I never thought it would end like this, the end of my life, crushed in an instant. Lying in a puddle of my own blood, I couldn't help but reminisce about my life.
Death and I have never been strangers. If anything, one could say that we were well acquainted to each other even.
Death took away my parents when I was five. The trip to beach was supposed to be happy, celebrating my birthday turned to an event that would leave a deep scar on me.
Both mentally and physically.
I watched my parents get murdered infront of me by a madman. The memories are never clear.
The only thing I remember is the blood of my parents and lighting cackling off of the form of the madman and then all I remember is pain and darkness.
It was truly a horrifying. I wanted it to be nothing more than a nightmare. An absolutely terrifying nightmare. But it was true. The fact that I had to go see the graves of my parents, a week later after I woke up and the scar left by the madman that was on my lower abdomen and back was enough to remind me that it wasn't a nightmare.
How I survived I had no idea but I honestly had wished that I should have died that night along with my parents.
My relatives, those I thought were close to me turned their backs on me. They didn't want me. Just what I was going to inherit from my parents. They took everything from and I was left alone until Aunt Kayla took me in.
Kayla Ashley. She's my mother's younger sister.
She had to go through a lot because of me but she never complained. She wasted the prime of her life on me. To take care of me, to make sure I got everything I needed.
It wasn't much but she gave me everything she could afford and I am forever grateful to her. I love her very much.
Moving on.. Growing up wasn't happy or exciting either. Apparently I had developed a deep trauma after witnessing my parents death.
The trauma was so severe that it would cause my body to freeze completely whenever facing an unfavourable or stressing situation.
I would freeze up a lot in school and I was always bullied by everyone due my weakness.
But I guess that's the reality of the world huh? The strong prey on the weak. The weak.. if they don't stand for themselves and become strong then they could only blame themselves for being weak. Huh?
Man... What a sh*tty world.
So that's why I could only blame myself for being weak. Pre-trauma I was a prodigy in Martial Arts.. I would master everything in matters of minutes with enough practice and training. But after suffering from trauma I unwillingly had to give up Martial Arts.
I never forgot how to fight.. Because my eidetic memory simply didn't allow me too. But my body was not willing to listen to me. Unwillingly to stand up and fight.
The flashes of red and the dead faces of my parents would always haunt me.
I have been through a lot. Bullies, Loan-Sharks, Discrimination, Humiliation and more. I had to grow up at an early age. The only way to make sure my life would be a better one was by utilising all that I had.
My mind.
I'm a prodigy. I'm not bragging.
I'm a prodigy both at Martial Arts and Studies.
My parents were so proud of me. I was a genius at both. I had lost the ability to fight but I still had my mind. It was the only resource that I had.
I cultivated it. Learning all I could. Even ahead of courses and things that a normal kid wouldn't know until much later or never.
It was necessary for survival.
Life was hard. But I still had to live with it. For me and my aunt.
The only solace and safe haven I had in this sh*tty life were my hobbies. I loved Manga and Video Games. I wouldn't be embarrassed if someone called me an otaku even.
I'll proudly admit that I'm obsessed with them. The world may look down on me but I honestly couldn't careless.
After all I can't expect everyone to appreciate the beauty and magic of true art.
They were one of the only few things that could make me forget all the harshness and pain that surrounded me and stopped me from drowning in this bottomless purgatory.
Aunt Kayla was mostly away because of her job. To support the both of us she had to work overtime and she would come home late most of the time.
To ease her burden, even if a little, I learnt how to cook and I can proudly claim that I can cook well. Aunt Kayla loved eating whatever I cook. It didn't matter that it was just fried rice and eggs like always or tempura shrimp and pizza on rare occasions. She loved my cooking and I felt glad that I could be help to her in anyway I could.
I always felt guilty that she never found a good guy to look after her due to her job and me.
Taking about my love life, it was even more sh*ttier. Being a victim of bulling and a nerd who always gets the top spot in academics didn't help me at all.
