Give Me Wings to Fly and Reasons to Stay

What else could someone—a devoted fan—with an almost obsessive mission to see the person they love most again, who resides in another universe, do? Seek a way to cross over to reunite. That was Rian's idea after a few seconds of meditation on the couch.

They searched through their drawers for a clean notebook, grabbed a thick marker, and wrote the research title, their name: Rian Asford, and the name of the person they sought: Elliot. They looked at the cover and found it strange.

"There are many Elliots in the world. What was his untranslated name?" they said while searching online for the character's original name in the game. Since the story takes place in South Korea, he has a native name and another with a Western inclination.

"Did he choose it himself or...?" they wondered while copying the name into the notebook, pondering whether Elliot would have chosen that name if given a chance or if it was entirely arbitrary by the company.

They pronounced "Kei-su-ke " slowly while writing the name in Japanese (奎輔) and Korean. "Gyu-hwan" (규환) and its romanization made them wonder how the 'h' in 'Gyuh' would sound.

After practicing the pronunciation of his name several times, they began to write everything they knew about him on the first page.

He has a big smile and amber eyes.

His hair is naturally red but dyes the inner part to play with his brother's hair.

He wears geometric-soft glasses with tortoiseshell colors.

His clothes usually include a jacket with a hoodie, work boots, and jeans.

His shirts always have strange or extravagant designs.

He is passionate about the stars, dreaming of mapping the entire universe.

He is an astrophysicist with programming training.

He teaches math online because he believes it should be fun for everyone.

He has great affection for his brother, Elijah. He has cared for him since he was little.

His best friends are Victor and Sophia.

He holds great appreciation for his junior, Leon.

He doesn't trust Vergil.

He likes video games in general, especially RPGs and simulation games.

He enjoys making people laugh but keeps his problems to himself.

He is always working because he feels a great responsibility for the Epitome project.

He doesn't like smoking or drunk people, but he has consumed alcohol.

He has a preference for sodas and snacks.

He likes to try strange foods and drinks.

He likes the umami-sweet combination.

He enjoys pop, rock, and electronic music.

Sometimes, he listens to something similar to the soul.

He might like funk.

We agree that space and the ocean are very similar.

"Oh, but that..." they thought aloud when they began reading from line 18, "That is no longer part of the game," Rian said while recalling the information about Elliot on forums, response posts, gameplay activities, and video summaries of endings and cutscenes.

He likes cats, but since Elijah is more into dogs, he would first adopt one.

He enjoys comedy and action movies but watches any genre if the story is good or the premise seems exciting.

Continuing with the list only made them cry, so they began to search for information on topics ranging from the supernatural to the esoteric.

Over the following days, Rian went up and down doing things that seemed straight out of a beginner's ritual book. From asking questions to Charlie-Charlie to experiments with radio apps claiming to contact 'the other side.' They tried the elevator trick in several buildings, and in more than one, they were escorted out by security personnel. They visited websites that claimed to open portals if accessed at midnight—only to later ask for a credit card to pay the toll. They took a trip to practice bungee jumping on a bridge that claimed you would disappear if you jumped at a certain time in the afternoon and also tried tuning into different static-filled radio stations at three in the morning.

Hannah believed this new fascination with the supernatural could only end in disaster, and Mario asked Rian to keep their head straight and assess the risks. He began to strongly oppose the experiments when the situation seemed to spiral out of control.

"No," Mario said firmly when Rian asked for help with another experiment.

"Come on! Mario~!" they whined while tugging at his shirt sleeve.

"Rian, this has to stop," Hannah declared emphatically. "It all seemed fun at first, but going on urban explorations in cursed areas just because you heard a rumor that it might have doors connecting to other worlds, NO. It was not even a rumor, let alone if it were true. It's terrifying to wander around an abandoned area at four in the morning!"

"Are you afraid the devil will appear?" Mario laughed, bracing for the attack from the irate blonde fairy. "But seriously, Rian. Beyond what Hannah says, it's not cool that we must run from the police again because neighbors of the adjacent properties reported us, thinking we were thieves or squatters."

