Ikaros, The Eagle-Like Bird

"Where am I?" Emma Windsor asked herself the moment she regained consciousness. She was confused as to how she arrived at an area that was filled with four corner walls. To make things worse, the area was completely dark- to the point that she could barely see herself.

"Wasn't I at the wedding site?" She asked confusingly. Suddenly, she recalled what had happened. Her eyes soon turned bloodshot as she clenched her fist angrily.

"Justin!" She yelled out angrily. "I will definitely make you pay for everything you have done to me."

Though, there wasn't much she could do besides cursing and vowing for vengeance. She had been killed already, and there was no going back to the past. If anything, Emma felt like hitting herself for being a complete fool.

Why did she have to fall in love with a sickening man? Perhaps if she had bothered to listen to her father's advice regarding Justin's personality, then she might have been able to avoid this tragedy.

She plopped to the ground weakly, with no intention of moving at all.

"I'm sorry father… it's all because of this unfilial daughter of yours." Emma started bawling out as she couldn't even witness his final moment.

"Keke, aren't you one pitiful soul?"

"Who's there?" Emma hurriedly wiped off the tears in her eyes as she stood up and glanced around her surroundings.

"Where are you?" She shouted. Even though she recalled that she had been killed, she still hadn't figured out where she was and where this place was.

At first, she believed she was on her way to reincarnation like most novels were about, yet she couldn't even see another person in sight. Thus, she was confused about her current condition, and when she heard an unknown voice coming from nowhere, she was shocked to the core.

Her emotions were constantly wavering as she tried to locate the unknown voice. Her hands started trembling as she tried to back up, thinking that the voice came from her front.

Occasionally, she would tilt her head to the side to check if there was a person over there. Sweat started trickling down her forehead since she became more nervous as time passed by.

In a trembling tone, she tried to call for the unknown voice again, "Where are you and who are you to criticize me as a poor soul?"

SWOOSH!

Just when she was backed into the side of the wall, a powerful wind current blew past her, causing her to squint her eyes and cover it with her hands.

"Unnghh, what's with this wind current?" She asked herself, hoping that the wind would disappear soon. Her legs began to tremble from facing the immense pressure. Never in her life had she witnessed such a strong current before.

"Is this the best you can do? Can't even withstand a mere wind pressure?"

Just when Emma thought the unknown voice had disappeared, it spoke again in a taunting tone. She put the clues together and realized the wind current must have been done by the unknown voice. Though she couldn't understand how one could create a wind pressure so strong, almost like a tornado or hurricane.

"Who are you?" Emma shouted at the top of her lungs. "Who are you to criticize me for not being able to withstand the wind?"

"Hmph, weren't you the one who swore to heaven about obtaining your vengeance? How are you capable of obtaining vengeance with your weak-willed?"

Emma's face froze in place as she wondered how the unknown voice knew what she had sworn before her death. And miraculously, the wind pressure vanished as well.

"H-How did you know about it?" She asked nervously, glancing around her surroundings.

"Try looking above you, woman. I've been here the whole time yet you can't even detect me. What a failure!"

The moment the unknown voice shouted that Emma looked above her, and to her surprise, it was an eagle-like bird talking.

'How is the eagle talking to me? It's not a talking parrot.' She asked silently, clearly unable to grasp the concept of the talking eagle.

Meanwhile, the eagle seemed to have realized what Emma was thinking as it held an irritated expression. It flapped its majestic wings and created another powerful wind current, causing Emma's face to turn pale by the scene.

"Disrespect me again and watch how I'll send you off the cliff. After that, you can lose all your memories and be reincarnated in a poor family." The eagle threatened.

"R-Reincarnated?" Emma raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean by sending me to reincarnation, Eagle-like bird?"

"Hmph, call me Ikaros. What kind of ruffian name is Eagle-like bird?" The Eagle, Ikaros said in a cold tone. It was clear that he despised being called an eagle or even being associated with such a name.

'Ikaros… why does that seem so familiar with a famous god's name?' Emma thought. Nevertheless, she respected Ikaros and decided to refer to him as he wanted to.

"Then Ikaros, may I ask where I am?" Emma asked. Ever since she arrived here, she was completely clueless about her surroundings, much less her current status.

Was she dead or was she still alive? All different kinds of questions were running through her mind like an ongoing car track. She needed to figure all those things out, otherwise, it would be like millions of maggots running through her body.

Meanwhile, Ikaros held an indifferent expression despite his eagle-like appearance. He flapped his wings lightly and landed on her shoulder with his claw-like feet.

"Miss Emma Windsor, the beautiful heir of the Windsor Enterprise was killed on the day of her wedding instigated by none other than her groom, Justin. While dying, she swore to heaven and vowed for vengeance, prompting my appearance to give you a chance of redemption."

Emma stumbled for a second as she tried to take everything he said into her mind.

'Redemption? Can I really redeem my horrendous past life?' She wondered silently. Her heart started throbbing faster as she could imagine herself changing her destiny and the path she would take if there's ever a chance.

She clenched her fist tightly and in a pleading tone, "I-Ikaros, can I really redeem myself? Can I really fix the past mistakes and begin anew?"

Ikaros laughed wildly as he flew up from her shoulder. "Indeed, but the price of doing so would be losing your emotion."

"M-My emotion?"

"Un, more specifically, it's the love emotion. Your previous failure all came because you fell in love with a scumbag. Hence, I will take away that nuisance emotion from your heart if you wish to try again." Ikaros said in a solemn tone.

"So Emma, do you wish for a rebirth?"

Emma took a deep breath before showing a gentle smile. "Is that even a question, Ikaros? Since love is the hindrance of my life, then gone it shall be. Right now, I want to revamp everything to its correct course and nothing else. Screw love if it will hinder my vengeance, screw it all."

Hearing her strong declaration, Ikaros laughed evilly. "Heh, as expected, I didn't choose the wrong host to guide. Emma Windsor, from now on, you are my bond, and together, let's wreak havoc."

It then moved one of its wings forward to her, most likely asking for a fist bump or something.

Emma didn't mind as she fist-bumped him. The moment she did, a blinding light flashed through her eyes, causing her to involuntarily closed her eyes. Soon, the light enveloped her entire body and Emma felt like a part of her soul was forcefully cut apart, causing her gentleness and sweetness to vanish into the dark void.

"Emma Windsor, it's time for your rebirth." Ikaros' voice transmitted through her brain.

Emma felt like floating in the cloud, drifting through time with numerous memories flashing through her mind. It was a tranquil feeling- one that brought her peace and a soothing aura. She had never felt such calmness ever since the cruel rejection and betrayal from Justin.

'Thank you, Ikaros… for giving me the chance to redo everything.' She thanked silently while losing her consciousness in the clouds.