Slurrggg...
Aaarrggg...
An arrow shot swiftly through the air, cleaving it apart. Then, its iron tip pierced the jaw of a poor girl tied to a tree. The arrow lodged deep, penetrating both sides of her jaw.
Blood gushed to the ground. A piercing scream echoed in every direction. Her body thrashed violently, the veins in her face bulging, her eyes wide open as she stared up at the sky.
Aaarfggggg!
Far from her, five girls in lavish gowns stood watching. Every part of their dresses shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight.
One of them held a bow. Her face was slightly sour; she even seemed regretful for not hitting the spot she had promised to hit.
"Hahaha... Look at this fool! You truly have no talent in archery!" one of the girls laughed.
"Look, you couldn't even hit that trash! Are you really that useless?" she continued, then pointed at the girl on the tree who kept screaming incessantly.
Haaarrrrrgggggg!
The poor girl's eyeballs trembled. Her vision began to fade as the situation showed no sign of improving. At that moment, she could see a dark shadow.
########
Swuuuusss...
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of gunfire echoed through a room. Five bullet casings fell to the floor, and a SIG Sauer pistol emitted a thin wisp of smoke from its small muzzle.
In front of the aimed weapon was a table now covered in thick red fluid. The papers on it were spattered with blood.
Behind the table sat a lifeless body. Its clothes were soaked in red stains, its eyes wide open, staring straight ahead as if it could see who had killed it.
"If this woman continues to grow her company, mine will surely be pushed out. No one can interfere with my business, be it a man, a child, an elder, or a woman. They all must die!"
The man holding the pistol dropped his weapon, then walked out as if nothing had happened.
Inside, the woman's corpse... Her gaze slowly began to fade until everything turned dark.
Bruakkkk!
Her body shattered within that darkness, as if she had never existed—her birth, journey, achievements. Everything vanished as her body dissolved into red flowers flying amid the darkness.
########
Ergg...
"Where am I...?" a hoarse voice asked.
His eyes slowly opened. His gaze swept around, finding himself in a filthy room. Small insects scurried across the dusty floor; the ceiling was covered in cobwebs.
"Why... argg!"
His face tightened. His body felt numb every time he tried to move his limbs. Any forceful movement sent sharp, needle-like pains shooting through his entire body from within.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Strange visions flooded his mind. His eyes squinted as he felt the impact of a large hammer striking the crown of his head; loud noises pierced his eardrums.
"Shouldn't I be dead?"
His gaze swept across the room, which was in a state of utter disrepair. A dusty mirror, a wardrobe with holes in some parts.
With all his strength, he tried to sit up. He gripped both sides of the bed with his hands, but when he tried to lift his body, his wrists felt too weak even for such a simple task.
But there was something strange he had felt from the beginning. With great effort, he lifted his hands and let them fall onto his body.
At that moment, his eyes widened. His body froze in an instant. "Haarrggg!" a strange cry filled with madness echoed in his ears.
He tried to locate the source of the sound. Cold sweat, large as corn kernels, streamed down his back.
Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!
For a moment, his blood seemed to freeze, no longer flowing, until his skin turned pale white.
The sharp sound of a whip in a dark room, a girl groaning in misery. That was the memory flooding his mind as he saw the bruises, cuts, and punctures on both his arms; making him feel that pain all over again.
"What happened to me? When was I tortured like this? Shouldn't I be dead?"
His mind swirled with things he couldn't process. Memories of a small child trying to stand, then turning into a teenage girl sleeping soundly.
But he couldn't remember fully; all his memories were hazy.
"I hate confusing things! What is really happening!"
He felt frustrated by the situation. Lying there helpless, he felt like a turtle in its shell, with no hole to peek out of.
"You must know this, Silia, my daughter. Close your eyes gently, empty your mind of confusing thoughts. Imagine a flow of magic enveloping your body; let it heal these wounds. And say— Emnifia!"
A soft voice whispered beside him. He could even feel a warm breath, as if someone was close to him.
A gentle touch on his face gave him trust in that voice. Finally, he followed its guidance.
He slowly closed his eyes. He tried to empty his mind—worries, fear, and confusion. He tried to push them all out of his head. He took a deep breath, then exhaled.
"Magic... flow... imagine. How can I see magic if I don't see it directly?"
"Is it like some kind of parasite? Ahh... I just need to imagine it, not—enveloping my body."
He imagined his body lying helplessly on the bed. Then, something descended from the darkness above; something like vines, transparent, red, and blue.
After that, the vines lifted him into the air, wrapping around him like a mummy. Every inch of his body was covered, leaving no gaps.
Emnifia.
Without warning, a bright light shone on his body from the outside, right after he uttered "Emnifia" in his mind.
The light brought a cool sensation throughout his body. The wounds he had been suffering from slowly began to fade, reducing his current torment.
He opened his eyelids. This time, his body no longer felt any pain; even his wrists could function again. His body felt reborn.
Looking at his arms, he finally reached a conclusion about everything he had experienced moments ago, and it was answered.
"I—this is no longer the same world. It seems I've been reborn? Ahhh, stupid, that can't be! Judging by the size of this body, I'm already an adult, I should be!"
There was only one way to confirm his suspicion. He rose from the bed, though his legs felt weak and shaky.
He dragged his feet. His gaze fixed on the balcony of his room, covered by a velvet curtain. His teeth chattered, even though he had used magic, it wasn't enough for a full recovery.
When he got close enough, he noticed a glass door separating his room from the balcony. His eyes scanned and found an iron knob.
He reached out and grabbed it. A cold sensation immediately pierced his palm. He slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open.
As the glass door opened, a strong gust of wind blew through his hair. His eyes widened at the refreshing breeze.
The sound of wind roaring filled his ears. His steps slowly began to move; unconsciously, he spread out both his arms.
As far as the eye could see, there was a 10-meter-high fortress protecting the palace. Beyond it, numerous large buildings stood: hotels, restaurants, guilds, and many more.
Additionally, there was a wall surrounding the entire city from external threats; its height was three times that of the palace fortress.
"Just as I thought, this isn't where I come from—maybe it would be too much if I started screaming hysterically, so I'll just keep it to myself!"
He inhaled the fresh air. Everything felt so natural and completely unpolluted; unlike his world, where air pollution, contamination, and more were all considered normal.
Click.
From behind him, the sound of a doorknob turning. He turned his head to look straight at the exit door of his room. His fists clenched slightly, as if the person coming was an assassin.
Then, the wooden door was pushed open. Behind it stood a beautiful girl, like an angel. Her pitch-black eyes scanned the entire room; her golden blonde hair cascaded down; her white skin was like untouched cotton; her small, red lips were tantalizing; her straight nose flared gently.
When she saw him, she stepped back slightly. Her eyes widened in disbelief; her body stiffened, unable to move.
Her heart beat rapidly like an explosion; her blood rushed through every part of her. Her pitch-black eyes showed a tenderness that was previously cold as ice.
Tears streamed down as she blinked, then fell to the floor. "You... Good—no, thank goodness you survived, Sis! Are you still in pain?"
"She called me 'Sis?' Wait, who is she really? I don't underst—"
The wind roared beside him, reminding him of something he must remember, something that might forever be etched in his mind. "This is no longer his world."
Slowly, the girl with black eyes stepped forward. Cautiously, as if she was afraid her "sister" would run away and keep her distance.
"Sis Silia, how about if you—" her words stuck in her throat as she got closer, just a few steps away.
"Stop right there!" he said loudly enough for the girl to obey.
His eyes glanced around slightly. His mind tried to process something. "Silia... She called me Silia! So, this is truly beyond logic."
"Sis, what happened to you?"
.....