Mark Of The Chronicles

Chapter 1: Strange Mark I

"I Have Been Marked"

I said in frustration after I noticed that several silhouettes dashed closer from within the distant, thick marshes and I felt dangerously close to me by every second that I breathe

I'm almost there as I held both my lasso and torch tightly as within the cold night was nearly over and from the approaching horizon rain slowly begun to pour.

Estimated time till it rains 7 mins.

I could hear loud thunderous noises from afar and several flashes of lightning. I can barely see, I have to be faster, there is not much time they are closing in.

“As fast possible………………….”

At every moment, I drew closer to where I must be, yet even I knew when I’ll reach it. My objective must be fulfilled and I must get there before sunrise, or the worst outcome shall fall upon me.

My instincts screamed louder with every passing second, I must hurry to get to where I'm needed to be for what I'm about to do. I am about to kill someone and this is definitely madness. Damn, I hope that I'm lucky enough to survive this.

My footsteps began sounding off. As each step somehow conveyed a hurried sort of nervousness and anxiousness. Still, tonight I'm not just fighting for my life, all the while my skin kept crawling since I’m being constantly being watched.

I'm close and they are now nearing and in 10 more seconds, I have to jump or else I will definitely die. I heard several footsteps drew ever so close to me as I manage to pass the marked tree I then have begun counting internally. I am sweating all over, and even now I am still sweating.

Not, because I am nervous.

But rather the intricacy of my plan rests entirely on 90% Luck. As chances can be improved, but rarely can be helped. Of course, I am nervous, after all, I am either going to die in an agonizing pain or triumphantly live.

"My stamina won't last long"

The footsteps got closer. What’s going on? The sound of the footsteps seems to be heavier than before. As the silhouettes drew closer to me by less than 50-meter range they suddenly dashed faster than ever gaining more closer. Several meters ahead there stood proudly a once mighty and now dead tree surrounded by a massive amount of dead leaves.

"Oh god! Oh God! Almost! There's the final mark". I said whilst my body trembled, then as all the suddenly silhouettes who were chasing me relentlessly jumped as they prepared to rip what little life I had left in me.

As each one of them held a different kind of close combat weapons meant to kill and incapacitate their target. Within a few breaths, that had passed, I finally heard threatening voices approached closer said.

"Die!!!"

My heart skipped a beat and my determination leaped forward.

"Ah, It's now or never!"

"This is it!"

I screamed, jumped and used all my remaining strength to throw and bind the lasso towards the dead tree and become my leverage carrying the hopes of my very survival itself.

As every second the lasso flew towards its intended target my heart beats, intense till the moment it bounded itself with one if the tree's branches.

I held on to it tightly as I swung inward. I felt like I was Tarzan swinging on a vine riding the wind and would yell elegantly.

I wanted to yell for fun, but I held on it because I might lose what' left of my dignity but then again I was on death's door.

So

"Ah, F*ck It"

"AAAHHHH AH AH AH AHHHHHHaaaaa"

A shrill scream sounded and several cries could be heard.

I heard the sound of dead leaves being crushed and banging on the floor. I then looked back and saw some of them fall into the pit of my very trap.

I counted a total of 9 that I incapacitated.

I manage to land safely at the opposite edge of the traps mouth after I swung myself to safety.

My heart began to calm down after seeing the state of my pursuers.

"I am finally safe"

I took a deep breath and tried to relax my body and was thankful to myself that I was always prepared.

A preordained scheme I set up some time ago 20-meter deep, 20 meters wide pit around the dead tree and used the dead leaves to camouflage its entrance. I filled with wooden spikes designed to cripple, maims, disable and If I'm really lucky it would kill my pursues in the process.

But if they still manage to be unscathed after that then I don't have any to counter it.

I started walking away from the pit and as my heart raced with joy and satisfaction.

It should be a victory now, but It felt it was missing something so I looked back for only a second for one last time to see the distant pit I had created.

