My name is Jason Steelborn. I never use my full name—it sounds ridiculous. My classmates used to mock me:

"Steelborn? What are you, born from steel?"

That's why I use my nickname "Jace".

I live alone . My father walked out on us when I was just a kid, and my mother… she died in a car accident. At first, it crushed me. The kind of pain that doesn’t fade, just dulls with time. But years have passed, and now? It doesn’t bother me as much.

My life is simple. Peaceful.

Every morning, I wake up, go to school, and get through the day. I’m not bad at studying, just average. But I’m decent at sports, which earns me a bit of recognition—not that I care. I don’t pay much attention to my classmates, but Rihanna Kensington is different.

She’s confident, intelligent, and admired by everyone. The class-rep and the top student. But whenever she sees me, something shifts in her expression. That usual sharp confidence fades, replaced by something else—guilt. Her gaze flinches away from mine, her lips press together like she wants to say something but can’t.

I notice things like that. People call it intuition. I call it knowing how to read a face.

After school, I work part-time at Jessica’s Grocery Store. She was a close friend of my mother. When Mom passed, Jessica took me in, gave me a job, and looked out for me. I owe her more than I can say.

At the Grocery Store

"Hey, Jace! How was school today?" Jessica greets me with her usual energy.

"The same as always," I reply.

"Why am I not surprised?" she smirks. "Well, are you ready to work?"

"Yeah."

The shift is routine—stocking shelves, helping customers, handling the register. It’s predictable. And I like that.

When I get home, I take a hot bath, letting the heat soak into my muscles. It’s one of the few moments of the day where I truly relax. Then, I cook, eat, study a little, and go to bed.

It’s a quiet life. A peaceful life. A perfect life.

Or at least, it should be.

But there’s something missing—a gap I can’t fill, no matter how hard I try. A feeling like something is reaching for me but can’t quite touch me.

And then came that day.

A Shift in Fate

I wake up to an odd pain in my chest. Not sharp, not unbearable. Just... strange. Like something is growing inside me.

I ignore it and head to school.

That’s when Rihanna Kensington does something she’s never done before.

She approaches me.

Her hands tremble slightly. Her usually composed expression is laced with hesitation.

"I always wanted to tell him, but I never had the courage. But today… today I have to. If I don’t, I may never get another chance. And this pain in my chest… something is growing."

"Jace, I need to talk to you."

I blink, caught off guard. "Okay… then talk."

She shakes her head. "Not here. It’s not the right place."

"Then where?"

"Meet me on the rooftop after school."

And just like that, she turns and walks away.

I’ve always had this feeling—that she wanted to tell me something. I just never expected her to be so… nervous about it.

After school, I head to the rooftop. But no one is there.

Figures.

Why tell me to meet her if she wasn’t going to show up? Guess I’ll never understand girls.

I shake my head and head to work.

To be continued....

At Jessica’s Grocery Store

"Hey, Jace! What took you so long?" Jessica asks, arms crossed.

"Something came up," I say.

She narrows her eyes. "Oh, come on. You know you can tell me."

So, I do.

She listens, nodding, then smirks. "I know exactly what’s going on."

I frown. "You do?"

"Yep."

"Then tell me."

She grins. "Oh, you clueless boys. It’s romance."

I stare. "Romance?"

"She was going to confess to you."

I scoff. "I doubt that."

Jessica just shrugs. "Believe what you want. Anyway, forget that for a second—I have something for you."

She pulls out a small birthday cake with the number 17 written on it.

"Happy birthday, Jace. You’re seventeen today."

I freeze. "Oh. Right. I forgot."

Jessica smirks. "Of course you did. Lucky for you, I’m the smartest person alive."

I snort. "Remembering my birthday doesn’t prove you’re a genius."

"Pfft, you’re just jealous of my intelligence."

"Whatever. Thanks, Jessica."

We both laughed.

After celebrating my birthday at Jessica’s store, I head home.

I step inside, lock the door behind me, and let out a deep breath. The house is silent.

After taking a hot shower, I throw on a t-shirt and head to the kitchen to fix something to eat. But before I can open the fridge—

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rings.

I freeze.

No one ever visits me this late.

I walk to the door and pull it open.

Standing there, panting heavily, sweat trailing down her face, is Rihanna Kensington.

Her uniform is slightly disheveled, her hair clinging to her forehead, and her eyes are frantic—like she ran all the way here.

"Rihanna?" My brows furrow. "What are you doing here?"

She doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she struggles to catch her breath, clutching her chest like something is weighing her down.

"I'm… sorry," she finally says between gasps. "I didn't come to the rooftop… I was sick… but I had to see you tonight."

Something about her voice makes my stomach tighten. There’s urgency—desperation.

I step aside. "Come in. You need to sit down."

She nods weakly and steps in, her legs slightly unsteady. I guide her to the couch and pour her a glass of water. She takes a sip, her fingers trembling as she grips the glass.

Then, she looks at me—really looks at me.

There’s something in her eyes. Something she’s been holding back for a long time.

"I always wanted to tell you," she says softly. "But I was afraid… afraid of what you would think of me."

A strange coldness spreads through my chest. "Tell me what?"

She takes a deep breath, then clenches her fists.

"The reason your mother died… is because of me."

The world stops.

Everything feels distant, like the air has been sucked from the room. My mind stutters, refusing to process her words.

"What?" My voice is barely above a whisper. "That’s not true. She was hit by a car… You had nothing to do with it."

Rihanna squeezes her eyes shut, guilt written across every inch of her face. "No, Jace… she died saving me."

My body locks up.

