CHAPTER I

I was at the mall with my mom buying some groceries when an emergency alarm echoed inside the mall—people started to panic; everyone with a phone received a notification, including my mom. I watched her open it, and I saw how her face changed to shock.

All the people started to run to get outside. My mom held my hand, and we walked out of the mall.

When we got out, I couldn't believe what I saw. "Beautiful" is the first word that comes to mind.

A white light was pouring slowly from the sky. Before that light fell into the ground, a magical red circle-shaped light appeared 20 meters above the ground.

"What is that?"

"A portal?!"

"Is that a portal?"

Those were the words I heard from the people around me. When I looked at my mom, I saw a worried eye on her. When suddenly everyone started to scream, I looked above to see a horrific monster come out of that red circle, what they called a "portal." It's like what I've seen in the movies. Some monsters have wings, and others are giants. There are also medium-sized monsters holding a bat with a spike on it, looking like goblins.

Mom carried me while I was running. "Mom, I'm scared." "What's going on?" I told Mom with teary eyes.

"I also don't know what's happening, Selene, but we need to run." I nodded.

Mom ran as fast as she could. When I looked around, I saw how monsters killed humans. The buildings started to fall all over the place. The place that a minute ago was a peaceful place has become chaotic.

When I looked at Mom's back, I saw a winged monster trying to catch us. Its appearance is like that of a pterodactyl. It has a very sharp claw, and its wings are on fire. Mom fell to the ground while hugging me. The monster stopped chasing us but was waiting for the perfect moment to attack.

Mom immediately stood up and held my hand. Mom told me, while a tear ran down her eyes, "I want you to run as fast as you can, and when this is all over, I want you to find someone for help." Run very fast and don't ever look back, okay? I love you, Selene. I will always love you. "Keep that in your mind till you become a very beautiful lady." A smile curled in her mouth.

"I will miss you."

I look at her with a tear falling down my cheek. "Mom, I don't want to leave you."

"Selene, listen. Okay, after all of this, I will find you." She told me that with a tone of sadness in her voice while keeping her beautiful smile.

"Okay, mom."

She kissed my head, then once again she said, "I love you."

"I love you too, mom." I ran as fast as I could when suddenly I heard a loud scream. Suddenly, all mom's memories inside my head are getting flashbacks.

"Mom?'

When I turned my back, a golden light hit me that made me dizzy. My vision became blurry, and I felt like my whole body had become so heavy. I feel like the time was very slow when the moment I fell on the ground and all I was thinking was mom, then slowly, slowly, everything went dark.

…

I opened my eyes just to see that the floor was covered in a bed of sparkling rose petals, and their scent literally put me at ease. Looking around, I discovered that I was in a room covered by black walls, with only the glowing petals illuminating my surroundings.

In front of me, I saw a girl floating in the air wearing a patient gown. I was amazed at how beautiful she is when I looked at her face. I don't know why, but she seems familiar—black hair, porcelain skin, and pointed nose—her beauty is godlike!

But wait, where am I? what happened? The last thing I remembered was that I was hit by something then... then I felt dizziness... my mom… I heard her scream. I know it's her...

"I close my eyes, and a tear falls on my eye. Why did this happen?"

I sense a chill in the air, so I open my eyes only to find out that the petals that had been on the floor earlier have now begun to circulate around, forming a sphere around me flowing with a red magical energy.

It circulates around me faster and faster; I was amazed when it all freezes like time has stopped and all the petals are floating around me like they suddenly froze in the air. I was about to touch a petal when suddenly the sphere around me slowly began to expand.

At this moment, all my current emotions disappear and are replaced by fear. I'm scared, and I don't know what to do. It continues to expand until it reaches the walls, and the moment it touches the walls, it shrinks quickly until it completely shrieks down inside my body.

My body is floating, my eyes are all blurry, I look at my hand, and I see how it's slowly turning into a fragment, and it's going through the girl's body like I was absorbed by that girl. For the second time, dizziness strikes me, and then everything goes dark.

…

When I opened my eyes, I noticed a bright light that stung my eyes. After a moment, my eyes adjusted to the light. I looked around and realized that I was in a hospital. I was about to stand up when a nurse quickly stopped me.

"Ma'am, please remain in your bed; you just woke up and you need to take time to fully regain your energy. Please wait here." She was about to leave when I quickly grabbed her arms.

"How long have I been here?" When I look at her, I see how shocked and scared she is.

Why is she giving me that expression?

"You were here for approximately 5 years when the first portal appeared; the rescuers rushed you here to the hospital." She's nervous and shaking.

"WHATT!? 5 years???! If I'm not mistaken, the portal appeared just yesterday; how is it then that five years have gone by since then? Does that mean that I am now 19 years old?"

