After The Collapse

Relaxing.

Comforting.

Soft.

Those were the first words that came to mind as I floated in this strange place. Was this… the afterlife? No way. There's no way a cut from a crystal could make me bleed out that fast. At least, I hoped not.

Speaking of that crystal—what the hell was it? I'd never seen anything like it before. It pulsed blue, like it was alive, almost breathing. Could it be—

"H-Hi there… Lumian."

The voice jolted me from my thoughts. My name?

I whipped around, scanning the endless white void, and locked eyes—or what I assumed were eyes—with a glowing pink orb. Just floating there, as casual as could be.

No way. This had to be a dream. Maybe I passed out from blood loss. Or maybe the others were clearing that debris right now, heroically rushing to save me. Probably bickering while they did it too. Hopefully they didn't scar my handsome face in the process.

"Yes, yes. That must be it," I muttered, rubbing my chin with one hand, nodding sagely to myself.

The orb interrupted again. "Hm?"

I didn't like the way it was judging me with its non-existent eyes. My body moved before my brain could catch up, and the next thing I knew, my leg was swinging in an upward kick toward the glowing globe.

I had my reasons. Mostly because this thing was interrupting my inner monologue, and I felt like teaching it a lesson. Totally justified.

Except it wasn't.

The second my shin made contact, a surge of force sent me flying. Not stumbling, not falling—flying.

I was launched so far, the orb was a speck in the distance within seconds.

The sensation was… surreal. Wind I couldn't feel rushed past me, and the white expanse blurred into a dizzying smear. "Wha—wait! WAIT!" I screamed, flailing wildly as I soared through the void.

It didn't last long.

After soaring through the endless void like a ragdoll caught in a windstorm, I finally hit solid ground. The impact wasn't graceful. I landed flat on my back, skidded for what felt like forever, and eventually came to a stop. I stayed there, sprawled out and expecting every nerve in my body to scream in agony.

But it never came.

I blinked up at the endless white above me, my chest rising and falling as I tried to make sense of what just happened.

"I'm sorry for that… I didn't mean to harm you! Well… not you specifically!"

The voice startled me. I turned my head to find the pink globe from earlier bounding toward me—or rather, floating with a sort of awkward eagerness.

What was its deal? I had just kicked it halfway across whatever dimension this was, and here it was, concerned about me? That, more than anything, made me feel like a colossal jerk.

"Right… so this isn't a dream, huh?" I muttered to myself as I sat up, shaking the dizziness out of my head. My legs wobbled as I stood, but I managed. The globe floated closer, its shimmering surface trembling slightly.

"Sorry about that," I said reluctantly. "I just thought… this wasn't real." My eyes narrowed as I studied the strange thing. Was I really apologizing to a floating pink ball right now?

"No worries! Really, I'm sorry you were flung away. It's just that impure actions, concepts, or anything of that sort are negated here. When you kicked me with… uh… less-than-kind intent, the environment reacted and, well… punished you."

The globe's surface pulsed faintly with each word, like it was trying to emphasize its sincerity.

"Oh. Well, that's… comforting, I guess," I replied, scratching the back of my neck. "But let's talk about the important stuff. What is this place? Where am I? How do you know my name? And who—or what—are you?"

"I created this place," it said simply, its tone carrying a strange blend of pride and nonchalance. "That's all you need to know about it. I know you because I've been interested in you for some time now. And I am Avelyn. Nice to meet you, Lumian."

The globe—Avelyn—circled around me as it spoke, its movements slow and deliberate, like it was sizing me up.

"…Interested? What do you mean interested?" I squinted at it, taking a cautious step back. "Is this some kind of confession? 'Cause, no offense, but I've never seen you before in my life, and glowing orbs aren't exactly my type."

If Avelyn could blush, I swear it would have turned crimson on the spot. It froze mid-circle, its glow flickering erratically. "Ah—n-no! Not like thaaaaaat! It's nothing like that, I promise!"

Its voice wavered with what I could only describe as embarrassment. If it had hands, I imagined they'd be covering its face.

"Enough about this misunderstanding!" it yelped, cutting off any further teasing on my part. "You're here because of the Soul Fragment. Yes, yes. That's the real reason."

I blinked. "Soul Fragment? What the hell is a Soul Fragment?"

Avelyn's glow dimmed, and I could swear I felt a weight settle in the air. "The crystal. The one you touched," it said carefully.

That blue crystal. My stomach sank as I remembered the sharp pain in my hand, the way it pulsed like it was alive.

"Damn it," I muttered, raking both hands through my hair. "Damn it, damn it, damn it. I did die, didn't I?!"

"Wha—no, you're not dead!" Avelyn stammered, its voice pitching higher.

"Then why am I here?!" I shot a sharp look back at the globe, my patience teetering on the edge.

Avelyn stilled for a moment before its glow brightened, almost as if it was barely able to contain its excitement. "I have to grant you a gift!" it said, its tone giddy, almost childlike. "Ah—I have been waiting for you for so long! Hehehe!"

It floated closer, circling me once before stopping directly in front of my face.

"Ahem. Sorry about that," Avelyn muttered, clearly trying to regain its composure. Its glow steadied, and the weight in the air seemed to shift again, heavier this time.

