CHAPTER 1: THE BEGINNING

CHAPTER 1: THE BEGINNING

Loren, a 28-year-old employee at a large corporation, finds himself trapped in a world of ambition and deceit. While he appears to lead a normal life with a stable job, a comfortable apartment, and a partner who once believed in his potential, he feels hollow inside. The daily grind has turned into a battleground of backstabbing and sabotage, isolating him further despite his commitment to integrity.

Loren’s competence is overshadowed by accusations of incompetence. On the day he is called to the executive room for the third time, a sense of dread settles in.

“Loren, you’ve been called to the executive room again,” his colleague says, feigning sympathy.

"What's it this time?" he mutters.

"He is done for" his friend whispered with a smirky smile.

Inside, his boss's face is a mask of fury. "Why did you delete all of our company’s asset data? What are you trying to accomplish?"

"What? That’s impossible! I swear, I didn’t do it," Loren stammers, his heart racing.

"Then who did?" his boss retorts. "You’re in charge of the company databases. This is catastrophic. I don’t want to see your face in this office again get out!"

"But I really didn’t "

"YOU’RE FIRED!" The roar cuts through him like a knife.

Accusations of data manipulation and project failures that weren't his responsibility have been thrown at him. Loren tries to explain, but all the evidence has been fabricated. His colleagues, whom he considered friends, have conspired to bring him down, using him as a scapegoat for their own mistakes.

This firing devastates Loren emotionally and destroys his professional reputation. Leaving the office, he feels betrayed and uncertain about his future.

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Returning home, Loren discovers that the problems at work are just one facet of the stress in his life. His partner, Marie, who he had relied on for support, becomes an additional source of strain. Ambitious and demanding, Marie fails to understand Loren’s situation and continues to expect financial stability from him.

The distance between them grows. Once supportive, Marie now seems cold and distant, their conversations often focusing on what Loren can no longer provide.

One evening, Loren calls Marie, hoping for comfort. Instead, her voice on the other end is flat.

"Loren, we need to talk."

His heart sinks. "What’s wrong?"

"I can’t do this anymore," she says bluntly. "You don’t have a job, and we’re not even close. How are we supposed to make this work?"

"Marie, it’s just a rough patch. I’m doing everything I can. We’ve been through worse," Loren pleads.

"But I need more," she interrupts, impatience evident in her voice. "I can’t keep waiting for things to get better. I need stability, someone who can actually support me."

Loren feels the weight of her words like a punch to the chest. "Is that all that matters to you? Money?"

"It’s about security," Marie replies. "I deserve someone who can give me what I want now, not just promises."

"Marie, we can still make this work," he says, his voice trembling. But her silence tells him everything.

"I'm sorry, Loren. Goodbye."

The line goes dead, leaving Loren with a cold, empty apartment that feels more isolating than ever.

Overwhelmed by slander from coworkers, the loss of his job, and a broken relationship, Loren reaches his lowest point. It feels as though the world is conspiring against him. Despair creeps in as he shouts into the void. 

"I don’t want to be weak! I don’t want to be like this forever! I want to be strong!"

His shout reverberates in the stillness, igniting a flicker of defiance within him. Loren longs to fight back against the tide of misfortune threatening to drown him. He inhales deeply, steeling himself against the encroaching darkness.

Amid his despair, he stumbles across an ancient book buried in a shadowy corner of his apartment. The leather cover is cracked, and the pages worn, yet it seems to pulse with dark energy. His hand hovers over it, drawn in.

With a deep breath, he opens the book. The symbols inside swirl as if alive. As he turns the pages, a sudden slip cuts his skin. 

"Damn it!" he hisses, watching as his blood drips onto the page. The book reacts its symbols ignite, filling the room with blinding light.

Before Loren can comprehend what’s happening, the air tears apart, yanking him from his apartment into a swirling vortex.

When the light fades, he gasps for breath in a strange new world. The air is thick with magic, shadows move unnaturally, and towering creatures roam in the distance. He realizes he has been thrust into a realm where nothing follows the laws of his reality.

“Welcome to the Holy War, you are the last participant from the human race,” a strange voice says from nowhere.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Loren shouts, confused and scared.

“Collecting data from all participants. 0%... 20%... 40%... 60%... 80%... 100%. All participants have been verified. With this, the Holy War officially begins.”

“What the hell is this Holy War?” Loren wonders, overwhelmed.

Loren stood in the middle of the silent forest, looking around in confusion. Suddenly, a pack of wolves emerged from behind the trees, their eyes shining with hunger and lust. Loren’s fighting instincts were awakened, but his body felt weak and helpless. He tried to brace himself, but the wolves were too fast.

In an instant, they were upon him. Loren fell to the ground, feeling a sharp pain sting his side. Blood poured from his wound, and he found himself trapped in a state of despair.

“Damn it, why can’t i fight back?!” he screamed, his voice filled with anguish. He felt oppressed by his failure and the pain that was deepening.

However, in that dark moment, something unexpected happened. With burning passion, Loren shouted.

“No! I will become strong!”

In an instant, a wave of light radiated from his body, spreading around him. The light emanated a powerful and pure energy, exuding an aura of courage. In a flash, the light knocked the pack of wolves away, sending them flying and fleeing in fear.

Loren was speechless, shocked by the power he had just generated. He never thought he could summon that strength from within himself.

From a distance, a man watched all this with a look of fascination. 

“What a will” he murmured.

“But it seems he still can’t manage it.” However, he could sense that Loren still had not learned to control his great potential.

Seeing Loren's weakness, a pointy eared archer an elf shot her arrow at lightning speed towards Loren. Loren, who was lying down, was unable to dodge it. However, before the arrow could pierce him, a magical shield suddenly appeared in front of Loren, bouncing the arrow back toward the trees.

From behind the trees, an elf watches with annoyance. 

“Tch!” she mutters, turning and disappearing into the shadows.

Just then, Howard, a mage from the human race, steps out from the shadows. He has been watching Loren, waiting for the right moment to intervene. “The time has finally come,” Howard says flatly.

Loren, still dazed, looks up at him.

“Who are you? Why did you protect me?” he asks, his voice trembling.

“We won’t last long if you remain weak. You have no idea how important you are to this fight.” Howard sighs, disappointment flickering in his eyes.

Before Loren can press for answers, Howard urges him, “We don’t have time for explanations right now. We have to find a safe place before they come back.” Without waiting for Loren’s agreement, he pulls him deeper into the forest.

They run, Loren’s mind racing with questions. Why is he being attacked? Who is Howard? What is the significance of this fight? But survival instincts take over, and he follows Howard without protest.

They arrive at a small cave hidden among trees and bushes. After ensuring the place is safe, Howard lights a small fire with his magic. Loren sits by the fire, shaking from fear and exhaustion.

“My name is Howard. Now, I will explain everything,” Howard says as he settles down across from Loren.