'Why?'
'Why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?why?'
'WHY DID YOU LIE TO ME?!!'
And there I stood, watching my father who hanged himself. Would usually wonder how a cripple managed to hang himself but I couldn't even do that.
I just stood there, tears strolling down my cheeks as I just stared at his hanging body.
"You promised me you wouldn't kill yourself. Why would you do this? Didn't I tell you how much you mean to me?" My mind just couldn't understand, no, refused to understand why he left me, abandoned me.
"Yawn" I heard a yawn from my back. Looking behind me I could see Alice was about to wake up.
I quickly wiped away my tears so she couldn't see me like this. I have to stay strong for her.
I watched as she slowly got up from her bed. When she saw me a smile formed on her face. She opened her mouth to say something but words never left her mouth as her expression quickly turned to one of horror.
Tears started to form in her eyes as she walked up to me. "Alan, I'm dreaming right? Dad isn't dead right? No, this can't be happening."
"…" I couldn't answer. I'm on the verge of breaking down myself. And seeing her adorable face with so much pain was breaking me further.
I just bent down and grabbed her up. I gave her a very strong hug, not knowing if it was to comfort her or me. Perhaps both of us.
I felt it as she clutched her small arms around me." Why did he do this Alan? Didn't he love us?" And then she started to cry, really, really loud.
I just padded her back, not sure what else I could do. "Of course he loved us. I don't know why he did this but I know one thing and that is that he always loved us."
I hoped my answer could calm her down a bit but her crying just got worse. "Why? Why do all the bad things happen to us? What have we done to the world? Mom left us. We lost dad's business'. You have been half dead since you were ten to fight for us. And then dad killed himself. Can't we just be happy for once?"
Indeed. It seems like the world hates us. Why though? We used to be such a happy family. Memories of my mother swinging me down the swing while my dad would cook for us came to my mind. Why couldn't it just stay like that?
I just kept hugging Alice.
And then, out of nowhere, a blue light appeared. Looking in front of me, I saw a blue screen appearing out of thin air. A bunch of text written upon it.
My heart shook
'Is this, is this what I think it is?' My heart was shaking. It just felt unreal.
———————————————————-
Name - Alan Walker
Age - 16
Class - swordsman (level 1)
Energy- mana
Subclasses:
-Martial artist ( level 6)
...…
Rank- (G)
Strength- (G)
Agility- (G+)
Stamina- (G+)
Perception- (G)
Mana- (G-)
Charm- (E-)
Intelligence- (F)
Battle intelligence- (A)
...…
Combat/magic arts:
- Basic hand to hand combat (unranked)
Mastery (100%)
...
Skills:
- Absolute mana control (unranked):
Passive skill.
————————————————————
Have I really awakened? After all these years, I finally awakened. And yet, I didn't feel happy. No, no, no. I did not feel happy.
'Why now? Why not before? If this happened when I was 10 just like any normal person I wouldn't have had to suffer so much, Alice wouldn't have had to suffer so much and dad, dad would still have been alive.'
I noticed Alice had stopped crying. I looked at her face to see she fell asleep. I guess she got tired from all that crying and fell asleep.
I walked over toward the bed and layed her down in it before pulling the blanket over her. After that, I bent down and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep well."
Then I turned around to my fathers hanging corpse. My heart still ached at the sight, but I had to stay strong. Alice was fragile right now and she needed someone to rely on.
I walked over to his corpse and I was going to get it down before I saw something laying on the ground. The was a piece of paper on the ground next to him.
I saw some scribbles on it so I guessed he left a letter behind. Opening the paper, I began reading it's contents.
————————————————————
Dear Alan and Alice.
If you read this letter, you must have found my hanging corpse. Know that I didn't do this because I don't like you guys. I love the both of you with all my heart and that is also the reason why I did what I did. I was only hindering you guys with my worthless existence. Alan, I know you must be pissed at me for breaking my promise but this is the only way I could help you out as your father.
And I want to tell you both something else. Don't hate your mother, it wasn't her fault. Though I cant tell you what happened, know that she loved the both of you more than anything.
Alan, I know you will become a strong and wonderful man. Please take care of your sister for me.
And Alice. You look just like your mom. You will grow into a beautiful women and your brother will make sure of that. I just hope you won't get harassed by tons of boys.
Farewell my beautiful children.
From dad.
————————————————————
Tears started to come again as I read the letter. "Farewell dad. I will miss you forever. And I promise you that I will never let Alice get hurt." Hate for myself began to form once again as the anger just came immediately.
'Pathetic. I couldn't even provide enough that even my own father deemed it necessary to kill himself. I should've been better. I should have been better!'
I turned back to the blue screen. I always longed for it. Though it came too late, it can most certainly still help me.
I looked at the sleeping Alice again. 'This time I will be better. I will make sure no one will harm us ever again.'
"Alright! Enough moping."
Though I was still sad, I would' let it slow me. Though he is gone, I should still fulfill his wishes.
I should probably bury dads body somewhere near our house. We can't really afford a proper funeral.
I moved towards my dads hanging body, before I took a chair to stand on so I could reach the rope around his neck. I was basically face to face with him.
