Eyes snapping open, wide and forced, tears piling up in the corners, the wind around her was strong, causing the action of opening her eyes stinging and painful. Victoria tried to wince, however, no sound came out; She tried to close her eyelids to lessen the pain, but it won't move accordingly to her thoughts.
'Where...?' She questioned herself.
Her eyes, fortunately, can move, scanning her surroundings to collect her thoughts properly.
Black.
Looking around, it was all black, nothing To be seen like a bottomless void, deep as a black hole. She couldn't see an ounce of light in this place, not even her own figure. However, she's able to feel them, she wasn't numb or paralyzed as she suspected earlier.
'Why... am I here?'
Was this the result of death? The rumoured place called 'the beyond'? Her mother's religious story sounds stupid right now, because she does not see the so-called place of the burning 'hell', and the golden 'heaven', this is just a place without time.
Or, she's about to be a judge? Like what the bible said. Where were the angels guarding her soul then? Her pointless questions are directed towards herself and maybe another being in the room. Though, no one seems to have made a show to announce themselves.
Perhaps if she waits... no, how long has she been here? Her eyes felt heavy as if she had slept for ages, decades, years. Her limbs are tired as though they have not moved for centuries.
[Skill used: ressurection]
A slash of a presence entered her mind, it disappeared immediately. Victoria has noticed it, but she didn't bother too much about it, probably one of her panic attacks.
[Skill level up (Lvl. 35/50): Mind stability]
These whispers, the audible words, she could barely hear any of them! This had been going on from she was a mere child, how was it that such curse sticks to her until now?
[Achievement unlocked: 'A cursed youth' badge - added to trophies]
Victoria clicked her tongue mentally, irked and annoyed. She needs to move, as long as it is noted she is not paralyzed, she should be able to move, in one way or another. Her body felt heavy, as If held down by an army of men, forced to lay down in a submissive position.
Yet, why does this situation seems so similar? She can feel the familiarity. The way she's pressed down, her body screaming out in pain, swellings dirtied her snow-white skin. Should it even be called a skin anymore? It's tainted in disgusting wounds and bruises.
[Skill Level up (Lvl. 5/50): Ares's Endurance] (!) Bug reported]
[Skill level up (Lvl. 40/50): Ares's Endurance] (!) Bug fixed]
Ah, it was that time, wasn't it? She remembered now, a memory she thought would forever be buried after countless times she tried to put her mind somewhere else. A remembrance that she should have turned deaf to it. She could still hear the screams of her mother and father each time she closes her eyes to forget about the world for mere hours.
She couldn't save herself, and not even her parents. She was too weak and fragile as a young girl. All she did was watch the gore show as she's pinned to the ground after a good amount of beating directed at her.
How can a human be so cruel to murder an innocent couple out of one gold coin in debt? And proceeding to marry off their daughter just as a puppet for him to display, a pleasant painting for the nobles' amusement.
She feels so stupid now, she didn't escape. But then again, she had no one else to cling on to, no one else to depend on besides him. But fate truly hates her, even a heartless husband like him left her alone. Why did he get peace first?! He left her widowed, with a son that wasn't even hers.
David... what had she done to him? She shouldn't have neglected that child. She had treated him the same her husband did to her. Like a thing to bring, not a person to care. Her only excuse was that she was young, with no advice on how to live a proper life as a duchess at such an immature state; though that's still not a valid reason.
It's too late to think about that, she had done wrong, going back to the past isn't a feasible option. If anything, she wants to be able to move now, even as a wandering soul.
[Skill Added: Dragon's phlegm]
[Skill Used: Dragon's phlegm]
[Desc: Resistance against mana. (for those who are unable to withstand the existence of mana)]
Her finger twitches, she gasps. She almost screamed in terror as she felt as if her insides are sucked down. Her breaths increase in pace, engulfing all the air she can get. She... can move? Even with the feeling of intense gravity pulling down she manages to lift a finger.
The consequences of moving caused her insides to burn, at least that's what it felt like. If she's a soul in the waste of space, she's somehow able to encounter discomfort, the feeling she always has in her flesh body.
"This-
She coughed instantly, her throat dried out, giving her a hard time to let out a sound without feeling scratches inside. Victoria settled to not talking, so she tried to pick herself up, resulting in her back hitting the solid black ground.
[Noticed, the player seems to have trouble in resisting the mana's force even with the Dragon's phlegm.]
[Skill added: Phoenix's tear]
Victoria's attention snapped towards the voice, there was no one around her. It sounds like... it's from inside of her. Her senses had come back, she can hear the distant voices clearly now, but what does it mean? Who is speaking?
'The Dragon's phlegm? The Phoenix's tears? Mana?' These nonsense words sound like something out of a children's fairy tale story.
"Confirmed." Her mouth spoke on its own, she didn't even think of such word or replying in such a manner. Victoria brought her fingers to her lips, there was no injury or whatsoever.
She sits herself up, there was no pain or sign of burning as well. rather, it's a fresh feeling, as if she had finished showering. She glances down, staring at her two moving hands touching each other, verifying if they are real or not.
'They can move...!' her lips hardened in excitement.
[Noticed, the player has successfully been healed, internally and externally.]
That voice again, it had been speaking from the first time she had regained her consciousness, did they have something to do with her current whereabouts?
[Noticed, the world is generated, spawn now? Yes[] No[]]
'World? what are they talking about?'
[Noticed, the player has confirmed an answer]
Are they describing her as a player? A player... is that what she is now? How odd, are they describing a soul as a player, huh. What are they, Gods? As far as her knowledge goes, there's only one God.
Reasonably, they are not Gods. They spoke as if they are just dolls that talk according to their master's orders; Like angels' voices announcing her departure after a long rest.
[Noticed, prepare for impact]
'impact?'
It was for a split second, she fell, the black floor opened, dim lights shone brighter, ones that may have been kept under the room's shadow. The fluorescent glow blinded her eyes, she couldn't keep her eyes open wide in fear of causing them damage.
With limited vision, she could still see the gradient charm of them, exploding into a shockwave. Pure colours, one she had not seen. As she falls, they spread their smoke, whitening the once black room above her.
What a gorgeous scene.
She lost her consciousness.