Lucian Grayson's fingers danced across the keyboard, the final lines of code for his project snapping into place like the last piece of a puzzle.His phone buzzed, and a message from Alex lit up the screen: "Last one to submit the project buys lunch tomorrow."
Lucian smirked, his eyes glinting under the dim glow of his monitor. "Free lunch it is," he muttered, zipping his project files. Ten minutes to spare—he wasn't about to lose this bet. College was a relentless grind of assignments, deadlines, and exams, leaving little room for anything else. Gaming, his true passion, had been relegated to stolen moments between study sessions. Engineering wasn't even his choice; it was his parents' dream and he was a victim of it. He'd wanted to be a pro gamer, but dreams didn't pay the bills.
As he packed his laptop into his worn-out backpack, his best friend Pricila leaned against the dorm's door frame, her arms crossed. "You're burning out, Lucian. At this rate, you'll crash before you even see that degree."
He flashed a crooked grin, slinging the bag over his shoulder. "I'll survive. Always do."
The rain was torrential when Lucian reached his tiny apartment at midnight. He kicked off his sneakers, tossed his bag onto the sagging couch, and collapsed onto his bed. The storm outside roared, thunder rumbling like a distant beast. Lucian had always found comfort in the rain, its gentle drumming turning the world into a dreamlike scene. He shut his eyes, letting the soft rhythm of the rain pull him into sleep.
A dry throat woke him at midnight. Groaning, he shuffled toward the kitchen for a glass of water. His apartment was a shoebox—bedroom, bathroom, and a cramped living space.Two doors, that's all there'd ever been.
Until tonight.
Lucian froze, the glass slipping from his fingers and shattering on the tile. At the far end of the kitchen stood a third door. Massive,its surface carved unsettling creatures—serpents,beasts.It loomed where no door should be. The wood trembled, as if something monstrous on the other side was clawing to get in.
His chest thumped like a war drum. "This isn't real," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the storm. "It can't be."
Every instinct screamed to run, to lock himself in his bedroom and pretend this was a nightmare. But curiosity, that reckless spark that had always gotten him into trouble, pulled him closer. "What is this, a horror movie setup?" he muttered, forcing a shaky laugh. "Ghosts aren't real. Not in 2025."
He reached out, his hand trembling. The door stilled, its vibrations ceasing as if it sensed his presence. Before he could rethink it, the door swung open with a groan.
A thick, heavy darkness poured into the room, choking the air. A cold force tugged Lucian forward, like unseen hands pulling him toward the door. He tripped, the world spinning as gravity flipped him upside down. The door slammed shut behind him, and he fell endlessly through a pitch-black void.
Light exploded around him.
Lucian landed hard on a stone floor, his knees buckling. Torches flickered along rough walls, casting shadows. Beneath his sneakers, a glowing summoning circle pulsed with crimson light.
He blinked, his mind scrambling to process the impossible. This wasn't his apartment. This wasn't even his world.
Before him stood a cluster of robed figures, their faces pale with terror. An old man, frail and trembling, stepped forward, his voice cracking. "This… this is impossible! The ritual—it failed!"
The others whispered frantically, their hooded eyes darting between Lucian and the circle. "We summoned the wrong entity!" one hissed. "This is no champion!"
Lucian's brows furrowed. "Uh, what the hell is going on?" he demanded, his voice sharper than he felt. Was this some hyper-realistic VR prank? But the cold stone under his feet, the acrid smell of burning herbs—it was too vivid, too real.
The old man raised his hands, his voice quivering. "Forgive us.We meant no harm!"
Lucian,baffled. "Did I just get isekai'd?"
Before he could process further, a commanding voice cut through the chaos. "Silence!"
A knight in gleaming white armor strode into the chamber, his presence radiating authority. His piercing blue eyes locked onto Lucian. "You were summoned by royal decree," he declared, his tone cold as steel.
Lucian's mind raced. Medieval knights? Summoning rituals? He wasn't some overpowered protagonist with a glowing sword or cheat-code magic. He was just a college kid who sucked at engineering and missed gaming. "Look, buddy," he said, forcing calm into his voice, "I don't know what's happening, but I'm not your guy."
The knight's expression didn't waver. He raised a gauntleted hand, pointing at Lucian. "Guards, seize him."
Instinct kicked in.Lucian dashed, but he was too slow.Something sharp—a blade?slammed into his back. He gasped, collapsing as his legs gave out.
"Is this it?" he rasped, his fingers clawing at the cold floor. Blood pooled beneath him, warm and sticky. He hadn't even figured out where he was, hadn't gotten a chance to fight back. His vision blurred, the world fading to black.
When Lucian opened his eyes—or thought he did—everything had changed. The pain was gone. The blood, the stone, the weight of his body—all gone. He was weightless, floating above the chamber. Below him, his own corpse lay sprawled in a crimson pool, lifeless.
He was a soul.