Starlight Chronicles: Rise to Hollywood

He gasped, clutching his chest as air rushed into his lungs like he'd been drowning moments before. His heart pounded against his ribs, a wild, erratic beat that reminded him he was, inexplicably, alive. 

Ethan's hands trembled as he felt the coarse fabric of his mattress beneath him, the faint smell of mildew and desperation still clinging to the air of his dingy apartment.

"What the hell…" he whispered, sitting up with a groan.

His body ached, his head throbbed like someone had used it as a drum, and yet he was… back. Alive. It didn't make any sense. He touched his forehead, half-expecting to find a fracture or blood, but there was nothing. Not a scratch.

[Host resurrection complete.]

The monotone voice boomed in his mind again, making him flinch. He glared at the ceiling, as if the source of his torment was hiding in the water stains above.

"What the hell was that?!" Ethan snapped, his voice cracking. "You can't just kill me and bring me back like I'm some kind of puppet!"

[Correction: You killed yourself by accident. I merely ensured your existence persisted. Consider this an upgrade, not a punishment.]

"Oh, great," Ethan muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "So I'm alive, broke, in debt, and now I have to what? Audition for a role before you decide to delete yourself and leave me to rot?"

[Precisely. Time is of the essence, Host. I have synchronized with your current timeline. You have 24 hours to secure a role. Failure will result in immediate deactivation of the Entertainment Mastery System.]

Ethan groaned, throwing his head back. "This is the worst kind of afterlife ever."

[Incorrect. You are not dead, Host. You have merely been given another chance. Utilize it wisely. Shall we proceed to your first spin?]

"Spin? What spin?"

A glowing wheel appeared before him, its sections labeled with phrases like Skill Boost, Persona Upgrade, and Wildcard Role. Ethan's eyebrows shot up.

"This really is a mobile game," he muttered, rubbing his temples.

[Spin now to unlock your first bonus. Do not delay.]

Ethan sighed, reaching out toward the wheel. "Fine. Let's get this over with." He gave it a half-hearted spin, the wheel clinking loudly as it turned, his future—or lack thereof—about to be decided.

Before his eyes the wheel rolls, he really couldn't tell what was what in the wheel, then it finally stopped at one point. 

[Destined Spotlight]

Description: This ability grants Ethan a preordained opportunity to audition for one role in up to three different projects that align with his current skill level and persona. Even without his agent's involvement or prior knowledge of the casting call, the System ensures he becomes a contender for these roles. However, Ethan must carefully choose one role to pursue, as his decision will shape his growth and career trajectory.

Ethan squinted his eyes. "For some reason this ability sounds like a rip-off."

[Nonsense. Everything the system offers are top-notch in more than 560 million different realms]

"What about the remaining realms?"

"…."

"How do I even choose the script? Do I just wish for a script to life?"

[it seems the host neglected to read the descriptions. Analyzing scripts…. Analyzing…. Script analyzed.]

Movie 1: "A Love Remembered"

Genre: Emotional Romance Drama

Premise:

When Henry Lawson, a grieving widower, loses his wife in a tragic accident, he retreats into himself, unable to move forward. His only solace comes from visits to his late wife's sister, Clara, who secretly battles her own guilt and growing feelings for him. Encouraged by her quiet office friend, Elliot Parks, Clara takes a leap of faith to open her heart to Henry, leading to an emotional confrontation about grief, guilt, and second chances at love.

Role: Extra – Elliot Parks

Host's character is Clara's quiet but observant office friend. Elliot's brief but powerful monologue about losing his fiancée to suicide inspires Clara to act on her feelings for Henry, making him the story's emotional catalyst.

Movie 2: "Through the Glass"

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Premise:

Journalist Emily Hart begins investigating the mysterious death of a tech mogul whose final invention, a virtual reality headset called "VisionGate," supposedly allows users to glimpse alternate realities. As she delves deeper, Emily discovers unsettling truths about the headset and becomes entangled in a web of conspiracy and paranoia. The lines between reality and illusion blur as Emily struggles to uncover the truth before she loses herself entirely.