"Good game, well played"

The rain then began to pour and my flames that were the only source of light begun to dwindle as the rain tries to slowly consume it and so I simply threw my torch directly within the pit whilst I walked away. Then I gave off a sinister smile.

"Boom..."

A sound that shook the earth emerged. An explosion could be seen as the fire blazed out from the earth and flew several meters upwards beautifully followed by the shattering and the crashing sound of the once great mighty dead tree.

That's right, I also filled the hole with highly flammable and explosives.

Suddenly an eerily dreadful voice spoke like a thunder and said simultaneously.

"Rampage!"

"GODLIKE: Someone Kill HIM"

"All remaining seekers have been eliminated"

Followed by an epic music that could be heard everywhere.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"Victory"

A light that grasped the whole world flashed before my eyesight, and then the earth shook with a sound of an explosion. As several floating texts appeared right in front of me stating the following.

[Against all odds you fought hard and survive the harsh environment through your sheer ingenuity and strength. Now you have pleased the Old One and has granted you the key to enter his domain. Where untold riches and destiny awaits.]

[But be warned for no path is easy to take and everyone and everything within it shall stand in your way.]

[You Who Fought And Brought The Storm of War and Ruin]

[The Old One has bestowed upon you a Mark]

[Congratulations!!]

[You have earned: The Mark of the Bringer]

Slowly an obscured and unrecognizable tattoo materialized on my right hand but for some reason whenever I stared at it directly, I could never see a clear image of it.

Strange. it's like a phantom imprinted on my skin and no matter how much one looks at it. I would never see a clear image of it.

Thus slowly my body started to dissolves into dust and ashes as it slowly disappeared, then finally, I opened my eyes.

My heart still pounding without a trace of stopping as the adrenaline rush within me. I looked at my shaking hands and clenched it tightly.

I removed and turned my VR headgear off before then placed it within my backpack.

"Finally, after 5 months of hard work I manage to qualify in entering the newest upcoming expansion" I sigh in exhaustion as I slump in the chair.

"Damn it! That was so freaking close. What the fuck is the Dev's thinking cranking up the difficulty to 11! Battle-Royale!? What kind of mode is that when everyone enters freaking in an alliance."?

"It ended with me the last man standing while all of them fought each other it barely gave me enough time to set up a one time trap."

"Though I turned into my advantage at the final moment"

"I guess tonight is the night" I sighed once more, then looked at the nearby clock on top of the board and then in the window.

Hmm... It was almost half past seven and the sun drowned in the horizon, its rays of light glimmering in the darkness of the clouds faded as darkness slowly began its reign. Tonight the stars and the pale glow of the moon were nowhere in sight, as the eerie dark clouds steadily creep forward and engulfed the sky.

“Thank God It’s Friday” I sank into a chair and sighed with relief. As I was about to leave this cozy school filled with drama, headache, and melancholy.

I stayed in class to hide after everyone else left and good thing though that my science teacher let me stay but I have to look the room and return the key.

“RinGGGGG”

The final bell chimed signaling that the school was about to close because of the long holiday that was about to approach, I stood up packed my thing and placed my game console on the left side pocket of my navy blue bag. I closed and locked the door of my classroom with my tired body from working and studying all week long.

The few students who remained had begun to head directly to the gate.

But at that moment, I received undesired glares and the sound clicking of tongues from the students who saw me leave the classroom and most of them didn’t have a friendly expression either. It was fine if the people were indifferent, but there were those who had an expression of contempt directed at me.

Well, I can’t blame them for looking at me like that after that incident which made my name quite well known.

Still, I’m a person who believed in respecting one's rights.

While others looked at me with contempt I heard the others cheer of joy and though it was from a distance I still heard their cheers.

“Wow he finally did it”

“He’s going to be #1 in the world”

"Hurray!!!"

Laughter and joy could be seen in their places, but I wondered why and who is the person they revered. One of them even jump over and over again and another hugged another gleefully.

"Ugh, probably a famous player who won something big, but I don't care who it is it's got nothing to do with me and now I'm moving on," I said inwardly while I walked down the corridor to go home.

