˗ˏˋ ★ˎˊ˗

The air was thin at the peak, crisp and biting after the grueling climb. You had made it—standing triumphantly atop the mountain, the world stretching endlessly below. But then, a misstep. The ground crumbled beneath your feet. A sharp pain as your head struck rock, and then—darkness.

A distant hum pulled you back, a sound both familiar and strange. Your eyelids fluttered open to an impossible sight. No longer on the mountain, you found yourself on a balcony of sorts, its stone railing overlooking a vast, uncharted expanse. The sky shimmered in hues unknown, as if painted by an unseen hand. The air pulsed with energy.

Then, movement. Small creatures flitted about—sprites, glowing with green energy. They darted playfully, yellow bars floating above their heads like tiny beacons. One, however, stood still, a single "Z" hovering above it as if lost in slumber. Another, more delicate in form, stood apart from the rest, cradling a violin and drawing a haunting melody from its strings.

And then you saw him.

A figure bathed in neon green light stood at the edge of the balcony, watching over you. Power radiated from him, a presence both serene and immense. The Guardian.

He had been waiting.