I sat up from the darkness.
What happened?
I remembered everything that happened. I remembered it all. Ayako, Shiro, Shiho. All of them. I still felt my heart tremble and my eyes would tear whenever I thought of Ayako.
What happens now?
Oh yeah. I remember now. Pandora, Arthur, Cynthia, Lilith.
I smiled warmly at the remembrance of my old friends. I hadn't cherished our moments when I should have. I wondered what they were doing.
Arthur and Cynthia are probably married.
I tried to keep myself from remembering Ayako but I couldn't. Even when I remembered my old friends. Even when I remembered the moments when Pandora and I were together. None of those moments came close to what I had felt when I was with Ayako.
I didn't know what to feel anymore. If only someone could help me.
I fell backwards into the liquid and I was now in another world.
No. Please. Not another one.
I didn't have a choice.
Forget this, I should just try to get this over and done with.
I was in a forest. The sky was dark and only the moonlight illuminated the forest. I could tell from the trees and grass that this world was a medieval type of world.
I walked all over the forest to gather as much information as I could and soon the hunger had gotten to me. I picked the berries from out of the bushes and checked to see if they were poisonous or not.
It was strange for beasts to not come out at this time. I tried to sense if there were any animals and it seems that this forest was abandoned by both the people and the animals.
I had wandered through the forests with just the nightly to accompany me for almost a year. I didn't want what happened last time to happen again. I didn't want to go out of the world like that. I must find another way.
Let's try exploring more to the west.
I walked for a day or two and found nothing. I sighed as I sat down in one of the trees and rested.
"Aether, stay back." A male voice ordered someone.
I looked down from the tree and saw a group of people.
Three males and three females.
I guessed that it was a party who were out doing quests. I observed the world I was in for a year and I have never seen these people however their remains told me a lot about them.
One person had a longsword in their sheath and one person held a sword. One held a spear and a shield, one was extremely large in size and muscular and one had a greatsword on their back. It was around the same size as the person itself. There was another person who wielded a staff which had a small white glass in it. It might've increased the person's mana or magical attacks.
"Aether, what's wrong?" They all looked at the girl who held the staff. Her hands were shaking and her eyes widened as she stared into the darkness of the forest.
"There's…s-something…there…" The girl mumbled.
"Huh? Speak louder we can't hear—" The man with the longsword yelled at the girl with the staff before he was interrupted.
A low growl could be heard. Emerging from the darkness was a black dog with six eyes. All of its eyes were gold and it stared at the girl with the staff.
They all got out their weapons but their hands were trembling before the dog. The dog stared at all of them but didn't move. The girl with the staff then changed something but she mumbled it so it didn't work. A few more eyes emerged from the darkness and soon the darkness was filled with small red dots, all staring at the group. Without any warning, the dog pounced on the girl and dug its claws into her soft, pale skin. The girl cried and screamed for help but her comrades couldn't move their bodies. They stared at their friend being eaten by the dog. All of them felt helpless but they couldn't help it when the red dots from the darkness disappeared. Multiple beasts like the dog ran out from the darkness and went past the group. The dog that had attacked the girl with the staff looked at the darkness and then whined. It then ran as fast as it could from the forest.
"They're…t-they're running from something!" The man who had the longsword pointed at the darkness of the forest. He fell back onto the floor and tried to crawl away but the darkness had already grabbed his leg and pulled him in.
"A DEMON!" The large man cried before he tried to run away as well but he suffered the same fate.
A man wearing a dark robe walked out of the forest. He had blood on his fingers and all over his mouth. He then licked his fingers clean. The man didn't have any type of expression on his face; Not fear, not happiness and not even anger. Nothing.
The man had white hair and blood-red eyes. He glared at the group and soon they all felt his animosity. They held their hearts as the man squeezed them with his magic. He then walked over to one of the remaining girls who had her sword pointing to the man. Then went close to her and whispered in her ear.
"Do you know me?" He whispered to her. The girl's body trembled in fear and her eyes widened. Her breathing became heavy and quick. She then collapsed to the ground. "Only two remain." The man muttered to himself.
