Chapter 1: Sollivan
A breeze of cold air, carrying a hint of dust, wafted through a small hole in the wooden wall of an old, wooden house.
The interior of the house was not large, consisting mainly of a spacious room. On its left side stood a hearth filled with ash and cold, burnt wood. On the other side, there was a slightly large table cluttered with various books and paper manuscripts, some old and torn, while others were new, still retaining the pleasant scent of fresh paper.
Cough! Cough!
The sound of a dry cough echoed through the wide room, emanating from a smaller adjacent room, adding to the gloominess of the place.
In the small room, there was a wooden bed where a young man in his late twenties lay. His face was ordinary, neither handsome nor ugly, but it appeared pale due to his very fair skin and the large dark circles under his closed eyes, which trembled slightly as if he were suffering from a disturbing nightmare. Slowly, he opened his eyes, revealing dull brown pupils, devoid of vitality, like an old man who had endured the bitterness of life.
Sigh!
The young man exhaled a long breath while his eyes remained fixed on the room’s ceiling, from which a faint crackling sound emanated. After a brief moment of stillness, he moved slowly, pulling himself up to a sitting position. He then scanned the room with a melancholic gaze, which eventually settled on a wooden wheelchair near his bed. He reached out, grabbed the armrest, and with great difficulty, pulled his thin body onto the chair.
His old mattress wrinkled from his determined struggle, and after a short while, he sat on the wheelchair. He exhaled a tired breath, and his muscles relaxed.
Huff!
He adjusted his posture and pushed the wheelchair, which emitted an annoying creaking sound as it moved across the wooden floor. It also shook slightly and squeaked due to its wear and tear. As soon as the young man entered the spacious room and saw the mess, he let out a dry sigh.
"The place is so messy..."
He contemplated the scattered books and items for a moment, then, without further concern, headed towards the hearth.