Chương 2: Chapter 1: A New Dawn

Thalion Walker awoke as the first rays of sunlight pierced through his thin curtains. He glanced briefly at the clock. It was 5: 30 AM. Rising early had become second nature to him, and he cherished the quiet hours of the morning. Truth be told, he had little choice; rent didn't pay itself. His job as a marine biologist earned him just enough to cover the essentials. That's why Thalion and his two closest friends, Markus and Riley, made the most of the early hours to go spearfishing.

After all, why spend money on fish at the market when you could catch it yourself? With a quiet sigh, he swung his legs out of bed. The old wooden floor creaked beneath his feet, and the cool morning air felt refreshing. His apartment was small, but sufficient: a bed, a tiny wardrobe, and a desk where his laptop sat. This was his world. Sure, he didn't make much money, but it was enough to get by. Family? Thalion had none, at least none that were still in his life.

The loneliness sometimes crept in more than he'd care to admit, but solitude was something he had learned to live with. He dressed himself quickly in shorts and a T-shirt that smelled faintly of salt and sea. A glance in the mirror showed his short dark hair sticking out at odd angles, and small rings beneath his blue eyes. Last night's workout had drained him, but that's exactly what he needed. It helped clear his mind. As he stepped outside, the crisp sea air greeted him, invigorating his senses.

On his way to the harbor, he enjoyed the peacefulness of the still-sleeping city. Large crowds and noisy conversations were not his thing. Thalion preferred to think in silence, to organize his thoughts without distraction. At the harbor, Thalion spotted them already by the boat. Markus raised a hand in greeting, calling out, "Hey, Thalion! All good?" Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Thalion smirked.

"Better than you, by the looks of it. You seem like you haven't slept at all." Markus chuckled and shrugged.

"You got me, man. Couldn't get a wink of sleep all night."

"Not surprising, considering how much you drank last night," Riley chimed in, shaking her head.

"Not my fault," Markus protested.

"The beer was just too good."

"You forgot about the cute waitress who kept refilling your glass," Thalion teased with a laugh.

"Anyway, we better hurry. Mike said he needs the boat back by 9 AM."

"Alright, let's get moving," Riley said, as she stashed her diving gear. With a nod of agreement, the three set to work, preparing the boat and casting off. The morning sun slowly climbed higher as they headed out to open sea.

"We're here," Markus announced after a while.

"I swear, if we catch another tuna today, I'm gonna lose it."

"Don't jinx it!" Thalion and Riley responded in unison, rolling their eyes.

"Every time you say that we go home empty-handed."

"Alright, alright! Didn't say anything," Markus said defensively. Thalion slipped on his diving mask and fins, grabbed the spear gun, and slowly eased into the water, Markus right behind him. Riley stayed aboard for now, they'd rotate in thirty minutes. The water was clear and refreshingly cold, just how Thalion liked it. He signaled to Markus that he was diving deeper, took a deep breath, and descended. His target was a small school of mahi mahi, about 50 centimeters long, swimming 30 meters below the surface.

Gliding downward with slow, deliberate movements, he closed in until he was within three meters of his prey. He raised the spear gun, aimed, and fired. A perfect shot, right behind the fish's eyes. It was dead instantly. Thalion allowed himself a moment of internal triumph; normally, it took several dives to land a first catch. As he reeled the fish in and prepared to surface, he couldn't help but grin when he saw Markus doing underwater jumping jacks in celebration.

But then, without warning, the water around him turned a deep crimson red. Golden symbols began to glow all around them. Markus froze mid-movement and threw Thalion a questioning look. Before Thalion could respond, a deafening voice thundered inside his head: SYSTEM INTEGRATION COMPLETE. PREPARE. And just like that, everything went black.