"This gift is no ordinary one. I bestow upon you Immaculate Dominion."

The way Avelyn said it made my skin prickle, the title carrying an almost reverent weight.

"What the hell is Immaculate Dominion supposed to mean?" I crossed my arms, more confused than ever.

Avelyn's voice turned almost serene as it began its explanation. "Immaculate Dominion is the power to stand untouched by the corruptions of the world. To you, all impurities of life—lust, malice, envy, cruelty—become nothing more than trivial burdens. With this blessing, such things cannot harm, influence, or stain you. They will falter and crumble before your presence. Use my strength and purify this corrupted world, Lumian Chen. I do hope to reunite with you." Avelyn spoke her last words to me before the white expanse faded.

.

..

…

Agonizing.

Uncomfortable.

Hard.

Those were the first words that came to mind as I stirred awake, lying on something familiar yet unrelentingly uncomfortable. My eyes fluttered open, squinting against the dim light filtering into the room. My glasses were still perched on my face—somehow—and that was when I realized why this place felt so familiar.

I was back in my makeshift bed, in the shared home me and the others had pieced together.

Wait… they got me out?

"Uuuuughhhhh—Ahh!" The thought crashed into my mind, prompting me to bolt upright in an instant. A strange sound escaped my lips as I sat up fully, rubbing my temples.

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, letting my heels dig into the worn floor as I tried to shake the lingering fog from my brain. My body felt heavier than usual, like I'd been carrying invisible weights for hours. Looking down, I noticed the bandage wrapped tightly around my hand. It was stained with small red dots, like some twisted abstract painting.

"So… all of that was real." My voice came out quieter than I expected, more of a whisper to myself. My mind replayed everything in a blur: the crystal shard, the overwhelming light, Avelyn—the strange glowing orb—and the cryptic words about Immaculate Dominion.

"What the hell was she even talking about?" I muttered, staring at my bandaged hand as if it held the answers.

A thousand thoughts raced through my head, none of them making any sense. The shard that cut me, Avelyn claiming she'd been waiting for me, her strange fascination with my existence—all of it felt surreal, yet undeniably real. And then there was the supposed gift, this so-called Immaculate Dominion.

I scanned my room, half-expecting something to jump out at me. Maybe a glowing emblem on the wall? A mystical scroll on my desk? A box tied with a neat little bow? No, of course not.

Still, I searched—under my bed, in my dresser, beneath the pile of crumpled clothes in the corner. Nothing. No sign that anything had changed. My room was just as mundane and messy as it always had been.

Leaning back against the wall, I let out a frustrated sigh. "Figures. She spouts some grandiose nonsense about a gift, and I get nothing but a bandaged hand and a headache." I looked down at my hand again, flexing my fingers. "Immaculate Dominion… whatever the hell that means."

The words lingered in my mind, heavy and unsettling, as I sat there staring at nothing. Something had changed. I just didn't know what.

I pushed off the wall and turned the doorknob, stepping into the hallway. The faint sound of water running caught my attention, followed by the rustling of fabric. Moments later, Elias emerged from the bathroom, drying his hands on his shirt.

"Lumian… you're awake." His voice was calm, but his eyes remained fixed on his hands. "Are you recovering? How's your—"

He looked up, and his words caught in his throat. His eyes went wide, the color draining from his face like he'd seen a ghost.

I blinked at him, confused. "Yeah, I'm fine? Thanks for getting me out of there. I know you guys would've been devastated if I was gone." I tried to lighten the mood, flashing him a quick smile.

Elias didn't laugh. Instead, he took a step back, his gaze darting over me like I'd grown a second head.

Rude.

"Ah, the wound freaked you out, huh?" I raised my bandaged hand and gave it a little wave. "Don't worry. It stings a bit, but I'm fine."

He didn't reply, his expression still unnerving as I walked past him toward the kitchen.

There, Dominic and Marcus sat at the table, sharing a drink of whatever cheap liquor they'd managed to scrounge up. The sight was almost comforting—normal, even.

"Hey," I called out, leaning casually against the counter. "Sorry for all the trouble back in the cave. Glad I'm well, though, right? I know you two would've been absolutely crushed without me around."

I grinned, expecting Dominic to toss some snarky comeback my way or for Marcus to roll his eyes. Instead, both men froze.

Their eyes widened in unison, and they leaned back instinctively, like I'd suddenly become something to be afraid of.

"Seriously, what's with you guys?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Did I get an ugly scar or something? A rock to the face? Is that it?"

I reached up, running my hand over my cheek. No scar. No pain. No gaping hole where my face should've been.

"W… What is that?" Marcus stammered, his voice shaky and weak.

He raised a trembling finger, pointing past me to something behind my back.

I sighed. "Oh, come on. Is this one of Dominic's stupid pranks? Really?" I turned around, already preparing to scold them for being so childish.

But what I saw made the words die in my throat.

Emerging from a glowing pentagram in the empty air next to me was a hand—smooth, pink, and eerily human-like. It reached forward with deliberate slowness, its fingers curling and uncurling as if testing the air.

The room felt suffocatingly silent as I stared, unable to look away.