"You have to admit that when Hannah made rat noises to scare off the police in the collapsed hospital, and when we terrified the neighbors by wearing furniture blankets to avoid being identified while leaving the house, it was funny," Rian tried to negotiate with the few enjoyable experiences.

"Yes, yes. That was funny. But I don't find visiting a place with ritual markings amusing. What? Did you think I didn't know the place? They're usual spots for pranks on first-year students by the crazies at the university," Mario began to raise his voice a bit more.

"Who asked if they were afraid the devil would appear?" Rian tried to bring Mario back to square one in the conversation, but the tactic was ineffective.

"No means no. And I suggest you stop thinking about doing that kind of experiment, Rian. They could become seriously dangerous," Hannah finally opined.

Rian sighed in disappointment. They weren't motivated to go to the site, but it was one of the few rituals they hadn't tried in their area.

"Fine," Rian said with a face clouded by the refusal, then put on their jacket, slung their backpack, and stored their notebook and phone inside.

"And where are you going?" Hannah asked, sounding more like a scolding mother.

"I'll take a walk. Or can't I do that either?" Rian grumbled sarcastically.

"Hey! Don't talk to me..." Hannah was interrupted by Mario.

"It's okay. Be careful. If anything happens, call us immediately and run to the police booth," Mario asked Rian as they said goodbye.

When Rian closed the door, Hannah confronted him with a look.

"I know," he said while scratching his head, "But remember how they behaved before. If you pressure them too much, they'll just pull away. Give them space; they'll be fine tomorrow. Let's prepare Dinner so they'll surely be hungry when they return, and eating will put them in a better mood."

Hannah looked at him with narrowed eyes as if suspecting him.

"What did I say now?" Mario complained upon noticing Hannah's gaze.

"Nothing, nothing, Dad," the blonde said to tease the guy in the kitchen, knowing that expression gave him the creeps.

"Gah! Don't say that!" he involuntarily shuddered from the chills.

"Don't act like one, Mario Pascal," she said while sitting at the kitchen table.

"Hey... That doesn't sound so bad," Mario admitted as Hannah laughed.

Meanwhile, Rian covered their head to leave the apartment building. Although the restraining order against their family was active, they didn't trust that they would respect it so calmly.

They took a route that looped around the neighborhood and entered a nearby public park, their true destination. Still, it was daytime, and the place was filled with children running and playing everywhere, some with their parents and others with friends. Rian sat on an empty swing, literally swinging while reviewing the pages they had written over a month.

There were many theories, failed tests, experiments that went wrong, and others that ended relatively well. However, nothing could be considered a success since all the information ended up being conspiracy theories, falsehoods, or urban legends.

Rian looked at their phone again and tapped the game app:

[ Your account has been blocked due to the use of unauthorized Third Party Tools. Due to this, all devices accessing this account or connecting from this ID and IP will be immediately blocked. ]

They closed the app and tapped the AI one, which they never deleted from their phone, hoping it would react again someday. The icon never changed, and the screen hadn't turned black again since the last call.

They redirected their attention to social media and the company's fan forum, where complaints about bugs and glitches had resurfaced massively. The first report was made three months after their account was blocked from the game. That gave them some peace of mind; it wasn't their app's fault that the game was damaged for others, but unfortunately, in the update, they must have found an error in their account due to glitches.

Rian sighed and held back tears in front of so many people. They felt this project was about to end since the scope of what they could do was limited. Their trip to another state cost more than expected, and it was just a one-day round trip. They felt themselves falling again into the spiral of despair when the noise of their notebook falling onto the gravel from their thighs woke them up. They realized almost no people or children were around; it was nearly Dinner time.

They picked up their notebook from the ground, and the page with the list of projects was crossed out because they had failed. The last lines had three options they hadn't tried yet, ranging from the most superstitious to the most improbable:

The found mirrors ritual.

The golden/blue hour.

Telepathy.

And seeing what options remained, Rian sighed sadly. The list was over, the project was ending, and the time to face reality had come: what started as a project to overcome the game's departure was coming to an end... And to some's misfortune, it was working. Inside their heart, the white flag was slowly rising. They decided that if hope had to die, let it do so immediately.

