1 Orion(I)

[Will only be in first person for the intro.]

"So who are you, boy?" Said a deep voice reeking of majesty and authority.

Looking at the being or rather, thing, in front of me, I couldn't help but chuckle as my gaze trailed across its humongous figure.

With a large body that spanned over billions of light years, it seemed to be a hybrid between a grand celestial whale and a dragon, I couldn't even begin to pinpoint or guess this thing's race.

A large crimson halo sat atop of its majestic body as its dark blue scales radiated an aura of peace and brutality, an unusual yet fitting contrast for such a beast.

"What are you laughing at, Human? Also, answer my question." The voice calmly repeated, its tone still as imposing and regal as before.

"I'm not Human, also, what was the question? I for-"

"Who are you?"

"Who am I?"

Hearing this, my mind blanked for a second before I burst out laughing, a strange sense of comfort and freedom gushing through my non existing veins as my laughter rang like a bell through the dark void we were in.

When was the last time someone had demanded anything from me? When was the last time someone referred to me as a boy?

"My name is, or was, Orion."

"Tell me about yourself." The voice demanded, not offended by my previous outburst.

"You want my life story?"

"We're both trapped here so we might as well pass time."

"Good point. Well…"

Where do I even start?

———

It was ages ago that I remember my life as a human, a mortal.

I was born on a planet called Gaïa, a relatively advanced society that had just begun exploring the supernatural side of the world through technology and research.

Its history was mainly one of peace, with all of us being humans, discord wasn't common and thanks to the efforts of the Human Emperor Augustus, all nations bowed in unison to the royal family and were obliged to follow strict and inviolable rules for his wrath was something no one dared to invoke.

I didn't have the chance to be cradled by a family as a child so I spent most of my time going in and out of orphanages and foster homes.

That went on until at 13, I met that old man.

I still remember that day as clear as crystal.

One day, as I was being brought to my new foster family by one of the social care takers, an old man burst in claiming to be my grandfather.

He called himself Lakria Azvon, a strange name, truly.

I don't know how he did it but in one day he'd managed to bring enough evidence of our blood relation as well as proof that my parents were truly dead.

Just like that, I was sweeped into a new home, one I apparently truly belonged to.

Honestly, I was scared, but who could blame me?

Growing up believing you were alone in this world to suddenly be told you still had family sounded simple and relatively positive but for a thirteen year old as stubborn as myself, it was a hassle, for him at least.

But surprisingly…

It was amazing.

I'd never met someone so kind, caring and as fun as him. Everyday was better than the last as in barely a year I'd been shaped into a new person.

No longer was the brooding little thug that never smiled and feared contact. I was happy with gramps, truly.

As time always does, it keeps moving.

Years and years passed as I eventually graduated high school, then college, then found a wife, a beautiful wife by the way, she was so sweet and loving I'd never felt anything like it before it was as if every time I was with her I was on a cloud of-

"Skip the lovey dovey stuff."

"No listen you don't get it she was-"

"Don't care, keep going, I can tell it's about to spice up."

"Rude."

Anyways, like I was saying, life was good. Got a house, a car, I even got a sweet little girl her name was-

"Orion."

"I can't even talk about my sweet little-"

"ORION!"

This peaceful train of life kept going until the fateful day, a day I'd remember until my existence was extinguished.

It hit us like a speeding bus.

Gates flooded with monsters started appearing all around the world as our planet went through something the scientists of the time called, a Globe awakening.

These monsters possessed abilities that transcended human ability as they seemed to be straight out of the tales we read as kids but this wasn't all.

Billions upon billions fell, in a single day. It was unlike anything we had ever seen or could ever imagine.

A blood bath.

Simultaneously, as we, citizens of Gaïa, were fighting with our lives on the line, we were attacked by a foreign alien force that called themselves the Izvuldurs.

Merciless, bloodthirsty, violent, sinful, evil, demonic. None of these words could truly capture the vileness of these creatures as they hit us with even more power than the gates did.

Faced with such a threat, the royal family came out with a shocking truth.

Gates had existed since primordial times and we, humans, could get stronger and transcend our limits by slaying the monsters that poured out.

All of this could be done by engraving a simple rune on our chests.

This revelation absolutely shattered the political, economical and social landscape of the world.

With such a secret finally revealed, how could we not be mad? Why had they waited until things got this bad to tell us? How had they known about gates in the first place? Is this one of the reasons as to why the Emperor was feared so much? Did they know the gates would hit us? Did they know the Izvuldurs would attack?

But most importantly…

We could get stronger?

Us? Pitiful, pathetic, weak little creatures could match these monsters? Us? Humans?

The world went absolutely insane.

Society's structure quickly changed.

Humans that had mutated and evolved thanks to the rune had titled themselves as Slayers and protectors of humanity as the Human Emperor stepped down his position, hoping to calm the seething public opinion.

We humans fought everyday, month, year, decade, century. The battle and struggle was relentless and the struggle only accentuated with time but none of us gave up.

We quickly conquered the gates and turned them into dungeons for us to be able to pump slayers out like a factory and focused all our attention on the Izvuldurs.

"What role do you play in all of this? Surely, you died during the first few monster waves, right?"

"I was the first Slayer."