"Julian. Wake up. We're almost there."
Julian whined, smacking his lips. Slowly, his eyes opened to a completely new scenery. He was in the car with both of his parents at the front. His siblings sat beside him, squishing him. The voice that called out to him belonged to his mother, although a lot more soft spoken than she had ever been.
In an alternate world, cars don't exist.
Alternate… world.
The car was situated on the highway, atop a bridge that was built high over water. Julian's stomach felt a little queasy, noticing this.
The first thing he observed was his outfit. Black suit with a white shirt and a black tie. His siblings similarly wore black clothing.
Looking at the front mirror, he could see his mother's disheartened expression.
Right. Grandmother died, and we're coming back from the funeral. My girlfriend's waiting back in town. I honestly couldn't care less about this funeral.
It's not like she was a good person. The whole family is blind to her… cruel antics.
Being near her corpse made me a little ill. I'm just glad she's dead, though.
Julian's eyes focused on the road and the setting sun. Doing this, he slowly began to fall asleep. Something was stopping him from completely falling asleep. The strange notion that something was entirely wrong.
He jolted awake.
"Everything alright?" his father called out to him.
"...No."
Ksshk!
Julian's fist slammed against his window, shattering the glass in a single strike. Both of his siblings begin to cry out in fear, along with his mom.
"This isn't real. None of this is real.
"The common trope is really showing itself. An enemy finds me at a low moment and traps me in a fantasy world where all of my deepest desires are found, and you try to keep me in this perfect mirage.
"Of course, you managed to get a lot of things wrong. In a fantasy world, I wouldn't be hanging with my deadbeat father!"
"..."
The car suddenly sped up.
Julian's jaw clenched. He took off his shoe, disassembling it. Wasting no time, he grabbed his shoelaces and wrapped them around his father's neck.
"Keuk!-"
Julian pressed his feet on the back of the chair, pulling harder. He bit his lip hard, his expression one that he had never made before.
His father clawed at his neck, releasing the steering wheel. This caused the car to move astray, crashing into the highway railing.
Julian hopped out of the car, now smoking, on fire.
"That's... quite impressive."
A hand shot through the metal hood of the car.
Crsh!
Another hand shot through.
These two hands pulled the hood apart. Slowly, crawling out, was the mauled, deformed corpse of Julian's father. Walking toward him.
"Out of every iteration... You have broken through it the fastest. That makes sense. You are the most prideful vessel yet."
"Pride?"
"Pride."
"I don't have a lick of it. What should I be proud of about myself?"
"Have I been mistaken? The compatibility- ah, worry not. Times like this, your say doesn't matter. Your body, your velian, it's far more important."
"What are you-"
[Cast: Perfect Flashstep]
Julian's eyes could not keep up. His blocking the strike was completely instinctive. He raised his forearms, blocking the punch.
The sheer force still sent him aback, his feet sliding against the concrete.
Agh...
My forearm... it hurts like hell!
He shook his arm.
"My body? You won't be getting it."
And...
If this is my body, and my mind...
[Cast: Perfect Flashstep]
The man moved forward again. But this time, something strange happened. Golden chains shot from the skies, wrapping around the corpse, restricting his movement in time.
"It was as I expected."
The corpse's expression contorted and twisted, shifting into one of disdain. Julian even noticed a little bit of fear.
"You're a parasite, and you're in my world. That's why you're scared, right?
"That's why you didn't want me to 'break through'. Once fully realized, there's not much you can do to convince me."
Julian grinned.
The corpse began speaking.
"Isn't this what you wanted from the beginning, though? Julian, consider the facts. Be logical for a second.
"You're weak. I can make you strong. That's a fact. Even with the ferocious, strong demon body of yours. The velian of a dragon. The cunning mind of a human. By all standards, you're a perfect specimen. I'm confused, your body exudes it, but you act as someone with zero pride... why is that?"
While being chained, the corpse's skin bubbled. He was beginning to shift forms. Slowly. Julian did not release his chains.
The corpse's skin became rejuvenated, fair, and on the warmer side. Green hair fell down, and its eyes shifted to a brown color. Julian's eyes widened, impossibly wide.
"E-Ere Majam..!?"
"So this is what's been causing you so much terror. Is that it?"
Julian's heart wavered. And in so, the chains receded into the sky.
"Ere" ahead of him did not waste any time, clearing the distance between them in a single step.
Kchk!
"Ere Majam" grabbed Julian by the neck. With her off hand, she shoved her fingers into his throat.
[Cast: Mana Eruption]