1 Beginning

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In the continent of Aria, The King of Dragons, Fire was asleep. Soft breathes echoed in the cave. The underground lake's foundations were steady and were able to accommodate the large 50-meter dragon.

The man could feel its power. It was increasing and restoring to its former grandeur.

His subjects faithfully guarded the forest. The mountain had received scars. Charred claw marks blackened the ground. The air was burning. The elemental molecules were rampantly fluctuating. The peace was kept in place by natural order and the lake.

The Lake of Springs glittered at the core of the forest. Like enchanted jewels, it was as clear as day. A man sat. His legs coiled like centipedes and his arms folded. His black hair was matted, his presence was hidden and his almond brown eyes flared in anger. Smothering. Burning.

He had to hold on. His master had given him a task and to this day had done his best. "Oh, when will we get even, humans? How long must we wait for the opportune time?." His expression was solemn.

As if in response, the lake rippled. The man appeared stunned. Hurriedly he touched the water. In pain, he retracted his arm. Glancing at it, his fingers were red, sore, and stinging. The water reached boiling point but no vapor was rose. Just constantly churning.

"It is close, old Earth. Just a bit more. In three days I will awaken from my slumber. The humans will pay for treating us this way." A melodious voice sounded. Tenor. A bit female–ish.

Old Earth froze. The primal fear was present. Even though he was the greatest subordinate of the King of Dragons', he felt this. This was the lineal difference in cell dominion. He was suppressed by at least 15% of his total strength.

"Yes, master." His lips thinned. "The population of the humans has increased to 4.7 billion approximately. They will soon come to take over this place to make their home. They will drive us from this place and ..."

The voice hummed. "They will attempt to take the prime land and put us in enclosed structures they call parks." The voice was cold and distant. "To keep them from losing their ability to cultivate, they will probably keep us there and farm us like our distant cousins. The four magical beast gods and their king would be isolated and perhaps killed to obtain an elemental core. Perhaps bred first to keep the genes intact."

Old Earth's anger burned. "If It happens, this place will be lost to the magical beasts as a refuge and the supposed God does not hear our cries of mercy."

"God simply doesn't exist." The voice sounded weary. "When our brethren are torn apart and used for play, does he see and not hear its cry. Life and Death are stages for the mortal realm and even the upper realm but the heavens, it is simply a game like chess. It doesn't affect the heavens like the lower world."

"Enough now Old Earth, let me rest. The best method may be to wear sheep's clothing and live among men. Learn his weaknesses and strengths and stake them to a cross." The voice added.

"No master! Many of our kind have tried this but they end up as dead as a doornail. While man prospers ..." Old Earth thought it through. "Nevermind master you know what is best."

____________

He smiled faintly. His heart skipped a beat. Finally. "My life hasn't been so bad. I got a wonderful sister and a new life to begin with." He looked forward. Seeing an intangible screen from a videos game he played when younger, he got excited.

<< Allotted time: 2 years >>

<< Ding! Mission Completed.  >>

[Survive for 2 years and a Tier 2 monster must be killed every two days .]

[System: Thesis integrated successfully.]

[Does the host accept?]

[Y/N]

He agreed. He knew he was in Tier 3 currently and probably wouldn't move much from his current level of power.

He sat in the comfort of their room. The even breathe from the corner of the room was the only indication of a 'sister'. He had to do better.

___________

Goldenbloom Hospital, Sky City. 2 years ago.

Daniel Wright opened his eyes. " Where could I be now?" The faint hint of edgy sarcasm.

His memory jolted the sleep out of him. He almost died from being attacked by a Tier 2 mole-rat. A considerably weaker entity scaled by the Fordium Beast Ranking.  His back had been left wide open and the mole-rat cruelly bit open his shoulder blades; narrowly missing death or amputated arms

The majority of the health practitioners, doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and the two or three healers who were at Tier 4, pitied the man. He always came back with gory wounds, and not to greet them. Which they would have preferred than the bloody mess they majorly found him in. Though they were paid good salaries, which would help them acquire the resources necessary.

His eyes shut. He cursed in self-pity. No, deep-seated hatred. He wanted strength. More than anything, he wished to be the hunter and not the hunted. He was too weak. His mana links had just snapped and he lost mana at a terrifying pace. He wept. Daniel Wright, the mage does not weep. Daniel Wright, the individual wept.

"Hello Daniel Wright, you have acquired the conditions for the system." A womanly voice sounded transparently into his ear. He surged up and almost hit someone's head. His sense of balance hit him. He missed by a nanosecond.

