[Would you like to become an Ancient Being?]
What is this? Am I hallucinating?
I reached my hand towards the panel but saw that my hand went right through it. I was dying I had already given up hope but I felt a sense of security from seeing the panel.
Will this give me the power to take revenge? Is it possible to bring back mom or is that too much to ask for?
Nothing responded and the black and green panel continued to float in front of me. Not long after, my vision grew blurry and I felt my body grow colder by the second. A pool of blood had already formed below me and I knew I was dying.
I have no choice. As long as I can get revenge. Anything for revenge.
"Yes…" I whispered through lumps of blood that swelled up in my throat.
[Calculating your Ancient Being…]
[You are 98.74% compatible with the Ancient Being, Quetzalcoatl]
[Quetzalcoatl's System granted]
[There are… 0 other humans on the planet Earth with an Ancient Being system]
[Say "status" for you to get started]
"St-s-s…"
My head plopped to the ground because I fell unconscious but little did I know a warm, rainbow fire wrapped around me. The rainbow flames healed my wounds but also created a circle of spears made from the same fire, around my unconscious body.
I left my unconscious state after 5 minutes of being wrapped in the warm fire and fell asleep. In my dreams, I was still a toddler and was held in my mom's arms. I could feel the warmth of her body as we watched a documentary on the TV in front of us.
An image of a huge snake with rainbow wings wrapped around an old stone temple appeared on the screen. It seemed to be protecting it.
The snake with wings started to slither closer to where we saw the image from. Soon its giant snakehead with rainbow feathers on the back had filled up the screen. It made some mouth movements but nothing came out of its mouth and then I felt my consciousness grow heavy…
"AHHH! HUFF HUFF HUFF," I started breathing heavily as soon as I woke up.
"The dream… what happened in the dream?"
I knew something significant happened in the dream but no matter how long I racked my brain, I couldn't remember. It's like the memory was locked inside my head, waiting for a key to unlock it.
Looking towards the ground, I saw the same pool of blood below me, but I felt completely fine. My injuries were completely gone as if they never existed. No scars, no bruises, no pain.
Shifting my eyes a bit up, I saw a small circle of rainbow fire spears that poked out of the ground surrounding me. Connecting the spears was a trail of the same rainbow fire. The trail was then lead below me creating another shape that looked like the outline of my body when I passed out.
"I remember getting beaten to death in this alleyway and then, there was a black panel with green text that said-"
Looking farther up, I saw the notifications from before I passed out. Once I finished reading all of the black and green panels a small grin was shown at the side of my mouth.
"Status…"
『Status』
[Name: Lucy]
[Race: Human]
[Level: 1/25] - Evolution Unavailable
[HP: 10/10 MP: 10/10 SP: 3/3] - Below Average
[Strength: 3] - Way Below Average
[Defense: 3] - Way Below Average
[Magic: 3] - Way Below Average
[Speed: 3] - Way Below Average
[Skills: [Weak Quetzalcoatl's Ancient Fire]
[Passive: [Photographic Memory]
…
"So… I'm assuming the ancient fire is what is currently around me. What does level mean? Is it exactly like the video games that I read about which were made centuries ago? I didn't read much on the games but I do know that you can level up by something… what was it… OH! level up by killing monsters or just enemies… does that include humans?
...I will definitely kill James and take my revenge but I will not kill any humans after that. I can't become drowned in power like the bullies. The only problem is that I don't know how to use my skills. Is there a way to know what the skills do or how I can control it?"
Suddenly 2 more black screens with green text appeared in front of me with descriptions of my skills.
[Photographic Memory]
[You can remember anything you have experienced. You just have to shuffle through your memory like files in a cabinet. The one downside is that you remember everything, which includes terrible or scarring events in your life. Beware of sleeping since memories you haven't remembered in a while, have a chance of appearing in your dreams.]
[Weak Quetzalcoatl's Ancient Fire]
[This is the weakest version of the fire that Quetzalcoatl wielded but it is still extremely hot. You produce the fire in your throat but it is also able to produce it from the center of your palm with enough control. This skill will evolve when you evolve, unlike other skills which need XP to level up.]
So I do need XP to level up, which confirms my suspicion. Is this enough power to kill James yet or should I level up first? Wait… mom... I forgot about mom!
Running out of the alleyway, the circle of rainbow fire spears dispersed into thin air while I darted towards my house. I also made sure to check if anybody was following me, especially James or his lackeys.
I had absolutely no stamina and when I was halfway there I almost collapsed but pushed through. The sight of my mother hanging from the ceiling kept flash in my mind, causing tears to leak from my eyes.
My vision is blurry. My body is heavy. My heart hurts. It feels like the world has slowed down and I'm the only one in it.
BAM
Slamming the door open again, I hoped it was just a dream, even if this system didn't exist and I was continued to be bullied every day, I just hoped mom was alive.
I ran through the hallway into our rundown bedroom and saw her sitting on the side of the bed. But I soon realized she was glowing white and her body was slightly see-through. Suddenly, her beautiful figure started the rise off the bed like she was ascending.
Her mouth started to move, but no words came out. But still, I was able to understand what she said, the words that I wouldn't forget for the rest of my life.
"I'm sorry I left so early. Don't worry, I have always loved you. I will always love you no matter what you do or have done. Choose to take revenge or not. You have to move on even without me. Stay strong my beautiful daughter. I love you…"
The tears that trickled down my face soon burst out as I ran for her ethereal body, trying to grab onto it but my arms just went through her. She smiled at me as she soon dissipated into thin air.
"AHHHHHHH," I cried out.
I didn't even realize that rainbow fire started to burst out of my hands, setting the room on fire. The tears that I cried turned into rainbow flames as well but they had the consistency of water. I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces until I saw her physical body right below me.
"*sniff* I'm sorry I can't bury you. I-I have to cremate you right here and right now since people might see me when I bring you out of the house. Don't worry I will definitely take revenge and move on so please rest in peace mom. I'm burning this house that shackled us down and… I love you and always will love you," I said through my tears.
The flames that roared inside my house then hit my mom's corpse but instead of burning it instantly and turn her into ash, it was a gentle fire that slowly put her to peace. Not even ashes remained but I knew if I kept her ashes, I won't be able to move on.
I saw this and my face was filled with resolution and anger as I knew what I had to do. Level up and then slaughter James…
"NO, I WILL SLAUGHTER HIS FAMILY TO MAKE SURE HE FEELS THE SAME PAIN THAT I FELT!"
I instantly forgot about the words that I said earlier due to rage and I slowly walked out of the house that had continued to burn. The rainbow flames then once again dissipated into thin air once nothing remained, not even charcoal or ashes.
Even though there was a house set on fire with rainbow flames, the residents near me, just assumed it was a high-ranking ability user so they dared not to show their face.
But if they did show their face, then they would have seen a teen about 16 years old with flowing pale white hair that gave off a glowing white aura. A body that used to be 5'5, frail, and weak was now a 5'7, pale white, and slim body. Her beauty was unparalleled to anybody they would have ever seen in their entire life, even though her assets weren't that big. The biggest change was to her eyes which her pupils switched between the colors of the rainbow.
I wiped the tears from my face and decided to go to a dungeon to level up. All for revenge.