The night was quiet. Not peaceful—just quiet. Like something was holding its breath.
Above the clouds, the sky looked like it was hiding something. Stars were missing. The moon had turned dull, as if it was tired of shining. A cool wind moved across the trees, but even the leaves didn't make a sound.
In a small village, deep inside the biggest realm, a woman was lying on a floor made of stone. Her hands were holding her stomach tightly. She was in pain. Not normal pain—this felt different. Like something inside her wanted to come out too early.
She had been alone for hours. No midwife, no healer. Just her. And her breathing was slow… almost fading.
But she didn't scream.
She just kept whispering, "Hold on, baby. Just hold on."
Outside her small house, people were gathered. No one dared to go in. Some looked scared. Others were praying. A few old men were arguing with the village chief.
One of them said, "It's happening again. Like last time."
Another replied, "No. This time it's worse. The sky is different."
The chief looked at the house. Then at the sky. Then back at the house.
He said, "Let him be born. We'll decide what to do after."
No one spoke after that.
Inside, the woman let out a deep breath. And then…
Silence.
Then a sound. A baby's cry.
It wasn't loud. It wasn't sharp.
It was deep. Heavy.
Like the world itself had just heard it.
The baby didn't cry again.
He opened his eyes. Wide. Calm. And still.
He looked around, not like a newborn… but like someone who had seen this world before.
His mother smiled.
She touched his cheek.
Then she whispered one last time,
"You're not normal… are you?"
And her hand fell.
The baby kept looking at the roof.
He didn't blink.
The wind outside stopped.
Somewhere, far away, in one of the seven realms, a man in golden armor turned his head and whispered,"Another one is born."
But no one heard him.
Except the shadows.
And they moved.
End of Chapter 1