CH 0: Prologue

My eyes opened up to a sky of great beauty and splendor, making me be in awe of what I saw. But despite how amazing the scenery was, and how fascinated I was by it. I was not delighted, nor pleased. This expanse of sky was, although incredible, still unknown territory.

I could even swear that I felt a chill up my spine as I looked around, scanning the area for anything dangerous. But there was nothing, all I could see was a gorgeous sky.

Thinking that there wasn't much else I could do now, I decided to think about how I got here. I took a moment to collect myself, as I closed my eyes and scanned my most recent memories.

I had just finished a warm bath after having had a tiring day. I know that after said bath, I went straight to bed. I could even remember the softness of my bed against my back. And once I had relaxed, I probably went to sleep.

I don't know what happened next, so it would be safe to assume that I had gotten kidnapped at around that point in time. Well, this could also be a hallucination, but I don't have any medical problems, so it's unlikely.

I opened my eyes to look at the sky once again, sure that I was kidnapped and that what I saw couldn't be a dream.

"Oh my, that's exactly right child!" Said a voice from behind me, it was the voice of a man. But for the life of me, I couldn't recognize it at all. So, while gradually turning around, I settle my gaze onto the owner of the voice.

I didn't know the man, not at all. Instead, what greeted me was a foreigner.

The man, from what I could tell, had blond hair that reached his waist, sharp golden eyes that pierced those he observed, and a white silk robe as his only clothes.

He was a tall man, much taller than I. But the man stood at a distance from me, making me a little unsure of his actual height.

Suddenly, the stranger started inching closer to me, but I, in fear stepped back. My instincts were telling me not to go against this man, to not fight or disobey. It was like I was a child in front of a wild beast —no, a monster.

"Who are you?" I unconsciously asked, my panic getting the better of me.

The man smiled at my panicked figure as he continued to inch closer, raising his hand slightly. Thereby exposing from underneath his white robe golden bracelets that shinned brilliantly.

It was a charming movement that made the stranger seem less scary, but I would not be fooled.

Good looks do not mean a good personality.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Arihara Rei." The man said calmly, placing his hand out for me to shake. But I did not dare touch him.

After a while, the man before me tilted his head a little. It was a gesture that made the man all the more handsome.

I still wasn't fooled.

Taking his hand back, the man's smile lowered gradually as he spoke. "Apologies for what has to be done Arihara, but I'm afraid that I have no alternative."

My eyes widened in fear as my kidnapper mentioned doing something mysterious to me.

What was it that he wanted to do to me? What is it that has no alternative?

I took a breath, then another, and another until I felt my beating heart calm down. I didn't want to be carried away by my kidnapper's flow. So, slowly and carefully, I gaze up at the man's eyes.

And paled.

Those slightly droopy, golden eyes compressed within them something vague and ominous, which depths I could never reach. It was as if I was staring into the abyss and found that the abyss was staring back. It's darkness —no perhaps it's void, surrounding me in its touch of madness. Oh, how terrifying were those eyes that watched me? How could I, a mere mortal dare look upon those eyes, those terrible and foreboding eyes? But really, how could I know all of this with just a simple look? Is it perhaps my instincts as a human being telling me this, or is it something else?

Either way, with this, I could tell right away that this man had no good intentions for me.

"You're quite cruel Arihara, I'm not like that at all." The man said teasingly as he bent down to my eye level.

At that moment, I noticed that he knew what I was thinking.

The man laughed mockingly at my realization.

"Sadly, dear Arihara, such a realization won't help you much," The man smiled, as he gazed into my eyes. "after all... It won't stop what I'm about to do."

His words caused my breath to hitch, as I tried to compose myself. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't calm down.

I opened my mouth apprehensively, as the beating of my panicked heart echoed in my ears.

"What are you going to do to me?" I somehow asked steadily despite my inner turmoil.

The man laughed once again, but this time, his laughter sounded not like a mockery of me, but of something more sinister. It was the laughter of a man in control of prey.

And I hate to admit it... But I knew that I was the prey.

"Don't think of me like that!" The man exclaimed jokingly. "I'm quite nice you know! Since I decided that I won't be killing you."

He reached out a hand towards my face, excitement oozing from his bent figure.

However, on sheer willpower alone, I managed to dodge just in time.

"So courageous!" The man announced as he got up from his position. "Most of the guys I've brought here before weren't even able to move. It's nice to see someone with some spirit around here!" He explained cheerily. But to me, all he seemed to be was psychotic. He was like a serial killer telling his victim that they were the only one who got the guts to run away... I mean, how am I supposed to feel about that?

Soon enough, the man lunged at me again, but this time, I was unable to dodge.

"No! Let go!" I screeched loudly, but all I could do was talk. I couldn't move at all.

"This was fun... Too bad that I can't keep playing with you." The man sighed. "You're a mistake after all... So I need to fix you."

My body stiffened at the man's words, as my mind replayed my most terrible memory.

'I can't expect much from you... You're a mistake after all.'

"I'm not a mistake. I know that I'm not a mistake." I said confidently, but I knew that my doubt was clear in my mind.

The man grinned at my words, his voice coming off as ecstatic, delighted even. "But you are Arihara Rei! You have always been a mistake, so now it's only right to put you back where you belong."

"...What?"

What was this man talking about? Where was he going to take me? Why was he doing this?

I trembled in fear and anxiety in the man's firm grip, unable to move or run away.

I could feel his hand tightening its grip on my head in a soul-crushing tightness, assuring me that I wasn't going to be awake for long.

If this keeps going he'll kill me!

"I promise, that in my name, I shall not kill you, but will send you into another world! Haha! Doesn't this notion excite you? Isn't this what you humans call a man's romance, or was it called a man's romanticism? Well, no matter..."

Black spots appeared in my vision as I was held in that overpowering grip. I could feel my consciousness wane over as the man's grasp became even tighter.

"By the way, if you ever feel that your family and friends may miss you, there's no need to worry. I have already erased your very existence from the face of the planet. Nobody will remember you anymore. Nobody."

The monster said in a pacifying tone, as though what they told me wasn't from some kind of nightmare. Like what he said wasn't something that made me want to cry out in anguish.

But right now, I couldn't do anything against him. I was literally stuck in the palm of his hand.

Before I passed out, I heard a soft voice near my ear. It was the voice of my most treasured person.

It was a voice I may never hear again.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, as I stretched my hands out towards that voice that kept getting fainter and fainter.

"...Please don't leave...

...Big brother..."

I sobbed in horror as the man's last words barely reached me.

"You've been a joy to have around, so as a gift..." The man grinned evilly. "I'll give you one of my eyes, and if there are any problems, come to my church. The church of the God Yulias. Goodbye Arihara Rei."

I fainted.