Elias did not scream this time.
He wanted to.
He absolutely wanted to.
His soul was screaming.
His brain was screaming.
His survival instincts were screaming in seven different languages.
But his physical body?
His physical body had reached a level of emotional exhaustion so profound that it simply refused to participate.
So instead of screaming, Elias made a noise that could only be described as:
"nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn."
Reality peeled away like wet paint.
The Oracle's tower dissolved.
The Trial Beast blurred.
The elders flickered like bad holograms.
And then—
He was falling.
Again.
Not from the sky this time.
Not through a portal.
Not through a cosmic tear in the fabric of existence.
No.
He fell sideways.
Sideways.
Like gravity had gotten bored and decided to improvise.
He hit something soft.
Then something hard.
Then something soft again.
Then something that felt suspiciously like Arthur's knee.
"OW— WHAT THE—"
Elias groaned. "Arthur… move your leg…"
Arthur yelped. "WHY ARE YOU ON MY LEG?!"
Jack's voice came next, calm but deeply tired. "He's back."
Alice's voice followed, sharp and worried. "Elias?! Elias, are you okay?!"
Elias opened his eyes.
He was lying on the floor of his apartment.
On top of Arthur.
Arthur was flailing like a man being attacked by a large, confused pigeon.
Jack was standing over them with the expression of someone who had already accepted that life was a series of disappointments.
Alice was kneeling beside him, eyes wide, hair messy, wearing a hoodie that said I Don't Like Morning People Or Mornings Or People.
Elias blinked.
"…Hi."
Arthur shoved him off. "BRO. YOU TELEPORTED ONTO MY LEG. MY LEG. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH LEG THAT IS?!"
Elias groaned. "I didn't choose the landing spot…"
Jack crossed his arms. "You vanished mid-sentence. Again."
Alice leaned closer. "Are you hurt? Did something happen? Did you fall? Did something chase you? Did something bite you? Did something—"
Elias held up a hand weakly. "Alice… breathe…"
She inhaled sharply. "Right. Sorry."
The system chimed.
TEMPORARY WORLD LINK COMPLETE.
Arthur jumped. "WHAT WAS THAT?!"
Jack frowned. "That wasn't your phone."
Alice whispered, "It's the system again, isn't it?"
Elias nodded slowly.
"Yeah… it pulled me back."
Jack crouched down. "Why?"
Elias hesitated.
The system answered for him.
USER EXPERIENCED A DESIRE SPIKE.
Arthur blinked. "A what now?"
DESIRE: "I WANT TO KNOW IF MY FRIENDS ARE WORRIED ABOUT ME."
Elias slapped both hands over his face.
"Oh my god. Kill me. Kill me now."
Arthur gasped dramatically. "BRO. YOU MISSED US?!"
Jack elbowed him. "Not the point."
Alice's expression softened. "Elias… you were worried about us?"
Elias groaned into his palms. "I didn't mean to think it. It just happened. My brain is not my friend."
The system chimed again.
CORRECTION: YOUR BRAIN IS YOUR PRIMARY LIABILITY.
Elias pointed upward without looking. "Shut. Up."
Arthur whispered to Jack, "Dude… his system is savage."
Jack nodded. "It's like watching a toaster bully someone."
Alice sat beside Elias. "Okay. Start from the beginning. What happened after you disappeared?"
Elias inhaled.
He exhaled.
He inhaled again.
He exhaled again.
Then he said:
"I fed a giant murder-beast a granola bar and now it follows me like a dog."
Silence.
Arthur blinked. "That's… actually kind of adorable."
Jack frowned. "That's… concerning."
Alice whispered, "That's… very on-brand for you."
Elias threw his hands up. "WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY THAT?!"
The system chimed.
BECAUSE IT IS ACCURATE.
Elias groaned. "I swear, if I ever figure out how to uninstall you—"
UNINSTALLATION IMPOSSIBLE.
"Of course it is."
Arthur sat cross-legged on the floor. "Okay, okay, okay. So you fed a giant beast. Then what?"
