Chapter 1 - I am Zaekryl

Deep inside the dark forest wherein no living things dares to enter, an abandoned castle is located in the middle, the castle may look very bad outside but you may found the inner place far from what you had imagined.

Once you enter the main door, you can breathe a fresh air as if you're in the top of the world. You can walk in a shining red carpet and can see fabulous paintings hanged on every walls. Furthermore, up ahead, are a long golden staircase. Once you reach the second floor you can see a wide living room with a comfy looking couch prepared for guests. Of course there would be a maid-chan serving you a cup of tea and some snacks anytime you want.

There are a bunch of world-class rooms such as private rooms, master bedroom, study, pool, garden, kitchen, and many more. However, there is a saying by the servants of the castle that you must always remember, 'you must not enter the throne room without the masters permission' why? Because you'll never get out alive.

In the throne room where the so-called master resides, people says he was never seen for more than a century, people says he was a very cruel master of the castle, rumors spreads throughout the country that this master which the servants adores so much tortures his subjects day by day by day by day, loud noises echoes from the throne room and has been going for a dozen of years already.

So that's the reason why living things, whether they are a monster nor humans, animals and some other species, are likely to avoid this place at all costs.

Until one day...

"Until one day... " a man who had a silky blonde hair said after closing the book and putting it inside his leather bag.

"What happens next?" a child sincerely asked.

"I wonder? there's no next, it ended here. you should go to sleep it's already late." The blonde man said and slightly laugh afterwards, and patting the childs fluffy looking hair.

"Okay... " the child pouted and forces himself to sleep.

The blonde young man and the little child are siblings with a ten years gap. The young man's name is Sci-ki people calls him Yan sometimes, he is a cheerful teenager and a supportive older brother, his younger brothers name is Scott, he is a carefree kid and a little bit scary sometimes when he snaps.

The sun rises and the sky cleared up, another day had already passed once again. A new day a new experience. But what would Yan going to experience in this day? What would his fate lead him on?

In a small pub in the corner of the town.

"Hey, Yan! Having a hard time?" a cute poster lady said as she was giving Yan a glass of clear water. Her name is Nairrie

"Not really, it's not something serious." Yan replied as he looked down and suddenly chug the water down to his throat.

"Drink slowly, the world won't end yet" The Nairrie said as she took the empty glass from Yan.

"Young Yan, why don't you come and visit the dark forest you may be lucky if you find some high priced gem there coincidentally! You have some good luck after all!" a built up body of drunkard adventurer interrupted.

"Dark forest?" Yan muttered.

"Idiot! What are you recommending to Yan? Dark forest of all places?!" Nairrie said out loud and scolded the drunkard adventurer.

"Yan, don't go to that place, it's very dangerous" Nairrie said with worry.

Yan nodded in response and immediately stood up, grabbing his coat and ran out. Nairrie was surprised and couldn't stop Yan from going. Even though Yan knew how dangerous that forest could be. He needed money for some personal purposes.

Coming home in a hurry, he found his little brother flipping up a few pages of some educational books. another pile of books was found right beside him. he must really love books.

"Scotty, what I am going to say might surprise you, brother won't be home for some days."

"Yan? Where are you going?" Scott asked.

"It is confidential. little kid should study, just listen to brother okay? I'll be right back once I'm done with some jobs." Yan said.

Scott nodded in response and went back to flipping pages. While Yan immediateky departs after preparing for his long journey.

After four hours of round trip, Yan finally arrived on a village located right beside the dark forest. It's not that far from the village and can be reached by foot.

"Young man! Are you a traveler? Want some milk?" an old lady appeared and continuously persuades Yan to buy her cows fresh milk.

"Sorry ma'am, I have no money to buy your milk. Maybe next time!" Yan sincerely apologized and keeps bowing as if he stumbled upon a big fault towards the old woman.

"Oh! What a sincere young man, kids like you are so rare nowadays, why don't I just give you a bottle of my cows fresh milk for free then? Don't worry it's not a poison, it's just a fresh milk." the old lady said and she seems happy. As she handed Yan a bottle of milk, Yan accepted it wholeheartedly.