"You were asleep for about 5 years, and no doctor can tell what really happened... Please wait here ma'am. I will call the doctor." I can't hear the last word she says because my mind is filled with so many questions that I don't know what's happening anymore.

I stand up and move closer to the window after feeling the chilly air flowing from it and noticing how enormous the hospital is. shit! I've been sleeping here for 5 years; I don't have money to pay the bills. I need to get out of here! I quickly removed the medications they had put in me, and when I went outside the room, I looked around to see if there were any people; fortunately, there weren't. I have already been walking for about 5 minutes, and at last, I am here right now, standing in front of the fire exit.

I opened the door, and I saw how long the spiral staircase in front of me was. "oh fuck!" If I use the front exit, the nurses or guard will probably stop me, given that I'm still wearing the hospital gown. Damn, I don't have a choice!

"ma'am!! Please comeback!" When I turned around, I noticed the nurse running toward me with the doctor, who I believe was beside her. "Shit! I immediately enter the door and closed it. I need to get out of here quickly."

I am now at the back of the hospital. I saw a lot of clothes hanging, so I grab the black jacket and black-colored jogging pants and quickly change. Maybe this is from the other patience belongings.

I had a hard time escaping the hospital earlier because it was surrounded by guards. I know it's getting dark, but I've still got nowhere to go. I saw a bench, so I decided to sit down for a moment. 5 years, huh? So what now?

"You look sad." I look at the old lady sitting beside me and smile. "What's the matter?"

"I have nowhere to go. Can I ask?" She nodded. "What happened five years ago?"

"You mean when the first portal appeared?" I nodded. "When that day the first portal appeared, a thousand white lights appeared falling from the sky. People who are hit by those lights receive an ability that a normal human can't do. Hmm, you know I can see myself on you... I lost my family. My daughter and grandchild are victims of the first portal. They were at the mall because it was my grandchild's birthday. I never expected that. I would never meet them again. A month ago, my husband passed away. They're now my angels, watching me from above. I miss them, and I hope to see them soon. I'm just waiting for my time." She smiled at me, so I smiled back.

That day was so unexpected; people hit by fallen light had been given an ability, and dungeons suddenly appeared everywhere. At first, I didn't believe it—not until I saw it for myself. The next day, another portal appeared, but the damage was minimized by those people. I was about to die and my husband that day, but we were saved by the hunters. Hunters are called to those people who receive ability beyond human limitation."

"Who are those five?"

There are currently the leaders of five of the most powerful organizations protecting the country.

...

I am now currently walking on the sidewalk. "What are those lights?" I stopped when suddenly all the people around me were running in a different direction. Despite all the panic, my curiosity was still brave enough to run in the direction where the panic was coming from. I quickly regretted all my decisions in life when I saw what was happening—a portal! A portal appeared in the middle of the highway! The cars are crushing to each other! And the monsters, like goblins, were killing every human they saw!

The whole image from that day flashed back to me when I saw what was happening right now in front of me. I'm so scared that a tear started to fall into my eyes. I have no idea what to do.

Is this my end? No, no, no! I can't die at the hands of these monsters. Think Selene. I can't fight … and... and my legs won't move, damn! ... What am I going to do, shit They notice me!

...

Everyone is in panic except for a girl standing in the middle of the highway. The monsters are running wild towards her and were about to land a hit when the girl's red eyes glow. She raises her hand, pointing at the large group of monsters. Then a swarm of glowing magical red butterflies appeared, and it all entered the monsters' bodies, making them paralyzed. What happened next was to shock the group of individuals watching not so far from the area. A rose flower was growing on the monster's body, and it was killing the monsters brutally. Vines with thorns and red roses were sprouting in every part of the monster's body that ripped off their flesh like paper. Every drop of blood that came out of the goblin's body was quickly filled with rose flowers, making the entire area a garden of roses.

The scent of roses was enveloping the entire area, and the people hiding above the four-story building were amazed at what they saw. They all had the same question in their minds: how did the girl single-handedly wipe out an army of monsters?

They're all stunned and sweating when the girl looks in their direction. A wind has blown away the girl's hoody, revealing its face, making all of them tremble at the same time enchanted by her beauty. Her black hair was blown away with the wind, her porcelain skin is glowing under the moon's light, and her bloody red eyes were glowing red, sending them fear all over their bodies.

They panicked when the girl suddenly disappeared, leaving rose petals and glowing red butterflies in the area where she was standing a moment ago. "Is she planning to kill us by sneak attack?"

"Shut up!"

A moment has passed, but nothing has happened. They breathe a sigh of relief when nothing happens to them.

They jump down into the ground to examine the area. "All of the monster's body is unrecognizable; it was all dried up and covered with rose flowers and thorns."

"Who is she?" the question they're all thinking.