1 High Hopes

Tug.

"Mhm?" While walking down a quiet street, his left arm that was holding a leather briefcase tugged lightly. Will looked over to see a figure with a strange white mask; the mask was distorted with numerous grooves carved on it, creating an uneasy feeling within if seen. He was somewhat disturbed by the approach, but he collected himself and let out a question.

"W-" But before he could speak, the taste of salt flooded his opened mouth.

Will was suddenly alarmed and discovered that the environment around him suddenly changed to underwater. He noticed that his business suit absorbed the surrounding water as well as his briefcase filled quickly by the invading liquid. Slowly, Will felt the increasing water pressure as he begins to sink lower to the black void beneath him.

His heart raced as he realised the possibility that he could drown, he immediately disregarded the briefcase. His lungs exhaled the oxygen, pushing out the water out altogether. Will kicked his legs hurriedly in an attempt to float up to the surface of the water.

Splash.

The surface rippled as a hand penetrated out of the water quickly followed by another hand as they flailed about, then out came Will's head.

"Huff! Fuu!" Will breathed heavily as he took a few seconds to calm his rapidly beating heart. Looking around, he discovers he was in the middle of a vast body of water to which continued endlessly beyond the horizon. The sky was uniformly dyed with an azure blue, strangely there wasn't a single cloud within the atmosphere.

He began to look for any ripples or movement on the water surface that could suggest any signs of life. To his disappointment, it was only his movement that was affecting the surrounding waters.

Splish, Splash.

A repeated noise of something hitting the water emerged out of nowhere. Will turned his head to identify where the sound came from, he noticed a hunched black-robed man rowing the small boat with a bizarre black pole towards him.

Creak.

The boat crept closer before stopping approximately 2 metres in front of Will.

"Speak. Who are you?" The man questioned.

"U-Uh, my name is Will!" Will replied hesitantly as the voice of the man carried a sense of coldness that seemed to froze Will's entire body.

"Boy... Why are you here?"

"I-I don't know... I only remembered that a person with a creepy mask touched my arm, and the next moment I was underwater."

"Creepy, you say? Are 'they' beginning to move again?" The man seemed amused as he maneuvered his pole, "Boy, perhaps you are lucky or fated, but it seems you are chosen as one of the participants who will cross worlds. As you are sent to me, I might as well bestow you... this."

"Wait, what? Crossing worlds? I didn't sign up for thi-" He was interrupted as he found himself confronted with the end of the pole. A white marble the size of a fist materialised at the tip of the rod, the ball jerked and suddenly hurtle itself for Will's forehead. He reacted quickly by reaching out with a hand and tried to catch it, but the ball phased through his hand as though disregarding the attempt.

The moment the marble probed his forehead, a symphony of church bells resounded in Will's head. Painful sensations coursed throughout his body as if imaginary spears pierced his entire body.

"ARGHH!!! What is happeni- ARGGHHHH!!!" Screaming in agony, his body started to convulse intensely. He attempted to stop the convulsing, but the convulsing increased its intensity. Will's legs gave out from the phantom pain followed by his entire body. His body began to submerged itself underwater.

"Among the few who rise, they will fall further. Let us meet again if destiny wills it." The black-robed man turned away from the spot with rising bubbles and rowed towards the endless horizon.

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Spark.