I woke up in a white room. Confused, I walked forward. “Is this… death?” I whispered. “Just a white room?” Suddenly, everything went dark. I caught movement in the corner of my eye. “H-Hello?” I said nervously. “Is someone there?” A figure ran away. “Wait!” I yelled, chasing after them. Out of breath, I finally caught up. They stopped and turned toward me, their face hidden behind a mask. Then I noticed something—they had the same ring as me. “Hey—is that—” They pressed a finger to my lips, silencing me. “Rude,” I muttered. A glowing light emitted from their hand. Instantly, all my exhaustion vanished. I felt incredible—better than I ever had before. She began to walk away. “Wait,” I said. “Thank you. I was wondering… do you think I could—” She reached for her mask, as if reading my mind. When I saw her face, I immediately blushed. She smiled softly. “Let’s get you back,” she said. “O-Okay,” I stuttered. She grabbed my wrist and led me to a massive hole in the ground. I looked down and gasped. At its center was a blue-and-green crystal heart, with two rings floating around it. “Whoa… what is this?” I asked. “The Earth’s Heart.” “That’s intense,” I said. She tilted her head, confused. “What did you say?” “You really don’t know what that means?” I muttered. She looked offended, but still confused, then let out a soft giggle. “Anyway,” she said, “grab my hand.” “Oh… okay.” I stared into her eyes as a glowing red light—like the one from the cave—appeared again. “Hey, Yuto.” “Huh? You know my name?” “Just a warning,” she said calmly. “The more you die, the more the shadows take you. When you were attacked... that was the first time you died. When you return, you’ll remember your previous life. You won’t feel physical pain anymore, but your mind can still break. That is the curse you now carry.” She looked at me gently. “You’ll only keep your sanity when you’re here. You won’t always be sent back, but remember, I can transfer you here sometimes. It costs a lot of energy to do that. But know this: I will always watch over you.” “Wait,” I said. “What’s your name?” Her lips moved, but I couldn’t hear her voice through the blinding light. She smiled softly.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.