The cries of agony and suffering wail throughout a lightless world. All I feel is pain, an endless amount of pain

As I groan in pain, I can't help but hear screams and moans from all around my surroundings. Hundreds if not thousands of people around me are wailing in agony

I just want everything to go silent, I want peace, It's all I ever wanted... Or at least, that's what I think I wanted.

My body is suffering from immense physical and internal pain. I blink my eyes, hoping to find that the situation I'm in is nothing more than a mere bad dream. But no matter what I do, I can't see anything, almost as if I’m blind or in a dark void.

"AGHHHHHHHHHHH!..."

"PLEASE!.... NO!"

After what feels like several minutes, people's cries of pain around me do not stop, I try to take my hands and block my ears. But, I cannot feel my arms. Now that I think about it, I can't move my body. I start to scream and cry like the others around me, as it is the only thing I can do.

The only thing I can feel is the tears coming out of my eyes and falling down my cheek. I want this to end.

An Unknown Time passes by...

"Hrgggghhhh"

"Mghmmmm"

"Please.... No..."

After what feels to be hours, if not days passes by, I fall silent. The pain I feel no longer affects me. My body feels numb and I moan quietly while my head feels uneasy. The others around me seem to stop screaming and crying too, all that is heard now is just small moans and people begging for this eternal suffering to end.

I get glimpses of who I was in the past, I get small flashbacks of my daily life that it once was. From what I can remember from the past, I was never really a religious man. But what I'm experiencing is truly something that the devil is responsible for.

Unknown Time passes by

I can no longer feel the difference of time, all I know is the dark. The screams, the moaning, the agony, all stopped. Everything around me is eerily silent. Here and there, someone whispers or speaks to themselves, or some people have gone morbidly insane, and laugh for long periods of time.

Sometimes the people around me actually try to speak to each other, but a conversation is never sparked. I thought about speaking to the others around me, but in the end, I just want silence. I just want peace. This hell that I'm in, is maybe the peace I'm looking for. Or at least, that's what I think I want.

Unknown Time passes by

If God is real, did my sins lead to me being here? Is this what I deserve? Or is this what I wanted? I can't help but question myself and my existence. I can feel my mind starting to break. What was left of my memories that was keeping me distracted from this hell are now starting to fade away into obscurity, the more I try to remember, the more I forget.

What have I done to earn this place in hell? What have the others done to be here with me? Why is this happening to me? I can't do this anymore... I can't... I just can't... This is too much... Please let me be free...

Unknown Time passes by

My mind feels blank, I don't even know what to think anymore. I can't remember my memories, I can't remember my past self, I don't even know why I'm here. I don't what to think anymore... I just want peace. I just want silence. If this is truly what I want, it will be achieved.

Unknown Time passes by

With the surroundings being silent, and my mind feeling blank, I can finally let myself rest. I no longer want to remember anything, I no longer want to think about anything...

Suddenly, A Bell tolls as loud as thunder

After a long unknown time of silence, the deafening silence around myself and within my inner self is disrupted by a loud bell. I open my eyes, in hope to see something with my limited head and eye movement.

A Bell tolls, louder than thunder

Another bell tolls, my eardrums feel like bursting, but I stay alert, waiting for something to happen. I have a feeling that the others around me are doing the same. The deprived mindset I had earlier is eradicated, as I feel hope in what may be happening.

Multiple circular lights shine far away and nearby from what seems to be a height incredibly high that cannot be conceived

People around me start to speak in shock

"Ohhhh!"

"By the gods..."

"There's light! Bestowed upon us!"

"Light! The lights!"

“Look above! Those lights are far above us and are not too far away!”

"Those lights.... Is thee responsible? My Lord and Savior?..."

Thankfully, my head is in the perfect position to see the lights. As I look at the light, I feel memorized by it, I cannot keep myself from staring at such beauty. The others around me seem to feel the same way. However, I quickly notice something that the lights are shining upon. In true horror, I notice that the lights are shining upon mountains of bodies. I quickly close my eyes and hope that what I’m seeing is wrong.

I open my eyes and look into the light. The more I look into it, I feel nostalgic.

THE GOAL

THE PURPOSE

“ARGHHHHH!” I scream in pain.

I suddenly get a violent flashback. I see a man with a twisted face, and a devilish smile. I start feeling the feelings of pure hatred and anger. I feel like I have to accomplish something that I should have done, but never got to.

REMEMBER…

MY PURPOSE…

MY GOAL…

As I continue to look into the light, the more I remember my past and the more hatred I feel.

