Chapter 1: Despair (1)

In a certain room. A young man, with an age of 21 years old, can be seen lying in his bed sluggishly.

That was Glenn Raporto. And why was he lying in his bed like a tired-out person? Well… he just took a 72 hours straight gaming due to his guild's invasion mission. And since it took 3 days for all of the missions to finish, he had to take energy drinks. He could say to be a zombified gamer.

And while trying to sleep, he felt that something was wrong with his body and crumpled his clothes around his chest. He took notice immediately that he was having a heart palpitation. Glenn knew this side effect of overdosing in energy drinks but he never knew that he would be one of those people.

Without pause, the pain kept growing and after a few minutes, his heart stopped beating.

He died.

...........

"Uhhh…" Glenn uttered.

He felt something was wrong after his heart attack took place minutes ago.

"What…" Glenn was surprised. He couldn't see anything. He also felt like he was in a box full of jelly. He tried to move but couldn't do so with gusto. He wanted to speak but he couldn't do as well.

"What is happening…" He thought. This was his life for a few months.

...........

8 months passed. Glenn got used to the surrounding. Even though he couldn't see his surrounding, he knew he was alive already. But where was he? He always kept thinking about it but no way to find out.

Days passed and one day, he felt something. Something like a sense of touch. Someone was touching him. Moments passed and he heard voices that he couldn't understand.

The voices became so clear every passing second.

The jelly like surrounding was getting less and less like jelly. As if he was being flushed out of a tube.

And thus, moments later, he felt the air. He felt the surrounding changed and he tried to open his eyes and they did!

He looked with difficulty and found giants surrounding him and saying things that he couldn't understand.

He knew at that moment. He became a baby.

..........

"There he goes!" A man said with happiness in his face.

"Let me hold my child Valen!" The woman said while lying on the bed with difficulties.

These two were Glenn's parents. Valen and Kamila Ashborne. Happy that their child has been born safe. The midwife handed the child to Kamila and smiled at the two lovebirds holding their child. "What a beautiful sight!" she thought.

.........

"So what will be his name, Valen?" Kamila asked.

"Raytoria. Raytoria Isle Ashborne. Just like my ancestor's name." Valen answered while his eyes were looking softly at the baby.

"So its Raytoria. Raytoria~~" She mentioned the baby's name multiple times while giggling and playing with the baby's nose with her fingers.

...........

"So… I'm Raytoria Isle Ashborne now? What a weird name… but… they looked lovely." Glenn, or rather, Raytoria thought.

.........

6 years passed from the day Glenn, or rather, Raytoria Isle Ashborne was born. From then on, the three-member family lived simply within their home and continued their lives happily.

During these years, Raytoria learned how to speak the language. He even thought of it as weird language as it was not like English or any other earth languages he was familiar with. He learned it well though.

As to not be suspicious, he to acted like a child. Even so, he asked abnormal questions to his parents, that both Valen and Kamila were surprised to hear from a child. They even though that Raytoria was a genius kid and so, they planned to enroll him in the kingdom's academy once he is 8 years old.

And thus, both taught Raytoria the basic information of the world like history and further languages. Valen even promised Raytoria that he would teach him sword fighting. Raytoria was delighted. Sword fighting! Even on earth, this has become a luxury. Going to dojos and learning requires money. The fees may be on the expensive side too, so learning it for free made him happy.

Also, there's no technology in this world, Raytoria came to terms with his new life already and accepted that he was already dead on earth and living now on a different world. Although he misses the gaming life, this life was quite beautiful as well. With his loving parents and friends nearby. He was satisfied.

.........…..

On a simple shiny day, Raytoria woke up. He was already 6 years old and 2 more years before going to the academy his father told him. He was excited. He was so curious on what was the difference between earth's and this world's teaching style. Will it be like those 1900's or much older way of teaching?

No technology means very traditional and oldy. That's what on Raytoria's mind.

So, he stood up from his bed and went out of the room to the dining table to see what to eat. He saw his mother smiled at him. "Ray my dear~~! Come! Let's eat our breakfast!" Kamila invited.