Role: Extra – Barista

Host's role is a minor but visually memorable one. He plays a café barista who serves Emily while she pores over documents and news clippings. His brief, cryptic comment about "believing what you see" plants a subtle seed of doubt in her mind and hints at the larger mystery.

Movie 3: "The Last Serenade"

Genre: Musical Drama

Premise:

Set in the 1950s, the story follows Mary-Anne, a struggling jazz singer who finds herself caught between her ambition to become a star and her loyalty to her family. When she's offered the opportunity of a lifetime—a contract with a famous jazz label—it comes at the cost of leaving behind her blind younger brother, Jack, who has been her anchor and inspiration. As Mary-Anne navigates the cutthroat music industry, she learns the true meaning of sacrifice, love, and finding her voice.

Role: Extra – Audience Member

Host plays a somber audience member at one of Mary-Anne's early gigs. During her emotional performance of "The Last Serenade," the camera briefly focuses on host's character, his teary-eyed reaction reflecting the deep emotional resonance of her song and helping establish her impact as a singer.

Movie 4: "Echoes of Eden"

Genre: Sci-Fi Adventure

Premise:

In a dystopian future where Earth's natural resources are nearly depleted, a team of explorers ventures to a newly discovered planet, Eden, believed to be humanity's last hope. As they navigate the planet's lush but dangerous environment, they uncover remnants of a lost civilization—and a startling secret about their mission that could change humanity's fate forever.

Role: Small Supporting Role – Junior Engineer Marcus

Host plays Marcus, a rookie engineer on the expedition team. Though shy and inexperienced, Marcus becomes pivotal in a tense moment when he notices a critical anomaly in the ship's systems that saves the team from a deadly crash.

"All these roles are extras, are you sure this ability isn't a rip-off?"

"…."

[One minute left for host to choose before scripts terminates]

"Alright, alright, so testy."

Ethan stared at the floating scripts, his mind running a mile a minute. "Alright, four choices. Let's do this. No pressure or anything, just my whole future on the line," he muttered. He dragged his fingers through his hair, then leaned forward, studying each premise like his life depended on it—because it did.

His eyes landed on A Love Remembered. "Emotional romance drama. Henry, Clara, dead wife, second chances… and I'm Elliot, the office friend who gives one speech and changes everything. Okay, so it's a small role, but it's meaningful. That monologue about my fiancée's suicide? That's heavy stuff. If I pull it off, people will feel something. Directors love actors who can deliver emotional weight, right? And romance dramas have staying power. People watch those for decades. Could be my foot in the door."

Next was Through the Glass. "Psychological thriller. Okay, interesting premise. VR headset, alternate realities, tech mogul's death. And my role is… a barista?" He frowned. "I mean, sure, cryptic lines are cool, but my big moment is handing someone a cappuccino? Even if I nail it, it's a blink-and-you-miss-it role. Plus, thrillers like this are hit or miss. If it flops, I'm just the guy who made a creepy coffee pun."

Then The Last Serenade. "Musical drama set in the '50s. Jazz, ambition, family sacrifice. Sounds powerful. But I'm just an audience member? My claim to fame would be crying in the crowd during a song? Yeah, no. Even if I give the best crying face of my life, nobody's going to remember me. I need something where I can at least speak."

Finally, Echoes of Eden. "Sci-fi adventure. Shy engineer notices something, saves the team. Okay, that's a decent role. But sci-fi's tricky. If the movie's a hit, great. If not, I'm just 'that guy who spotted the malfunction.' Plus, engineers are… technical. I'd need to make him memorable somehow. But in a cast full of astronauts and explorers, I'll probably get overshadowed."

He leaned back, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Okay, think. What's the smart move?"

His eyes returned to A Love Remembered. "This one feels right. It's emotional, grounded, and has universal appeal. Elliot's role might be small, but it's pivotal. If I deliver that monologue right, I could really stand out. It's not just about screen time—it's about impact. And romance dramas? Those stick with people. It's the safe, steady choice to build a foundation."

