Awakened in a Realm of Magic and Blood

Andrew Blackwood had never been taught empathy. Born the son of a billionaire, he had been raised to believe that money, influence, and fear were all that mattered. In his world, people existed to obey, not to question.

Tonight, in a dimly lit warehouse at the outskirts of the city, Andrew proved that truth again.

The sound of hurried footsteps and muffled grunts echoed off the concrete walls. A man lay on the floor, trembling, as Andrew’s men circled him like predators. He tried to stand, but their presence was overwhelming, and fear held him down. Andrew’s eyes swept over the scene, cold and calculating.

“Did I tell you that you could talk back to me?” Andrew asked, voice low but sharp.

The man’s defiance flickered in his eyes, even under the weight of his fear. He opened his mouth to speak, but Andrew did not wait. He lifted his foot and brought it down against the man’s face. The impact sent him stumbling back. Andrew crouched briefly, gripping the man by the shoulder and forcing him upright.

“You people never learn,” Andrew said. “Without money, without influence, you’re nothing. Do you hear me?”

The man coughed, his voice trembling. “I… I wish you could know what it’s like to be poor… powerless…”

Andrew paused, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. For a heartbeat, he considered the words. Then he brushed them off as meaningless. He straightened, adjusted the cuffs of his designer suit, and turned toward the warehouse door.

“Empty threats from empty men,” he muttered.

The man tried again, hoarse but defiant. “You’ll see… one day… you’ll know what it feels like to be nothing…”

Andrew ignored him and stepped into the cool night. His car, sleek and black, waited outside. He slid into the driver’s seat, the engine humming to life under his touch. The city lights stretched past like glowing ribbons as he sped onto the highway, speeding higher than necessary, driven by the arrogance only wealth can buy.

The man’s words echoed faintly in his mind, but Andrew shook them off. They were meaningless. Power was all that mattered—and he had it in abundance.

Then the world changed.

A sudden jolt, tires screeching against the asphalt. Andrew’s hands gripped the steering wheel as his heart raced. A flash of light blinded him for a moment, and the road beneath him twisted into chaos.

Water. Cold, heavy, and suffocating. The car skidded violently, spun, and then plunged over the highway edge into the sea below.

Panic surged through Andrew as the vehicle submerged. Darkness closed in, water pressing against him with crushing weight. He clawed at the doors, the glass, anything that could save him—but it was useless. The cold burned through him, sharp and unrelenting. Lungs screaming, he tried to pull himself up, tried to fight the water—but everything slipped away.

For a long moment, there was only blackness.

When he awoke, the world was wrong.

Andrew’s eyes fluttered open to a gray, dim light that stung. The air smelled damp and strange, heavy with cold and decay. His body ached everywhere, stiff, bruised, and unfamiliar. Every muscle protested even the smallest movements. Something was wrong—everything was wrong.

He tried to stand, but a sharp shove knocked him down again. Pain radiated through his side, his ribs screaming in protest. Voices surrounded him—angry, mocking, unintelligible. He blinked, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

What happened?
Where am I?
How did I get here?

He tried to speak, but no words came out. His lips trembled, and a dry, metallic taste filled his mouth. Weakness surged through him, heavier than any sickness he had known. His mind spun as panic took root, each breath shallow and rapid.

The men surrounding him were silent for a moment, watching as he struggled. Then one laughed, a harsh, cruel sound.

“You look pathetic,” the man sneered. “Barely standing. Barely human.”

Another kicked him lightly, just enough to send him sprawling again. Andrew tried to curl into himself, to shield himself from the blows, but his body was unresponsive. He could barely even move his arms.

“Never cross our path again,” a voice said. The words were calm but carried the weight of threat. “If we see you acting strong again, there will be consequences far worse than this.”

Another man stepped closer, spat on him, and laughed as Andrew tried to wipe it away. More laughter followed, echoing in his ears.

He tasted humiliation, shame, and helplessness all at once. Every instinct in him screamed to fight back—but his body refused.

The ground beneath him was rough and unforgiving. Every attempt to move, to rise, sent shocks of pain through his muscles and bones. His thoughts whirled.

How did I get here?
Why am I so weak?
Where is this place?

He gasped for air, trying to collect his senses. The voices around him began to fade into a dull roar, and the pain started to feel distant—like a shadow pressing down on his mind rather than his body.

Something inside him stirred. He couldn’t describe it yet, but it felt alive, foreign, and… wrong. A strange emptiness pulsed faintly in his chest, a hollow sensation that grew with every heartbeat. His vision dimmed slightly as he tried to focus, and he realized the men weren’t simply beating him—they were testing him, watching him, waiting for a reaction.

Humiliation, fear, and confusion mixed into a bitter taste in his mouth. And through it all, one thought rang louder than any pain or fear:

He had never felt powerless before.

And now, in this strange, unfamiliar place, powerless was all he was.

The men stepped back, laughing one last time. “Pathetic,” one said. “Learn your place. Or the next time we meet, you won’t even remember your name.”

Andrew lay on the cold ground, chest heaving, sweat and dirt sticking to his skin. His body was weak, battered, and unfamiliar. His mind raced with questions:

What is this place?
Why am I here?
How do I survive?

And yet, even as despair pressed down, something deep inside him flickered—a stubborn spark, one that refused to be extinguished.

For the first time, Andrew Blackwood understood a truth he had never known: the world could hurt him. And if he wanted to survive, he would have to endure.

Pain, humiliation, and fear were only the beginning.