"I was walking my dog that day," she continues, her voice shaking. "He broke free and ran into the street. I chased after him, and I—" She chokes on her words. "I didn’t see the car coming. Your mom… she pushed me out of the way. She saved me… and she took the hit instead."

My fingers curl into fists. "You’re lying."

"I’m not." Tears glisten in her eyes. "I should’ve told you sooner, but I was too much of a coward. I—I didn’t know how to face you. I didn’t know if you’d hate me."

My breathing is uneven. My chest feels like it’s caving in.

For years, I had buried my grief. I thought I had moved forward. I told myself there was nothing I could do, that I had accepted it.

But now?

Now, it’s like a dam has shattered inside me.

All the emotions I suppressed, all the pain I locked away—it all comes rushing out.

My vision blurs. Tears start falling before I even realize it.

"Jace…?" Rihanna’s voice is hesitant.

I don’t respond.

I can’t.

Because suddenly—

A searing pain erupts in my chest.

I clutch my shirt, gasping as heat surges through my veins, like something is trying to rip its way out of me.

And then—a glow fills the room.

I blink through the haze of my tears and—

Rihanna is floating.

Her body is suspended in mid-air, her feet inches off the ground.

A radiant, blinding light pulses from her chest, golden threads of energy swirling around her like gravity has lost its meaning. Her eyes widen in pure shock.

"W-what’s happening to me?!"

The light grows brighter, too bright.

I try to move, but my body feels heavy—no, weightless.

A deep pressure builds inside me, burning, expanding, until it feels like I’m being pulled apart from the inside.

The world around me distorts—walls stretching, shadows flickering, the air trembling like reality itself is cracking.

And then—

A sharp pain strikes through my skull.

My vision darkens.

I feel like I’m falling.

Like my soul is being torn from my body.

And then—

Everything fades to black.

To Be Continued…

A dull ache throbbed in Jace’s head as his eyes fluttered open. His vision blurred, adjusting to the dimly lit room. The scent of lavender filled the air, mingling with the rich aroma of polished wood. Silken curtains swayed gently by the breeze from an open window. Beneath him, an unfamiliar yet incredibly soft mattress cradled his body.

"Where… am I?"

A soft gasp escaped his lips as he shot upright, gripping his head. His chest no longer burned. The pain, the suffocating weight that had crushed him before he lost consciousness was gone. In fact, he felt strangely… lighter. Stronger.

A presence near his bedside caught his attention.

A woman stood beside him, dressed in a pristine black-and-white maid uniform. Her emerald eyes gleamed with a mix of reverence and curiosity, her hands clasped in front of her.

“You are awake, Hero.”

Jace blinked.

"Hero?"

“What—? Hero? Me?” He scoffed. “What’s that supposed to mean? And who the hell are you?”

The woman bowed slightly, her voice calm and composed. “My name is Jessica. I am a maid here.”

Jace exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “You know what? Never mind that. The bigger question is—where the hell am I?”

Jessica’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “Rest assured, Hero. Your questions will be answered soon.”

He didn’t like the way she kept calling him ‘Hero.’ 

“If you say so…” Jace muttered.

“For now, please change into these clothes,” Jessica continued, gesturing toward a neatly folded set of garments on a nearby chair. “Once you’re ready, I will escort you to the main hall.”

Jace glanced at the outfit, then back at her. “Right. Mind giving me some privacy?”

Jessica gave a small nod. “Of course.”

As she stepped outside, closing the door behind her, Jace exhaled and swung his legs over the bed. The floor beneath his feet was cold, yet his body barely registered the chill. Something was different.

He stood, flexing his fingers.

"No pain. No heaviness. Just… lightness."

His eyes shifted to the clothes—an elegant black tunic embroidered with silver thread, paired with sturdy boots and fitted trousers. The fabric felt strange, richer than anything he had ever worn before.

"This isn’t normal. None of this is normal."

His last memory before waking up here was… pain. Rihanna’s confession. That unbearable pressure crushing his chest. Then darkness took over.

"What happened to me?"

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

“Are you done, Sir Hero?”

Jace rolled his eyes. “Give me a minute! And stop calling me ‘Hero.’ My name is Jace. Call me that.”

A soft chuckle came from behind the door. “As you wish, Sir Jace.”

With a sigh, he finished dressing and opened the door. Jessica’s gaze briefly scanned him before offering a small nod of approval.

“You look good, Sir Jace.”

Jace scratched the back of his neck. “Uh… thanks.”

“Now, if you please, follow me.”

He stepped out, his breath catching the moment he laid eyes on the corridor.

Magnificent.

Towering marble pillars lined the grand hallway, adorned with intricate carvings of mythical beasts and heroic figures.Through arched windows, sprawling gardens and glistening fountains .

"This place… it’s like a castle out of a movie."

Jessica glanced at him. “Yes. This is the Royal Palace of Valmoria—the capital city of the Aranthor Kingdom.”

Jace’s brows furrowed. “Wait—what? A palace? And what the hell is Velmoria? I don’t remember any city named that.”

Jessica only smiled. “We have arrived.”

She pushed open the massive double doors before them, revealing an opulent chamber. At the center of the grand hall stood four figures, three of them unfamiliar, but one instantly recognizable.

Jace’s breath hitched.

"No way."

His eyes locked onto her.

Rihanna Kensington.

She turned, eyes widening.

“Jace?”

Before he could react, she ran toward him, throwing her arms around him in a desperate embrace.

“It’s you! You’re alive!” Her voice trembled. “The last time I saw you… you were in so much pain.”

Jace stood frozen, his mind still struggling to process everything.

“Yeah… that’s something I’m still trying to figure out,” he admitted.

To be continued...