Crack! A pale white arm ruptured from the maggot-infested earth. Scattered around were pieces of gravestone weathered to the point of illegibility.

Thoughts that lied buried in the abyss flashed through the mind once again. Simultaneously, a peal of thunder roared seconds after the flash. A sign that the lightning splitting the sky asunder was moments away. A flurry of rain drummed against the fleshless arm.

It rose from the dead, clambering out from its grave. Flickering to life, two crimson orbs peered out of its sockets. As it loosened its jaw, black steam poured out from within. It tested its limbs, cracking many rusty joints in the process.

 "Yes! Hahahaha! My long wait is over. Now, with this, time to conquer the world!" An enthusiastic voice wheezed out. 

The skeleton fixed its death-defying glare on its phalanges. As if trying to ascertain what kind of monster itself is. It stood crooked, its centre of gravity low, seeming like a fawn taking its first few steps. Its skull rose, his orbs resting on the figure before him. Height-wise, the skeleton was around that of a short adult. 

"You, you are my greatest masterpiece, my magnum opus. Come with me and conquer the apex of this world!" He declared, lips grinning away maniacally. Drenched, he was robed jet black, frisks of white hair poking out from the hood. One sleeve hung loosely on one side, empty.

Lightning thundered once again. 

His hooded face, illuminated. Like melted wax, it seemed as if the left side of his face would drip down at any second. Wrinkles formed valleys across his scarred face, his left eye, glazed white. 

Crash!

A beast landed right after another clap of thunder. Turning around sluggishly, the necromancer's jaw dropped wide open. Terror painting his deformed features.

Towering and armoured with scales, the newly arrived beast had a slender, electric blue body. Fanning out its leathery wings, it gave a valiant roar. Swinging around its massive tail like a mace-tipped whip.

"NO! I just used up all my powers! Of all the times!" Whirling his head towards the skeleton, he commanded, his chin trembling. "My servant, kill this wyvern!"  

The skeleton tilted its head. To it, the air felt heavy. As though submerged underwater, the perceived images, sound and smell was all blurry. Moving sluggishly, it struggled to gain control over its senses.    

"Ah..." Reaching an understanding, the light in his eyes flickered off.  "Right, the initiatory undead disorientation... Hahaha... Such a basic thing... How could I, a master necromancer forget that." He laughed weakly, falling to his knees. 

The very image of a defeated man. One who gave up hope.

-I'm going to die. Right here, without achieving anything. In the end, my parents were right... I could never amount to anything. Is this my retribution? Is it so wrong? To gain power at all costs? 

Cracking open massive jaw, the wyvern, fitted the necromancer right between. 

"NO!" The image of his sister exploded in his shrivelled brain. Using his right hand, his only hand, he fumbled deep beneath his coat.

"All I want to do is to right the wrongs of this world! To do that, I needed power! Absolute power, no matter the sacrifice."

Screaming, he chucked a vial down the throat of the wyvern.

Stumbling backwards, it fell unto its back. Gagging, an acid green flame began enveloping it.

"SKRRIII!" A pitiful shriek. None of its original, regal roars was left in it. Steam rose, whenever its scaly skin was peeling off, flesh disintegrating.

Rolling around, it frantically tried to put out its flames.

"No use, no use." The necromancer sneered. "How do you like the taste of that Goblin Fire? A mythical ranked ingredient that I've spent five hundred years finding. I wanted to use it to call back my sister's soul, but things don't always go as you planned. Too bad, I can't make you pay for making me use it up. Just lie there, burning to death!"

He burst into a long coughing fit after his grand monologue. Spitting out blood, his breathing grew rough. 

"Heh, I won't die. Not yet!" His eyes burned with a quiet steel flame.

Crack! The grey clouds spat down a lightning bolt, striking the necromancer where he kneeled. 

His robe intact, however, his skin was not. A singed flesh smell penetrated the chilly air. 

"The wyvern's dying spite... To be so unlucky to be struck down by something that has only a 1/1764 chance of happening..."

The last sentence he ever muttered. His body collapsed. Arm outstretched as if trying to grab something that was forever out of reach. 

"M-m-master?" Teeth chattering, the throaty voice gushed out. The skeleton cracked another joint as it tilted its head. 

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Glowing violet, an orb drifted out of the necromancer's body.

At the edges of its vision, a message popped up.

[Innate Skill: Spirit Vision] 

From above, a spirit materialised. Taking the appearance of a youthful girl, it spread open its arms. 

"S-sister?" The necromancer's spirit morphed into the shape of a young boy. In response, the girl smirked at the boy's idiotic gaping face. 

Immediately, the air dropped a few degrees. The surprise converted into pure, dark malice. 

His eyes became two white spots as his body turned completely black. Malice drenched whips sprouted from his body.

"WHY! I called you so many times! Why didn't you come and meet me?!" The whips attached themselves to her limbs and pulled her into a spread eagle position. 

Without any form of resistance, she smiled. The kind of smile when an older sibling put up with the idiotic antics of a younger one. The kind where she was clearly irritated, but put up with it nonetheless because they are related.  Her eyes were shut and the edges of her lips twitched as she made her retort. 

"Because you're an idiot."

"Hahhh?" The boy sputtered, clearly not satisfied with her explanation. 

"You were planning some sort of childish ambition like world domination or destruction weren't you?" She sighed. "Aren't you too old for that kind of child-play?"

