Chapter 1: Prologue

Felix often contemplated the cruel irony of his name. In a world where the tides of fortune had dealt him a hand so consistently unkind, he saw it as life itself teasing him, a relentless jest that unfolded with a cruel sense of humor. "Felix," meaning "lucky," stood in stark contrast to the relentless string of misfortunes that had woven the fabric of his existence. It was as though the cosmos reveled in this cosmic joke, making his very name a haunting reminder of the relentless challenges he faced daily.

When Felix was just a few years old, the world had already shown its unrelenting cruelty. The scene that unfolded was a harrowing one—a frigid and unforgiving night, where rain pounded the earth with relentless fervor, serving as an ominous backdrop to the impending tragedy. Felix sat innocently in the back seat of his parents' car, oblivious to the impending calamity that lay ahead.

In the blink of an eye, everything changed. The deafening screech of tires, the bone-chilling impact, and the shattering of glass marked the moment when life unveiled its merciless hand. His parents, those figures of love, protection, and promise, were torn from his life in an instant, their lives extinguished as abruptly as the flicker of a candle in a storm. The world's brutality left its indelible mark on Felix, not only in the form of the jagged scars etched onto his face but also the deep, emotional wounds that festered in his young heart.

The aftermath of the accident was a chaotic whirlwind of sirens, flashing lights, and tearful faces. An ambulance rushed him to the hospital, where doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to mend his physical injuries. While his body would eventually heal, the scars on his face would forever remind him of that fateful night—a night that would haunt his dreams for years to come.

It was his grandmother, a steadfast and loving presence, who became his anchor in the tumultuous sea of loss and pain. She took him into her care, nurturing him with the same tenderness and devotion that his parents had once offered. The scarred boy, reeling from the trauma of the accident, found solace in her arms. Her love became his sanctuary, and her wisdom served as a guiding light in the darkest of times.

Years passed, but the world remained unkind. Felix attended school, carrying the visible reminders of his past etched onto his face. His scars, though a testament to his resilience, made him an easy target for relentless bullying. Day after day, he endured taunts, jeers, and cruel laughter from his peers. The pain of isolation deepened, casting long shadows over his lonely existence. Yet, he refused to let the torment define him. He channeled his anguish into his studies, pouring his energy into books and learning, using knowledge as a refuge from the harsh reality that surrounded him.

When he emerged from school with outstanding grades, it was a triumph against all odds, a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak world. The scholarship that followed, earned through sheer determination, became his ticket to a better future. It relieved some of the financial burden on his beloved grandmother, who had grown frail and ailing over the years. Her presence, ever constant and reassuring, became the cornerstone of his existence.

In her final moments, as she lay in a dimly lit room, her soft voice trembled with worry as she spoke to Felix, "Felix, my dear, promise me you'll do your best. Life has been unkind, but you're strong, my sweet boy. Your scars are just a part of your story, not your whole story."

Tears welled up in Felix's eyes as he held her fragile hand, squeezed it gently, and nodded. "I promise, Grandma. I'll make you proud, and I'll make the most of the life I've been given."

A serene smile graced her lips, her eyes brimming with love and concern. She whispered her final words, "That's all I wish for, my Felix."

After his grandmother's passing, Felix was lost, with a deep void in his heart that seemed impossible to fill. He was determined to keep his promise to her, striving to make the most of the life he had been given. As he continued his studies, he found solace and distraction in his books and managed to make a few friends who appreciated him for his intelligence and determination.

One evening, after a social gathering with his newfound friends, Felix found himself in a rush to get home. In his haste, he took a shortcut through a dark, deserted alley. The moon provided just enough light to reveal the silhouette of the buildings surrounding him. That's when it happened.

Felix froze as he felt something cold pressed against the back of his head. A voice, betraying a hint of nervousness, cut through the silence, "Empty your pockets."

His heart raced, and he realized the gravity of the situation. 'There's a gun to my head,' he thought. Panic surged through his body, but he knew he couldn't let this assailant take his possessions. He had too much money on him, including his phone, and he desperately needed them.

Taking note of the robber's nervousness, Felix decided to take a chance. In a swift and calculated movement, he turned, trying to snatch the gun away. His hand struck the assailant's wrist, and with a jolt, the gun went flying through the air. Felix didn't hesitate; he rushed to retrieve the weapon, his back momentarily turned to the now disarmed robber.

As Felix gripped the cold metal in his hand and was about to turn around to point the gun at the robber, he felt a searing pain in his back. The assailant had pulled out a knife and mercilessly stabbed him. Felix let out pained screams as the robber continued to stab him, each blow sending shockwaves of agony through his body. He collapsed to the ground, a growing puddle of blood forming around him.

With every ounce of strength he had left, Felix mustered the resolve to turn and face his attacker, his vision blurred by the pain and blood loss. But the assailant had already realized his plan had failed and was fleeing in a hurry. Soon, Felix found himself alone, lying in the dark alley, fighting to hold on to consciousness.

As time passed, the pain became too much to bear, and Felix's strength waned. Darkness closed in around him, and the pain gradually receded. In those final moments, he clung to the memory of his beloved grandmother and the promise he had made to her, hoping that he had somehow managed to make her proud before the curtain of life drew to a close.

Felix came to and found the pain had ceased. Felix's world went black, and he felt weightless, succumbing to the darkness that swallowed him.

Felix's thoughts spiraled into a turbulent sea of confusion and uncertainty. "Did I really die?" he pondered, unable to discern any trace of his physical self. The transition from painful scene to this eerie stillness was disorienting.

He imagined reuniting with his beloved grandmother and parents in the afterlife, finding solace in the idea of being with them once more. But as he waited, nothing happened. No warm embrace, no familiar faces to greet him. It was as though he had been left suspended in the liminal space between life and whatever lay beyond.

The darkness that enveloped him was impenetrable, devoid of sound or color, and it left him feeling profoundly isolated. In this void, he had no physical form, no sensory input, and no concept of time. It was a desolate emptiness that defied his understanding.

'Is this the end? Is this....death?' Felix wondered, his thoughts echoing into the abyss. The absence of sensation was disconcerting, as though he existed solely as a wandering consciousness without a tether to any realm. He yearned for answers, for a glimpse of what awaited him, but all he encountered was a disconcerting silence.

A sense of unease settled over him as he grappled with the uncertainty of his existence. There was no past, no future, only the perpetual present in this surreal void. He was trapped in a state of perpetual contemplation, wrestling with the enigma of his own existence and the absence of any discernible reality.

Felix's thoughts danced through the darkness like fireflies in the night, flickering with fleeting hopes and fears. He sought a glimmer of understanding, a sign that would shed light on his fate, but the void offered no such solace. In this boundless emptiness, his consciousness remained suspended, adrift in a timeless, formless expanse.

As time, or the absence of it, slipped by, Felix continued to contemplate his existence, hoping for a revelation or a glimpse of what lay beyond. But in this inscrutable void, there were no answers, only the echoing questions that reverberated within the recesses of his consciousness.