I, Light, have a shitty life.
The dirty bathroom tiles were cold and wet beneath me as I struggled to breathe. Chuck, Cody, and Mason, my tormentors since childhood, were relentless, their fists pummeling me from every direction. I managed to choke out a plea for mercy. "Please... just stop."
But they didn't. They laughed and called me names, their cruel words as venomous as their fists. "You're nothing but a pathetic loser, Light!" Chuck sneered. Cody spat on my face, and Mason kicked me one last time before they left me broken and bleeding on the floor.
The only person who made my life worthwhile was Katelyn, my girlfriend of a year and eight months.
"Damnit... I'm weak. I can't even stand up to those idiots. Ugh... I better clean myself up before going to class..." I muttered, pulling myself up off the filthy bathroom floor.
The bell rang, signaling my tardiness. I hurried as best I could, limping to my English class, a hand pressed against my bruised ribs. As I tried to apologize to the teacher, she cut me off, her anger apparent. "Enough, Light! Just sit down!" The class laughed as I shuffled to my seat, shame burning in my cheeks.
My heart sank when I saw Chuck sitting behind my desk, an evil smirk plastered across his face. As I sat down, he continued his torment, flicking my ear, poking my ribs, and whispering insults, all while the teacher droned on. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore and let out a furious outburst.
"Will you just leave me alone?!" I shouted, my voice filled with frustration and desperation. "Why can't you all just grow up and stop being bullies? It's pathetic!"
The classroom fell into a stunned silence, all eyes on me. The teacher's face turned red with anger. "Light, that's enough! Leave my classroom immediately!" she snapped, pointing to the door.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to explain, "But ma'am, they were-"
"I don't want to hear any excuses! Out!" she interrupted, her voice cutting through the air like a whip.
I reluctantly got up, feeling the weight of humiliation crushing me. The classmates stared at me, some smirking, others looking uncomfortable. The teacher's scolding words echoed in my ears as I walked out, my heart pounding in my chest.
My suspension lasted three days, and I dreaded my parents' reaction. As I waited for them to pick me up, I saw Katelyn with her friends, heading to their next class. I called out to her, desperate for a glimmer of hope in my day. "Hey, Katelyn!"
Her friends whispered and giggled behind her, making snide comments about me. Katelyn seemed awkward, hesitant to speak. "Light, I... I need to tell you something."
"What's up? I could really use some good news right now," I said hopefully. But her next words shattered my world.
"Light, I... I'm breaking up with you. I'm dating Chuck now." The words hung in the air, piercing my heart like a dagger.
"What... what did I do wrong? If I've done anything wrong, I can fix it..." My voice cracked, but Katelyn cut me off.
"You've done nothing wrong, Light. It's just that... you're kind of... wimpy, you know? Chuck is a football player with a full scholarship to a prestigious school. He has his future cut out for him. We just smoke and hang out, and you haven't thought about your future. I can't end up married to a loser, you know?"
The bell rang, and Katelyn rushed off to class. "I'm sorry, Light. Just delete my number, okay?"
I was devastated, unable to speak. Even as my parents yelled at me in the car, I tuned them out, lost in my heartbreak. Their voices only became clear as I stepped into our house, their disappointment in me cutting deep.
"Are you listening to me, Light? Get back here so we can finish talking right now!" my mother yelled.
"Your grades were already slipping, and now you're disrupting the class? I never raised you to be a class clown," my father chastised.
Growing up, my parents had high expectations for my academic performance. My mother was a successful lawyer and my father had a thriving career in cyber security, so I think they were hoping for a child who excelled in school naturally. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for me. Despite my best efforts, I struggled to maintain a C average in most of my classes, with the exception of PE where I managed to earn an A. I'm aware that my parents are disappointed in my academic performance, and it's something that I can sense every time they look at me.
I said nothing, retreating to my room and allowing their harsh words to wash over me. I lay on my bed, reflecting on the day's events, my heart aching. In my mind, I whispered a desperate wish for the power to stand up to my bullies, to defy my parents, and to ensure no one would ever see me as weak again.
Seeking some semblance of normalcy, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through social media, only to see Katelyn having a blast with Chuck. My heart cracked further, and I couldn't help but read the comments on their new relationship, each one a dagger in my chest.
Then I stumbled upon a video Chuck had posted – the one of him and his friends beating me up in the bathroom. The caption mocked me: "How to beat a loser into submission."
I could hardly breathe as I read the comments, each more cruel than the last.
@CruzE1: "LOL, Light is such a pathetic loser!"
@HeatherYGH2: "Katelyn definitely upgraded. Good riddance."
And to my horror, Katelyn herself had replied: "@HeatherYGH2, you're right. I'm so glad I left that loser for someone like Chuck."
Enraged, I hurled my phone across the room, tears streaming down my face. "Why is my life like this? Why is my luck so shitty?" I screamed, my voice breaking.
In that moment, something inside me snapped. A cold, dark determination took root, replacing the anguish and despair. "If the world laughs at me," I hissed, "then I will give them something to smile about."
As I lay there, my bruised body aching and my heart shattered, I vowed to become a force to be reckoned with – a force that would make my bullies, my parents, and Katelyn regret ever looking down on me. My life would change, and I would make sure no one ever saw me as weak again.
Three days after my suspension, as I walked back into school, the weight of my decision hung heavy in the air. I caught glimpses of Chuck and his friends, their smug expressions, but this time, there was a glimmer of defiance in my eyes.
While in the Lunchroom, as I sat alone, the teacher, Ms. Anderson, approached me with a mix of concern and reproach. "Light, I heard about what happened yesterday. Is everything alright?"
Before I could respond, an earthquake rumbled through the school, causing the glass windows to shatter. Students screamed and panic filled the air, drowning out the announcements trying to inform them of what had happened.
Amidst the chaos, I was pushed and trampled on, cursing the cruel world that alienated me while unconscious.
In the darkness of the dilapidated room, water dripped from the ceiling, creating a haunting atmosphere. Confusion and fear gripped me as I struggled to make sense of my surroundings. Then, I heard a voice—a distorted echo that seemed to come from within the depths of my own mind.
"Welcome, Light," the voice whispered, sending shivers down my spine. "You have accepted the darkness within, and now, you shall rise."
I turned, searching for the source of the voice, and there, standing before me, was a figure cloaked in shadows. The dark silhouette bore a striking resemblance to me, but its eyes glowed with an otherworldly intensity.
"I am your darker self, the embodiment of your deepest desires and hidden strength," the figure explained, its voice carrying an air of sinister allure. "Together, we shall unleash a power beyond human comprehension."
A mixture of trepidation and curiosity coursed through my veins. It was a dangerous path I was treading, but in that moment, my determination overshadowed any doubts or consequences.
"What do you offer?" I asked, cautiously stepping closer.
The figure extended its hand, beckoning me to join its side. "I offer you the abilities to become something more than human—a Necromancer, a master of shadows. With these powers, you can reshape the world and exact vengeance upon those who have wronged you."
I hesitated, knowing that accepting this offer meant embracing the sinister within me, the very darkness that had consumed my tormentors. It was a pact that would forever alter the course of my life.
With a mixture of defiance and acceptance, I reached out and grasped the figure's outstretched hand. As our hands touched, a surge of energy pulsed through me, causing my entire body to tremble.
"Acceptance confirmed. Demon Lord status achieved," the echoing voice announced, its tone now even more mechanical.
A rush of new sensations overwhelmed me. I felt power coursing through my veins, an affinity for death and shadows intertwining with my very being. I had become something more than human—an entity that the world would soon tremble before.
"Welcome, Eidolon, the Soulweaver of Reflections."