When Spark woke up, he found himself sitting inside a luxurious waiting area.
Where am I? he thought, still half asleep.
After rubbing his eyes and taking a sip from the water that sat beside him on the arm of the sofa, he was able to further take in his situation.
Where on earth am I?
To his right, two men stood guarding a door.
They were tall men, wearing black trousers and white shirts, though most noticeable were the long black coats they wore, which had a golden symbol stuck onto the chest.
It was hard to see from the distance, but he thought it said "Blackcoats."
He attempted to rise to his feet, but one of the guards held out his hand, ordering him to stop.
"The Leader will see you when she's ready to. You've already been told not to move until you are ordered."
Spark glanced at the guard's gun, before sitting himself back down.
Leader? Leader of what? And why are these guards so rude.
His head began to hurt from the confusion.
Knock knock knock.
Finally, after a long wait, he was told to stand by the guards, and they came over and flanked him before directing him towards the wooden door that they guarded.
He had too many questions to ask, but no idea where to get the answers.
They led him to the door and pushed it open.
Instantly, a wonderful aroma flowed from the room, which he recognized as woman's perfume.
Inside, the room was large. The walls were adorned with all sorts of jewels and paintings that depicted things he was completely unfamiliar with.
Most important was the woman who sat behind the desk at the far side of the room.
She seemed to wear a coat similar to the guards', though hers was much more elegant.
Her black hair was covered by a top hat decorated with a red rose, and her skin was smooth and young.
Even without many of his memories from the past, Spark knew she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.
On the desk was a black and gold revolver, which screamed luxury, and next to it was some sort of magical orb that sat on top of a box.
The woman, who he believed to be the Leader that the guards outside spoke of, looked at him, her sharp eyes seemingly glaring into his soul.
"Well then, Rookie," she finally said, confusing him even further. "Come and touch the orb; let's find out your class."
Rookie?
He was slowly beginning to gather more information about this strange circumstance he had been placed into, but not enough.
And what does she mean by class? There was no such thing on Earth. Am I in some sort of game? He saw no stats menu in his mind, so decided that he probably wasn't.
He decided to follow her orders, as the men who were with her were wielding guns that Spark did not want to see them have to use.
Still, he was hesitant, scared of what these events could lead to.
His memories were still fractured and disjointed.
Once closer to the woman, he felt a strong presence emanating from her, and he wondered whether it was real or just the nerves messing with him.
The orb was a dark blue color, making it seem black, and it was the perfect size for him to place his hands over.
"What are you waiting for, Rookie? Don't you want to know which class you are linked to? Are you scared that you will be given something weak like the Priest?" A smile etched onto her face, and she let out a chuckle.
She really is beautiful.
Without hesitating further, Spark placed his hand on the orb, and his vision began to shift.
---
Everything went dark, as though he was encapsulated by shadows. And things remained that way for a while, before an image popped up into his head.
It depicted a small, cartoon-like drawing of a face, and on it were two devil horns.
Then, a deep voice followed the image.
Your class has been chosen. You are a Stage 1 Villain. First and last of your people. An anomaly, and a stranger. A friend to none and enemy to all.
---
The darkness began to fade, and he was returned to the Leader's room.
The woman's eyes were still on him, and he felt his heart rate increase.
The Villain. Enemy to all? That doesn't sound like a class these people would want in their ranks.
His heart began to beat even faster. Even though he knew nothing of this world, one thing he was certain of was that nobody wanted to be around a villain.
I would probably be killed instantly.
"So, Rookie, what class were you given?"
He didn't know what to say, so he looked around, hoping to find an answer that could potentially help him escape death.
He glanced at the gun on the desk next to the orb.
I have to at least try. What else can I do?
"Shooter. I was given the Shooter class."
The Leader paused for a moment, looking him up and down.
Finally, she spoke.
"A Shooter, huh? You don't look like much of a Shooter. Guess I can't argue with the almighty."
Spark almost let out a sigh of relief.
Somehow I've gotten away with such a wild guess; I've never even shot a gun before. I just hope she has no way to confirm whether I'm telling the truth.
"Well, now that you're officially one of us, here are the keys to your house. 121 Treymon Street. Inside, you will find your Blackcoat and revolver. Before you leave though, here's your first assignment."
The woman opened a drawer on her desk and took out an envelope, which she handed to me.
He wondered what sort of assignment would be given by such an organization.
"Elizabeth will fill you in on everything you need to know to know, as well as guide you to your accommodation and ensure that you are not attacked by any Elders. The night is upon us, after all."
Elders? Seriously, what is this place?
And before he could ask any more questions, he was escorted from the room by the two men.
It was only as he left that he noticed a portrait of the lady on the wall, and underneath was a name inscribed into a golden plate:
Scarlett Black, Leader of the Blackcoats.