I jumped off from the tree I was spectating from which turned the man's attention from the two remaining members of the group to me.
"Who are you?" He asked softly. I didn't answer him, instead, I went to the girl who lay in her blood. Her face still showed fear even after she had died.
"Acensio Nekroi." I said.
The girl sat up on the ground, gasping for air. Her breathing was heavy and quick but she then returned to her natural breathing rate.
"What happened?" The girl asked me. I didn't respond. I looked at the mysterious man who stared at me with awe.
"Who are you?" The man asked me as he glared at me.
"Why should I answer someone like you?" I asked him. The man looked at me with confusion. I could sense his malice and if that was happening then my plan was working perfectly. "Are you anyone of any great significance that I need to answer you? Should I really answer someone who's weaker than me?"
The man's fist twitched but then he sighed and he kept his composure.
"Die—" The man was interrupted as blood dripped from his nose. He then held his blood in his hands as the blood didn't stop.
"Do you want me to stop it?" The man couldn't answer. All he could do was stare at me. "Oh well then. Incinirem Kaloupi."
The man tried to grab me but his body was stopped. His hand was reduced to ashes and it went with the wind. His whole body then did the same and soon the man was reduced to ashes.
Luckily I at least had Word Magic.
I turned to the girl who I had brought back to life. She stared at me blankly.
"What's your name?" I asked her.
"Aether."
* * * * * *
We sat around the campfire. The four of us stayed near the fire to stay warm. None of us had fire magic so this was the only way to get fire.
"So what's your name?" Aether asked me. I thought for a second.
What was my name? I had been in this world for so long that I had forgotten my own name. Ah, I thought of it.
"Levantes."
"Levantes?" She repeated my name as if she was confused. "That's a nice name."
"I guess so." I sighed. "So what are your names?"
I looked at the other two as they looked at me. The one with the spear and shield spoke first.
"I'm Diomedes." The man said in a stern, husky voice.
Diomedes had a muscular build. He definitely looked strong. He had dark black hair and green eyes. He always kept his composure even when he was being attacked or even when he saw his comrades die before him.
"I'm Lycus." The boy with the greatsword said.
He was short and didn't look as strong as Diomedes however the fact he could wield such a large weapon was definitely something to look into. To judge him solely on his looks wouldn't give an accurate result as he was certainly capable in battle.
"How are you so strong?" Lycus asked. Aether and Diomedes both looked at me, waiting for my answer.
"I have spent the last year in the forest and in that time I had trained my magic." The others looked stunned.
"A whole year in that forest?" Aether said. They all looked confused.
"Levantes, that forest is home to many powerful beasts and with little to no food so I don't know how you survived."
"What happened to you before you were in that forest?" Aether asked. I thought for a bit before answering her.
"I…I don't remember…" Their faces looked sympathetic as if they felt sorry for me.
I have a feeling this will be the start of a new beginning.
After we talked we went to sleep. In the night I had heard some rustling sounds however when I woke up to check what it was, the sounds disappeared. I woke up at least five times in the night and I couldn't find the source of the sounds.
We woke up at noon when the sun was at its peak. We found a few rabbits so we cooked them and had those for breakfast.
They then took me to the town they had come from. It was completely mediaeval, with stone houses and a few pieces of wood for stability and a roof made from stone. They then took me to a building known as the Adventurer's Guild.
Where have I heard that before?
The building was taller than the others. We entered it and there were many people there. They all watched us as we walked to the reception.
"WHAT HAPPENED?" A woman from the reception asked as she ran out of the reception to hug Aether. "What happened, Aether?" She sobbed quietly. Tears dripped from her eyes and landed softly on the ground.
"They…" Aether said as she looked down at the ground to avoid meeting eyes with anyone. "They were killed."
The building fell silent.
"Then who is this man?" The woman hissed. Everyone looked at me. I could sense the bloodlust from many of the people.
"He saved us, Freya!" Lycus explained what had happened and how I had saved them and how the others had died.