But the cries of joy suddenly stopped when they finally had noticed my presence and gave me a look of disdain.

They never said anything but I knew in my heart that their thoughts were filled with contempt directed at me. A visage that I've seen recently far too often than I'd like.

“How’s mister popular taking his fame?,” I heard a familiar, friendly voice came from behind me said.

I turned around and responded with a dismissive shrug.

“As always you leave school late”

She smiled gleefully as she approached closer towards me. In my class, no wait currently on this entire student body, she is one of the few exceptions that treated me could unrestrained and friendly.

As she walked elegantly towards me as if she was born of nobility. Her hair was a rich shade of mahogany falling brilliantly over her chest. It flowed in waves to adorn her glowing, milky-white skin. The girl’s face was showing pure utter innocence, with large dazzling chocolate brown eyes and kissable cherry lips. And when every time she smiled or laughed, it lightened up the room and seemed to brighten the world. And had she wept, the whole world would want to comfort her.

Her name was Liza Marchesa. A girl with an excessive amount of beauty.

A stunning stunningly gorgeous figure, like a painting of a goddess everyone worships. She smiled sweetly at me, her eyes sparkling like stars flaunted on the night sky.

A beauty queen, painter, athlete, and the future valedictorian of our batch. She’s smart and quite popular among the majority of the student body, She also the MVP of our varsity volleyball team even though we're only in our second year in high school.

A dear friend of mine since elementary school. A lot of people would say that such friendship towards her was like a blessing and should cherish, but unfortunately, such a status that caused me ire of the many.

“Why does she even talk to him?” I heard some guy say.

“He doesn’t deserve her attention,” came the reply from his friend.

I ignored those guys types of guys.

For an ordinary person like me, being associated with someone like her would often attract unwanted situations. Often times that such a person as myself could act nonchalantly and be so friendly with Liza, that other guys could not stand it. There are times when I accidentally would encounter someone who would mutter “What’s so good about him?” and sometimes I heard others would simply say, “That guy is an opportunist and always takes advantage of Liza”.

Truthfully, I don’t give a nickel of thought it, but there are rare times, which even I find it uncomfortable.

“Liza, are you heading home?”

“No.”

“Ah, you’re heading towards the pier I guess”

“Yes, and I came to re-invited you once again and to get that”. Why won’t you say yes, even after I almost tried to kneel and do I need to keep bugging you so hard? You’re such a thick-headed person you know that right?” Liza’s lips pouted provocatively as she tried pleading with me once again.

Sigh. This Again. From time to time, I would see this expression over and over again. It is her weapon against me when she wants something from me and every time she does it I would eventually cave in.

Poor me.

But this time, was different and there are times when one must make a stand even if the cost was too great.

“Yep, I'm That Kind Of Guy. ” I said.

“Hmm. Did you bring it?” Liza whispered to me. I find it funny as she was acting like this. It was somewhat similar to a person trying to smuggle something illegal for the very 1st time.

“It’s right here in my bag! Get it so I can go home immediately before it gets too dark and Mom grounds me finally this time for being late agai-.”

Before I could finish speaking Liza jumped towards me and gave me a sudden hugged me.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much, " she said cheerfully as she clung to me whilst every guy surrounding gave off more sinister and infuriating glares.

"Well, who can blame them when the girl they fancy is acting very intimately with somebody and it's especially more hurtful to others when that person is me. It's useless to get angry at them" my inner thoughts lamented deeply and directly towards my current situation.

After several of her cheer and others hate she finally let go and smiled beautifully again.

"Okay, Bye!" I said to her.

When I attempted to end the conversation there, two familiar students got closer to us.

“It's late why are you still here? And oh, this charade again when will this stop. It’s troublesome every day.”

“Liza, I heard you kept inviting him. Why are you inviting that guy to the party, inviting him would be only inviting a disaster? Are you sure about this?”

"Ugh! Those two again." my thoughts within me.

The name of the girl that disdainfully spoke towards me was Angelica Vincente. Liza's best friend. She was dressed nicely in a pencil skirt, elegant white blouse while she wore her hair gracefully over her shoulders.

