Slayman

Renardo stretched discreetly under his desk, his eyes fixed on the lines of code scrolling across his screen. His eyelids, heavy with fatigue, struggled to stay open. It had been three years. Three long years spent tapping away on this keyboard in a soulless open office. The air conditioning hummed constantly, and the distant hum of machines provided a steady, monotonous background noise.

He let out a deep sigh, his mind drifting, wondering if his life would really just be reduced to this desk and these endless lines of code. The crushing routine, the lack of a real purpose… it was all wearing him down, even if his job provided him with a steady paycheck.

"Maybe this is all life has to offer, after all…" he thought, a hint of bitterness in his mind.

Suddenly, a hand rested on his shoulder, pulling him out of his daydream. He startled slightly and looked up to see the smiling face of one of his colleagues, Minho, holding a small package neatly wrapped in brown paper.

Minho: "Hey, Renardo! Congrats on three years here! It’s not much, but… here, it’s from the heart."

Surprised, Renardo grabbed the package, touched by the gesture.

Renardo: "Oh… thanks, Minho. That’s really nice of you!"

Minho (smiling): "Come on, open it! It might surprise you."

Curiosity growing, Renardo tore off the paper to reveal a book with a captivating cover. The title, The Legend of Ranheim, the Nomadic Conqueror, was displayed in elegant golden letters, while a detailed illustration showed a young warrior with a piercing gaze, standing on a wind-swept plain.

Renardo: "Wow… this looks incredible. An adventure novel?"

Minho: "Yeah. The story of a young nomad who overcomes countless trials to become a great warlord. I thought you might like it."

Renardo smiled slightly, touched. He didn’t receive gifts very often, and this book seemed different, mysterious, as if it held a power he had yet to discover.

Renardo (amused): "Thanks, Minho. Honestly, I’ll give it a look tonight. It’ll make a nice change from… this." He gestured to his screen of code, looking weary.

That night, after an exhausting day, he settled into his chair, determined to relax. He opened the book, and from the first lines, he was drawn into a world of epic battles, survival in wild lands, and unbreakable loyalty. The descriptions were so vivid he could almost feel the chill of the wind on his skin and hear the pounding hooves in the arid steppes.

Each word seemed to dance before his tired eyes, refusing to let him close the book. The more he read, the more attached he became to this young warrior, Ranheim, who faced insurmountable dangers with impressive bravery. He saw a bit of himself in him, in the search for a sense of purpose in life.

Renardo (whispering to himself): "This kid… he’s incredible. I wonder if I’d have the courage to go through all that."

Hours slipped by unnoticed. Page after page, he followed Ranheim, immersed in his battles, betrayals, and victories. The warrior fought not just to survive, but to honor his family, to protect those he loved. Renardo’s own heart began to race, as if he were sharing Ranheim’s trials.

He didn’t realize time was passing, absorbed in every twist, every battle. The young nomad always seemed to find a way out, even in the face of terrifying obstacles. Renardo felt a sense of pride for this fictional character, but also a strange longing. A longing to experience something greater than his current life.

Finally, when dawn broke, Renardo looked at the clock. He hadn’t slept at all. The first light of day was already filtering through his window, casting a pale glow over his apartment.

Renardo (rubbing his eyes): "Damn… did I really read the whole thing?" A tired smile stretched across his lips. "It was worth every second."

Tired but strangely reinvigorated, he placed the book on the table, grabbed his keys, and got ready to leave for work, his eyes heavy from lack of sleep but his heart filled with a strange sense of determination.

As he left his apartment, one last thought crossed his mind.

Renardo (murmuring): "Maybe… maybe I could accomplish something incredible too, someday."