Prologue [2]

Coughs!

Huh?

Where am I?

I gazed at the vast seemly endless space I was in. It was dark, cold and rid of gravity, yet, I couldn't help but admire the unsettling ambiance it carried.

"I see… so I died," I stated without an ounce of emotion trailing my voice.

I gazed at my palm but there was nothing there.

It was invisible.

Sighs.

It's quite nice being here.

This peace and quiet.

When last have I felt so calm?

But, this feeling…

Why do I feel this empty?

No…

I've always felt empty since that day, but, this time it feels worse.

It feels like… like a weight on my chest…

Oh well.

It's bearable at least.

But…

How did I die again, and why?

Why can't I—

Wait!

I remember….

Suddenly a figure with fluttering pink hair appeared in my vision.

Distant, yet close.

It was "her".

.....

"Haaa!" I gasped and my eyes shot open.

What?

What happened?!

"From this day henceforth, Lumiea, the son of Elena, shall be stripped of his right as a member of Arenford!" a distant voice bellowed and cut straight through my disarrayed thoughts.

Arenford?

Hahaha!

Come on, that can't be.

With the voice fading into the background my clarity returned and I beheld a vast canvas of blue, littered with white fluffs. There was no sun, and the wind was slowly returning my sentience.

I looked the other way, and my gaze fell on letter boots approaching at a steady pace, followed by the screeching noise of a metallic object scraping against the concrete floor.

*Screech*

Following the boots up, my gaze landed on a strangely alien yet familiar face.

A young boy, probably 15-16, with hair as dark as shadows at night, and merlot eyes filled with palpable animosity that denied any form of innocence his child-like face tried to portray.

Who is this?

And that sneer, why does it irk me so damn much?!

I felt rage bubbling within me, but I couldn't tell why, why did I suddenly hate someone I was seeing for the first time?

I tried to stand up but…

I couldn't.

Huh?

My legs, it feels like a truck load of lead.

I tried to lift my arm but they were no different.

I was stuck.

"Ahh!" a cried escape my lips as my brain registered an intense pain my abdomen.

That kick freaking hurts, damn it!

My gaze returning to the raging rhino of a child but before I could react, not that I could.

I felt it again.

*Bam*

"Haaa!" Sharp air tore through the confines of my mouth as another mind-numbing pain assaulted my senses.

"You don't belong here, not now, not ever!"

But unlike before, the child didn't wait for me to recover.

*Bam*

*Bam*

*Bam*

*Bam*

*Bam*

*Bam*

The pain.

The rage.

The frustration.

I felt ripping his jaw off his face.

But I couldn't…

I couldn't.

*Bam*

….

Huh?

It…

Stopped?

I painstakingly willed me gaze to the boy but was met with a rather astonishing sight.

Cascading almond hair.

A girl.

A girl, as it appeared to be, stood, seemly shielding me from the relentless assault of the enraged child.

She appeared the same age, but I could see her eyes as she backed me.

"That's enough, Allen, you could kill him if you go any further," She cautioned him, her tone though childish, possessed a hint of seriousness.

"Tch," clicked the merlot eyed boy, "You still defend that ingrate after what he did to you?!" he roared.

"I… I" her body visibly trembled as though a memory crossed her mind.

Taking her inability to respond as confirmation, the boy walked past her to me, "Don't try to stop me Christina, he deserves every bit of this," he hissed.

Arenford.

Allen.

Christina?!

No…

No!

Suddenly a kick to my abdomen sent me halting to the corner of the platform, where my gaze fell on a man sat on a throne-like chair.

I think I know where this is.

Who I am.

Lumiea…

The demon's vessel.