I knew met her at the same time as Liza on the night of the falling star long ago. At first, we got along pretty well, but, later on, our friendship became a generic association. But we still keep an indirect contact because of Liza. The guy that followed had a physique of a perfect man, good looks, athletic, smart, and he stands tall at about nearing 6 feet. The eyes he has shown playfulness and sharpness. I knew that he does not like me because of my lazy demeanor whenever they're around. Even now, he chooses to give off an unpleasant approach towards me and his name was Avon Victorino.

Still, he is a very popular guy that gets confessed now and then.

"Stop It, you two, " Liza said.

"Liza, sure thing," Avon said happily while he looked at me skeptically.

"Why are you guys here anyway?" I said.

"We came here to escort Liza to the party because the Limo finally arrived and your dress within," Angela said.

"Ah!" Liza smiled, then looked at me and asked: "You're really not coming?"

"No. Sorry."

"Unless God drags me there unwillingly you won't ever see me coming to that specific party."

"And it is my time to leave I'll get my bike and head to the restaurant to buy a pleasant dinner for my family"

"And so adios amigos!"

"Remember the party starts at 9:30 pm"

Then walked off hurriedly towards the gate where my mountain bike was parked without looking back.

I sighed.

"At least, It's over"

I arrived at the gate and was greeted by a familiar person, our school guard Marvin. He wore blue guard's uniform, his physique was like a bear, an inch, and a half long sliced scar on his left jaw and he stood tall at nearly about less than 7 feet give or take 2 or 3 inches.

He carries a scary visage of a hardened criminal when you looked at him in the distance. He's the kind of person that could give you a heart attack with his ogre's stare alone, but on the contrary, to his looks he really just a nice person.

"Sup! How's Mr. Ogre... I mean Mr. Ogrimar!?" I greeted our esteemed guard.

I spoke the nickname everyone has given him. It's kind of derogatory to call a man like that base on his appearance, but somehow it suits him

"Oh, it's you! Hahaha! That's one hell of a show you did a couple of days ago. Too bad wasn't here to see it. I thought you would be kicked out of this school already, even given to your kind of background and all. But I won't say anything more and I do really hope you enjoy your Christmas break" Marvin said as he held in his deep-seated laughter.

"Well, can't blame you if you want to snicker at me, " I said while raising both of my hands and shrugged my shoulder in defeat.

After that, I saw Marvin gave off a smirk which gave me a sinister chill.

I knew he knows something I don't since he's that type of character.

Definitely, The scary kind.

Most others who saw him didn't know him that well, It's certain that they would probably be scared to death. That's why rarely people mess within our school because of him.

"I heard you're not joining the party at Timothy's Cruise later?" He lightly inquired.

"Nope" then gave off a shrug.

"Here's the key Marvin" I moved closer and handed him the key.

"Ah!" He exclaimed, then received it without complaint and placed it within the tiny safety portable box where he has placed the other keys he uses in our school.

"By the way, there are some unsavory folks wearing suits walking around looking for someone. Do you know anything about it?" Marvin asked.

'Gangsters or Feds? If it's gangsters I can deal with them pretty easily, but if it's a Federal agent then I'll pretend I know nothing if confronted.'

"Alright, I'm going to the Dully's restaurant to buy food so Happy Holidays and see you next year!" I bid my farewell and grabbed my bike that was parked on the nearby Nara tree.

"Enjoy your upcoming vacation!"

"I'll try to enjoy it much as I can," I said in an unmotivated way, then mounted the bike but before I could leave Marvin said.

"But be careful though, I heard they said that soon a storm will hit town probably sometime later or so, but though tonight, it's only going to be a light rain so the party will go on"

Then I looked up at the starless night sky filled with the eerily dark clouds that engulfed the sky with a delighted expression.

"While the shadow slowly encroaches over closely. I guess a storm will come"

Then, without saying goodbye, I rode off on my bicycle towards my hometown as the rain was about to dance and I knew that a storm was brewing on the far horizon.