After the sentimental moment in the Adventurer's Guild, there was a ceremony for the ones who died. It turns out that that group was the strongest party in the whole town and they had saved the town many times. I was given the highest rank in the Adventurer's Guild, the platinum rank, for saving them.
* * * * * *
"Ah!" Lycus exclaimed as he drank the beer in his hand. "It's been three years now, Levantes!"
It's been three years since I have met them and four years since I came to this world however I have forgotten everything I knew of before this world. I cannot remember a single second of before this world. I can only remember the fact that I am not from this world.
"C'mon Levantes! Drink up!" Lycus said as he gave me a glass of beer.
"I avoid such things, Lycus."
"Oh, alright then. I'll have six more!"
I didn't know Lycus had asked me to go here and drink with him. He knew I didn't drink so there must be another reason. I already have some ideas as to why he did so I guess at least one of them should be the right one.
"Y'know Aether has been looking at you." He said to me softly.
I was right.
"R-Really?"
"Yeah, I think she likes you!"
He seemed jealous. Perhaps he had feelings for Aether and now he is jealous of me because she has feelings for me. Nevertheless, I could just leave this town, I don't have anything close towards it so I could leave at any time.
"Please don't break her heart, Levantes." I had expected him to say such things. "Y'know I like her as well but I want her to be happy so if you break her heart, I'll kill you." His eyes didn't say he was lying.
"So what do you want me to do then?" I asked him.
"I'm not saying you should marry her or anything like that, I'm just saying that try not to break her heart. I know you don't like her like that so I'm just saying to not reject her cold-heartedly.".
This was my first time hearing Lycus say things which made sense.
"Alright then."
* * * * * *
Seven years now. It has been seven years since I met them and the group isn't like before. Diomedes has gotten married so he left the group and now it's only Aether, Lycus and my left and things have gotten awkward.
Lycus's feelings for Aether have only grown stronger and now he has become more jealous and I could always feel a sense of bloodlust whenever we come in contact. Aether on the other hand is completely oblivious to Lycus and continues to smother me with her kindness which makes Lycus even more jealous.
* * * * * *
"I'm sorry, Aether, but after ten years I have never thought of you like that." I told her. Her face was pale white and her eyes widened. I could hear her heartbeat becoming faster and faster by the minute.
She turned around and whispered.
"I see."
She then walked down the hill and walked and walked until I couldn't see her anymore. I did feel some guilt because after ten years I did feel some sort of feelings towards her however they weren't as strong as the feelings she felt towards me.
I arrived at the house given to the group after the ceremony of the former group members. Aether was standing in my room looking out of the window.
"Aether?" I called out but there was no response. She then fell out of the window. "AETHER!" I called out.
Her head was tied to a rope while her body was on the ground. The sight scared me.
"Levantes, what happened?" Lycus said as he yawned. I stared at him. My eyes widened.
I couldn't tell him.
"What's outside—"
He stared at Aether's head and then her body. He then looked at me. His eyes were blood-red.
He then started to laugh maniacally. He found a knife on the floor which must've been used by Aether. He then took the knife and slit his throat.
* * * * * *
Fifteen years now and I'm on my own. Just like when I entered this world I'm on my own. Back where I started.
The cold winter air brushed against my cheek. I walked in the snow. I walked and walked until I couldn't anymore.
I felt lonely. I felt alone.
I didn't feel like this before so why am I feeling it now?
It must be because I liked the time with the group. I liked the moments we had with each other.
I collapsed to the ground and landed on the snow on my face. I turned my body around so that I could watch the night sky. I then felt nibbling at my flesh but I couldn't move. I could move even though I could feel all the pain from the creature that was eating my flesh. The creature then sat on my chest.
It was a rabbit.
It started biting off my clothes and dug its teeth into my flesh and ripped it out.
All I could do was scream as loud as I could but there was no one around.
The light faded from my eyes but I could still feel my flesh being ripped off of my body. I felt it all. I felt it when the rabbits entered my body and ripped out my organs. One by one organs were all ripped out. After a whole day, the rabbits left me with only my skeleton. I then felt nothing.
Darkness devoured me again.