"Thank you very much ma'am this is a big help for me. Don't worry when I laid myself for some money on the future, I promise to pay you back! thank you once again!"

Yan kept it on his bag and heads towards the forest alone.

"Young man! Just an advice, stay away from a pointy eared man. hope to see you again, young man!" The old lady shouted.

"Pointy ears? What's that? Elf? There's no elf in the human country? Or are there? Well there's a lot of adventures around maybe there are quite a few." Yan talks to himself.

Yan gave himself a courage and confidence. As he entered the forest he immediately heard a creak sound of a fallen tree. He panicked at first and calms down after a while. He starts to approach the sound and saw a huge fallen dark oak tree on the ground.

"What happened here?" he asked himself.

He then suddenly heard a laughing sound made by some bandits near. Yan immediately hid himself behind the fallen trees leaves cautiously.

"We had some catch! This is great!" A huge man said pulling a little girls hair.

The little girl screams in pain as Yan continuously watches. He thought that these people must be a slave traders.

'That's cruel' he thought as he clenches his fist. After a while he sat down and sighed deeply.

He took a small dagger from his small sling bag, his hands were shaking and his sweat keeps falling down.

Inside the huge dark leaves of the dark oak tree, wherein Yan hid himself, on the corner there was another man sitting down. Yan notices him and asked,

"W-who are you?" he stuttered.

The mans' face wasn't seen clearly since it was too dark, the man replied, "I have no obligation to tell you who I am."

The man seems cold in the heart and doesn't dare to make friends with Yan.

Yan distances himself and tried not to ask more questions.

The moment of silence. It was very awkward for Yan whom do not know this man on front of him. He don't know what to do and was more concerned about the little girl over the area. as the little girls scream became even louder. Yan thought to himself that, if he won't save the little girl, it will left him a scar of regret in his conscience. He couldn't hold it down now, he finally made a reckless decision and went outside the dark leaves.

Yan approaches the slave traders, whom was twenty meters away from the fallen tree, cautiously. He didn't make any sound in particular and even hid his very obvious presence to avoid danger of them noticing him. he inhaled and exhaled, tries to concentrate on the target, hee held his small sharp dagger tightly.

Yan seems like a different person from before. His eyes became sharper and his expression was never the same as before.

As he slowly approaches the slave traders, in the blink of an eye without hesitation, the tree huge guys went unconscious with traces of cuts around their body. Yan stood still, as blood drips from his dagger.

He didn't know what just happened but his body just moved on its own. He came back to his senses and was very shocked of he just did.

A clapping sound echoed as footsteps came to close.

"Amazing performance, Sci-ki" a cold man's voice said.

Yan held his head high as he saw a tall young man right in front of him about 6'5 ft tall. except for his skin who is as white as a snow, a sexy red blood lips, a sharp pointy ears and a one paired crimson earrings on his left ear, all of him are pure black. A short silky black hair, sharp black eyes, a naturally black nails, he also wears a peculiar clothes, a black modern no zipper jacket, a black pants and shoes he didn't wear any socks. Lastly, he carries a black modern men's sports sling bag.

"W-who are you? h-how did you know my name? " Yan asked.

"Me?"

Coincidentally, as he was about to introduce himself, the ground suddenly shakes and even became a last long earthquake with a 7.0 magnitude level, the soil cracked open and a huge monster sneakily appeared behind him. The young man stood still and raises his hand. And in the blink of an eye after hearing a single snap coming from the all black young man the monster disappeared without a trace. unfortunately, the ground didn't go back to normal, however, thanks to him the earthquake has finally come to an end.

Yan was lost in thought and couldn't bare to speak a word. he just silently sat down on the ground together with a huge three bloody corpses beside, loosing all his strength as he unconsciously, let go of his bloody dagger. he stared at the all black young man and was waiting for an answer in his question.

"I am Zaekryl, a dark mage"