the fall and new beginning

My name is Gavin Harber. I was nineteen years old when my life lost all meaning.Back then, I lived a "normal" life. I was a college student by day and a fast-food worker by night. As the family breadwinner, I carried the weight of my parents and siblings on my shoulders. It was heavy, but I was happy. Or at least, I thought I was. That all ended because of a single, foolish mistake.It was a biting, cold morning. At 3:00 AM, while the world was still draped in silence, I turned on the heater to take a warm shower before my shift. I dressed, ate, and left—leaving the house while my family was still deep in their dreams.When my shift ended, I walked home under a darkening sky. That's when I saw it: a plume of black smoke rising like a funeral shroud. My heart sank. The closer I got, the more the nightmare sharpened. It was my house.

I tried to dive into the inferno—my parents and siblings were still trapped inside—but strong arms held me back. The heat was a wall; the screams were muffled by the roar of the flames.Later, the investigators gave me the verdict: a faulty heater. My heater.The guilt was a poison. "I don't deserve to breathe," I whispered to the empty air. In the depths of my despair, I chose to end my journey, hoping the darkness would swallow my sin.

"Where... am I?"

I opened my eyes, but there was no void. Instead, a sprawling cityscape stretched before me—grand, vibrant, and glowing with an ethereal light."Is this a dream?" I muttered. I wound up and punched myself square in the face. SMACK. The pain was sharp and real. If I can feel pain, I'm not a ghost. But I died... I know I did.I wandered the bustling streets, feeling like a shadow in a world of color. I stopped a street vendor, my voice trembling.

"Excuse me... what is this place?"

The vendor beamed with a warmth that felt alien to me. "Welcome, traveler! This is the City of Life. A place of eternal joy and boundless beginnings!"

"I see... thank you,"

I replied, bowing my head. A city of joy? Then a sinner like me shouldn't be here.I eventually reached a district called "Hearthglen." Lost in the echoes of the screams from the fire, I didn't see her coming.CRASH.We collided with enough force to send me reeling. My head hit the cobblestones, and the world spun into darkness. In that brief blackout, the nightmare returned. I heard my family's voices, distorted and hateful: "It's your fault!" "Why did you survive and not us?""I'm sorry..." I whimpered in my sleep. "I'm so sorry..."

"Hey... are you okay? Please, wake up!"

A soft warmth pressed against the back of my head. I opened my eyes to see a sky of sapphire blue, framed by the face of a girl so beautiful she looked like an illustration from a fairy tale. I realized then—I wasn't on the cold ground. My head was resting on her lap.I scrambled up, my face burning.

"I—I'm incredibly sorry!"

The girl stood, brushing off her skirt with a graceful smile.

"No, it was my fault! I was rushing to Aris House and wasn't watching the path. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine,"

I managed to say, unable to meet her gaze. Her presence felt like pure sunlight, making my internal darkness feel even heavier.

"I'm Aurelia Sofia,"

she said, tilting her head.

"And you?I've never seen those clothes before."

"I'm... Gavin. Gavin Harber."

"Gavin? What a unique name! Hehe, it has a nice ring to it."

She gave me one last wave before

disappearing into the crowd. I stood there, alone again. I had no money, no food, and no home in this "City of Life." As the moons began to rise, I found a small alcove by the stone walls of a cathedral.Hungry and shivering, I curled into a ball. I had escaped death, but I couldn't escape myself. As I drifted into a fitful sleep, I wondered: Is this world my salvation, or just a different kind of purgatory?

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