PROLOGUE 2

Roa's modern life had been like most—unsatisfying, exhausting, and filled with an underlying sense of emptiness. Alongside his lover, Eralay, he longed for something more, something beyond the monotonous existence they were trapped in. That's when a woman named Nirvana appeared, unraveling the truth: Roa was a prisoner, and his prison—his world, his memories fabricated, his past erased. They were not on Earth, and to make things even more complicated—there were endless worlds beyond this one, worlds slowly being consumed by a great evil called the Great Death, the profane child of the Old Order. Revolution awaited him—a cause he had once fought for before his mind was erased by the Shadows. Turns out the boy was the most-wanted man in all of the worlds, and the ones looking for him are both the good and the bad guys. Nirvana reveals that he knows, or perhaps knew, the way to the Dreamer, a being that can grant any wish—and everyone has some desire to realize. But as they sought escape through a magic portal known as an Exit, a sinister figure called Mr. Briteside intervened, a Shadow of Default World, separating Roa from Eralay. The boy alone escaped.

Following Nirvana's instructions, Roa ventured through bizarre and treacherous realms until he arrived in a vast desert world. There, he endured the elements until he met Rosso, a rogue heretic who opposed the remnants of Default World. Together, they fled persecution, eventually encountering other Jumpers who guided them to the Palace—the largest and most vital world in the Innerverse. Rosso sought an enigmatic figure known as Doctor K, a friend of his late father, while Roa pressed forward, searching for answers and looking for a way back home, to Eralay and Earth.

Their journey led them through a world of deadly music, where they acquired a magical ocarina capable of summoning other enchanted instruments. They then arrived at the Flooded Basements of the Palace, where rising waters and oil spills threatened the lives of the locals. With Roa's help, islanders found the courage to leave their doomed homes. Seeking sanctuary, the duo found a bathhouse operated by Theya Waters, who shed light on the ongoing environmental devastation.

Determined to grow stronger before facing their enemies, Roa and Rosso sought out Master Vesper, a legendary auric teacher. Under his grueling training, they learned the Gifts of the Scutum, Breakneck, and Pan's Gift. But peace was fleeting—one fateful night, the oasis was set ablaze, and Vesper and his granddaughter, Mattina, were taken by the Shadows.

Their search for Vesper led them to the polluted and restless Grayshroud City, where revolution brewed beneath the surface. Roa and Rosso tried to unify the local gangs, but it wasn't until Roa revealed his profound sorrow for the world that the people truly rallied behind him. Their resolve strengthened, they stormed the Hole, a maximum-security prison, freeing its captives, including Vesper. However, Mattina was nowhere to be found. In the chaos, they met Szaszo, a volatile Jumper whose fury led him to destroy the prison entirely. They also gained an unlikely ally—a mechanical being named Thero.

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News reached them of an upcoming gathering of oil barons, powerful oligarchs who profited from suffering. Seizing the opportunity, the revolutionaries launched a daring assault on the grand Ball on Tar Lake. Amidst the revelry of the elite, Roa discovered that Mattina was held captive by one of the oligarchs. With swift action, they captured their enemy, hoping to bargain for information. They were aided by Tanoo, an old friend Roa could not recall, a remnant of a past life stolen from him. Yet the night took a violent turn when Szaszo returned, this time with an even more unhinged ally. Together, they unleashed vengeance, sinking the yachts of the wealthy elite. The attack shattered the illusion of control that had ruled for centuries, sending shockwaves through Default World.

Then the sky changed. Thousands of eyes opened in the heavens—the mark of a mysterious enemy. Mr. Briteside forced Roa into a desperate battle for his life. The oligarch they captured from the ball, before meeting his end, unveiled the horrifying scope of the organization Roa now stood against. Yet, he held no knowledge of Eralay's whereabouts. That revelation came from Briteside—Eralay was with the Lord of Default World. Though the battle was won with the aid of the city's people, Briteside slipped away.

Determined, Roa and his allies ventured to Ardor's Forge, home of the enigmatic Lord Smog, the First Gate guarding one of the chokepoints of the Palace, blocking anyone who is trying to make their way up. There, they faced Lothrah, an abomination dwelling in a lake of fire. Through wit and cunning, they defeated the beast and cornered Lord Smog, who, before escaping, revealed that even he was but a pawn. The true mastermind behind the Shadows, the Old Order and Default World was the Patriarch, Lord of Lords—the one holding Eralay captive.

The Gate took on the semblance of Roa's lover, a deception that led to a grievous wound—the boy, nearly killed, pursued Lord Smog once more, only to be forced into a final battle when Lothrah returned. Seizing the moment, the protagonist destroyed both the abomination and its master, unlocking the long-sealed chokepoint and opening the path ahead.

As Roa and his allies celebrated, Nirvana returned. But the answers she carried were unexpected. The waters they bathed in were special, and had another effect—those who bathed in them grew younger. They were the waters of immortality—Ambrosia. Roa and the others reverted to children, risking death if they remained exposed for too long. Nirvana dragged him from the water, revealing the final, shocking truth. The person who had orchestrated Roa's escape from his prison world—the one guiding Nirvana all along—was none other than himself.

Now the heroes, stuck in the bodies of children, must now face a growing threat. Default World is on alert, and its response will not be insignificant—or merciful. The Sunflower must find all the allies he can to even have a chance at surviving, let alone finding his way to Eralay. He must grow stronger than ever before, grow and learn new Gifts and master his aura. The enemies waiting for him will be more powerful than ever, but hope is last to die. Something is already brewing within Free Society as word arrives that Pardus Vay, a member of Free Society's most powerful family, has asked to meet with the Sunflower. Furthermore, Nirvana reveals that a great tournament is about to begin—one where some of the strongest Jumpers will be attending. They must get to it in time to have the chance to gain some powerful allies to bring to the Greatest Fight! The second arc begins now, right where we left our heroes off!

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