Chapter-1- Her Favourite Necklace

Britney, Rity was completely absorbed in reading a webcomic in a quiet corner of the school library. She didn't notice the loud noises and screams until someone covered in blood dropped to their knees in front of her and urgently shouted, "Go! Run!"

Not knowing who this person was, a chilling realization hit her: today, her school would make headlines, and her fate depended on her quick thinking and decisive actions.

Gripping her necklace, as if seeking divine help, she suddenly remembered that most of the windows in her school had locks designed to prevent suicides, making them unable to open fully. This safety measure had turned into a cruel restriction on freedom. She made up her mind to head towards the staff room, which had a small bathroom with an accessible window, offering a glimmer of hope.

The once-hallowed school corridors now felt like a suffocating prison, robbing her of every breath. She desperately wanted to sprint through the hallways and go home, but the fear of what awaited her out there was paralyzing. The only option left was to squeeze through the tiny window. The weight of her decision weighed heavily on her heart, but she shook her head and silently focused on reaching her goal. The urgency to escape surged through her veins as adrenaline coursed through her body.

In her mind, Rity cursed her luck, and as she glanced around, she saw a young boy wearing a mask and clutching a shotgun. He stood there like a grim reaper, and time seemed to collapse in an instant too swift for Rity to comprehend. The room erupted with a deafening roar, engulfing her fragile frame. Agonizing pain and fever consumed her, while her ears throbbed with searing pain. Gripping her necklace with blood-soaked hands, she prayed for the pain to subside, but her vision blurred as her body succumbed to the unforgiving ground below.

*******

As she slowly opened her eyes, she expected to feel unease or pain. However, she was taken aback by an insatiable hunger that coursed through her, overwhelming her senses. The brightness around her became almost unbearable, causing her eyes to squint. In this disconcerting moment, her attention was drawn to an extraordinary chandelier, with an eccentric design, hanging above her head and casting a dazzling array of light and shadows.

Rity blinked her eyes open, squinting in the bright sunlight streaming through the window. Confusion washed over her as she looked around, wondering, "Where am I?"

Her voice betrayed her worry. She gently touched her face and realized that her skin was now remarkably pale. "Have I been abducted?" she whispered, her mind flooded with questions.

As the realization sank in, Rity couldn't help but wonder how much time had passed and what had happened to her. Memories of the past week flashed through her mind, including going to a tanning salon with her mother, who had been persistently urging her to join. "How could I have changed so drastically? How many days have gone by for me to become this pale?" she murmured, her voice filled with a mix of astonishment and uncertainty.

Sitting up on the bed, her heart pounding, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the nearby mirror. Gasping in disbelief, she took a step back. The person looking back at her was a complete stranger. "Who... who is this?" she stammered, barely above a whisper.

****

Rity's life wasn't perfect, but it wasn't terrible either. She was the child of young parents - a father who worked a lot and a mother who spent a lot. Despite being alone most of the time, she rarely felt lonely because she found solace in characters from books and movies, whom she loved more than real people.

Her parents' love had faded early in their marriage, and they were unhappy with each other. However, they had built a strong bond over the years and never considered divorce, even if it meant forgiving each other for cheating. Rity found this behavior disgusting and felt disappointed in her parents.

Her father had abandoned his own parents after his girlfriend became pregnant, choosing to work early instead of attending to an Ivy League school.

Her mother, on the other hand was a second rate actress with bad acting skills but because of her beautiful outlook she would still receives cards from modeling agencies or people would gaze at her when she walks in crowd.

Rity, Britney, was the complete opposite of what her name implied.

Her mother named her Britney because she adored Britney Spears and wanted her daughter to live a glamorous life like her.

She might have regretted that decision after reading about those scandals in magazines, but she still wanted her daughter to have the things she never had. However, Rity never turned into the bubbly, energetic, and cheerful daughter her mother had hoped for. In her childhood, with both parents working, she was always alone. Once she learned how to read, she became an avid reader and never stopped. Rity was obsessed with fantasy novels, crystals, the occult, and anything related to magic that didn't exist in the real world.

Sometimes, she would buy cosplay costumes just to wear them in her room and imagine herself as a hero with a tragic life or a villainous empress with a sharp tongue capable of killing babies. She had a collection of crystals that she cared for as if they were her babies. Following instructions from websites she found online, she would give her crystals a moon bath every month to charge their spiritual energy. She wore them daily, believing they would protect her, whether it be by the power of gods, goddesses, or the universe - whatever higher power was out there. Rity was that kind of person; she didn't have strong religious beliefs, but she felt there was something greater and constantly tried to connect with that power. Since childhood, she had tried to see if she was special in some way but realized she was just an ordinary person, which greatly disappointed her. Even though she consciously accepted her normalcy, subconsciously she yearned to find new ways to feel different. She delved into learning about pagan religions and even dabbled in demonic spells.

In a way, she was an eccentric 18-year-old because none of her peers were involved in such activities. Only a few people she conversed with online shared her interests.

*****

The web comic that Rity read told the tale of a prince who stumbled upon a small fragment of a god responsible for creating the world.

