The darkness of the Void. The faint, cold shimmer of distant galaxies.
Before his eyes, massive warships shattered and crumbled, their burning husks drifting like metal corpses. Soldiers clashed in a chaotic symphony of destruction. At the center of this cosmic graveyard, a young man stood alone
His golden armor was fractured, stained with soot and grime. Deep wounds carved across his body, and crimson blood trickled down his trembling arms. His breath came in ragged, desperate gasps.
Before him loomed a blackened entity, a shadow with a single, glowing red eye that pierced the darkness. The creature's lips curled into a cruel, sinister smile.
"Is this… the end?"
Van Thien's pupils shrank.
"If I fall… then there is no one left… to stop him."
A blinding light erupted, swallowing the entire battlefield. Deep within that white abyss, a tiny spark flickered—fragile, yet defiant.
Reality fractured. The spark tore through dimensions, leaping across galaxies until it reached a blue-green planet: Earth.
In a modest room, a young man snapped his eyes open. He sat up slowly, stretching his arms and taking a long, deep breath. He whispered to himself:
"Again… that same dream."
He stepped off the bed and walked onto the porch. The sharp, earthy scent of wet soil and ripening rice fields hit his senses. A gentle breeze brushed past, rustling the leaves as the first golden rays of dawn began to peek over the horizon.
He scanned his surroundings. A neighbor's dog barked lazily in the distance. But within the wind, he heard something else—a faint "Crack," so subtle it was almost imagined.
Van Thien froze. His brow furrowed.
"???"
Silence returned. He exhaled slowly and looked up, gazing at the vast sky. Suddenly, the space above him warped and shattered like a pane of glass. The blue sky was replaced by the cold darkness of the Void.
Once more, he saw it: the burning warships, his own shattered golden armor, the blood on his hands. He saw the Void Lord's cruel smile and the glowing red eye.
"Is this… the end?"
Van Thien's pupils shrank as the light blinded him again. In the darkness, the tiny spark hovered.
Back in the present, that "Crack" echoed again, clearer this time.
The cross pendant on his chest began to vibrate violently. He looked down at it. Flashes of memory raced through his mind: A young boy running barefoot across a rice field… A birthday cake with flickering candles… A mother's warm embrace.
The pendant pulsed softly.
A voice called out from inside the house.
Thien! Where are you? Come and eat, the rice is ready!"("Thiên ơi! Con đâu rồi? Mau vào ăn cơm đi!")
The cold, distant look in Van Thien's eyes vanished instantly. He returned to his everyday self and offered a soft smile.
"Yes, Mom! I'm coming!"
As he turned to go inside, his hand unconsciously tightened around the silver cross. A faint vein rose along his forearm, then receded. The pendant flickered once and went dark. For a split second, his pupils reflected a faint red glow.
If only… I were stronger…
The Morning Meal
On the table sat a steaming bowl of Canh ca loc (Snakehead fish sour soup) and a plate of Rau xao toi (Stir-fried greens with garlic). Van Thien sat down, picked up a piece of fish, and began to eat.
His mother watched him closely. "Did you sleep well last night? You look a bit pale this morning. Do you need to rest more?"
He looked up and smiled. "I slept great, Mom. I'm fine, really. Don't worry too much."
She studied his face for a moment, still lingering with concern, but eventually nodded. "Alright… but remember to take care of your health, son."
"I know, Mom. Thank you."
He smiled back, but neither of them knew… high above in the sky… something was starting to fall.
After breakfast, Van Thien stepped outside.
The village road was as peaceful as any other day. Early sunlight bathed the rooftops, and the familiar scent of earth and rice filled the air. Near the entrance of the neighborhood, Ba Tu was setting up her bread cart.
Van Thien approached her. "Setting up already, Ba Tu? Let me help you with that."
The old woman looked up with a kind smile. "Oh, Thien! Come here and help me arrange these loaves in the display case."
Without another word, he quickly helped her organize the fresh Banh mi. Within minutes, everything was neat and tidy.
"Want a Banh mi? My treat," she said, nodding with satisfaction.
Van Thien grinned. "Yes, please! Your Banh mi is the best in the village, after all."
The old woman laughed. "Listen to this boy, so sweet-talking today!"
"I'm serious, Tu."
Holding the warm bread in his hand, Van Thien ate as he walked. Before he could get far, a group of local children came running toward him.
"Brother Thien! Brother Thien! Come play crocodile game with us!"
"Anh Thiên! Anh Thiên! Chơi cá sấu lên bờ với tụi em đi!"
He looked at the kids, let out a soft sigh, and then chuckled. "Alright, alright. To the rice fields we go!"
"Yay!"
The kids cheered, dragging him toward the open fields. Laughter echoed through the quiet space.
"Mr. Thien, catch me!"
"Come and get us!"
"Just you wait… I'm going to catch all of you!"
As they were playing, a rogue bull—lost and frenzied—charged from a nearby farm toward the group.
"Run!"
The children scattered in panic. One small child tripped and fell into the mud. The bull roared, head lowered, charging straight for the boy.
Van Thien didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, pulling the child behind him.
BOOM!
His bare hands slammed against the bull's forehead, stopping the massive animal mid-charge. The impact caused the ground to tremble. The veins in his arms bulged, and the pendant around his neck flared with a hidden light.
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to freeze. It was as if something… was "analyzing."
Then, reality snapped back. Van Thien froze.
In the bull's eyes, a red light flickered. Faint orange energy veins pulsed along the animal's body.
"What is this…?"
The bull roared, pushing him back a few steps. Van Thien tightened his grip, his gaze turning icy and sharp—then he suddenly stopped.
"…Not good."
He withdrew his force. In an instant, the bull stopped. The red glow in its eyes vanished. The orange energy faded away. It stood still for a moment… then turned and wandered off.
Silence returned. The child sobbed, clinging to Van Thien's leg. He patted the boy's head, his voice softening.
"It's okay now… it's gone." (Không sao rồi... nó đi rồi)
The other children gathered around, still shaken. Van Thien looked at them and sighed. "That's enough for today. Everyone, go home."
No one argued.
He stood there alone, watching the bull disappear into the distance.
"…Was this… just a coincidence?"
At that exact moment, a streak of red light flashed across the sky. It lasted only a second.
Van Thien stiffened. "…What was that?"
But when he looked again, there was nothing.
In the grass nearby, a tiny microchip—blown off the bull's back by the force of Van Thien's impact—lay damaged. Yet, it continued to blink with a faint, rhythmic red light.
Far beyond Earth's atmosphere, a massive warship hung silently in the void. Inside the command deck, a figure stared at a radar screen where a signal was pulsing from a specific coordinate.
The mysterious figure smiled cruelly.
"This… is going to be interesting."