Yet, it seemed that the darkness wasn't as eternal as I originally believed as I could physically feel the cold sweat running down my neck and the pain from the knife still leave a phantom reminder.
Cracking my eyes open, I find myself sprawled below a familiar chandelier which was illuminated by the ambient light coming from the crystal rose window. Turning my head left, the walls had the appearance of vines growing over their golden smear.
Groaning in pain, I roll myself onto my stomach before reaching my hand backwards and touching at the spot where the knife had gone. Yet, I didn't feel the skin parted and letting blood or a hole in my shirt. Looking down at my wear, I noticed that I was dressed in what I first arrived in, leaving for my muddled brain to tangle my thoughts. A sense of clarity soon overcame me with the reverberation of a wizened old voice.
"I welcome you oh dear hero."
Shooting up to my feet, I grip my hands into a tight ball and stare at the King in the flesh.
"Aren't I dead?" I croak.
"O' dear hero…, far from it. Instead, you have been summoned from your world."
"But I felt myself die, the pain and suffering were real, so why am I back here?"
"I don't know what you've gone through hero, but you are here now, alive and well." The King answers.
Looking around with wide eyes, I then fall to my knees, tears streaming.
"O' great hero, why is it that you cry?" The King inquires.
"No reason…" I state while wiping my eyes. "No reason at all."
Taking deep breaths, I calm my breathing and my thoughts become serene as a porcelain figure. Even with such clear thoughts, I still couldn't understand what was happening. I had clearly died, and it wasn't a dream since I had lived those several years thoroughly to the point that I can recall important details without trouble. Along with my recollection of thoughts, came the smoldering anger towards Caitlin for having betrayed my trust without a hint of remorse. Punching my fist into the tiled ground, I immediately regret my decision as a flare of pain runs through my arm, leaving me clutching it as the pain subsided.
Confused as to why doing something like that, I remembered the aspect about my clothing and a sense of realization seemed to dawn over me, resulting in a sinister smile forming on my face.
If what I believed to be true, then I have regressed from several years ago to the point at which I'd been teleported from my world. This both explained the words of the King and my current strength and clothing. Along with this regression, it also meant one other thing, I could get the revenge on Caitlin that she'd been so sure I'd never get.
Laughing in my mind, I think, 'Dead men do tell tales.'
However, my boisterous mood quickly dimmed as the strength that I'd spent so long to acquire had disappeared along with my future self. In other words, I was restarting from stage one, the point at which I was the weakest and the most gullible.
'I'll do things differently this time.' Upon thinking that, I stare up at the King who shortly noticed such and he began to ramble.
"As I said before, I have summoned thee from another world so that you can help us… Our lands are littered with demonic beasts… who tear and consumer my ever so precious people. We've tried to fight back, but alas… it was all for naught. But you, someone summoned from another world and someone who doesn't follow the world will, can fight against these ever so powerful demons."
"I accept."
Startled by my quick reply, the King stares at me strangely before regaining his composure. "I didn't expect that response o' powerful hero, but it does not matter… in fact, it just makes things easier for me."
Clapping his hands twice, the torrent of wind once again blasts against me, revealing the true appearance of the King soon after. Planting his staff in the ground, the secret doors of the King's Throne Room burst open and emit the maids and butlers who carry a multitude of objects to help me on my quest. Yet, almost as if to repeat what had happened before, my eyes were focused solely on the one with long, luxurious locks of golden hair. The one with watery blue eyes that slightly twinkled in the light. The one whose beauty was extraordinary to the point that I'd fallen so deeply I couldn't see the faint trace of disgust as she stared at me.
Feeling as my emotions bud up, it soon becomes too much to bear, and I rush forward, straight towards Caitlin. With my teeth bared towards her, she stumbles backwards until two knights come rushing to her rescue. Omitting me from going further with the tips of their spears, I weave around them, only receiving nicks on my skin as my body couldn't keep up yet. Finally reaching the place in which Caitlin was in front of me, a forbidding smile forms on my face. As I go to grab Caitlin by the neck, I am blasted backwards, ramming past the metal armor worn by the knights I just bypassed and straight into the wall. Coughing out a mouthful of blood, I droop to the floor, feeling as if my bones had been shattered.
"I don't know what it is that you're doing o' great hero, but I recommend that you stop."
Hearing as the King's voice booms through my ears, the pain soon becomes too much, and I lose consciousness.
-
Fluttering my eyes open, I cringe as the light flows into my eyes. Trying to sit up from the bed, my entire body flares up in pain, and I let out a small cry. Pushing past this pain while constantly thinking, 'I've experienced worse,' I finally manage to sit up. Heaving out multiple laborious breaths, I find myself in a room with clear crystal windows that allowed for the light from the sun to flood in. The bed that I lay on was made of expensive silk, but the colors looked bland, matching with the equally dull walls. It was the room that I'd been gifted when I first arrived in my first life.
Turning my head, the door to my room suddenly opens, revealing a cart with multiple medical objects placed atop it, followed by a butler with slicked back black hair, grey eyes, and a monocle on his left eye. The butler noticed that I was awake but remained silent until having properly stationed himself next to me.
Handing me a glass on unknown contents, the butler spoke. "it's so wonderous to see you Hero. We've been waiting for you to wake for two days now, and the medicinal process has been rather laborious."
Downing the glass of medicine with ease, I ask, "What happened?"
