Jacob Greg, a 10-year-old with striking blue short hair, bright green eyes, and fair skin, stands at the edge of the square, his purple clothes almost glowing under lantern light. He clutches a small polished stone, watching the laughter around him with a mixture of longing and resolve. Tonight, he knows, is not an ordinary night.
"If I do this, maybe someone else’s life will change forever," he whispers, determination flickering in his eyes.
Jacob Greg steps forward, heart pounding. The air vibrates with an ancient energy as he places the polished stone before the portal. He remembers the stories of Zanjville’s old magic—how one could give up youth for the chance to rewrite fate.
"Let my years be hope for another," he intones, voice steady despite the tears in his eyes. The stone glows, lifting into the air, and the world around him spins into blinding light.
Charlie Beg, now 16, awakens in a narrow alley, shivering beneath ragged brown clothes riddled with holes. He blinks, disoriented, feeling both strange and familiar in his own skin. The memory of a sacrifice—Jacob Greg’s gift—lingers at the edges of his mind like a half-remembered dream.
"Why do I feel...different? Like I’ve been given a second chance?" he murmurs, gazing down at his trembling hands.
Charlie Beg, hungry and cold, slips through the crowd, searching for something to eat. He pauses by a bakery window, watching as a kind-faced vendor arranges fresh bread. In his mind, echoes of a childhood not his own whisper encouragement.
"Don’t give up. Every day is a new chance," he tells himself, summoning the courage to ask for help.
Charlie Beg[/@ch_2] hesitantly approaches the vendor.]
The vendor notices his hesitation and the state of his clothes. She offers a warm smile and a loaf of bread, pressing it into his hands.
"Thank you. I... I promise I’ll pay you back someday," he says, gratitude shining in his blue eyes.
The vendor’s kindness stirs something deep within him—a resolve to make the most of this new life, no matter how difficult.
Charlie Beg[/@ch_2] sits atop a rooftop, sharing his bread with a stray, two-tailed cat. He gazes up at Zanjville’s three moons, feeling the pulse of a universe where anything is possible.]
He thinks of Jacob Greg, whose name he does not know but whose sacrifice fills him with warmth and courage.
"Whoever you were, thank you," he whispers to the sky. With hope kindling in his heart, Charlie Beg smiles, ready to embrace whatever tomorrow brings in this wondrous, strange world.
