chapter 1- The Ordinary End

Chapter 1 – The Ordinary End

A pale white glow filled the room, illuminating scattered notebooks, half-finished essays, and the faint steam rising from a forgotten mug of instant coffee.

At the desk sat a fifteen-year-old boy, hunched over his computer screen.

His brown eyes traced line after line of glowing text on a web novel forum, utterly absorbed in the story unfolding before him — another tale from the Fate universe.

His name was Ashton.

Among his classmates, Ashton was often teased as a nerd — a “smart ass” who spent more time with history books and fantasy novels than he ever did with sports or parties.

To most, he was an outsider, too quiet, too curious about things no one else cared for. But Ashton didn’t mind.

To him, stories of kings, heroes, and ancient wars were far more interesting than the shallow chatter of school life.

The idea of heroes who could defy gods, or kings who carried their people’s hopes, stirred something in him. He often wondered what he would do if given such power — if he, too, could stand on the battlefield of history.

With a sigh, Ashton leaned back, stretching his arms over his head. His chair creaked dangerously, and he muttered, “Man… my back’s killing me.” He stood, rubbing the soreness from his shoulders, and shuffled into the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, he emerged freshly washed, droplets still clinging to his hair.

He slipped into his favorite red hoodie, worn soft from countless washes, and pulled on a pair of black pants. His reflection in the darkened window looked back at him — thin, slightly pale, with eyes that seemed older than his years.

He pocketed his worn wallet from the desk, the leather frayed at the edges, then unlocked the door.

A wave of cool air greeted him. The street outside was already swallowed by night, the flicker of a broken lamppost casting uneven shadows across the road.

“Wow… it’s dark already,” he murmured, locking the door behind him. His sneakers tapped softly against the pavement as he walked toward the local convenience store, hands buried in his pockets.

The warm hum of fluorescent lights welcomed him when he stepped inside. The store was nearly empty, just the soft buzz of the refrigerator units and the faint music playing from the radio behind the counter.

Ashton headed straight to the meat section, his eyes narrowing at the price tags.

“Damn… beef’s expensive today,” he thought with a grimace. His wallet didn’t hold much, and every purchase mattered.

At the counter, the clerk — a familiar face from countless late-night visits — looked up and smiled warmly. “Ashton! Don’t worry, I’ll give you a special offer today.”

Ashton chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “Then I’ll gladly accept,” he said, returning the smile. He paid, waved goodbye, and stepped back into the night with a small bag of groceries in hand.

Outside, he slipped on his headphones, letting his favorite song fill his ears as he strolled down the dimly lit street.

The world felt calmer with music, the rhythm matching the steady swing of the bag at his side. For a moment, everything seemed peaceful, almost perfect.

He was halfway across the road when he noticed it — two blinding lights rushing toward him, faster than his brain could process.

Honk! Screech!

The roar of an engine, the screech of tires, and then — impact.

His body was flung violently against a nearby wall, the bag of groceries bursting open, eggs cracking, vegetables scattering across the asphalt.

Blood pooled, staining the concrete. His vision blurred, the sound of his music fading into broken static.

Truck… kun?

The absurd thought slipped into his mind, a final spark of humor as the darkness closed in.

A single tear traced down his broken cheek as the darkness closed in.

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