Kneeling before him, her voice blazed like a fiery storm, accompanied by the fierce roar of a dragon.
"Corpse after corpse, scale after scale, I soared upon the skies, and mourned.
For generations, I've flown, defending Tanaria's skies.
Was our legacy worth the dragon's sacrifice? Or was it just a myth, a fading ember?
I flew, bearing the weight of Aetheron's and my family legacy.
For every life I took, for every scale I lost.
I wept
For the roar of the dragons, now silenced.
For the skies once filled with wings, now empty.
I wept.
And yet, still I flew.
Through the shadows of Nefaria's realm.
Through the flames of Drakonwyn's spire.
I searched for an answer.
For a way to restore the balance.
And then, I found him.
The ally to reclaim our legacy.
My name is Pyropex, daughter of Dragonwyn.
Rider of Aetheron, Scourge of shadows.
I have found my master, and I shall become my master blade.
Forged in the fires of loyalty.
Tempered by unwavering devotion, I shall cut through shadows.
I shall shatter darkness."
Earth Before 4 years ago ( On Earth)
"Bastard, do you really think we will just let you get away with trying to deceive us like that?!" A rough, husky voice bellowed as he delivered brutal blows to a young man who appeared to be around twenty years old.
Surrounded by five other burly men, they mercilessly beat him, causing severe damage to his face and shattering both of his legs with a hammer.
"I... I don't have the money on me... I swear," the boy stammered, his body trembling with fear and pain. Every inch of his being felt like it was on fire, the agony unbearable.
He would have preferred a swift death over this excruciating torture. If only he hadn't placed his trust in others, if only he had been shown a shred of kindness.
But no, that was not his reality. His father had abused his mother until he met with a tragic car accident.
Left with no resources to care for his injured mother, he was betrayed by his own relatives, his aunt, uncle, and cousin, who seized all of his father's assets.
With the doctor warning him about his mother's deteriorating condition, he made the desperate decision to work for a gang he knew nothing about in order to earn money for her treatment.
Despite his efforts, the earnings were meager, but he did what he could to save his mother's life.
One day, he approached the gang boss with a proposition to acquire drugs worth over a thousand dollars, promising to sell them all and receive a generous payment in return. Surprisingly, the boss agreed to the deal without hesitation.
Excited about his newfound opportunity, he confided in his best friend, believing that he would share in his joy. Little did he know that his friend's intentions were not genuine, and he was soon to discover the harsh reality of betrayal.
Now, faced with the consequences of his actions, he found himself filled with regret. As he was interrogated by the boss, demanding to know the whereabouts of the money, he realized the true cost of trusting the wrong people.
With a brutal swing, the plank mercilessly cracked against the tormented young boy's back, sending excruciating shards of pain through his spine.
The fat man, who was shamelessly picking his nose, unleashed a savage onslaught of blows once more, each strike meticulously designed to inflict unbearable agony.
The young boy's eyes widened in terror as the plank struck him again. His screams reverberated through the desolate alley.
"AAAGH! STOP! PLEASE!"
The fat man remained unfazed, chuckling as his bloodshot, icy eyes bore into the young man.
"You better start talking, or the boss will make you regret it. You're a tough one, but you'll spill everything soon enough," he sneered.
The young man's bound wrists and ankles were suddenly freed, and two burly henchmen hoisted him up from the table where he had been restrained.
His legs gave out beneath him, unable to bear his own weight.
With a cruel grin, the fat man motioned towards a nearby pond.
"Let's give our little errand boy here a nice, refreshing swim, shall we?" The others in the room chuckled darkly in agreement.
The henchmen dragged the struggling young man towards the water, his cries of terror echoing through the room.
Thoughts of his mother, who had been counting on him to pay for her medical treatment, raced through his mind, but he was powerless to stop the impending horror.
The excruciating pain was overwhelming, and he knew that his fate was sealed.
But if someone could save him, if anyone would, he would be grateful for the glimmer of hope he clung to.
But the harsh reality was that no one would come to his rescue, no one would save him, no one would ever do.
"Noooo! Don't! Please!"
They arrived at the pond's edge, and the young man's eyes widened in terror as the henchmen began to swing him back and forth, gaining momentum.
The fat man's voice pierced the silence of the night. "You should have kept quiet, Kaito."
Just as the henchmen were on the verge of throwing Kaito into the pond, the fat man, with a menacing grin, leaned in close to Kaito's ear.
"Farewell, Kaito Stormbringer. In your next life, or perhaps not, remember not to trust anyone," he whispered, his icy breath sending shivers down Kaito's spine.
