In the dim glow of his apartment, Aiden's eyes flicked across the final page of Chronicles of the Eternal Flame, his favorite fantasy series. The epic tale had ended not with triumph, but tragedy—the beloved protagonist falling in battle, his comrades scattered, the kingdom left in ruins.
It felt wrong. The story had once been about rising from nothing, about justice and hope. Somewhere along the way, it had twisted into something cold and cruel.
Aiden sighed, tossing the book aside. "If I were there, I'd do it better," he muttered. "I wouldn't let the world fall apart."
As he drifted into sleep, the cover of the book shimmered faintly under the moonlight, pages rustling as if whispering secrets. In the silence of the night, a voice murmured:
"Then write your own story."