THE JOURNEY BEGINS
I was climbing a steep hill where my eyes could see no trees, no plants, not even a patch of green grass.
All around me was nothing but a vast, black, dark rock, as if the hill itself was carved from shadow.
The bright sun above blazed in a dry, pale-blue sky, seeming much farther away than usual.
I felt tired and thirsty; the heat was unbearable.
My backpack weighed heavily on my shoulders — it felt as though it was filled with tons of stones.
Alas…!
I reached the top, only to find that the hilltop curved like the edge of an egg.
There was no flat ground, no water, no sign of life.
No shade to shield me from the burning sun above and the scorching black rock below.
My legs found no rest. I pushed myself forward, down the far side of the hill.
Hurrah…!
On my right stood an ancient pavilion; opposite it, a small fort.
Both seemed centuries old, untouched by any human presence for ages.
A thick cloud hovered above the pavilion, shaped like a beautiful floating crown.
I was drawn to the pleasant shadows beneath it and rushed toward them for shelter.
But then, from within the clouds, a loud roar erupted.
The cloud darkened, thickened, and swirled, as if alive.
The path down the hill began to crack open, like the shell of a hatching egg.
From within the ancient fort came the sound of a violent bombardment — something inside was trying to break free.
The temperature rose so sharply that my body sweated, yet no drop reached the ground.
One edge of the pavilion began to melt; the hard rock pillars softened and dripped, burning everything they touched.
From the heart of the fort, a massive sphere of heat burst upward.
I turned to flee down the hill — but there was nowhere left to go.
Desperately, I ran to the far side of the pavilion, hoping to shield myself from the lava erupting nearby.
The clouds above turned red and exploded, yet caused no destruction.
I crouched behind a pillar, barely able to shield my head.
Small, burning fragments of lava struck my legs.
Yet I felt no pain.
No fear.
No exhaustion.
Not even the heat.
My thoughts stopped.
I accepted that I was about to burn to death.
A giant wave of lava loomed overhead, ready to engulf me.
And then — everything paused.
The world froze.
The air turned cold.
I looked down and saw my legs still burning.
That same thunderous voice echoed again:
"You are the only one left on this earth now. You can either die here, or walk away… to live alone."
I turned my gaze in all directions — there was nothing but endless lava.
"Can I die here, and give my soul freedom to live?" I asked.
"I would rather die than live alone with all my memories."
The voice answered, "Yes."
And so, the giant wave crashed over me.
I burned to death.
But my soul rose high, freed at last.
It began its journey in search of the one it loved —
the one it never wished to leave behind.
A Note of Thanks
This story is a work of fiction, born from moments of silence, imagination, and the sparks of inspiration that life often whispers in hidden ways.
I am deeply grateful to those who have inspired me — through their words, art, presence, and spirit — to let my thoughts flow into this tale.
Without that inspiration, these pages would have remained unwritten.