Kaito's eyes flicked towards the fat man, a mix of confusion and terror swirling in them.
The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "You! You were in cahoots with that bastard..." His words were cut short as the henchman hurled him into the pond, the murky water swallowing his screams.
A tall, blonde man casually lit a cigar, observing the ripples on the water's surface with a cold gaze.
"You'll spill your guts," he stated, blowing out a cloud of smoke through his mouth and nose. "They all do." A sinister chuckle escaped him, his eyes glinting with malice.
"Or maybe he won't," the fat man interjected, turning to the blonde man. "Not in this lifetime, at least."
Kaito's torment finally came to an end. His body went limp, succumbing to the deadly embrace of the water.
The moon's cold gaze reflected on the pond's surface, indifferent to the tragedy unfolding below.
The man with blonde hair exhaled a cloud of smoke, his eyes fixed on Kaito's sinking form. The fat man beside him nodded in satisfaction.
"It is finished," the fat man declared, turning away without a second glance.
The group departed Led, their fading footsteps echoing the finality of the scene.
The pond, now shrouded in silence, was disturbed only by the occasional ripple. Kaito's lifeless body resurfaced, his once vibrant face now drained of color.
His eyes, once filled with fear, now stared blankly into the void of eternity.
The water whispered softly against the shore, a melancholic lament for the departed soul.
His lifeless form floated, a tragic ballet orchestrated by the pond's somber currents. His limbs sprawled out, a marionette abandoned by its puppeteer.
Gazing at his lifeless shell, he let out a heavy sigh. Regrets flooded his mind as he stared intently. There was no turning back, he realized.
Desperation clawed at his heart as he attempted to re-enter his motionless vessel.
"I can't leave like this, what about mother? Who will comfort her? What am I to do?" his sorrowful spirit wailed, though no tears could fall.
Suddenly, a red light appeared out of nowhere.
[Injured soul detected. Another strong core identified for integration. The ideal host to replace the failing, weakened one.]
"Who said that?" the young boy asked as he turned around to search for the voice he had heard.
[Attention, human. I am invisible to your sight, but I have the ability to communicate with you.]
"What? Why is that? Who are you? You better show yourself and not play any jokes with me," Kaito asked, making sure he was prepared to attack.
[A lost and clueless soul ready to confront an unknown entity. How surprising, being deceived and terminated. How unexpected.]
The voice sounded mocky.
"Excuse me?"
[Soul revival process will begin shortly. Host must prepare to either save himself or face the risk of perishing once more.]
Kaito, who was still processing everything, felt a surge of lightness entering his body. His once lifeless body began to twitch.
Now, his eyes sparkled with a hint of life, his chest rose and fell as if pulled by an invisible string.
Water was expelled from his lungs, and air rushed in to fill the void.
Kaito's body convulsed, arching backwards. His eyes snapped open, unfocused, and a gasp escaped his lips.
The fat man's whispered words echoed in his mind, "In the next life, be careful not to trust anyone."
His gaze cleared, locking onto the sky. Memories flooded back, and his soul reunited with his body.
"Hahahahahaha." He laughed as he touched his face. "I'm alive. I have to get out of this pond."
With a grunt, he pushed off the pond's floor, his body rising through the water. He broke the surface, gasping for air.
Emerging from the pond using the steps, he lay on the ground, his body shaking. Despite the immense pain, he was still alive.
[Host body is in a fragile state.]
"Clearly it is."
[Initiating activation of tarot card and system now.]
[System/Tarot Activating 0%]
[System/Tarot Activating 20%]
[System/Tarot Activating 40%]
[System/Tarot Activating 60%]
[....100%]
"Can you please let me know what's going on, whatever you are?" Just then, five purple cards appeared out of nowhere, and nothing was written on them.
[System/Tarot activated. Welcome, host.]
[Host, please select a card.]
"Me? Why should i?"
[At this precise moment, in order to activate, it is recommended that you select a card.]
The voice sounded, not giving Kaito a chance to say a word.
Lifting his hands up in the air, he hesitated before picking the second card. "Two is always my lucky number."
[Oh, how fortunate you are! Do you really think so?]
"I.. I think so"
[>..>]
"Whatever, now that I'm alive I have to go see.."
[Prepare for transportation. In 5 seconds, you will be transferred to your designated lucky number world.]
The system voice cut him off, and Kaito twitched. "What world? I can't leave my mom. No one will take care of her," he shouted loudly as he struggled to get up.
However, his body vanished into thin air, as if it wasn't there.
[1…2…3…4…5]
[Location Reached]
[Welcome to paradise... or is it? Hehehehe…]