Chapter 2: The Fallen

       I’m not sure why I was so sensitive today. The word puppet and my mother’s lack of trust in me just made me explode with emotions. I guess I’m not yet capable of controlling my emotions. She didn’t even give me the benefit of the doubt. I ran from my family, I just wanted to get away from there. I couldn't face them, and I now see what it had cost me. The consequence is here, and it has me frozen by fear, facing death in the form of a monstrous hyena like- dog. I could feel its killer intent. It was so suffocating that I couldn’t move, even though I wanted to get the hell out of there.

       As the beast took a step towards me, a sudden green wind-like sphere whistled in the distance and burst as it hit a tree. The sudden boom distracted the beast and it snapped me out of my stupor. ‘Heli you need to get your ass the fuck out of dodge’ I thought as I started running.

       As I ran glancing back occasionally, I noticed that the beast had started to chase. It was insane how much ground it could cover with such a large and heavy looking body. In less than ten steps it was upon me. The beast then leaped and extended its arm ready to swing at me. I tried to dodge to the right knowing that I was still within the reach of its claws. “CRASH” another beast had stumbled into the one that was chasing me. Barking and growling they started to engage with each other. I continued to run hoping that they would be distracted long enough for me to get away. ‘Fuck’ To my disappointment it seemed that rather than continue their fight. They chose to race to see who would get the prey first. Out of my left side I felt a claw push into my ribs as the impact launched me five feet into the air. My vision blurred in and out of focus. I was losing consciousness. “Don’t stop running Heli or you’ll die” I told myself. Struggling to get to my knees, I started coughing out blood. “It can’t end like this; I don’t want to die here all alone.” As I regained a bit of my composure, I noticed that a shadow was now towering over me. I looked up out of reaction. There were now what seemed to be fifteen beasts surrounding me. It all happened so fast, but to me it was like everything had slowed. A beast launched itself at me while the rest of them ran past. “We have to stop them before they reach the village!” I heard before the beast snapped my neck with its claw.

       “Crack!”

       As I took my last breaths, the beast towering over my body opened its jaws to take a bite. An arrow suddenly pierces through its head. The beast collapsed next to me, and burst into smoke. Leaving only an orb. My vision, now blurred. ‘I don’t want to die’ I thought. A figure approached my limp body. I can’t make it out, but I think it’s a knight. “How is she?” asked an authoritative voice. “Can you save her?”

       “No,” responds another. My vision, now gone. “We were too late to save her. We can at least save the village… move out.” ‘Why does this feel like fate has rejected me till the very end?’ It was becoming unbearably difficult to stay conscious. ‘Why?-…am. I feeling like this? Empty like I wasn’t worth it. At least the village? Why is it never me? Am I t—’ I felt too weak to finish my thoughts in this darkness. ‘Thi—is m- Death’ was all I managed.

       Unbeknownst to me, ten feet from my soon to be corpse, a distortion in reality appeared. Something like a rip in time and space. Out of it, two hands came out and violently widened the rip.

       A slim man appeared and walked out of the rip towards me.

       To me everything was darkness and there was no sound, just emptiness. I felt like my consciousness and sense of self was just fading. When I suddenly heard a booming voice “You look like shit girl. What is your name?” A beat of silence passed. “Little one. I know you can hear me,” said the booming voice in the darkness. “The idiot doesn’t realize my neck is broken,” I thought. “I. Can’t. Answer. You fuck.”

       “You really need to become more clever with your insults, ‘you fuck’ is so lazy.” Responded the voice in the darkness.

       “You heard that?” I ask.

       “We are currently communicating through thoughts, you fuck,” said the voice.

       “Am I dead? Who are you? You can’t possibly be God, at least by the way you talk… Fuck, I’m in hell, aren’t I? Or purgatory or in the- the in between-?“

       “SHUT UP! Fuck! Are you one of those blabber mouths? You ask millions of questions, go straight to speculating before even getting any good information.”

       “…Sorry” I responded, “I’m usually a quiet person, but in my thoughts, well it’s a different story when I’m nervous…. I’ll let you talk now.”

       “Let’s start again” says the voice in the darkness. “I believe an introduction is in order. I have many names but, in this world, I go by the name Léam Sa. And yes, you are dead.”

       “This is so unfair,” I replied, feeling sorry for myself. “I lived a shitty life thinking things would get better if I just tried harder and died before being able to do anything meaningful. My life ends in such a shitty manner. Why does it have to end like this?”

       “It doesn’t-”

       “Wh- Are you actually god?”

        “NO.”

       “Oh, sorr-“

       “Stop interrupting me.”

       “Yes, sorry.”

       “… Anyways,” responds Léam with a calm voice. “Do you wish to rise again?”

       “What?” I responded in shock.

       “What is your name? You fuck.”

       “It’s Heli Hamza, what do you mean by rise again? Like resurrect? It’s not going to be like some zombie, dead walking corpse shit, right?”

       “Resurrection, of course. You are of no use as a dead corpse.”

       “Will I be reborn again as a baby?”

       “No! As you were a few minutes ago.”

       “…Thank you, I won’t waste this chance. I will be a stronger person this time. I will have more pride in myself. I won’t allow people to use me anymore.”

       “Well, that’s the catch. I intend to use you,” chuckled Léam.

       “You mean, that no matter what, I’m destined to be someone’s tool?”

       “Don’t be so dramatic” interrupts Léam.

       “I will now explain our arrangement slash contract. You will be able to live as you please, I just need you to get strong. In 15 years, I will need you to kill the hero of this world.”

       Another beat of silence.

       “See? Simple. No need to be dramatic. Oh, I almost forgot, you can’t go back to your old life. You will now live with me until you come of age.”

       “See? Simple? No need to be dramatic!? You want me to become a murderer,” I replied.

       “What is your answer?”

       “A killer or oblivion? Hah! What a fucking choice.”

       I take a second, only a second to think of my answer. I sigh, “We both know the answer, get on with it.”

       Once risen, I get to my feet and stumble. My vision comes in and out of focus. I can taste what I think is my blood because of the metallic taste. Léam advises me to sit while I regain my composure. He then proceeds to leave evidence of my death as I start to regain all my senses. Once my vision returns the first thing I do is look at Léam and I notice that he is actually quite handsome. He is a tall pale man with broad shoulders and long black hair tied in a short fashion. His clothes are peculiar. Something I’ve never seen before. The most captivating part of him is his beautiful red eyes. He looks to be around his early twenties but I’m sure he is older, far older. “We are leaving,” states Léam, waking me from my daze. He then proceeds to create a rip and we walk through it towards my new chance at life.

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