"What? You get to do whatever you want with me?"A boy asked in anger and denial.
20 MINUTES EARLIER
A boy is seen, probably between 17 and 20 years old. He is floating around a place that resembles the night sky, with stars as bright as the sun.
"Huh, Where... Where am I?.. What is this place?"
He says as he floats around, mesmerized by his surroundings. He stares into a single star, which starts to move and becomes bigger.
"What the... is that star getting bigger?"
He says, beginning to realize that the star is coming toward him. He starts to panic and mumbles,
"Oh... no."
He tries to move across the space by attempting to swim.
Suddenly, a female voice comes from the direction of the star:
"Fear not, for I am Death. I will guide you to the afterlife."
"What? I don't want to die yet, I'm still young!"
He screams as he begins to fake cry.
"Why must you cry? Your suffering is over,"'Death' says. As the boy looks back, he sees a female figure, covered in black clothes, coming at him at high speed.
The lady approaches quickly, and just as she's about to hit the boy… she stops.
"Who the heck are you?"The boy asks.
"Is your brain not functioning properly?"The lady replies. She sighs and mumbles something before saying,"You may call me Lady Death."
"Lady Death?"The boy repeats.
"Yes," Death says.
"I didn't know the Grim Reaper was a girl."The boy says, surprised."Quite beautiful too..."
The boy adds, unknowingly making Death feel a strange mix of disgust, hopelessness, and mild irritation. You could call it... cringe.
"You died. Don't you have something worth going back to... your regular life?"Death asks.
"Yes, I do... I think I do,"The boy says, confused as he tries to remember.
"Think, Kiya-kun, think!"Death encourages him.
At the sound of his own name, he begins remembering his life—and a woman he loved dearly.
"Yes, YES! I want to go back… I want to go back to… her."
"Well, I've taken a liking to your personality. It's... unserious,"Death says, signaling him to come closer."I will send. you. back… and only you… Asmond-kun."
"Huh? How do... how do you know that name? The ONLY one who knows that is HER!"The boy yells.
"Well, I am Death, you know..."Death shrugs, brushing off the concern.
"Ah, forget it. You said you'll send me back, right?"Kiya asks, eyes filled with hope.
"Woooh, not so fast… I have a condition."She gestures with her fingers in a tsk tsk motion.
"What?" Kiya asks.
"After every time you die, I'll send you back, but… I get to do whatever I want with yo—"
"What? You want to do what with me? I can't accept that condition!"He interrupts, clearly upset.
"Well, don't you want to see Kella?"Death teases, reminding Kiya of the girl he had almost forgotten.
"Yes, but—"
"Uh uh uhh. No buts or maybes. Only yes or no."
"Think carefully, Kiya-kun,"Death says, watching him closely."After all... I can't access your heart."
"After all, you made a promise, didn't you?"She smirks, pushing Kiya to recall.
Kiya, regaining his composure, begins to remember the promise—etched into his heart like the patterns on a turtle's back.
"Yes… I made a promise. I promised that I would protect her. Forever."
"Oohh, you seem to remember it now, huh?"
"Yes, I remember it. I remember it all."
"I seeee... good, good. Now, what about the proooomise?"
"Tch… aaahh… This girl is really starting to annoy me,"he mutters under his breath.
"Huh? Did you say something?"
"No, nothing at all,"he replies, flashing her an innocent smile.
"Welll? You know what? I'll give you one hour to decide."
"You WILL send me back, right? I will get to see her?"
"Yes, yes, all that. Now… what will it be?"
"Okay… You may send me… back… to her."
"Very well. But before that, I have some instructions. I can't let you die before I make you bleed, cry, and wish you were dead… before I make you suffer. So… I'm sending you to a place called Kriyip."
"What?!"
"It's a village of, hmm… how to put this… yeah. A village of outlaws. People who kill, eat, and survive like animals."
"Why don't you just send me to the same place I died? Oh… because that's a war zone. Got it."
"Yep. Figured that out yourself, huh?"
"But… can't you send me to my home village instead?"
"Ooh, yeah, slight problem. That place? Destroyed. Now that's a war zone."
"What? No… it can't be."
"Unfortunately, the Thyr faction is losing."(Thyr is the faction Kiya supports.)
"Darn it!"
"I'm giving you a chance to save your kingdom too. So… be ready."
"Okay, fine. Send me back."
"Brace yourself… also, you might wanna close your eyes."
Kiya closes his eyes, thinking about his village… and Kella. Lady Death raises both hands, palms down, and the space turns from a starry night to a blinding light.
Curious about the light on his eyelids, Kiya opens his eyes… and is temporarily blinded. When the effects wear off, he feels something around his neck and arms.
He opens his eyes.He has a collar. Chains on his arms and legs.He's chained to a wall… not in a prison, but in a house—larger than the rest.
Becoming aware of his surroundings, he lets out a strained yell through his dry throat:
"Huh?"
BANGA gunshot rings out.
Shot.Straight into his legs.