Elias rubbed his face. "Then the elders said I passed the trial. Then they said I had to meet the Oracle. Then the system detected a desire and—"
Alice raised a hand. "Wait. Oracle? Like… prophecy Oracle?"
"Yes."
Jack frowned. "And you're supposed to meet her?"
"Yes."
Arthur leaned forward. "And she's gonna tell you your destiny?"
"Yes."
Arthur gasped. "BRO. WHAT IF YOUR DESTINY IS TO BE A FAILURE?"
Jack smacked him. "Not helpful."
Arthur rubbed his arm. "I'm just saying! It's possible!"
Elias groaned. "I don't WANT a destiny! I want cereal!"
The system chimed.
DESIRE DETECTED.
Elias froze.
"No. No, no, no. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it!"
DESIRE: "I WANT CEREAL."
"STOP LOGGING MY CRAVINGS!"
INITIATING—
Elias screamed. "NO! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL!"
The system paused.
CANCELLATION REQUEST DENIED.
"WHY?!"
BECAUSE YOU ARE HOLDING ONTO ARTHUR.
Elias blinked.
He looked down.
He was gripping Arthur's hoodie with both hands.
Arthur blinked back. "Bro… are we teleporting together?"
Elias screamed. "NO! LET GO!"
Arthur screamed. "YOU LET GO!"
Alice screamed. "STOP SCREAMING!"
Jack sighed. "This is my life now."
The system chimed again.
TRANSFER DELAYED.
Elias froze.
"…Delayed?"
REASON: USER IS EXPERIENCING SOCIAL ENTANGLEMENT.
Arthur gasped. "BRO. WE'RE ENTANGLED."
Jack smacked him again. "Stop saying that."
Alice grabbed Elias's shoulders. "Okay. Focus. What triggers the teleportation?"
Elias pointed upward. "It reads my desires."
Arthur nodded. "So don't desire anything."
Elias stared at him.
"…Arthur. That is literally impossible."
Arthur shrugged. "Not my problem."
Jack rubbed his temples. "Okay. Let's think logically. What do you need to do next?"
Elias swallowed.
"I need to go back."
Alice stiffened. "What? Why?"
Elias looked down.
"Because the Oracle is waiting for me."
Jack frowned. "And you think she's important?"
Elias nodded slowly.
"I think… she knows something. Something about why the system chose me."
Arthur raised a hand. "Bro. You think too much."
Elias glared. "I think the exact amount required to not die."
The system chimed.
CORRECTION: YOU THINK LESS THAN REQUIRED TO NOT DIE.
Elias threw a pillow at the air. "STOP BULLYING ME!"
Alice stood up. "Okay. If you have to go back… then we need to help you prepare."
Jack nodded. "Agreed."
Arthur saluted. "I volunteer as emotional support."
Elias stared. "You are the opposite of emotional support."
Arthur saluted harder. "I volunteer anyway."
Jack pulled out a notebook. "Let's make a list."
Elias blinked. "A list?"
Jack nodded. "Yes. A list of things you need to survive."
Arthur raised his hand. "Granola bars."
Alice nodded. "Actually… that one's valid."
Jack wrote it down. "Granola bars."
Arthur raised his hand again. "A weapon."
Elias shook his head. "I can't fight."
Arthur shrugged. "Then a stick."
Jack wrote it down. "Stick."
Alice raised her hand. "Water."
Jack wrote it down. "Water."
Arthur raised his hand again. "A cool catchphrase."
Elias groaned. "Arthur—"
Jack wrote it down. "Catchphrase."
"JACK!"
Jack shrugged. "He's not wrong."
Alice crossed her arms. "Elias needs something to boost his confidence."
Elias pointed at her. "I don't need a catchphrase!"
The system chimed.
CONFIRMATION: USER NEEDS A CATCHPHRASE.
Elias screamed into a pillow.
Arthur patted his back. "It's okay, bro. We'll find you something cool. Like… 'Time to get serious.'"