People were always uncertain to how to treat me. Talking to a girl was already awkward asking her on a date or something would probably end in a situation that won't be favourable.
At least for me that is.
I wasn't ugly looking and fat or anything like that, actually I'm fairly handsome but my weakness and my frail frame made me unapproachable I think.
Or maybe it's something else I don't know about but the point is that I had no friends or a girlfriend.
Sigh... It's sad being lonely huh?
Or maybe I do have a girlfriend.
Umm.. a 'girl'-friend?.. A friend?.. I don't know what she is to me now that I know realised how she actually feels about me.
Alexa Hwang is my childhood friend and neighbour. She became my friend after I moved to NY after my parents death.
She was very lively and brash while I was shy and timid. We were the polar opposite but maybe that was the reason we got along so well.
She always stood up for me, always protecting me from bullies and being my friend even though she knew about my weakness.
I'm not gonna lie.
I absolutely liked her and even both of our guardians knew that I had a crush on her. Aunt Kayla and Aunt Ariana, Alexa's mother, would always tease me.
Lately, I've realised that she has been somewhat distant to me and has been growing farther and farther away from me. It was since the beginning of this school year when she started hanging out with Jacob's group.
Jacob was the true epitome of what one would know of as the Highschool Jock/Bully and his group was made cool and popular kids. Basically the 'head douchebag' and his 'minions'.
He was a major bully and would even go out of way to make my life difficult than it already was. Everybody knew it but nobody could do anything. He had a powerful backing. His dad's probably from underworld or something. That's why even the teachers were wary of him.
This guy literally screamed 'Arrogant Douchy Young Master' like from some wuxia novel or something.
And I, like a powerless peasant could do nothing but endure with a fake smile. Hoping that I wouldn't suffer much.
I didn't want to lose Alexa so I decided that today, on my 18th birthday, I would confess to confess to her, to tell her how I felt about her.
After visiting my parents grave. I prayed to God or whatever entity there was from the bottom of my heart. I wished that my life would change and that this suffering would end.
Perhaps today someone listen to my prayers and I was granted what I wished for.
It happened when I was walking to school early in morning. I had money to hire a cab but I preferred to walk. Ya know.. to save money to just spend it on books, games or food.
On my way I passed a small stall that I'm pretty sure wasn't there before today. The stall was shady because it was in middle of the market and was the only 'poor' looking shop amongst the other grand looking stores and complexes.
I was greeted by an old man who was wearing worn out but surprisingly clean clothes and a straw hat that covered his face.
For a poor looking man he didn't give off the vibe of a beggar but more of a being that I wasn't able to comprehend. He emitted a sweet scent that made me feel lightheaded. The smell was hundred times more attractive than any perfume I've smelt.
He greeted me with a grin that put me on edge and then gave me a beautiful black medallion and said only three words in a hoarse yet pleasant voice.
'Life Will Change'
And then he walked back to his stall. Normally I don'r believe in such superstitious things. But the medallion was so beautiful that it had me captured.
Or maybe I had just read too much wuxia novels the previous nights haha..
But I won't say no to a free gift especially if it was this beautiful and expensive looking. I happily walked to the school thinking life would really change.
It didn't take a lot of time to realise that I was so wrong to have delusions about good life. I was bullied more than usual, that b*stard even gutted me for 'stepping' on his shoes. I didn't.
The teacher punished me for something I didn't do. Was bullied some more, this time rinsed completely in water and then shoved inside a locker. But this was nothing compared to the heartbreak I was about to receive later.
I went to find Alexa only to find her talking with Jacob. They didn't notice me since I was the were in the passage and I was near the stairs.
I found out Alexa liked that prick Jacob and didn't have any feelings for me. Apparently she didn't think much of me either since I couldn't stand up for myself and was just good at studies. All I good was for being a nerd and helping her.
Wow... I never saw it coming.
