When Aria opens her eyes she finds herself standing on a busy sidewalk in the city. People dressed in suits and gowns mill back and forth as cars, sleek like torpedoes, pass on the roads. Overhead, the sun shines down on the city without a cloud in sight. Guard bots stand outside the stores welcoming the new patrons while saying goodbye to those leaving.

As she starts to walk, mingling with the crowd of people, Aria realizes that this isn’t the city as she knows it. Most of the buildings she doesn’t recognize because back in her world they have all been reduced to rubble. There are also way too many people. In her world, the sidewalks are never packed.

A warm wind brushes against her arm and when she glances down at herself she sees that she is wearing the same white dress that she saw her five-year-old self wearing back in the kindergarten. There are no blood stains this time though. It is just a pure brilliant white.

‘Are you lost, young lady?’ Asks a concerned-looking older woman in a deep green dress.

Surprised that someone actually has an interest in her well-being, Aria shakes her head and smiles. The woman smiles back and carries on her way with a bag full of groceries.

What a wonderful place, she thinks to herself as she carries on down the sidewalk.

Her sense of awe begins to change though when she goes to take another step and finds that she has to pull hard on her feet to make them move. Looking down, she sees that the sidewalk is melting around her feet. A sense of panic begins to swell inside her.

Without warning air raid sirens begin to sound their high-pitched warning. In an instant, the calmness of the day is broken and people start running for safety. Women cry and men shout at each to get out of the way as they fight with the guard bots to let them inside.

Aria watches as a group of men attacks a Guard bot outside a restaurant. The poor hunk of metal never stood a chance and it's quickly broken down to pieces before it can produce its gun. The same can’t be said for the other bots though. They begin to open fire on anyone who tries to rush them. Soon bodies are littering the sidewalk.

Then the sun vanishes.

Thick clouds roll in from out of nowhere covering the sun and completely blocking its brilliant light. Behind the clouds, the sky turns a crimson red. Aria tries to move her feet again, but this time they are completely stuck to the sidewalk. Frozen in place, all she can do is watch the chaos unfold around her.

Then the bombs come.

Panic rising up like a serpent inside her, Aria watches as hundreds of rockets pierce the clouds and aim for the streets below. All around her is the sound of explosions as each rocket finds a target. A few feet in front of her a rocket smashes into a jewelry store and explodes sending people and debris flying across the street.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Aria reaches down and pulls on each of her legs, trying to free them from the concrete. She knows it's only a matter of time before one of the rockets lands close enough to get her and wipe her off the face of the planet. She tugs on her right leg first and after some effort is able to free it. Now with one leg free, she can muster more strength to release the other and she manages to do so with considerable effort.

Now free, Aria runs towards the road just as a bomb strikes a car and sends it flying over her head. She can feel the heat of the fiery wreckage as it passes overhead and lands on the sidewalk.

‘There’s nowhere to run,’ says a deep and menacing voice.

Startled, Aria turns to see the Devil. He’s no longer wearing his fancy suit or smoking a cigarette. Instead, he walks toward her as naked as the day he was born. His skin is a deep and angry red. Fire burns in the sockets where his eyes should be. Sharp horns protrude from the top of his bald head and razor-sharp bones line the sides of his arms and legs.

‘Did you really think I was going to let you get away with stealing from me,’ says the Devil.

The panic and fear that Aria had been feeling up to this point suddenly gives way to an unfiltered rage.

‘Fuck you. I took back what rightfully belongs to me,’ she growls back.

‘That monk has really got you thinking you’re a special little princess, hasn’t he?’

Aria balls her fists, waiting for the moment the Devil moves close enough for her to lash out. A spinning ball of red light appears where his heart should be which tells her everything coming out of his mouth is a lie.

‘What's the matter, you scared of this special little princess?’ says Aria, goading him to come closer but he stops short of swinging distance.

The Devil spits out a mouthful of blood like his body can’t keep it inside him.

‘Hah, I took you down once before Moonchild and I promise you i will do it again,’ he yells and this time he charges.

Sensing her moment has come, Aria lashes out with her fist. There is a sickening crunch as it connects with the Devil’s jaw. She watches as his body goes flying across the street and crashes into a dying guard bot, completely crushing it.

‘Come on, I’m just a little princess remember?’ Shouts Aria, but as the words leave her mouth the Devil is already on his feet and charging at her again.

This time her fist goes too wide and sails past his head. She can feel the wind being knocked out of her lungs as he slams into her. She tries to push away from him but she simply can’t muster the strength and then comes the sharp pain as he crushes her into the side of a car.

The Devil steps back away from the girl, admiring his handiwork as he takes in the sight of her twisted limbs wrapped in the steel of the car's frame. Aria can feel blood trickle from her mouth but the rage inside of her is still strong.

‘What are you waiting for coward? Finish me,’ cries Aria, spitting blood at the Devil in contempt.

The Devil lets out an enraged scream and jumps high into the air. When she looks up, the last thing that Aria sees is his fist coming toward her face.

Then everything goes black.