"Where's father? Mother?" He asked.

"Oh… he went out early to oversee the fields, don't worry, he'll come back early today!" Kamila answered.

"Is that so? I'll visit him later mother, will that be okay?" Raytoria looked at his mother with pleading eyes.

Kamila, on the other hand, was about to deny him as its quite far from their home, but heard Raytoria to have his friends come along as well as the neighbor's uncle.

She agreed.

The breakfast continued afterward.

One hour later, Raytoria has finished preparing and told his mother that he'll go now. She asked him where were the kids who will come with him and he told her that they'll meet up with the uncle's house.

She nodded and just continued what she was doing.

As soon as Raytoria stepped outside of their home, the city wall's bells came ringing. Kamila and Raytoria heard it. She frantically ran toward Raytoria and held him tight. She then dragged him inside and shut the door with complete keys.

Raytoria knew what was going on. It's a demonic beast tide. He heard the stories about it but never in his six years that there were beast tides. It's been 50 years since the last one. He became nervous. The feeling he had before dying on earth came back and the drum like beat from his heart came to life.

A few minutes gone by and they both heard Valen's voice and he showed up inside the house through the secret passage.

"Father!" Raytoria uttered. "Valen!" Kamila also said.

"Shhhhh!" Valen signed to the both. "Demonic beasts have already penetrated the city walls! We must keep silent! Or else the demonic beast may feel us!"

Both became nervous but shut their mouths.

Their breathing as well, were lowered. Carefully trying to minimize it to the lowest sound possible. Meanwhile, what they hear outside were screams and growls of demonic beasts. The three were sweating so hard. The horrifying sounds coming from outside has made them so fearful. Raytoria even felt his mother shaking while his father was trying to tighten his hug for the both.

Minutes and hours gone by and the sounds from outside kept going.

The growls kept getting louder.

Within moments, it felt like demonic beasts were surrounding their home. Raytoria felt it. The feeling of having multiple beasts surrounding you without escape.

Valen knew this as well. He must do something. He thought of many things and looked at the both, his wife and young son. He, decided.

"Kamila." He whispered.

Kamila hurriedly looked at Valen's eyes. She felt them. She felt it. The desperation. The love. The sacrifice Valen will take in a few minutes. She felt it all.

Her eyes immediately moistened. Without the crying noise, the tears went down like rain. Valen also teared up. He kissed Kamila in the lips and Raytoria in his forehead.

Raytoria, looked why was his mother crying and why was his father kissed both of them. And while wondering why, Valen stood up and took the sword on the corner of the room and carefully walked towards the back door of the house.

He rushed and looked it immediately after stepping out and shouted, "Demonic shits! I am here! Get me you bastards!"

He attacked one as a bait and when he noticed the surrounding demonic beasts has their attention on him instead of the house, he slowly backed off.

The beasts advanced toward him and both slowly moved.

Seconds later, the chase started and Valen fought with them with all he got.

.........….

Inside the home, both heard Valen's words. Both were crying. Without sounds. They both cried.

Minutes gone by and Valen's voice was no more. They don't know what happened but they hoped Valen has survived.

Raytoria thought many scenarios. Was he going to die again? What happened to father? Was he safe? Did he survive? Mixed thoughts kept coming within his mind. This was the first. Maybe last. As he thought.

His mother, on the other hand, just kept hugging him. Not permitting any sound to go out from their home.

.........….

The beasts came back. Raytoria and Kamila felt them. The sound of growl were heard again. Appears to be a much larger pack as well as a larger monster.

The growls kept coming from outside and Kamila was already in desperation. He looked at Raytoria and just whispered to him.

"Ray, I love you. Always remember that." Raytoria, looked at this mother, "Mo-" Raytoria wanted to say something but Kamila stopped him from uttering any words. She then moved and put Raytoria under the bed and piled up things to surround him. His mother said, "Don't go out. Don't show yourself Ray, Live! I love you. Me and your father."

She kept on piling and piling until no hole can be seen under the bed and above the bed.

Within minutes the giant demonic beast teared the home in half and the roof top came off. She was exposed.