But I guess that's what I deserved for being delusions. I then realized it was because of this medallion all bad things were happening to me and wanted to get rid of it ASAP. I couldn't make myself throw it away for some reasons. So, I decided to give it back to the old man who gave me this medallion of doom.
It was raining hard and with every step I took, the weather just got worse. It was too late when I noticed that I was in a bad situation.
The streets unusually empty and where there had been a stall this morning there was nothing except a dark alley and in the dark alley was a crouched form of... Someone.
This whole situation screamed danger but I couldn't find it in myself to turn back and run away. I approached the person and as soon I got near the person suddenly stood up.
He was a man in his late twenties with a long messy hair and unkempt beard. On his face was a crazed look. Bloodshot eyes and the smell of alcohol strong on his breath. Then I noticed in his hand was a broken beer bottle that gleamed ominously under the single flickering light.
I knew what was about to happen and did what I was good at.
I froze.
Yeah.. My body froze up and I couldn't do anything as the deranged man suddenly leapt at me and started stabbing me with the glass bottle.
I fell to ground with pain coursing through my abdomen yet I couldn't move.
My killer got bored apparently after a while and fled leaving me bleeding on ground and reminiscing about my cr*ppy life as I felt my life slipping away.
I know that I'll be in death's embrace soon. She finished what was left all those years ago. I am going to die on the same day my parents died in the same as they did. Murdered by a madman.
I may have accepted my fate but does this make me happy?
Of course it doesn't! How can I be happy?! I have so many regrets!
I want to do so many things. I have so many regrets.
I want to give my aunt a good life. I have so many regrets.
I want to find true love. I have so many regrets.
I want to live. I have so many regrets.
"P-Please... A-Anyone... I-I don't want to die! I want to live! Please! I want a second chance! Please... P-Please..." I cried out. Tears of pain and grief flowing freely down my face.
I weakly raise my shaky hands, finally able to move. I bring my bloodied fist in front of my face looking at the medallion that was smeared with my blood.
Suddenly something happened
The medallion began to glow. The borders of the medallion lit up as letters slowly appeared. The language was unknown to me, yet I was able to make out what was return.
'The Sun Must Set, To Rise Again'
The medallion began to glow as I felt a strange warmth spread throughout my body.
Eh? But shouldn't death feel cold?
Welp. It doesn't matter anymore after I can feel myself losing conscience.
It's all over for me.
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Eh?
Am I even dead? Of course I'm dead! There's no way I'd survive that!
But if this is what happens to those that die, I'll have to admit this... Sucks.
Just darkness and your thoughts. I can't even feel my body.
Wait.. Do I even have a body now?
This isn't how I imagined afterlife. I thought after dying I would be greeted by the bony face of the reaper who would guide me to an angel would calculate my Karma and then I'd go to Heaven or Hell, wherever belong.
But alas it doesn't seem it's like that..
*Sigh* this sucks.
Then suddenly.
[Requirements have been meet. System is now online... Analysing the
...What the hell?
I thought as a distorted robotic voice echoed around me. Suddenly the dark space surrounding me lit up and I regained the ability to feel and move my body. I raised my head found myself looking at a vast grassy plain.
What's going on?!
[Success... Emergency protocols have been activated... Damaged has been reversed...
I don't what happened but all the panic that was bubbling inside of me suddenly disappeared and it seemed as if my brain was forced to calm down. It's strange considering how bizarre this whole situation is I should be jumping around like a headless chicken.
And then.
"Hello User! I am Leta! Your guide and the mind of the 'System'! Welcome to the tutorial! Please be ready 'Quest System' has now been activated!" A sweet voice of a female who introduced herself Leta said.
The sound of a notification was heard and then a holographic interface suddenly appeared infront of me.
*Ding*
[Quest: System Pt. 1 (Combat)
Objective:
- Kill threat (0/10)
Rewards:
- 100 Exp
- 100 Gold
- Starter Pack
Condition of Failure: Death
Penalties: None]
"Innate Skills have been activated! Please ready yourself 'User'! Here come your objectives!"
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Are those goblins?
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