Suddenly, my ears stat to ringand a quickly blink my eyes, everything turns to a bright white light.

The darkness, the rotten smell, the piles of bodies, the lights that were shining upon the hell I was in, is now all gone. I’m now lying down on a bright white floor. I no longer feel the harsh cold and pain that was endless throughout my body. I feel a weird comfortable yet foreboding warmth that surrounds me. I also have the strength to finally move my body. I slowly get up from the non existent floor with my frail body and look around me.

Everything I see… is just white.

I stop looking around and look at my hands. My hands are almost pale white and slim. I look away from my hands and start analyzing my naked body. All over my chest are scars from what seems to be sword slashes and cuts. I also have some wounds that are slashed upon across my chest and are fresh wounds that are still bleeding. I take my hand and softly touch a large gash that is next to my heart. However, I feel no pain.

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A loud and deep echoing voice surrounds me

“You have awoken, swordsman.”

I stop looking at my wounds and quickly start looking around me, trying to find who is speaking.

“What? Who’s there?” I say with a freighted voice

“I'm what you perceive me to be.”

I continue looking around my surrounding area, but to no avail, I cannot find who is speaking.

“There is no need to be afraid and or alert, I’m Someone you can trust. If you would like a name to call me, some people give me nicknames such as god, devil, or even an abomination.”

“A… Abomination?” I say quietly

“Yes, I am the monument and personification of all human deeds.”

“So what do you want from me? Who even am I? Where was I?”

“Don’t ask, You tell me, young man.”

I unintentionally blink my eyes after he says those words. The bright white light is now gone, and now everything is black again. I start hearing loud voices and kitchenware being used.

I’m scared to open my eyes and see what’s going on around me.

A soft boyish voice speaks to me

“Hey Duke, you okay?”

As much as I want to respond, I stay silent and with my eyes closed. I felt like I haven’t heard someone speak to me in years.

A loud confronting manly voice speaks to me

“Hey! Are you gonna respond idiot?”

I open my eyes in frustration as if I had to say something to this man

I get slightly blinded by lights and I look around me. I’m inside a lively tavern filled with people sitting at tables and waitresses delivering food to them. I look around within the Tavern and see a sign above a bar area called the “Night cove.”

“Hello!? Are you just going to ignore me and Johnny?”

I look in front of me. Across the table is a tall and tough looking man wearing silver knight armor with sharp looks and jet black hair. He has sharp eyes and burn marks all over his face. I can also tell that he’s pissed and is probably about to punch me.

On the left side of the pissed off man is a short and small boy. The boy has turquoise hair and a smooth skinned face. The boy looks kind and is wearing a blue robe that looks way too big for his size.

Before I get to respond, a waitress wearing an almost maid like uniform walks up to our table. I look at the beautiful red haired and dark blue eyed waitress. She looks cheerful and surprised.

“Wow! Why isn’t that the Knight of Monvoke? And the Royal Mage of Roxannia?” The waitress says while gasping

“Hmph… You got that right.” The Jet black haired man's anger filled eyes looks away from me with a smirk and prideful face after getting recognized from the waitress

The young boy waves his hand while looking innocent and kind towards the waitress.

“Hello! My name’s Johnny, Nice to meet you. I’m surprised you recognized us as we come from a land afar. Are you also from the Kingdom of Roxannia?” Says the boy while smiling with his squinted eyes

“Yes! I was born in the countryside of Mount Ridge. I often heard stories about how you and the other knights of our Holy Kingdom took down entire armies from the demon kingdoms!… Oh my gosh! How can I not mention that you took down one of those MASSIVE raptor dragons single handedly! It truly is an honor to meet you.”

The boy laughs and puts his hand on his head as he looks flushed.

The waitress then looks at me. Me and her eyes meet.

“I don’t know who you are exactly, but that outfit you’re wearing… That long black leather outfit with noble silver stitched lining and the black cape. Your almost white-gray hair and gray eyes, that small birthmark under your right eye…. You also have quite a handsome and elegant looking face… You must be from the Swordsmen of Duke? Aren’t you!”

She looks at me enviously as she is expecting a response from me. But I cannot say anything. My face feels blank and my throat feels clogged. I look away from her and look down at my hands which are under the large oak wood table.

The boy speaks up for me in order to end the short awkward silence due to me not responding

“Haha… Sorry, but he’s had a rough day, same goes for the rest of us. But uh… Anyways, are you gonna take our order?”

The waitress gasps again as if she forgot something.

“Oh my! I’m so sorry… I got ahead of myself. What would you like to order?”

The tall and tough knight speaks while leaning his head back with his arms behind his head.

