Chapter 6

Kneeling on the ground burning without able to barely move, I didn't reminisce about what could have been done differently. I used my strength to laugh at the unfairness that befell me. I laughed because I was alone. I laughed because everyone labeled me an enemy. I laughed because I am dying.

It might sound crazy that I laughed at the situation when I should be screaming but since when did crying or screaming fix anything? I always tended to laugh if anything happened to me because I would just turn depressed if I did not.

I understood my circumstance yet never fell to despair for this very reason. A simple yet effective method way to continue my life. At the end of my every laugh, I would look forward and continue with my life with even greater conviction.

Yet here I am dying and laughing.

The opposing parties had already turned their attention to one another and paid me no mind dismissing me as a deranged monster.

There was no fight in the barren wasteland. Only the commanders' voices could be heard thundering across the sky conversing with one another.

A mask suddenly appeared right in front of my eyes.

The mask was dazzling white with different symbols surrounding the mask. A red diamond, red heart, and two eye sockets with a black spade and a black diamond. To top it all off, a huge smile could be seen at the bottom of the mask.

All of the symbols made me think about a standard deck of cards except there was no clover in sight. Then again, that symbol is usually meant to express good luck which is the one thing I lack.

I was engulfed in flames along with the mask, and yet the mask remained perfectly unstained.

The mask's smile made me grin.

Although it appeared out of nowhere, there was no doubt in my mind that it was directly linked to me as I sensed a familiarity with it.

I lifted my glitched right arm as I reached out to take a hold of the mask while the thorny vines pressed further into my skin, blood continuing to flow.

The flames crackled around me melting, smiting the ground around me.

"I will never falter! Perhaps this world will not accept me but who cares! If it does not like me, well then I will make it accept me!" I screamed smiling the happiest smile I have ever done.

I don't have the slightest clue what is going to happen, yet I am filled with anticipation of what is to come next. I am dying yet not an ounce of sadness appeared in my face.

I was excited for the first time in a while. Dying was never an option.

"THIS IS MY WORLD for crying out loud! HAHAHA!" I laughed as I took a hold of the mask on the ground.

While my life was full of mundane task and repetitive days, this was a new world that I wrote about with experiences to be discovered.

I may have had a terrible start, but nothing ever went my way in the first place. I wanted to do something for the first time in a while.

"I may be a fool for even thinking about escaping or even surviving this so let's take gamble, shall we?" I beamed from ear-to-ear, blood trickling down from my face and onto the gaping hole in my chest.

I lifted the mask up placing it onto my face.

The moment that mask reached my face, there was a huge flash of static light that illuminated the cloudy sky catching the attention of all who were present.

"What the hell is that?" Barlas inquired as he looked at the light looking relaxed.

The commanders didn't know what was happening. They were sure, however, that the light came from the monster that claimed to be human.

None of them had a hint of worry. Not even the soldiers from each side seemed to have any cause for alarm but rather looked annoyed that something was interrupting an already very tense situation. They were all basically considered the strongest, so a monster of that caliber meant nothing to them.

This fight could be considered the peak of the war as the very best were brought from each side, except for everyone's each respective ruler and some elite members.

The demons wanted to claim an ancient ruin that held the last piece they needed to revive a demon legend who is almost capable of competing against a god. Normally gods aren't able to descend upon the mortal realm so having a demon that strong would result in the end of the world. Not to mention that the ruin had a tendency of disappearing for centuries if not longer so if the ruin is successfully protected for a period of time, nothing will come of it.

All who were against the demons banded together to stop them from advancing and this was the last line of defense where the best commanders and squads were brought out. The kings and queens from each race couldn't attend however since each respective empire still had their own land to protect in case someone else attacked.

One could say that the fight concerned the whole world, but some could care less about it and would take advantage of the war.

Killing a god was also an option but seemed almost impossible since no one knows how to enter hell nor heaven without permission, so no one suspected issues from that front. Guards were left just in case the impossible happened though.

Still, something was happening in front of everyone's eyes, yet no one ran nor feared it. They might have but the best of the best are here so it didn't matter. A quick clean up everyone thought.

Opening my eyes after the brilliant flash, I noticed that all of the magic spells that were surrounding and piercing me disappeared.

Standing up, I noticed that the glitch around my body was nowhere to be seen as if nothing was wrong in the first place.