He found her. His sister, Abigail sleeping with lips thinned and her brows contorted. He touched her cheek. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead. Did you miss me?" He smiled.

She twitched. "Damn it, why are you so reckless. Did you forget I'm also here, I need you! If you are going to end up dead then I would rather you find another job. I'll take care of us." She saw him clam up.

The anger and hesitation clouded his eyes. He feared. Being out of *control?* No, he wasn't like that. She thought of a possibility. Ah, a man's ego! Of course, she should have thought of this earlier.

She smiled. "This time you have a shoulder blade fracture and muscle injury. Also, your wrist was sprained." Her smile was not kind, not admonishing but encouraging. Psychology of a man. "As long as you promise you won't die, I'll drop it." She compromised.

He smiled, looking like he saw his savior at last. "I promise, I won't die Abi." She nodded with vigor. She finally saw the cast on his shoulder with layers of bandage wrapping his arm. Money draining. More and more left her side. She was broke again. She didn't mind, she loved her brother much more than material items.

...

His sister Abigail Wright, even though they weren't related by blood, their bond stated the comfy and happy relationship the two had. Lord, he loved her. Probably he wouldn't be able to live without her. He treasured her and she responded similarly, perhaps with more love.

He was 25, young and empty. She was 23, full, and filled with potential. They contrasted but each had its way of compensating the other. She was smart in academics, he wasn't. She could only cook for dead cockroaches but Daniel's dishes curled her toes. Simple. Food was delicious, beyond her dreams. Meals at school turned to ashes before his.

She was happy. Daniel hoped he was doing her right. She didn't let him down. She passed her high school exams with tense concentration but he provided her with the little things that mattered.

*Time and moments are the only thing in this world that matters. After all, when we die, we cannot do anything but be frozen in time waiting for the end. We will never see the people we saw alive again. Treasure this* His mother's voice sounded, solemn but lovely.

For the umpteenth time, he wished. A wish for his mother's soul to rest in peace and for her to be with him. He missed her terribly. She was his greatest friend and confidant. He could relay to her all his problems. He was stressed. He didn't want to admit it but he was tired and weary of fighting. His mind backtracked.

His tenth birthday quietly rang. The memory opened like a book.

"Name: Daniel Wright, Body Potential: Tier 3, Elemental Affinity: Ice. Bloodline: Normal." A Caucasian, blue-haired man stood; smiling kindly.

Daniel grimaced and was on the verge of tears. "Mam, does this mean that I won't be like you? That I will be weaker than you? I want to be a mage, a powerful mage." He hugged her. Daniel's mother thanked the man and helped her son home.

She comforted him. To her very best ability, she stayed for 3 days taking leave from work to sort Daniel out. She didn't seem surprised by the result. It looked like she expected it. Her heart went out to him, she was her only son. Abigail was recently adopted into the family 3 weeks previously. They got on well, very well, and enjoyably.

But she feared. She feared that a tragedy would happen. For happiness usually never lasted long. The days forward she used her time balancing between work and caring for her children especially counseling her eldest. Daniel Wright loved her with all his heart. He listened keenly even if he didn't understand. *He would understand later.*

🌒 - 11:57 pm.

Daniel's home. Outskirts of Sky City.

On a warm night, he awoke from his scrutinized memories. He shot upwards. "Abigail should still be studying. So much. So *much*." He sighed resignedly, almost too painful to hear. "Perhaps I should listen to her. A job that would pay me income wouldn't be bad. No! Let me at least have this last comfort."

The door opened. Daniel crept sneakily, his lean frame invisible to even the closest and keenest of eyes. He arrived at his sister's room. The door left ajar let out the soft burning candlelight.

The room was painted with a light amber color. A wooden chair and heavy-duty table stood. The floor was ceramic. The bulb had been lost to where only ghosts knew. A lamp carefully crafted with the wick burning, brightly glowed.

A hunched figure sat uncomfortably. Abigail's eyes flickered from her books to her pen, which was spun delicately between her fingers. She stretched and moistened her lips. She murmured. "Skeletal fluorosis is caused by the excessive accumulation of fluoride leading to stiffness and pain in the joints. Affects mostly people of areas with excessive fluoride formation in water and food sources."

He smiled and flinched as she touched her back. His smile faded. "The next time I have money I should get a new chair." Seeing her enter a relaxing posture and closing her eyes, he felt his heart skip. Her mind was far from this room. All the information she had attained floated in her mind. She sucked it like a greedy leech.