Decision made, he straightened up. "Alright. Let's go with Elliot."

[Choice confirmed: A Love Remembered. Role: Elliot Parks.]

As the other scripts faded away, Ethan let out a shaky breath. "Hope I made the right call. Time to make them cry—and remember me for it."

He hadn't gotten a chance to even recollect his thoughts before a ringing sound started.

"Eh?" Ethan scratched his head before looking around and then spotting his ringing phone by the corner of his bed.

The moment he picked the call, he was bombarded by his very eager best friend.

"Ethan! Dude! You're not gonna believe it!" Riley's voice practically exploded through the phone, making Ethan flinch. "I just heard about a massive casting call. Like, seriously massive! I think you need to go for it. This could be your big break!"

Ethan rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up properly. "Wait, wait. Slow down. What are you talking about? And how the hell do you know about it? Did you get your hands on some Hollywood insider information again?"

Riley laughed like he was the king of secrets. "No, no, man. It's not insider info. I've got your back. The universe aligned, bro. You're getting an audition for A Love Remembered. Don't tell me that doesn't ring a bell?"

Ethan blinked, the phone now feeling heavier in his hand. He glanced at the glowing notification on his phone screen: Casting Call: A Love Remembered—Role: Elliot Parks. His heart skipped a beat.

"No way," he muttered under his breath. "I just… picked that one."

"No kidding! You're on the radar, dude. I can feel it! And guess what? You're already in the running. The casting director's already seen your stuff, or… well, they've heard about you from a couple of your lucky roles."

Ethan's brain was struggling to process the madness of it all. "Wait, wait. So, this is real? No one's messing with me? I've got a shot at this role?"

Riley's voice lowered to a mock-serious tone. "Oh yeah. You're basically on the express train to success, my friend. They're gonna love you. You've got the chops, the emotional depth—just give 'em your all when you walk into that audition room."

Ethan paced back and forth, trying to make sense of everything. This was exactly what he'd wanted but never expected to fall into his lap like this. "Okay, okay. This is big… but why me? I haven't done anything that stands out. You know that."

Riley snorted. "Man, you're Ethan—you've been through hell and back, and your resume might be short, but your heart's bigger than most people's. That's what'll make you stand out. Trust me on this. When you drop that monologue about your fiancée, people are gonna feel it in their bones."

Ethan felt a small, gnawing sense of panic in his stomach. He hadn't really rehearsed for something like this, hadn't even fully grasped how to approach it. "I've got to do what? No pressure, right?"

Riley didn't skip a beat. "The best part? You don't have to do this alone. I'm coming with you. I'll be your moral support, your back-up hype man. We're in this together. You just need to show them you've got the raw emotion they're looking for. And I know you do."

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, thinking hard. He knew Riley was right. If there was a role he could make his own, it was this one. But that monologue—the one about the tragedy and grief—wasn't just any line. It was everything. It had the potential to make or break him.

"You're not wrong," Ethan admitted, his voice steadying a little. "Alright, let's do this. Let's make this moment count."

"That's the spirit!" Riley cheered, practically jumping through the phone. "Alright, let's get you ready. I'll pick you up in an hour. We're gonna ace this, man. I'm telling you—this is your moment."

As Riley's voice faded off with excitement, Ethan stood still for a moment. His mind raced, but one thing became clear. This wasn't just some random role. This was his shot—his real chance to change everything. He had no choice but to take it.

A soft hum filled the air, reminding him of the system's silent presence. The words echoed in his mind:

[Host has made his selection. Your journey begins now. You have 22 hours left to get a role]

Ethan exhaled, letting the weight of it all settle on his shoulders. "Let's make them remember me."

The audition was waiting. And this time, he would make sure that when they saw him, they couldn't look away.

"I can't believe this system…. You really are real," Ethan said, as if just seeing the manifestations of the system in real life was finally enough proof that he wasn't simply crazy.