Lord Of The Lost

Had it ever existed at all?

It felt like it had simply vanished, carried away by the wind...

"In the end, he really chose this path?"

Gloria stood frozen, a sudden wave of sadness washing over her heart.

"Is this a final goodbye?" she thought, as the weight of her own emotions settled in.

Since she was a child, Gloria had always seen things others couldn't. Strange things. Unseen forces. She wasn't naive, though, she'd stopped believing in fairy tales and Santa Claus long ago.

Those childhood figures she had first seen, blurry and indistinct, she had assumed were just hallucinations. But the moment she focused on one, it came closer, and in a terrifying instant, it grabbed her wrist.

A cold, blue handprint appeared where its fingers had touched her, and everything in her world seemed to shatter. It was like a giant mirror cracking, and through the crack, an eye from another dimension stared right at her.

She could still feel the icy grip of those hands reaching from the gap, pulling her into that other world.

Perhaps she hadn't seen it all clearly when she was young; perhaps she had closed her eyes just in time, but whatever happened, she hadn't been taken.

The experience left her gravely ill. Only her parents' unwavering care, burning incense, praying, watching over her day and night; kept her alive. She might not have survived otherwise.

Now, her vision was clearer, but the chill of that moment, the feeling of falling into a frozen abyss, still haunted her.

Gloria knew the nightmare would always be with her. It would never leave.

In that otherworldly realm, evil spirits roamed freely, ghosts lingering in every shadow. Their world was a mirror to the human one, overlapping in subtle ways like two parallel lines; distinct, yet somehow connected.

But...

Why? Why were these two worlds so close yet so far? Why couldn't they merge, unless something from the outside pushed them together?

Lately, she had noticed strange happenings in Newyork City, unexplained disappearances, a late-night bus with water running down it, things that seemed too strange to ignore. Were they connected to what she had experienced? She didn't know. She truly didn't.

All she knew was that the world she once understood was becoming unrecognizable, slipping further and further from her grasp, and she could only watch helplessly.

"Gloria?" Jackie's voice broke through her thoughts, filled with uncertainty.

Gloria snapped back to reality, pursing her lips. "Nothing, just... I ran into someone I know."

Jackie looked around, puzzled. "You don't look too good. Who did you meet? I didn't see anyone."

Of course, Jackie couldn't see him.

How could she? The figure had no shadow.

The sadness in Gloria's heart deepened. She was always observant, quick to react, and something about the situation felt off.

Some evil spirits didn't just wander aimlessly, they could take on a human form, one that looked indistinguishable from a regular person. If she made a mistake, if she showed even the slightest hint of vulnerability, that spirit would reveal its true, terrifying nature.

She had learned that lesson the hard way. She wasn't about to make the same mistake again.

Jackie frowned. "You seem upset. Who was it?"

Gloria shook her head, forcing a smile. "Let's not talk about it. I forgot to buy a stick of incense. Can you come with me?"

Jackie blinked, surprised. "Who are you going to burn incense for?"

"A deceased person..." Gloria muttered, looking down.

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Well, duh, burning incense is for the dead. Or are you going to burn it for someone still alive?"

Gloria said nothing, her lips pressed tight. 'If only I could tell you... If only there were someone to burn incense for me.'

Jackie sighed. "I don't get you. Tengda Mall doesn't sell that kind of stuff. You'll have to take the bus to the old street. Are you also buying paper money? So who exactly are you burning incense for?"

Gloria opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again. There was no need to explain to someone from a different world.

—

William stood there, still staring at the girl.

For a moment, his heart thudded wildly in his chest, an intense surge of emotion that made him want to approach her, to speak to her.

But in the end, he didn't move.

He was content with his life as it was. There was no need to intrude on someone else's path.

He understood that his behavior at school probably made him look crazy, but he didn't regret his past choices. Still, if he went up to her now, would she be frightened? Would she see him as a lunatic and turn away in fear?

He didn't know what others thought of him, nor did he know how they saw him. If he moved forward, would she step back? That would only make things awkward, even painful, for both of them.

Even if she didn't move away, even if she faced him calmly, what could he say? Would he sound crazy? Would she think he was an untouchable weirdo?

William took a deep breath, unsure what to do next.

A simple greeting wouldn't do it, it would only deepen the connection between them, branding them both with an unspoken memory.

Was this really okay?

They were no longer from the same world.

He had crossed over into the realm of the extraordinary, gained the [Growth] skill, and though it wasn't clear how much longer his life might last, he knew it stretched far beyond the span of any ordinary person.

How could he, then, be close to someone so... ordinary?

How could he let her touch the unknown, the dangerous, the world she couldn't even imagine?

Was this really a good thing for her?

The beta mission was still pending, and if it failed, all players would die.

What if he didn't return from the magical world?

Was it really worth dragging her into all of this?

Maybe it was just the restless stirrings of adolescence.

But then again...

'Was she really just an ordinary girl?'

William remembered their brief exchange of glances.

"She saw me..."

He muttered to himself, as if in disbelief. Even without actively using his [Secret] ability, the passive effect alone was enough to leave an imprint on ordinary minds.

Shaking off his thoughts, he found a buffet restaurant in the mall. Without a second thought, he cut the line, sliding to the front without anyone noticing.

There was a vacant seat waiting. He paid the deposit and entered the restaurant, unfazed.

This was his power as a transcendent, he didn't have to follow the rules. He could cut in line and no one would even blink.

"Even if she noticed, it just means she's observant," William muttered to himself.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling. The moment their eyes met, something stirred deep inside him. His heart beat faster, a soft, tingling sensation fluttered in his chest, like being gently tickled by a feather. It spread through his body, making him feel alive in a way he couldn't explain.

'Was this what it meant to be moved?'

He propped his chin up with one hand, gently touching his chest with the other. A strange expression flickered across his face, like something was awakening in him.

His lips parted slightly, forming a barely audible whisper: "I want…"

But the moment passed, and he sat there, lost in thought, his appetite suddenly gone.

He was supposed to be here enjoying a feast, he should be savoring the spread of food before him. Yet now, everything seemed bland, as if the flavors had vanished. It all felt... pointless.

This was supposed to be a table for two.

William couldn't help but picture her sitting across from him. The thought of sharing this moment with her, the food, the conversation, the easy companionship, made his chest ache.

He'd bring her whatever she wanted, whatever the restaurant had, and even what it didn't.

Two plates. Two servings. Two lives, briefly intertwined.

But instead...

"Damn it! Why is there nothing?"