"Using me as an excuse to vent off all your hatred and anger. Creating a masterpiece-like tale of revenge and self-destruction. Until nothing is left but unrestful souls. Whoever wants their dear little brother getting hurt, fighting others?" She puffed her cheeks. 

 "So, despite all I want is to be with you, I hid from you. I thought if I were to do so, you'll give up your idiotic obsession."

"But, sis, aren't you mad? Mad at all of them?!" He roared after a stunned pause, rearing his head closer to hers.

"Don't be dumb!" She shot back, taking this chance to headbutt him in the head. "Of course, I'm mad! But all those who had wronged us are long dead."

"NO! I'll kill every last human on this planet. Their descendants shall pay. Every human being, including myself, is the same anyway. Cruel, self-interested and unforgiving. What's the harm in killing them all off?" He scoffed, rubbing his sore head. 

Sighing, she shook her head. "Idiotic little brother... No matter how much time passes, you will never grow, do you? Listen up. What you're doing, how is it any different to what they have done? You are just abusing your ill-gotten power, aren't you? Instead of using your power to help, you bully the weak, torment them, seek for their destruction. How are you any different from the people I hate?"

"No one helped you! Why should I help those who just stood by and watch you die! All humans deserved death. I hate them so much! I hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them to the point that I rest. Why should I help those who did not offer you help! All of them should just die!" He panted, clutching his face in agony.

"Not all humans are bad!"   

"How can you say that? You who had no one to offer you help? You who died with no one by your side to mourn for you? You who died, all alone in some foreign land, in some nameless slum? You who was tortured by all those around you? You who deserved none of the pain you went through? You who should hate humans much, much more than I do!" He screamed.

"Not all humans are bad." She repeated, this time, softer. Her lips widening into an angelic smile. A gentle, guileless smile surpassing any of those humans are capable of. 

"You shouldn't lie!" The boy roared. "Blame our parents! Blame those thugs! Blame the humans! Blame the world! Blame me..." He sobbed the last sentence out. 

"You are angry for me, huh? What a foolish brother. Geez, you really never do change." Tears rolled off her luminescent cheek. Blinking, she took a deep breath as she continued. "But, I  really don't need your concern! I have the pride of being the older one after all."

"But this just proves my point. I really am not lying when I said that not all humans are bad. From the bottom of my heart, I truly believe that."

"Lies..." The boy muttered, his voice growing hoarse. Pulling her closer, he rested his head on her shoulder.

"Furthermore, blaming yourself for my death. Are you an idiot or what? Oh, wait, I'm sorry, you are an idiot. But still..." She paused, inhaling a deep breath. "Get it through your knucklehead that it. Was. Not. Your. Fault!" She shouted right into his ear.

"But, it's true that I did not make it in time..."

"Pardon me, but after seven hundred years, my hearing has gone a teeny bit rusty. Did you say something?" She smiled again.  

"N-no, nothing." -Terrifying! How can this girl smile so terrifyingly? I got chills down my spine... However, for obvious reasons, he did not voice out his thoughts.

"Good." She nodded, satisfactorily. "Let's go then," Freeing herself from his grasp, she held out her hand.

Stubborn, the boy averted his gaze.

Smacking the back of his head, the girl grumbled. "What are you doing with that miserable constipated kind of look. I waited for seven hundred years for this. Are you going to keep your sister waiting? Or what are you saying there's something more important than your sister? A girlfriend maybe?" She tilted her head, a cat smile playing on her lips hidden behind her cupped hand. 

"What? No, of course not!" The boy flustered, his pale cheeks seemed to redden. -But... Since when is my Adeline this rough? Her language is although sharp as hell, it's still refined, still had the air of a noble lady.But her actions proved otherwise... Why is she so violent now? Is it her true nature? She had sadistic tendencies all along? Now that she's dead, her inner desires are unleashed? Stabbing people with her words and beating them up gives her pleasure now? No, your brother won't accept this, he won't! 

"Let's go, my brother." Unaware of her brother's inner conundrum, she smiled.

Dumbfounded, he was at a loss for words. Ever so slightly, he nodded. All of the sudden, the shadow retracted, all going back to the boy. -Ah, who cares, the gap between the sadistic her and gentle her is cute. This is not too bad, in its own way... My Adeline is still cute.

"Let's go then." She repeated, holding out her hand. "This time together. To hell or wherever, I'll go with you." 

"... ... Yeah." 

The moment he accepted it, he disintegrated into white specks of light, from the bottom up. After he disappeared, the sister had dematerialised right up to her neck as well. 

'Wait! What about me? What am I supposed to do now?" Getting the hang of using its non-existent vocal cords, the skeleton asked.

"You're free. Free to find and do whatever you want. Live a happy life." She smiled, disappearing.

"Don't give me that!" The skeleton fumed. "Just because you smile and look cute, do you think everything is going to be fine? Playing out happy family drama then just abandoning me?" 

"Find something to do huh? What can a monster like me even do anyway?" 

Glancing into the swirling ominous clouds that poured water non-stop, he felt like crying as well. 

Day 1, weather thunderstorm, abandoned and masterless. Without purpose nor recollection, no future nor past.

In a desolate wasteland, with not one other soul to depend on. With only the rocks, dried, cracked earth and the chilly wind to keep for company.

 What a great start. He thought bubbling full of sarcasm and irony.