The forest behind our house seemed endless, the trees whispering with the soft breeze as if they knew the chaos that had just unfolded. I led Sarah through the thick underbrush, her hand firmly in mine as I pulled her along.
"Uh, sis, before I explain whatever is happening, can we just leave here? The cops are already on their way," I said, my voice carrying urgency.
She nodded, her face still frozen in shock.
I didn't waste a second. Tightening my grip on her arm, I broke into a sprint, guiding her deeper into the forest. The distant wails of police sirens faded into the background as the trees swallowed us.
A few minutes later, Sarah's ragged breathing made me stop. Her chest heaved as she leaned against a boulder, its smooth surface a surprising anomaly in the rugged forest.
"Let's rest here," I said, watching her collapse against the rock.
Her wide eyes darted between me and the surrounding forest. "So… how?"
"Hm?" I raised an eyebrow, playing dumb as I sat across from her.
"How could you do that?"
I sighed and drew a magic circle on the ground. A flicker of flame ignited in the center, bathing us in its warm, golden light. "It's… complicated. But I'll explain."
I began recounting everything.
Ethan Blaze, a college student struggling against the pressures of life. Bullied, beaten, and belittled, but still managing to scrape through. That was who I had been before it all changed.
One night, pain had been all I knew. It was suffocating, consuming. When it finally ended, I thought I was dead. But instead of eternal darkness, I awoke in a crib—not on Earth, but in Daedalus Eternus.
I told Sarah about my life as Arthas Bloomlyn. A bastard son of nobility, despised by his family, yet cursed with their name. I explained the memories I'd regained—the joy, the pain, and the burdens of living in a world where survival was a daily battle.
"So… you actually died that night? And you ended up in the world of Daedalus Eternus, the game we played?" Her voice was laced with disbelief, yet the pieces were beginning to click.
I nodded.
"And this… Arthas," she hesitated, her face twisting in anger, "he's the one who nearly raped me?"
Again, I nodded, my jaw tightening as I thought of that bastard.
She shook her head, her fingers curling into fists. "It's… surreal. I don't even know what to say."
"Believe me, I know."
The memories of Arthas Bloomlyn's vile deeds burned in my mind. Even though I hadn't committed them, they haunted me like my own sins.
I leaned back, trying to distract myself from the suffocating guilt. "And now, before I can go back to Daedalus, I have to complete a… task."
"What task?" she asked, her brows furrowing.
I hesitated, a bitter smile spreading across my face. "I have to kill the government."
Her eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"
Before I could respond, the System chimed in.
[System]
Quest:
Where is the fun in life where no blood is involved?
Slaughter 500 Human Lives [0/500]
Rewards: ???, Blood Chains (Material)
[End]
'... Well, this is just fantastic,' I thought, sarcasm dripping from my internal voice. Still, it was better than trying to dismantle a government.
"Nothing," I told her, waving her off. "Just… thinking about how long this will take."
Night fell, and Sarah drifted to sleep beside me. Her peaceful face glowed under the moonlight, her chest rising and falling with steady breaths. I stayed awake, refusing to close my eyes.
I stared at my hands, recalling the memory of George burning to ash. The smell of charred flesh lingered in my mind. It had been my first kill—or at least, the first in this body—but it didn't shake me like I thought it would.
My gaze shifted to Sarah, her serene expression easing the storm in my chest.
'She really is stunning,' I thought, a pang of guilt following the admiration. 'No wonder those assholes kept trying to court her.'
Memories of the boys who had tried to win her over filled me with anger, but it paled in comparison to the hatred I felt for Arthas—the original one.
The moon hung high, its light casting shadows through the forest canopy.
"I miss them," I muttered, my voice barely audible.
Unknown to me, Sarah was awake, her ears catching my quiet confession.
'Them?' she wondered, her heart sinking as she guessed the meaning behind his words. Was he talking about the family he had in Daedalus Eternus?
She clenched her teeth, a quiet jealousy bubbling inside her.
Morning arrived, and I stood on a tree branch, gazing at the distant city of Leidnu. Its sprawling buildings shimmered in the sunlight, but all I could see was my target.
'... I could just do it over there.'
The thought of killing innocents made my stomach churn, but I had no other choice. I needed to complete the task if I wanted to return to Daedalus Eternus—and keep Arthas from taking over again.
I glanced back at Sarah, sitting on the forest floor and wrapping herself in leaves for warmth.
'... Right, time to finally finish this. Today might be my last day with Sarah.'
My thoughts were heavy, but I forced myself to turn away. I couldn't let her see the despair in my eyes.
"I'll protect you, sis," I whispered to myself.
Then, with one last look at the city, I leapt from the branch and began my descent. It was time to embrace the path laid before me, no matter how dark it was.