As Ace stepped onto the sixteenth step, a sudden wave of dizziness hit him like a crashing tide. His consciousness began to fade, slipping away from the tower and its stairs.
That one single step, it felt monumental, as if he had just crossed a threshold no man was meant to cross.
When he forced his eyes open again, the world had changed.
No, this wasn't the familiar tower anymore. It was... still familiar, but in other ways.
He was standing in front of his old house—the one from his past life.
The cracked wooden panels, the faint scent of rain on dirt, the air heavy with memories.
He took a hesitant step forward—
Bam!
Something small and solid slammed into his legs. A little girl toppled back, wide-eyed and startled.
Before he could react, another child—a boy, just about her age—rushed over.
A toy truck slipped from his grasp and hit the ground with a dull clack. One of its tires broke off, spinning slightly before stopping.