Emotions threatened to resurface again as I felt a stinging pain in my chest but I forced them down. This is something I have to do.
Taking down my father's body, I dragged it outside our house. After that I went to the back of our house since I didn't want people to see his grave.
But I stumbled upon a small problem. "How will I dig a hole? It's not like I have a shovel or anything like it."
I contemplated a bit before casually shrugging my shoulder. I didn't have any tools in the pits so why would I need any for this.
I walked to a fairly clean area before I bent down and started digging.
After a couple of minutes I could see that this would take me a while.
Four hours later, I was finally done with digging his grave. A lot of sweat had already formed on my body from this.
I went to reach for my father's body before I suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"That took really long you know? I have been waiting for you for quite a while already."
I turned around to see that same annoying woman sit on my roof. An elder of the underworld, Kaya Heartfelt.
'What is she doing here now of all times. I don't have the energy to deal with her.'
I could already feel a hesdache coming from the soon to be conversation with this woman.
I just spoke, whishing to quickly get this over with. "Why are you here? As you can see now is not a good moment." I said as I started pointing at my father's body.
She turned her gaze and stared at the corpse for a couple of seconds before turning it back to me. A apologetic, yet probably fake, smile formed on her face. "You have my condolences for your father's death."
I knew she came for something else so I just quickly wanted to get this over with." Well thanks for your condolences. Now, as you can see I'm busy so unless you have something else to talk about, I kindly request you to leave."
Her smile became a little wider as she started speaking again. "You have awakened haven't you?"
I became shocked after hearing this. How could she have known already?
And I quickly received my answer, as she seemingly read my mind. "How did I find out? I like to control your house sometimes and today I sensed something special. I sensed mana coming from you body."
Ah, so that's how. I guess that makes sense. Except for one fact!
"Wait, so you are basically stalking me now and then?" What the hell is wrong with this woman. I'm really starting to suspect she is after my body.
Hearing my question, her face became a bit pale as the smile on her face twitched a bit. "Ehem. Instead of stalking I'd like to call it observing."
I just stared at her with a blank expression. Observing? That's not just observing woman, that's stalking!
"Alright, enough playing around. It's time I tell you why I came here." She continued as her expression turned serious.
But I already knew what she wanted to say.
"I won't come work for you even after everything that's happened so you're wasting your breath."
But she just continued. "You think I don't know that? I still don't understand how someone like you has his morals but I know you well enough that even after all this you wouldn't come work for me."
Well I guess she really knows me well. She paused for a bit before continuing.
"I came to give you a different kind of offer now that you've awakened. Here's the contract." She took out a piece of paper out of thin air. Before handing it over to me.
'I gues that must be a spacial storage.'
I turned my gaze to the contract In my hands and started reading it.
————————————————————
Mana contract.
Contents:
- Party A will provide the tuition costs for party B to enter Eternal Academy as well as a 10 million credits loan to live on.
- Party B will have to repay this debt within 3 years to party A.
- If party B fails to repay party A, party B will have to work for party A unconditionally.
- If party B manages to repay party A, party B will owe party A a favor that won't cross his boundaries.
————————————————————
Eternal Academy? As in the best academy for awakened to enter. And I'd also get a loan.
The problem would be if I can't repay her but if I manage to become successful, something like this won't be hard to repay.
But I still wonder. "Why are you so obsessed with me? Even if I enter now, I will be far behind most of the people entering Eternal Academy. Wouldn't it be smarter for you to approach one of those top ranked students?"
I was genuinely curious about why this woman was so obsessed with me. But she just stood there pondering for a bit. She then turned to me to answer.
"Because you will eventually surpass all of them. Not because of your talent or heritage. But because of you determination. You have always fascinated me. I don't think anywhere in this world there will be another ten year old kid entering the pits. Not just that, but surviving as well."
"You may not realize this but you are quite the monster. If you were to properly rest a bit and gain some weight you would have been able to defeat some g-ranks as an unawakened."
Welk that is some high praise. But it's probably true. No regular human could match me as I am right now. If I were in a better condition I could probably defeat some g-ranks. Though I'd probably lose an arm or a leg
Well there isn't much think. If I don't do this then I don't know what else I'll do.
I stuck my hand out to her." Alright, I accept. But you should know that I'll do anything to not work for you."
She just laughed as she took me hand and shook it. "Well, I don't expect any less from you.
After that she just left. "I guess I should finish this up."
————————————————————
After leaving Alan behind, Kaya landed on a building far away and kept observing him.
She just sat there staring at him with a smile before she was interupted.
A woman appeared out of the shadows and took a knee. "Master, I have been wondering. How are you so sure he won't be able to repay the debt?"
She was one of her shadow guards. They served to protect their master with their lifes and carry out assassinations.
"Hmmmm. Since I'm in such a good mood, I'll answer you."
She took a breath before continuing.
"There are two reasons. Reason one is that the kid is already far behind most. Though he will surely surpass them, it will take a while. But that isn't the most important reason. The second reason will be the main reason why most will refuse to even help him, whether it be student or teacher."
The shadow guard just looked at her confused before asking." And what is that reason?"
"Well my loyal servant. It is because he doesn't consider the demons to be evil. And anyone who doesn't, will be considered evil."