The ground where I was could be seen was still charred so I was definitely burning yet I had no signs of my body being damaged. The gaping holes around my body were gone and I could see clearly. The clothes I had on changed and I was now wearing a white suit, with white pants filled with spades, diamonds, hearts and clovers, alternating between red and black. All accompanied by a black tie, one red right dress shoe, one black left dress shoe, a red left glove, and a black right glove.

I looked goofy and out of place.

I touched my face to see if I was still wearing my mask since it didn't feel like I was wearing one, but it was definitely on.

"How peculiar," I whispered to myself as I touched my body to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

"What kind of attire is that" Rione asked me full of wonder. She had never seen a suit so it was understandable. She was always looking for a way to perfect blacksmithing and this was something new that she didn't understand or seen.

Willow looked at me with eyes of disinterest and she began to raise javelin as she did not have time to deal with it.

"Hey Atlas. You are good with your eyes ... and weird monsters. What is that creature that now looks human, and what about the mask?" asked Rione towards the High Elf who stared at the Ronan.

"I've never encountered such a monster. Could he be a Doppelganger? Doesn't explain the mask though," answered Atlas.

The demon looked at me renewing his sense of curiosity as what I was.

"What kind of monster are you to survive those kinds of attacks? Nevermind. There were lots of elements involved yet nothing killed you. You might be useful so join me. I will make sure to treat you well if you survive this war," offered the demon.

'Something doesn't make sense, though? How come they are in the middle of an important war yet the moment something happens to me, they have all their attention towards me? Sure, I made a flashy entrance and all but they don't seem worried about me in the slightest so why stop your conversation. Yet rather than ignoring me, they want to kill me first? The demon did at one point just not now.' I thought to myself.

"[Piercing Light]" chanted Willow.

Out of nowhere, a small stream of light came flying toward me quickly.

As if time slowed down, I stepped towards my right barely missing the light the size of a quarter going right through the ground.

"tch" could be heard coming from Willow visibly irritated.

Although I survived the initial encounter, I was not out of the clear yet.

I then reached towards my pockets to see if anything appeared and noticed a deck of playing cards were there.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this?!" I exclaimed as I saw Willow about to launch another attack.

Barlas, Atlas and Rione also knew this was no time to satiate their curiosity, so they decided to end the monster quickly before it decided to go to the demon's side. One more enemy would be annoying.

All of them jumped towards my direction, Barlas launched a fast punch, Rione swung down her hammer, and Atlas shot a dark arrow. They were going to make sure he stays dead. Willow decided to step back as if she would just let them handle it.

The demon stayed behind as talks of a last-minute compromise were not over even though the chances were slim to none.

'Demon God's orders afterall,' sighed the demon as he thought to himself.

The armies just stayed far from each other opposite from each other until otherwise told to fight. They spectated as they saw the poor monster about to be decimated.

The moment they all attacked with their respective weapons, I saw one of my cards grow to a massive size and deflect all of their attacks which resulted in the arrow being decimated and Rione and Barlas being thrown 10 meters back.

Everyone opened their mouths at the unbelievable situation, stunned at what happened.

Willow's expressionless face turned sour and the demon raised his eyebrow as he reached for a katana out of midair.

Rione and Barlas stood up with stern face not taking the situation lightly anymore. There was no more curiosity in anyone's eyes. Just wariness all around.

I had my mouth opened under my mask as I too was surprised.

Snapping myself out of my surprise, I laughed.

"Hahahahaha. I think I sort of get how to use my powers albeit it feels a bit rough."

Regaining my composure, I smiled under my mask and tilted my head to the side. A red glint appeared from the mask. I lifted my arms as if making a welcoming gesture, while the cards seeming floated from my left hand to my right hand and vice versa making an ark in the process. I was playing with the cards I was all too familiar with.

My confidence was in another level inexplicably, but I was excited about this new power and was excited to test it out. Nothing mattered other than that.

Everyone started to feel nervous at the newfound monster that seemed to be smiling in a dire situation playing with some white rectangles with symbols on it. Demons, elves, demi-humans, dwarves, and angels readied their weapons pointing to one monster out of instinct unsure of what they were feeling temporarily forgetting about the war.

"Let the game begin," I announced with a sinister smile.