“Get us all beers, that’ll be all for now.”

The boy looks at the knight with a confused face.

“Uh… Zealot I prefer not…”

Zealot looks at Johnny with an annoyed face

“You could be such a wussy at times Johnny, what do you want instead? Water? We had a long day, you deserve some time to relax and have fun.”

Johnny looks at the waitress

“Well, you heard the big man. We’ll take an order of beers.”

The waitress looks at Johnny oddly

“Sure thing! But uh, Aren’t you a little too young to be drinking Royal Mage? Laws and rules apply to everyone y’know?”

Zealot starts laughing very loudly

“HAHAHA!, he looks like a little pipsqueak, doesn't he? But don’t worry, he may not look it, but he’s nineteen years old.”

The waitress giggles and starts to leave our table

“Ok then, I’ll get y’all your orders.”

The waitress walks away.

Despite all that is happening, I continue to look down upon my hands. I pull them out from the table and look at them. I’m wearing a single black glove that covers my right hand

When I was looking at my hands earlier in the “white world,” they were frail and slim. My entire body in the white world was incredibly slim and skinny. I looked as if I was a slave that hasn’t eaten in weeks. But now in this world, my hands look healthy and I feel physically fit.

While looking at my hands and myself, I feel the presence of Zealot and Johnny looking at me

Johnny speaks to me in a quiet voice

“Yea, something is definitely not right with you Duke… What happened?”

I stop looking at my hands and myself, and look at Johnny. I see that he’s worried about me. I glance over at Zealot and see that he is looking at me with an eagle eyed look.

I now feel like I can muster some power to speak

“I… I don’t know. I think I had a bad dream just a moment ago.” I say with a dreaded face

“But just a moment ago you were talking about the ancient ruin Johnny found and the things we need to do with it… Were you just daydreaming or something?” Says Zealot while looking at me seriously

Johnny crosses his arms and looks at me with suspicious eyes

“Hmm… After we get our drinks, let’s quickly go outside. I want to do a checkup on you…” Says Johnny while also looking at me seriously with his arms crossed

“Alright, sounds good… Also, don’t know if it’s just me… But ever since we went to those ruins this morning up in the mountains of Roanoke, I have had a bad vibe…” says Zealot while looking a bit worried

“You too Zealot? I should have spoken up sooner as I feel the same way. I mean, We do get curses all the time from those demon witch crafters and mages… But if we’re all feeling affected it may be something else…” says Johnny while looking assertive

“Yea but we didn’t see or encounter any demon magicians at all when going to those ancient ruins of Roanoke. Even when we made it to those ruins, I didn’t feel any presence of anything near us that could inflict a curse or even pose a threat to us.” says Zealot while looking at Johnny curiously

“Me too. I also don’t recall touching anything that could’ve been a trap… Maybe the engraved ancient stone that I found might have something on it… Now that I think about it… Actually, screw it, let’s stop thinking and go outside. We need to do a full checkup on all of us.” Says Johnny as he stood up from his seat, getting ready to leave

“Agreed.” says Zealot while standing up from his seat and leaving the table

Without really knowing what’s going on, I get ready to follow Johnny and Zealot out of the Tavern. As soon as I stand up, the waitress arrives with a cheerful smile and our drinks.

“Oh, do you three plan on leaving? I just got you the beers you ordered.” says the waitress while looking confused

“Don’t worry Miss, we’ll be back. We just have to check on something.” says Johnny while grabbing a long steel staff with a beautiful sky blue sphere on its tip

“Make sure no one takes our drinks n seats ok?” says Zealot

“Okay… I’ll leave your drinks here on the table.” says the waitress

While Johnny and Zealot start walking towards the exit of the Tavern, I follow and look behind me. I look back at the table we were at and immediately notice the waitress staring directly at me with a big smile. I look away and face forward.

“Where is your Sword and axe Zealot? Where is your sword Duke?” says Johnny while looking at both me and Zealot as we walk

“We left them back at the Ryokan.” says Zealot as we walk towards the exit of the Tavern

We make it out of the Tavern and into the beautiful moonlit streets of the town we are in. As soon as we step out of the Tavern, I can’t help but feel a sense of dread. I feel like something is about to happen.

Now out on the empty and quiet street, Zealot and Johnny don’t say a word.

Time starts to feel fast, I can hear my heart echo rapidly in my body, something does not feel right

“Hey Zealot…” I say while behind him and Johnny

Zealot doesn't respond to me and is simply standing still. Johnny is also doing the same.

My heart drops…

I remember now.