The moment Seraphina's hand touched my chest, it felt like my entire body was on fire. Not the kind of burning pain you'd expect, but a searing, electrifying energy that coursed through me, connecting me to something… otherworldly. I wanted to scream, but no sound came out. My vision blurred, and everything around me vanished into darkness.
When I finally opened my eyes, I was no longer in the park. The misty air, the trees, the quiet night—gone. Instead, I stood in a vast, otherworldly expanse. The sky was dark, not the kind of darkness you experience on Earth, but a swirling void of stars and nebulas. The ground beneath my feet wasn't grass but a black, glassy surface that reflected the starlight above.
Seraphina stood before me, no longer wearing her human disguise. Her wings stretched behind her, the edges sharp like a blade, her horns giving her an almost regal appearance. The air around her hummed with power.
"Welcome," she said, her voice echoing in the empty expanse. "This is the space between realms."
"The… what?" I managed to choke out.
"This is where I brought you to make things clear," she continued, ignoring my confusion. "The pact between us is not something trivial, Kaito. From this moment forward, your fate is tied to mine. Your soul is bound to the Abyss."
I took a shaky step back, trying to process what she was saying. "Bound? To the Abyss? What does that even mean?"
Seraphina sighed, as if I were a slow child struggling to understand a basic concept. "It means you are no longer a mere mortal. By making this pact with me, you are now connected to my realm, to the very essence of demonic power. Your life is no longer your own."
"What the hell?" I blurted out, panic rising in my chest. "I didn't agree to any of this!"
Her crimson eyes flashed. "Oh, but you did. The moment you came to the park. The moment you let me touch you. You may not have understood the consequences, but the pact is sealed. There's no going back."
I clenched my fists, trying to find some way out of this nightmare. "So, what do you want with me? Why me?"
Seraphina's wings rustled as she approached me, her gaze piercing through my soul. "You were chosen, Kaito. Your soul holds potential—an untapped power that even you are unaware of. I need that power, and now, with this pact, I can help you unlock it."
I shook my head, backing away from her. "I don't want any power! I just want my normal life back!"
A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "Your normal life? You think you can just go back to that after what's happened? After knowing what you know? The world is not as simple as you believe. There are forces at play that will make sure you never live a normal life again."
My heart pounded in my chest. She was right. Even if I somehow escaped this, I could never go back to being just Kaito, the average student. The supernatural world she spoke of—it was real, and I had been dragged into it.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked, my voice trembling with the weight of my fate.
"For now, nothing," she said, her eyes narrowing. "You will remain by my side, learn the ways of the Abyss, and protect me as my vassal."
"Protect you?" I repeated, incredulous. "You're a demon queen! You don't need protection!"
Seraphina's gaze hardened. "Even a queen has enemies, Kaito. Powerful ones. And now that the pact is sealed, they will come for you, too. You are not just bound to me—you are bound to the dangers that follow me."
As her words sank in, I realized how deep I was in. I wasn't just dealing with a supernatural girlfriend; I was dealing with forces far beyond anything I could imagine.
Suddenly, the ground beneath me shifted, and the glassy surface rippled like water. The stars above blurred, and I felt a tug pulling me backward. I tried to steady myself, but the force was too strong. Before I could react, I was yanked out of the strange realm and plunged back into the darkness.
---
When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my bedroom. The park, the space between realms—gone, as if it had never happened. I sat up in bed, drenched in sweat, my heart pounding. For a moment, I thought it was all just a vivid nightmare. But then I noticed the mark.
A small, intricate symbol, glowing faintly with dark energy, was etched onto my chest, right where Seraphina had touched me. It was the mark of the pact, a constant reminder that my life had been forever changed.
As I stared at the mark, the reality of my situation sank in. I was bound to a demon queen. My girlfriend was literally a transcendental being from another realm, and I had no idea what that meant for my future. But one thing was clear: whatever came next, it wouldn't be normal. Not even close.
A soft knock on my window broke my thoughts. I turned to see Seraphina, back in her human form, hovering just outside with a mischievous grin.
"Good morning, Kaito," she said, her voice teasing. "Ready for your first day as my vassal?"
I groaned. This was going to be a long, long journey.