"Okay, dear. Go wash up and get a good night's rest. And don't stay up playing games, okay? Take a little nap first."

Evan nodded and pushed his chair back. He walked away from the table, leaving his mum and her boyfriend behind, heading to the only place that still felt like his own—his bedroom.

Just as he was about to shut the door, Kael, his little sidekick cat, slipped in through the gap and strolled inside like she owned the place.

"I guess you didn't feel like listening to his made-up stories either," Evan muttered as he watched her head straight for the bed.

Kael curled up in the corner like a fuzzy little loaf, eyes half-closed like she'd already clocked out for the day. Evan smirked.

"You had more milk than usual, and now you're knocked out... and here I was thinking I was the one who overate."

He turned to his gaming setup, picked up the Azra flash drive, and plugged it into the console. The screen came to life, casting a soft glow over the dark room. A quiet hum filled the air as the system powered up.

The game resumed exactly where he left it. The same creepy interface showed up again, offering that one haunting choice:

ACCEPT.

Without thinking twice, Evan clicked it.

The screen went black for a few seconds. Then, it started loading.

A moment later, a new window appeared.

Select Your Character.

Right after that, another card-like window slid into view. Its title was bold and dark, standing out across the screen.

The Seven Sons of Azra

1. Aurelian – The firstborn, noble and strategic

[SSS Rank: Berserker]

Expert with swords. Can control weapons without touching them.

2. Kaelen – The wise and calm scholar

[SSS Rank: Summoner]

Summons spirits of dead beasts. Also skilled in hand-to-hand combat.

3. Darian – The fearless warrior

[SS Rank: Mage]

Can shapeshift and create clones. Highly skilled in physical combat.

4. Rowan – The fiery and impulsive mage

[SS Rank]

Controls explosive energy waves. Agile, fast, and unpredictable in battle.

5. Sylas – The mysterious shadow wielder

[S Rank]

Can disappear into shadows and drain enemy stamina with each strike.

6. Theron – The loyal protector and knight commander

[S Rank]

Can create indestructible force fields and boost nearby allies' strength.

7. Levi – The youngest, born without powers... but holds potential

Current Rank: E

No abilities unlocked yet.

Evan stared at the lineup, arms folded and one eyebrow raised.

"Of course the first six are basically walking bombs," he muttered.

Kael meowed softly from the bed, as if she agreed.

He hovered over the screen for a moment, a grin tugging at his lips.

"But where's the thrill if you're already a god?"

He didn't hesitate. He clicked on the seventh option.

Levi – Selected

The system now recognizes you as Evan.

The screen shimmered, then blinked.

A new window popped up with a soft chime.

---

Player Stats>

[ Name: Evan ]

[ Rank: E. ]

[ Mana Level: 5. ]

[ Hp: 100. ]

[ Agility: 15. ]

[ Stamina: 20. ]

[ Sprint: 15. ]

[ Intelligence: 25. ]

[ Strength: [50 / 1000]. ]

[ Special Class: Locked. ]

[ Skills: None. ]

[ Points gained: None. ]

[ Inventory: [Empty] ]....

- - - - - - - - Quest Log - - - - - -

Nil

Nil

Nil

...…

The screen flickered again, and a new message pulsed in the center:

Your quest is about to begin

In the corner, a countdown appeared, glowing red like a warning light.

60... 59... 58...

Evan leaned back in his chair and cracked his knuckles.

"Oh, this is gonna be good."

But what he didn't expect… was dozing off just seconds before the countdown hit zero.