The comic began by describing seven fragments, each representing a different color of the rainbow.

The protagonist, Prince Ezekiel, had a tragic origin.

He was the result of a sexual assault committed against the young prince, Abraham, who was engaged to marry his beloved Elena. The perpetrator of this heinous act was Isabelle, Abraham's new stepmother.

Isabelle concealed her pregnancy while Crown Prince Abraham struggled to remember the details of the assault.

After the sick and old Emperor's death, attending to his funeral was a mandatory event and that's why Isabelle could no longer hide her pregnancy.

Crown Prince Abraham ascended to the throne, and several months later, Isabelle gave birth to a child with black hair and piercing red eyes, just like Abraham.

Upon learning of the birth, the Emperor finally pieced together the truth behind the assault and locked both Isabelle and Prince Ezekiel away in the secluded northern tower, far from public view.

A false narrative was propagated, claiming that Isabelle had become mentally unstable, and eventually, their existence faded from the collective memory of the people.

Isabelle happened to be one of the five daughters of Marchioness Solemn, a widowed woman who resorted to selling her daughters to the highest bidders. In Isabelle's case, she was married off to the sick and elderly Emperor, solely to secure some financial stability. Isabelle found herself devoid of any familial connections that could have shielded her from her unfortunate circumstances. Nevertheless, she did not harbor any intentions of escaping her situation. Every day within the confines of the tower, she pleaded to see the new Emperor, the love of her life, shedding tears for her twisted love and her shattered heart. Tragically, she also subjected her son, who bore a striking resemblance to his father, to torment and anguish.

As the years passed, Ezekiel's life was marked by suffering and curses. He would often overhear hushed whispers from both the maids and the knights. Even after his mother's demise, his tragic existence persisted. One fateful day, when he was around eleven years old, teetering on the brink of starvation, a warm voice beckoned to him from somewhere below.

Curiosity consumed him, and he resolved to follow the voice, descending the staircase with unwavering determination. His journey led him to a subterranean dungeon, a place that had once housed the most nefarious criminals. However, the dungeon now lay empty, devoid of any inhabitants.

Despite the absence of criminals, rumors circulated among the townsfolk, who believed that the ghosts of those imprisoned in the past haunted the depths of the dungeon. Unbeknownst to the people, Ezekiel pressed on, crawling towards the origin of the alluring voice. His determination paid off when he discovered a small, pebble-sized blue crystal - one of the seven fragments of the gods&goddesses , the blue one to be exact -.

As he held the crystal in his hands, a comforting warmth enveloped him. Inadvertently, he inhaled a wisp of the fragment's essence, which, despite its sky-blue appearance, radiated a warmth that felt akin to a loving embrace. Astonishingly, in that moment, all of Ezekiel's scars vanished, as if they had never existed.

**********

The comic delved into the horrifying tortures endured by Prince Ezekiel, the vivid descriptions leaving a chill down her spine. After his daring escape, no one came after him , as if he never existed in first place. But still fearing that someone might come after him, he fled far from the capital, seeking solace in anonymity.

It was during his journey that fate led him to a chance encounter with a kind-hearted girl.

A girl close to his age , Elonara, she offered him the sweetest pastries he had ever tasted, providing a brief respite from the harsh realities he had known. They made a promise to meet again once they had grown up, their hearts filled with hope for a brighter future.

The web comic brimmed with thrilling action as Ezekiel embarked on a new chapter of his life.

Finding a master who taught him the art of swordsmanship, he crossed paths with diverse individuals and forged bonds of camaraderie.

His skills grew swiftly, earning him the title of the strongest swordsman at a tender age of fifteen. Fuelled by a burning desire for revenge against his father, who had shattered his life, Ezekiel arrived in the capital, only to discover that his father had been poisoned and his conniving uncle now wore the crown.

This revelation plunged Ezekiel into a tempest of inner turmoil, torn between his thirst for vengeance and the complicated truths he uncovered.

Rity found his complex personality amusing to read.

A son who wants to kill his father but father dies before he even tries.

The story contuines of new Emperor (uncle Benjamin) trying to assassinate rest of the imperial blood so he can solidify his reign with his son.

Ezekiel learns that he has a little brother who also lost his mother after rebellion.

When he secretly enters a ball he sees Elonara , the girl he promised to meet again.

Elonara and his cousin (Emperor Uncle Benjamin's son) are engaged for political reasons but after learning how unfaithful he is to Elonara and how his newfound brother is suffering under the threat of their uncle the Emperor both brothers join each other for a rebellion.

And there is a character in this web comic.

One of the comments that describe her was "If looks can kill she could kill both with her looks and her icy stare."

A girl with silver hair and blue eyes.

Maternal cousin of main character's half brother, the niece of dead Empress.

A Villainess who wants to sit on the throne no matter what and she bullies every girl around all male characters cause no matter which guy sits on the throne she wants to sit next to him.

A powerful girl from a powerful ducal family.

Laritza Von Jager.

It is the same image that Rity sees on the mirror.

Rity stumbled towards mirror.

"Why do I look like Laritza from "Piece of Heaven and Hell"