Chapter 1: Awakening

I open my eyes to boundless darkness and a red carpet that leads to nothing in sight. A deathly chill travels to the marrow of my bones as I stand here, wondering where and who I am.

"..."

No memory came to my aid, nor the familiarity of my being. It's as if my existence is nothing more than an illusion in this space.

As I stand here pondering, I sense a ominous presence before me. Even though a sense of danger sounds a warning in my heart, curiosity got the better of me and I took a step towards it that soon follows myself walking to the place that has no bounds. As I walk, the presence enlarged itself, as if wrapping my entire body and sucking me dry. The coldness becomes more frigid, biting at my insides and soul.

I walk for twenty minutes until I came at a double sided door. I open the door as it creak and moan, as if a demon is gaping it's mouth to devour an insignificant soul such as myself. A odor invades my nose as I walk inside and look around. My eyes widen in shock.

The floor is covered in pools of blood and bones. The walls have been slashed and gouged, as if an angry beast is enraged by it's design. Furniture has been knocked over and destroyed.

The harm to this place left me dumbstruck, yet no fear of what caused it.

"What.... happened here?"

A unfamiliar voice escaped my throat. I raise a hand to my neck and was about to voice an opinion when someone walk out of the shadows.

"You did this."

I look up and saw a young man who look no more than seventeen years old. He looks exquisitly handsome despite the air he gives. His eyes is pools of malicious intent; pitch black as the soul itself. He wears a white shirt and gray pants covered by a trench coat. His hair is the color of snow compared to his sickly pale skin. In his hand is a glass of red wine. He drink the glass of wine casually, as if what he said means nothing to him.

"What do you mean? Why?"

"Why?"

He drink the remains of the wine and let out a tired sigh.

"You got angry because you lost."

.... Lost?

Something about that word sent an uneasy feeling.

I clench my fists to control my fear and anger.

"Lost to whom?"

"Hehehehehehehehe."

He let out a laugh that I did not know he had. He looks at me with devious playful eyes.

I know then, he have no intention of telling me.

"What does it matter? You lost everything you work so hard to gain. Now you have to start over."

....Start over? Start over how?

A thought cross my mind.

Win.

Win what?

As I was lost in my thoughts a cold air blows in my face. I then realize the person is close to my vision and is grinning. A grin that no mere human is capable of doing.

"So, let's start over. If I win, I'll take over and you watch from this room. If you win, I'll only help you when need be. Got it?"

Before I can reply, he snap his fingers and the room shifted to that of a.... throne room?

The throne room is the size of a football field. The blood and bones is replaced by red carpet and black and white tiles with strange symbols on them. The walls is shaded in tapestries and black candles lit by red flames. Red light pours in the room and the ceiling is no where to be seen.

"Pay attention."

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, a blast of black light launch at me in full force. I dodge out of the way just in time to see what it was. The force is black and lavender with dust and particles seeping out of it. In a form of shadow and mist, it gradually dissipates into oblivion. Wait.... are those particles butterflies?

"Stay focused!"

I turn to see a dark and twisted arm reaching out to me and grab me by the leg. It launches me to the air and slam me to the wall.

"Gaah!"

Severe pain scream from my chest as I vomit blood.

I quickly got up as I ignore the pain.

Thoughts race through my mind as I gaze at my opponent.

The person is carrying a sword that reflects his appearance. A black blade that is engraved in red symbols with the hilt in the shape of a rose with thorns. His hands that was once as a human's is now black with long dark nails. His once dark eyes is crimson as blood and stare down at me with the intent to kill.

I have to win this.

But, how? Do I have anything to use?

My opponent raise his blackened hand. Black and lavender light gathered in the form of butterflies. With the incantation, he pull back his arm and push forward his hand to launch a beam of light at me.

Darn it!

I raise my right hand just in time to block it and close my eyes to brace for impact.

....?

I slowly open my eyes to see a blue light escaping my hand. A picture form in my mind. As if on instinct, I conjure it into existence. Blue swallowtail butterflies gather around my hand and took in a shape of a sword. Unlike his design, the blade is silver with blue markings and the hilt in the shape of a blue cherry blossom. Gold markings appear on my hands and power bellows in the depths of my soul.

Laughter echo throughout the chamber. I look up to see the person grinning with bloodlust.

"Hahahahahaha! Great! Just as I hoped for! Now, let's fight for real!"

He launches himself towards me. He raise his sword and swing it down. As I block his attack, his strength caused the floor to break apart and we distance ourselves from each other.

"Let's make this more interesting shall we?"

He claps his hands. Four purple flames appear and out of it come out bats with yellow eyes all over their bodies.

"Skwee! Skwee! Skwee!"

They fire at me with magic. I block it with my sword and cut down one of them.

"Hehe, how about more?"

He summons two more fires and twice the number of bats came and fire magic at me.

Darn! How can I handle this?

I ran and dodge their attacks. Fear creep in my mind and my heart races in panic.

I grunt and oppress that fear.

No, I have to persevere! I can't panic right now....

As if seeing through my heart, he laughed and jeered at me.

"Imagine how they feel when you lost! That's the look of their beloved hero who has fallen from grace! Come on! Fight back!"

Anger rise inside me like a boiling open pit.

"I know! Shut up already!"

I focus my hand and focus on a island of rock. The rock lit up in blue. With my mind, I moved it with force and collide it with the bats and him.

"Gaaaa!"

"Skeeeeeeeeee!"

The fires extinguished and the person hold on to his head. Black blood drip down the side. He gaze at me in fury.

"You imbecile!"

"I'm not done!"

I focus the power to my hand. It glowed blue and I aim it at him. Swallowtail butterflies surround him and wrap around his neck. I squeezed tightly.

"Nrg!"

I use that force and slam him into the walls. He screams as the bones within his body crushes and blood gush out from the wounds. I slammed him into the floor and drag him towards me. I clench my sword and step on his neck.

"Ng!"

I look into those eyes.

There is no hint of fear. No pain nor regret. Those eyes hold nothing but the desire to kill.

Before he do anything else, I raise my sword and jab it into his heart.

"Ack!"

"This time! This time, I will win!"

A bell rang throughout the realm. A unfamiliar voice is heard.

"Luna Nightheart won the Reincarnation Task. Initiating Gifta sequence..... Loading new character data.... countdown to awakening.....Time to wake up."

....

Everything went black.

The scene before me fades away as mist.

When I awoke, a strange yet unforgiving world awaits me.