Rian read the instructions in a soft voice.

Mirror ritual. Placing two mirrors directly facing each other is believed to create a portal due to the infinite reflections. Since ancient times, cultures like the Egyptian, Greek, Chinese, Mesoamerican, and medieval European have regarded mirrors as gateways to the invisible—able to reflect the soul, reveal hidden truths, and connect with other dimensions. Symbolically linked to the Moon, water, silver, and consciousness, mirrors were used in divination rituals, spiritual communication, and astral travel. Black obsidian mirrors, in particular, were believed to reveal visions of the past, the future, or hidden realms. To open such a portal, being alone in a quiet space is recommended, with the lights off and white candles lit. By staring at your reflected brow in a deep calm state, some claim to see shadows, figures, or glimpses of other planes.

Rian rummaged through their bag and found the small travel mirror Hannah had gifted them.

"Damn. I was supposed to have two," they said, closing it with a sigh.

Seconds later, their phone vibrated. It was a message from Mario.

[ Dinner's almost ready. Can you grab something to drink on your way back? We're waiting. ]

They locked the screen and noticed their face reflected in the dark glass.

"Black obsidian mirrors, huh? I guess using a substitute is a long shot, but nothing's stopping me from trying," they muttered, storing the phone again and moving on to the following item.

The magical hours, known as the golden hour and blue hour, are brief transitional moments at dawn and dusk when the light takes on unique qualities—either warm or deep blue—which various cultures have considered thresholds between the physical and spiritual worlds. These moments thin the veil between dimensions, easing access to dreams, the subconscious, or otherworldly entities. The golden hour—sunset—symbolizes vital energy and spiritual awakening, while the blue hour—sunrise—evokes introspection, magic, and subtle realms. Both have been used in spiritual rituals as temporal gates to the unseen and moments of profound inner contemplation.

Rian checked their phone to find out the peak time for that day's sunset.

"Just a few minutes left," they said, rushing to read the last entry.

Telepathy with your loved one: To establish a mental link and extrasensory communication with the person you long for, it's crucial to have something that helps you visualize them clearly. Picture their face as you inhale and exhale three times. Imagine a light path between you both, then repeat their name—three times. Tell them you miss them, what you feel, what you…

"OH GOD, what was I thinking when I added this to the list of experiments?!" they shouted, embarrassed to have said the last paragraph aloud.

Rian checked the time—it was almost precisely the peak of sunset. They stepped off the swing and looked for a place to set the mirror and the phone. It wasn't a dark space, but both rituals required darkness—though perhaps the golden hour's light could substitute a candle's glow before nightfall.

Next to a tree, they positioned the mirror to reflect where their phone would sit, opposite the final rays of the sun. They rechecked the AI app, tapping repeatedly. Nothing happened. Rian sighed, nearly in tears, before setting the phone in place and counting down the remaining seconds aloud.

"If this is going to be the end, it has to be epic," they told themself, focusing as the seconds ticked away.

With Spartan-like determination, they returned to the swing, grabbed their notebook, circled the final three options, and tossed the pen away. They sat, estimating how much momentum they'd need to land precisely in the space between the mirror and the phone when the light reflected perfectly.

They began swinging.

Up—thinking of Elliot;

Down—breathing, calling for him silently;

Up—how much they missed him;

Down—how badly they wanted to see him again;

Up—ready to scream their feelings to his face if they could just see him;

And then, just as the sunlight bounced from the phone into the mirror, Rian leaped—

—and slipped.

Shame rushed in first. How ridiculous, how naïve. Time seemed to slow, and Rian thought they might actually die from hitting their head. At that moment, they realized everything had gone wrong—was it all for nothing?

But then—the phone rang.

A tone they hadn't heard in months echoed through the fading light. Rian turned and saw the AI app open. The screen went black once more.

Suddenly—

They fell forward—hard.

Now, they were in the middle of a street, a crosswalk. The pedestrian light was red. A truck's blaring horn snapped them into reality.

Rian froze.

The massive vehicle was almost on top of them.

"I didn't mean to end up in an isekai like this," they thought in a split second of sheer panic as shouts and gasps erupted from the crowd around them.