Jack shook his head. "Too generic."
Alice suggested, "What about… 'I refuse to die today'?"
Elias stared. "That's… actually kind of good."
Arthur gasped. "BRO. SAY IT."
Elias hesitated.
Arthur leaned in. "Say it."
Elias sighed.
"…I refuse to die today."
The system chimed.
CATCHPHRASE ACCEPTED.
Arthur cheered. "YES! HE'S A PROTAGONIST NOW!"
Jack nodded. "It fits."
Alice smiled softly. "It suits you."
Elias felt his face heat up. "Stop making this emotional…"
The system chimed again.
PREPARATION LEVEL: 12%.
Elias blinked. "Twelve?! That's it?!"
YES.
Arthur frowned. "What's missing?"
The system answered instantly.
USER LACKS MENTAL STABILITY.
Elias threw another pillow. "I KNOW THAT!"
Alice sighed. "Okay. What else?"
USER LACKS COURAGE.
Elias groaned. "Rude."
USER LACKS SKILL.
"Okay, that one's fair."
USER LACKS PLAN.
Jack nodded. "That one's also fair."
USER LACKS—
Elias screamed. "STOP LISTING THINGS!"
The system paused.
LIST PAUSED.
Arthur whispered, "Bro… your system is savage."
Jack nodded. "It's like watching a toaster commit character assassination."
Alice sat beside Elias again. "Okay. Listen. You're scared. That's normal. But you're not alone."
Elias looked at her.
Alice continued, voice steady.
"You have us. And we're going to help you. Even if we can't go with you."
Arthur nodded. "Yeah. We're your squad."
Jack added, "Your support team."
Elias swallowed.
"…Thanks."
The system chimed.
EMOTIONAL STABILITY +1.
Elias glared upward. "Stop quantifying my feelings."
NO.
Jack stood. "Alright. Let's finish packing."
Arthur grabbed Elias's backpack. "Bro. This thing is tragic. We need upgrades."
Alice opened the fridge. "Do you want snacks?"
Elias blinked. "Yes."
DESIRE DETECTED.
Elias screamed. "NO! NOT THAT KIND OF DESIRE!"
DESIRE CLASSIFIED AS NON-TELEPORTATION.
Elias collapsed onto the couch. "Thank god…"
Arthur dumped items onto the table.
"Okay. Essentials. Water. Food. Rope. Knife. Flashlight. Battery pack. Socks. More socks. Even more socks."
Elias blinked. "Why so many socks?"
Arthur looked at him seriously.
"You never know."
Jack nodded. "He's right."
Alice added a first-aid kit. "Just in case."
Elias stared at the pile.
"…This is a lot."
Jack shrugged. "You're going to another world."
Arthur nodded. "You need drip."
Elias blinked. "Drip?"
Arthur held up a hoodie. "This one. It says 'I'm Trying My Best.' It fits your whole vibe."
Elias groaned. "I hate how accurate that is."
Alice smiled. "Wear it."
Elias sighed. "Fine."
He put it on.
It was comfortable.
Too comfortable.
The system chimed.
COMFORT LEVEL: OPTIMAL.
Elias glared. "Stop narrating my wardrobe."
NO.
Jack zipped the backpack. "Okay. You're ready."
Arthur saluted. "Good luck, bro."
Alice hugged him.
Elias froze.
Then slowly hugged her back.
She whispered, "Come back alive."
Elias swallowed.
"I'll try."
The system chimed.
TRANSFER INITIATING.
Arthur yelped. "OH GOD IT'S HAPPENING—"
Jack stepped back. "Brace yourself."
Alice held Elias's hand until the last second.
The world flickered.
The apartment dissolved.
The air bent.
The Oracle's tower reappeared.
The Trial Beast roared in greeting.
The elders gasped.
Elias stumbled forward, backpack heavy on his shoulders.
He whispered:
"…I refuse to die today."
The system chimed.
CATCHPHRASE ACTIVATED.