As I walk through the seemingly infinite land, completely bare and lifeless, made of an uneven surface of rocks, I start to think about my life. About how I was abandoned at a young age, about how I was treated in the slums, about the number of times I almost died from beating beat up, the number of times I almost died from starvation, or how I didn't get sick much because I was used to the environment of the slumps since a young age. I thought about how pathetically happy I was when I was given day-old bread, instead of three days old. And then I thought about the one person I cared about, a girl I loved. She was another abandoned child, about the same age as me, but was incredibly happy all the time, always staying positive, always putting others' needs first, till the very end. Some may say such behaviour is foolish, looking back now, it probably was. But back then I didn't care about that, I simply wanted someone, something? No, a reason, to stay alive, a reason to give me the will to survive. Her way of thinking was that reason, her unreasonably joyful and kind attitude, that very attitude that put an end to her life. She was protecting a child from a noble, no that's not right, from a criminal who was trying to take her. I remember standing there, completely petrified as she was beaten unconscious by the carriage guards, as they laughed at her futile attempt to save that child. I remember how the criminal looked at her, a look full of disgust and lust. I remember the shock I felt when he shot a fireball at the child, slowly burning her to death. And how I knew that I will never see my beloved again when the black-eyed criminal and his guards left with her. I spent the night thinking about what happened, about how my reason for life was no more. And as I did, I remembered a conversation I once overheard, it was about a barrier outside the border of the human domain, a barrier made with mysterious energy, which was unlike magic, and that anyone that would try to go inside, would die instantly. And from there I started walking there, not stopping once. Not when my feet bled when I stepped on the uneven ground, not when my stomach growled, begging for food, not when the border guard asked where I was going. Perhaps he didn't care in the slightest, or maybe he somehow knew that I was going to the barrier, since when I didn't reply, he just let me be.

As I see a slight glow in the distance, I start to once again, maybe for the thousandth time that night, to look for a reason to live, be it pure will or regret that I left behind. Finding none but one: how I didn't cry at all that night. Maybe it's because I'm so used to pain and sadness already, that I was completely unaffected. Finally, the tiring journey to end my life came to an end. The only thing I was relieved about was the hot weather since I was afraid I wouldn't survive cold weather with the pieces of cloth I wore as clothes. I paid no attention to how the barrier looked, I was not interested in that, I only wanted to enter it, ending this miserable existence of mine. I took a deep breath, it was warm and annoying, and then stepped in...

"Huh", I said involuntarily, as I slowly opened my eye. The area around me was almost identical to the area I came from, except for the red air around me, and the red lightning in the distance. I looked back halfheartedly, the barrier was behind me. I paid more attention to it this time, it was a reddish colour, with swirls of very light white, randomly spread, and in random sizes. It had an eerie and uncomfortable feeling to it. It looked like something that you would be able to see through, but it was impossible to do so. Reluctantly, I tried to put my hand through, it passed easily. Suddenly my eyes started itching, it was unbearable, as if a hundred spiders were crawling on them. I instantly drew my hand back and rubbed my eyes until it had left a mark, the itching wouldn't go away. It took 10 minutes for it to calm down a little, though it didn't stop completely. Slowly, I held my hands out and saw a purple glow. I let out a small scream and fell to the ground, surprised. I was confused and tired, but suddenly I felt more alive. I realised moments later that the feeling of being more alive started ever since I entered the barrier. I didn't quite understand it, or why it happened, but my instinct told me it was related to the purple glow coming from my eyes. Slowly, I got up to a sitting position, only to find a black blob with 3 blue scar-like holes was in front of me. I screamed and got up, and started running away from the thing. I was surprised by that, I wanted to die anyway so why was I scared? That's when it hit me, this feeling of liveliness was the reason. It gave me the will to live, and the power and energy to run. I was somehow relieved, as if a huge stone was lifted off my shoulders, but it felt like I was forgetting something." Oi, don't run away from someone who was checking up on you, that's bad manners!". I slowed down for a moment, looking to my left side where the sounds came from, only to see the black blob from before. I screamed in surprise, and took a step back from the thing." Is screaming how humans say hi to each other nowadays? Or are you just especially rude?" the thing said, it had a deep voice, quite unlike its somewhat cute appearance." So do you know how to talk or?", it said. "Oh, umm, hi", I said awkwardly," sorry for screaming at you a moment ago. Today has been a long day". I realised as the blub started to speak that one of the blue lines, the one that was longer and under the other two started to move when the thing started to talk."So, you got a name or what?". I thought for a moment, then replied"When you ask for someone's name, aren't you supposed to introduce yourself first?". It was something I used to hear in the slumps a lot, especially from older men who had nothing to lose, I hoped with that phrase to maybe figure something about this bizarre situation I was in, instead, I just realised that I had nothing to lose anymore."Well," the blub started," I don't exactly have a name, I do remember being called the protector of the devil's domain by w-"," THE DEVIL'S DOMAIN?" I exclaimed interruptedly. That was the last thing I expected to hear, although it did somewhat make sense. I know about "the devils" from the few beastkin that I talked to. The devil was the first race to come into existence, or so the story goes, the three other races on the continent are branches of the long-forgotten race. The human race, that has a talent for magic and incredible adaptability, which are also responsible for most of the technology of the present, like glass, carriages, and potion-making. The demon race, a race with an amazingly wide diversity and "personal magic", a kind of magic that only one person or group can use. And lastly the beastkin, with slight diversity and slightly above human average physical ability. The beastkin are also the only race that still remembers the devil race, and worships them."Yes," continued the blob," why are you so surprised about-wait a minute, your eyes are purple aren't they?". I was a little taken aback by that, and hesitantly replied"Well yes, I'm a skillholder after all, can't you tell from my clothes?". The thing looked thoughtful for a moment, or at least I thought it did since its facial expression didn't change much."Ah, I think I get it now," said the floating black blob, "Kid, where did you hear about the devils?" I was a little taken back from that, but hesitantly replied," From some beastkin fre-, I mean, from some beastkin I knew." The thing grinned the tiniest bit, then said," I see, so it is fate huh." It went silent for a minute, perhaps reminiscing about something, then continued, "Kid, what do you say I tell you about the devil's race and tell you the secrets of skills?" I was confused, but I was more excited and intrigued than anything. I nodded my head. And from that moment onwards, my fate, which I had thought was sealed, was changed forever.....