novelnext Chapter 1: 1. It’s never too late
Chapter 1: 1. It’s never too late
Chapter 1: 1. It's never too late
'It's never too late.'
The saying was firmly established in the beliefs of all, unanimously agreed upon without any doubt.
It provided a source of hope for those who had stumbled, those who had not yet reached their goals, and those in search of meaning in their lives.
Because it was a fact: there is always the opportunity to chase after one's dreams—no matter what they are. Just one first step was needed to start a series of events that would bring everything together, leading to eventual success.
That was the shared conviction.
That's what Orion used to believe in, at least.
***
In a room of a ten-story building, a bed was placed with its bed sheets tucked in a corner.
A messy table was close by, its top covered with a disorganized mix of books, some open, others piled randomly, each narrating a different tale.
Nevertheless, it was the floor that really drew the eye. Littered all over it like fallen leaves were empty chip packets and crumpled snack wrappers, indicating the occupant's indulgence or possible distraction.
A man in his thirties sat at the opposite side of the room, his face depicting worry as he focused closely on the computer screen in front of him.
His hair was plain black, uncombed, and he had faint dark circles under his eyes, showing he was tired from the current pressures.
Completely absorbed in what he was doing, his fingers moved swiftly over the keys, filling the room with the rhythmic sound of typing.
After a while, he paused, his gaze fixated on the monitor before him, his mind fully absorbed in the task at hand.
"The cut-off marks have finally arrived."
He was drawn to the screen by the link leading to the page containing the list of passing exam candidates and cut-off marks.
As he hesitated and hovered over the link to the exam results, he felt a surge of emotions.
It wasn't the fear of not succeeding that prevented him from moving forward, but a much more sinister anticipation.
This was Orion's last chance for redemption—his final opportunity. One more failure would signal the conclusion of his journey, determining his destiny in a manner he feared to consider.
A 30-year-old man was unable to keep taking exams, signaling the start of his problems. His family's savings were all used up after a tragic accident, leaving him with zero funds.
In addition to his troubles, he had taken a loan from the landowner to pay for his exam expenses. If he did not succeed this time, the repercussions would be much worse than just failing academically.
"But why is—"
Orion's voice got stuck in his throat, his sentence left hanging as an intense pain tore through his chest. With one last, painful breath, his heart, already beating rapidly, succumbed to the intense pressure.
Suddenly, everything around him turned into a red blur as blood flowed from his broken heart, gathering in a grim scene of closure.
His head bowed down onto the desk while the remaining shreds of awareness faded away, enveloped by encroaching darkness.
Orion's journey was abruptly and prematurely cut short in that tragic moment, leaving only the resounding silence of his unfulfilled dreams.
***
"What happened?"
A scream sounded in a quiet and gloomy place.
The cry came from a teenage boy of fifteen, with messy black hair and a dusty face. His garments looked like they hadn't been cleaned in a while, and he had the overall look of a beggar.
'Where am I? I was just thinking about why my heartbeat increased so fast, and suddenly I am here.'
The kid, or rather Orion, pondered his situation. As he surveyed his surroundings, he was struck by an even more shocking sight.
Fourteen kids, ranging from fifteen to twenty years old, surrounded him in a comparable situation. The cruelest part was that they were all chained, with their hands and legs bound, and attached to a wall.
"What is this place?"
The children responded to his question by remaining silent and staring at him strangely, giving no answer.
Ignoring them, Orion tried to stand up from his seat but soon discovered he couldn't. Attempting to rise, he faced the sound of chains clinking in response to his unseen struggles.
Puzzled, he looked down and suddenly realized his situation was similar to the other children, all trapped here by the same chains.
However, what really surprised him was not the incident itself, but rather the fact that he was also a child like them.
'I am a kid! How is this possible?'
The revelation shocked him and yet another thought soon crossed his mind.
'Have I transmigrated into this kid?'
This was the only scenario in which he could imagine himself reverting to a childlike state.