Thoughtfully, Daniel felt his pockets. Finding a piece of paper the size of a slightly large palm, he scribbled on it. He tossed it in. The paper landed softly on the ground. He whistled his way back to his room. He glanced at the two beds lying on separate sides of the room.

"Good night, Abi. Time for this one to hit the hay." He closed his eyes. Soon the even breathing coming from him indicated he was asleep. His body trembled. Sweat drenched his clothing and his expression contorted. His body stiffened. Markings ran through his body as cold air wafted. His eyes opened. Dead and soulless. The right, black eye stared.

His left eye crackled. Dark red veins ran out of this eye. A serpent-like tattoo came alive on his body. Its sapphire eyes burned. Dimming the splendor subsided. His body began to twitch violently. His bones cracked and blood spilled, which evaporated mysteriously. Daniel's left eye flickers.

The body of Daniel Wright came to a halt, mercifully. His body began to heal the damage. White, almost colorless, gas lifted from the damaged parts of his body. His eyes closed and the serpent tattoo disappeared. All the action dissipated and slept under the soft caress of the night.

Deeper into the night. 12:38 am. Her eyes opened. She felt exhausted. Her mind was numb and unresponsive too. She smiled satisfactorily. "At least I will pose a 70% chance of acing the test. This will be difficult." University was particularly hard. The lectures, note-making, and the countless men asking for dates.

She wasn't interested in any of them. She hadn't kissed either. She was abstaining from the sex, which in her opinion was over-glorified, and didn't much care for although she was slightly curious. She had a friend, June a classmate and interesting person.

June's attitude was snarky. Biting at any wrong accusation, she cursed, fought, and bit her enemies. She was a feisty one but a great friend. Listens and sometimes cuts her off while speaking, she preferred latte coffee to soda. Personally, Abigail liked tea more. Daniel and his mother loved tea and she got into it. How? She didn't know but she rolled with it.

She was distracted. Bring yourself to the present, Abi. Her lamp was running out of paraffin. The flame flickered weakly. And she realized it was dying. She stood up, stretching after feeling her stiff muscles, she swept her books aside and piled them.

She busily worked making a mini-Arpian Tower. (Arpian Tower is the tallest tower in Moon Crystal.) She noticed the door was still open. She itched. Itching. And more itching. She glanced at her knee, noticing a small bump on her knee, she cursed.

Mosquitoes. Damn those despicable insects. Sucking blood like rogue vampires and leaving a swelling akin to a bruise. No pain. Those proboscides inject a numbing chemical agent. She felt her anger swell. It was smothering her. She despised mosquitoes with a passion. Blinding.

She snapped her fingers. The buzzing beat of the flying insects froze. They fell helplessly paralyzed. Over twenty of them in just her room alone! She smiled picking up the tiny critters by their wings and tossing them out of the window. Just like spring cleaning.

The entire house was rid of the mosquitoes. Daniel slept peacefully even before the mosquito eradication. She knew he probably wouldn't notice. He could sleep like a log even if the world ended that very night  — morning.

She looked over the room, happily humming to herself when the light died. She entered her bed, the blanket covered her frame. A thought. How ironic, I probably won't have a boyfriend. Daniel won't have a girlfriend in this life either. He will die young in this time as *she* predicted.

She was too merciful. When her enemy weakened her, she died painfully. Mercifully too. The pain forfeited and the darkness covered her, it blinded her and paralyzed her. Her final will was going to be received soon. Not for Abigail.

She noticed the note, written by Daniel, a few minutes ago while ridding the annoying pest. She was shaken. Her resolve was wavering. Get control. Calm yourself. Get a grip on yourself. She admonished herself. She wasn't feeling any better. Abigail knew she was getting weaker. Physically? No. Emotionally? Yes, a large one too.

A loving expression settled on her. She knew she was getting soft but it couldn't be helped. Her 'brother' was weak but he was kind, understanding, loving, and ready to please. Please her. She shivered. Please her.

She looked to the roof, the smothering darkness all-round her. "Why do you have to give such a confusing task. She did her part and died. Yet she was replaced so easily by me. How ridiculous."

"She was meaningful but her time was cut short. It pained him, not knowing of what happened and having to..." She stammered. "Life has been difficult. Without me, his mental state would probably decline. His power still hasn't been influenced yet. The world will probably have ended by then." She sighed.

Sadly she smiled and entered the world of dreams. Dark and meaningful, they were. Not dreams, nightmares. To the light. To the light. … the dark.