Taking the glass from my hand and replacing it with a cup of tea, the butler answered, "After your little stunt that you'd tried on the princess, the King had used his divine powers to knock you out, but that ended up resulting in a multitude of your bones breaking and your body becoming littered with bruises." Refilling the glass of tea, the butler continued. "The princess, having experienced what you'd done firsthand immediately retreat to her room and hasn't left since then with the reasoning of having mental trauma inflicted upon her."
Gritting my teeth, I press my fingernails deep into my palms, trying to draw blood from them.
"The King, respecting the princess, decided that she shall no longer be the one to accompany you, instead it shall be I, Olin Brewer. It's a pleasure to be in your service Hero."
Nodding in affirmation, Olin then handed me a letter with a wax stamp of the King. Looking at Olin questionably, he clarified.
"This is a letter given by the King explaining your mission to you as well as where you can get your resources for your journey. He couldn't tell you about these things in person as he is looking over the princess until she gets better. He gives his sincerest apologies."
Cracking the letter open, I read all about the different things that have been prepared for me on my journey to slay the Demon King, yet after skimming through it, I crumpled it into a ball.
"Hero?"
"Once I'm healthy enough, you'll take me to the training grounds." I order.
Olin then leaves after that, and I begin to brew the thoughts that remain frozen in my mind. A few minutes of thinking later, and I came up with my ultimatum resolution, causing me to smile like a child having won a prize for the first time.
Rather than killing the Demon King, I'll get my revenge on Caitlin first.
-
I had long since healed on my injuries inflicted by the King and I had also completed my training with Guff, managing to even beat him in a one vs. one duel after eight months of training. The instant after that, I gathered all my required travel materials and, with the help of Olin, set out to the forests, wanting to grow just enough in strength to the point where I could safely return to the castle and kill Caitlin.
And now, here I stand, three years since having regressed, at the gates of the Castle I began at. Unfortunately, of fortunately, along my way of travel one year ago, I had taken on more than I could chew, and Olin died as a result. I was deeply saddened by his death, and properly mourned, but with the embers of hatred still glowing just as brightly, I continued training.
Walking straight through the castle doors, upon catching sight of me, the maids and butlers were hurriedly scurry away, most likely to inform the King of my return. And such a thought was proven correct when Knights soon came dashing down the halls, ready to escort me to the King.
"Please come with us Hero."
Instead of complying with them, I give them my most remorseful face and mumble, "Before I meet with the King, could I by any chance apologize with to the princess? After these three years, I've finally felt that my actions were cruel and unjust, and it would only be correct of me to apologize to her in the flesh."
Looking between themselves, they begin to shift uncomfortably until their leader reluctantly agrees. Following behind them closely with a small pep in my step, we finally reach the east wing of the castle, the place where Caitlin's room was located. Stepping out of the way, their leader knocks on the door. Moments later, the prepared figure of the princess came into view, destroying the appearance of someone who'd been inflicted with severe mental trauma.
Conversing in hushed voices, the lead knight then steps aside, allowing for my eyes to connect with the blues of the princess. Quickly breaking the gaze by executing a perfect bow to her, I hear a rather large sigh before she invites me in.
"So, you've come to apologize for what you'd done three years ago?" The princess inquires while closing the door off from the knights.
"If it'd been the previous me, then yes, I would have apologized profusely for my past actions against you."
Walking across her room, Caitlin places herself gracefully down on her bed. "Good, you have no idea how traumatized I'd been from such an event, but if you're ready to repent for your actions, then who am I to deny forgiveness.
Staring at her in silence as the fireplace crackles, her calm demeanor slowly starts to change to impatience, and she starts to tap her foot.
"Well?"
"…I apologize princess. For you see, I don't repent, but instead I shall pursue."
Confused by my words at first, the look on her face soon changed to that of fear and she quickly scrambles away from me. Wanting to scream out to the knights who lay outside, I rush forward and enclose her mouth with my hand. Ripping a knife out from behind my belt, I go to plunge it forward and finish my revenge, but I am suddenly flung against a wall, forming an indention of my own body in it.
Rolling to the floor, I scramble upwards and in the doorway to the room, I see it blasted open and the King staring at me with an enraged expression.
"You've gone too far hero! For your intentions to kill my one and only granddaughter, I sentence you to death!"
A moment after, an unexplainable weight comes crashing down upon me. Using all of my upper body, I manage to hold myself up, but then the weight grows to an even larger proportion, leading my body to crash into the ground, unable to even lift a finger.
Having a shadow come over me, the King sighs in disappointment. "You truly thought you were special, didn't you?"
Upon hearing him utter these words, my thoughts quiet and I carefully listen to what he has to say next.
"You're nothing more than a pawn to me o' hero. A pawn that I could use to do my dirty work and get rid of the demons that constantly tried to rid this place of my control. But you must realize… you're not powerful, you're only an ant trying to take on an eagle. Rather depressing that I will have to deal with the Demons that push against us, but a little blood on my hands doesn't bother me all that much. Goodbye o' great hero, your sacrifice was in vain and revenge incomplete."
Plunging the butt of his staff into my back, I let out an agonizing scream as I felt the spear break through my spine slowly and then implant itself in my heart. Angered by the words of the King, I vowed to get revenge on both him and Caitlin for deceiving me.
Making that vow, my vision faded, and the void once again welcomed me.