Chapter 1

Mr and Mrs Shimura burst into Dantes' room. The room was small and quaint. There was a large window that was slightly opened, allowing for the cool gently breeze to easily enter this stuffy humid room. Dante, who was perched up on the hard rock like a mattress, looked up in fear at his parents. Who's intimidating aura and figure made them look like demons at his doorway. "Yes, mom," I asked my my lips slightly quivering

"Where is my beautiful son, Koji?" Mom asked. Her tone was gruff and stern. "I think he said he was with a friend. " I answered in fear. Mom's eyes darted like a demonic snake as she saw runes and me drawing them. With a disdainful look, she crept closer as my heart sunk, ripping the pages I drew runes upon. "No child of mine will use rune magic ever."

"Why can't you be like your younger brother koji? And use your mana like a true champions vessel?"Instead of using these bullshit drawings." I tried my best to hold my tears back as mom ripped my dreams right in front of me. "You know you're a worthless trash that was birthed outta wedlock. You don't even deserve the air you breathe."

"But noooo, your father cared." She looked at dad, who was silently observing from the doorway. " You wanted this useless piece of trash now you deal with him." Mom stormed out in anger as dad followed her like a lost puppy. As the door closed, I looked back at the torn drawings of my runes.

The dozen of pages scattered around my room like a pigsty. I finally broke down in misery and pain after 9 years. I've suffered this pain for 9 years. I slumed to the floor as tears fell. Crying for God knows how long. My tummy growled in hunger. Breaking me out of my wallowing.

I walked down towards the kitchen. By now, I wasn't surprised when I opened the fridge and saw it was empty. There is nothing to eat. I was used to starving myself for days, weeks even. I looked in the cupboards only to find crumbs left behind by the rats that nestled in the corners of the cupboards.

I had no choice. I went back up to my room and reached inside my pillow. I knew I had exactly 10 blood shillings that I earned over the week. But when I pulled out my hand, there were only 5 B.S. left. I... I knew I kept my money safe inside my pillow. What was I gonna do now? Plain bread at the bakery costs 7 B.S., but I only have 5. I decided to go out and beg on my hands and knees in the scorching hot sun for those 2 blood shillings.

It took me a few hours to just get it. The hushed whispers that lingered on my mind breaking my mentality further as I put on a heroic smile. "Isn't he the cursed child that lost his blessing at birth?" "Serves him right as the beggar he is."He deserves to beg like this. " As I slowly walked myself to the bakery, it was too late they were closed. I knocked in the door.

Maybe there was still someone inside still. The owner of the bakery, a sweet old lady named Sierra. Came to the door. She looked at me and really wanted to help when I showed her the money, but the goods were already packed away. She could hear the rumbling of my tummy as she offered to give me some off the leftovers that she was gonna throw out. I was so happy.

That she had given me something to eat. When I tried to pay her back, she refused to take my money. Instead, she said, " One day, when you can. Pay it back, even if it's something small like a smile, ok?" I nodded in approval. As I eat the bread. It was so sweat and tasty. There was a commotion outside. People were running wild like headless chickens. I went outside to see what's the commotion was. I looked at the big tree to see Koji hanging from one of the tall branches.

My mind jumped into self-doubt. As I saw him hanging from the branch. Thier was a demonic spider and dark snake slithering and crawling over him. The two creatures were fighting over him for possession of the tree, and Koji was caught up in the middle of it. I just jumped into action, not thinking as I raced up the tree gabbing Koji as he slid down my legs, grabbing my feet. I was left at the mercy of these two dangerous creatures. As they hissed at each other. Ready to strike at any given opportunity.

Koji, who was now hanging from my legs, shook me, causing both creatures to inject their venom in me. Paralyzing me.My mind went foggy as my hands began to slip. If I let go, we both would die. Before I could pass out, I used a runic incarnation to freeze my hands to the tree branches, keeping me frozen in one place. I felt my muscles lock and cramp up as I stayed in pain. My mind went blank, and I fell unconscious. I was held by the incantation I created.

A few minutes would pass as I felt my body hit the ground with a loud thud. I would hear mom and dad's voice as they panicked over the harmless scratch that he got. As I remained motionless suffering the venom. My hair turned white as a result of being burnt. My whole body convulged in pain as I was tossed aside for people to check up on Koji. It was at that moment that I truly felt hopeless and in despair. I chuckled through some pain breaths as I realized I had a spider crawling on my hand. I am a person who has intense arachnophobia. I lay on the ground, still convulging as my muscles locked up more and more.