LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 2: Who Are You?
Lian found himself in a place of complete darkness and density, barely able to see his own hand. This place was anything but normal. He wandered through the void, indifferent, as nothing seemed to make sense anymore, floating aimlessly in the emptiness.
"Mia, Mom, Dad..." he muttered those names, but where tears should have flowed, there was only emptiness. Then, Lian felt something strange:
"Do you desire power?" a chilling voice, exuding an overwhelming and frightening pressure, echoed from every direction. "Do you crave... vengeance?"
Just those few words made Lian's heart tremble. He had no idea who or what this voice was, but he summoned his courage and asked:
"Who are you?" He tried to maintain a serious tone, though fear gripped him. Even so, he managed to speak without faltering.
"Who knows?" the voice replied with a hint of irony, as if mocking him. "I am the one who let you live."
"You should have let me die. I have nothing left..." Lian exclaimed bitterly, haunted by the memory of his father dying before his eyes. The hatred in his heart continued to grow.
"You said you let me live. Who are you? What are you?" Lian, despite being shaken by everything that had happened, demanded answers.
"You will find out soon enough," the voice replied enigmatically, yet it seemed amused by the situation.
After that, Lian began to fall through the endless darkness, the dimension around him fracturing like shattered glass. As he plummeted, everything around him broke apart. Lian opened his eyes in panic, quickly scanning his surroundings, utterly confused about what had just happened.
He shut his eyes briefly, drawing in a deep breath to calm himself. When he reopened them, his gaze swept across the room. It was a hospital room. The characteristic smell of antiseptic and the rhythmic beeping of a monitor confirmed it. Looking down, he noticed his chest wrapped in thick bandages.
With hesitant hands, he began to peel away the bandages. Layer by layer, curiosity and dread mixed within him until he finally exposed what lay beneath: a grotesque scar, long and deep, stretching from his chest to his right flank. The sight made his heart race, and hazy memories of the Kyn flooded his mind, filling him with hatred.
His attention shifted to a calendar on the wall. He hurriedly removed the cables of the heart monitor and IV drip, stepping closer to inspect it.
"January 3, 2334..." Lian murmured in surprise. "It's been over a month."
Moments later, a nurse entered the room. Her expression turned to shock when their eyes met, and she quickly ran out. Less than five minutes later, she returned with several others.
Among them was a woman with striking purple hair and matching, piercing eyes, accompanied by five burly men in black suits. The woman, who seemed no older than 30, approached Lian and extended her hand.
"Hello, Mr. Alvarez. It's good to see you awake," she said with a sly smile, as though she had complete control over the situation.
Lian shook her hand warily. How did she know his name? He had never seen her before, yet she seemed oddly familiar. "Hello, Ms..."
"Lena Arkalis. But you can just call me Lena." Releasing his hand, she continued with a somber expression. "I deeply regret what happened to your parents. It was our failure as members of the Space Army to detect the Kyn invasion."
Lian was taken aback upon learning that she was part of the Space Army. Since the advancement of space exploration, humans had found only one habitable planet, one belonging to the Kyn. Initially, there had been conflict between the two species, lasting 30 years, but a peace treaty was eventually forged and honored by both sides until a month ago.
"I want to kill them all," Lian declared with restrained anger. "They took everything from me, so I will take everything from them."
Lena smirked faintly, surprised but understanding his reaction. She saw the fire of vengeance burning within him. Crossing her arms, she seemed entertained by the turmoil engulfing the young man's life.
"I like you. I want to help you take them down, but be careful not to let this hatred consume you." She spoke these words with a tone that was both serious and entertained by the situation. Her expression suggested an almost insane fascination with the drama surrounding Lian. "If you truly want to destroy them, you need to become strong. Otherwise, you'll just be another one who dies at their hands."
She paused briefly, as if deliberately wanting those words to sink into Lian's mind, before continuing: "That's why I'll enroll you in the First District Military Academy. You've just awakened your magical weapon, so you have a long journey ahead before you can achieve the revenge you seek."
Lian realized this woman wielded more influence than he initially thought. To admit him to the academy with such ease indicated that her power extended far beyond what he could imagine.
"Make this opportunity count, for those you lost," she said, her tone suddenly serious. "Classes don't start until February, but we'll pick you up tomorrow. You have nowhere else to go. Rest well, Lian Alvarez." With that, she left the hospital room, her bodyguards following.
Lian looked at his right hand, thinking of his family and all he had lost. He spoke with unwavering determination:
"I want power." As he said those words, the symbol on his hand reappeared, glowing brightly.