In a black ocean with no one else present, a lone teenage girl aimlessly floats to nowhere. She has no idea how long she's been drifting, nor does she see the point in moving, thus allowing the waves of this abyss to guide her.
Despite being alone, she never felt lonely, or more accurately, she had no concept of loneliness or happiness. She has no memory of who she is nor the reason why she's here in the first place. All she understands is that this place, this vast darkness, is comfortable and welcoming.
As she slowly sank into the pits of her own void, a voice suddenly rang from afar. A nostalgic voice that belonged to a person she loves oh so greatly, telling her to come back. As if guided by that voice, she desperately tried to move her body, catching the voice as if it would slip from her fingertips and be gone forever.
And just like that, in the place where the darkness of the ocean meet the blackest of the night sky, a light pillar grew closer, welcoming her with open arms. Just as she reached out to the light in her futile attempts to catch the voice that she hopelessly wanted to hear again, white filled her vision.
In the next instant, a dark-grey ceiling greeted her as she struggled to open her eyes. Not understanding the sudden change of scenery or the absence of her memory, the teenage girl tries to sit up, only to realize the reality of her nonexistent strength.
After struggling for who knows how long, she was finally able to push her upper body off the bed and get a proper look around. With the dimmed lights on each corner of the ceiling as her only light source, she spots a bedside table and a lounging area on her left while a wide vanity table and a small hallway on her right.
Despite the lack of reliable light, she could still see that the room was well-maintained yet impersonal. There were no signs of anything resembling a picture or any personal effects, causing her to beg the question;
'Where am I, and why am I here?'
After thinking for a while, she weakly brought her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose in an attempt to lessen the painful headache that she's been experiencing ever since she left the black ocean. The panel door in front of her suddenly slid open, revealing a woman with platinum blonde hair tied to a bun with a simple jade pin while wearing a traditional hanbok. The tray carrying a bowl of water and a set of towels she brought with her crashed on the floor, warranting the teenager's attention.
Flinching at the sudden crash, the teenager looked up from the pain and witnessed the awe-struck woman looking back at her. Before the teenager could voice her concerns, a shout came from outside the room, followed by the arrival of a similar-looking man that had lines connecting from his mouth to his neck, who wore a hanbok with similar patterns designed for men.
"Ja-mae! What's wrong?! Are you -- okay?"
"H-Hyung-jae, You... You see her, right?"
"Un... Gongju-nim's awake. AH! Our Gongju is awake! Quick, grab Gongju-nim's drink and call Abuh-ji and inform him about Gongju-nim."
"But-"
"Go! I'll take care of this!"
Flustered about the sudden development, the woman quickly bowed and left the room, leaving the panicking man and the dumbfounded and groggy teenager in the room. The man immediately bent his torso to a perfect 90 degrees and placed his arms in front, formally saluting the teenager who was still looking at him in a dazed manner.
"This lowly one humbly greets Gongju-nim! This lowly one apologizes for letting Gongju-nim witness such unsightly behaviors and will accept any consequence Gongju-nim may see fit!"
". . ."
Uncomfortable with the growing silence in the room, the man didn't dare to raise his head as he nervously continued to try and redeem their 'damaged' honor - which the teenager couldn't care less.
"Th-then, this lowly one will immediately clean up this mess and bring Gongju-nim the best food that will satisfy Gongju-nim's palate."
". . . Mm. . ."
With a lower bow, the man quickly cleaned up the mess his sister made and swiftly exited the room, leaving the teenager alone to gather her thoughts. Feeling a more painful headache assault her mind, she laid back down on her bed and pinched her nose bridge, trying to wrap her head around everything that had happened.
It was also then when she noticed the faint scars and discoloration on her arms. She could make out different characters, symbols, and figures blending in the designs that tie everything together like one whole picture. As she slowly got lost in the patterns laid across her arms, a woman's voice announced itself from beyond the panel door, asking for permission to enter.
After permitting the entrance, the panel door slid open. Waiting outside was the woman earlier who was sitting on her legs before she carefully and gracefully rose from her position. The calmness in her expression completely overtook her earlier shocked appearance that had been, unfortunately, ingrained in the teenager's mind. She then demurely sat once more on the other side of the door, picked up the tray carrying an ornated glass goblet and pitcher, and placed it beside her. After closing the panel doors, she finally rose from her seat elegantly with the tray in hand before heading towards the teenager's bedside table.
Taking quiet small steps towards her mistress, the woman quickly placed the tray on the bedside table before helping the struggling teenager sit up from the bed.
"Please be careful, Gongju-nim. Gongju-nim doesn't have to force themselves; Gongju-nim just woke up after all."
"Mm. . ."
Noticing that the teenager was uncomfortable with being touched, the woman shifted her attention to the tray. With one hand on the handle and the other on the pitcher's lid, the woman smoothly poured dark red liquid on the glass goblet, filling it up halfway that warranted the teenager's full attention as the rustic aroma assaulted her olfactory senses.
"Blood that was taken fresh from a pure maiden whose quirk is Elasticity and has matured to the ripe age of 16. This lowly one hopes that Gongju-nim would enjoy their meal."
The woman then offers the glass goblet with both hands and a slight bow, patiently waiting for the teenager to take it from her hands, albeit weakly. Despite her trembling hands, the teenager firmly held the goblet and brought it to her dry and cracked lips, struggling to keep its contents from spilling on her comfortable white sheets.
As the ominous red liquid entered her mouth, the teenager couldn't help but exhale a slight moan of pleasure as her tongue danced with the blood's deliciousness. As the red fluid travels from her throat, entering her stomach and eventually spreading across her body, a sudden headache assailed her mind, causing her to crush the goblet in her hand.
Memories of a child with wavy platinum grey hair that bore mismatched eyes flashed before her eyes. The child's first steps, first laugh, first cry, first wound, first quirk manifestation, and first training. The figure of a woman lovingly cradling the child to sleep, her smile as she compliments the child with her progress in her quirk mastery, their time together as the woman taught the child how to utilize her second quirk, and her loving voice. The voice that called out to her and brought her back from the abyss.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
'My lovely Ambrosia, my little Immortal.'
Just as she remembered who she was, what her life was like before getting stuck in that dark place, who that woman was, the images of a towering man with a stoic expression looking down at her took over. It was the man who was the reason for her crying herself to sleep on most nights. It was the man who forced her to crave nothing but blood, the man who looked at her with nothing but indifference. It was also the man who called himself her father yet never acted remotely like one.
'From now on, your name is Ambrosia. You will be my nourishment once I've become a god. Never forget who you are.'
". . .nim! . . ju-nim! Gongju-nim! Are you alright, Gongju-nim?! Hyung-jae! Hyung-jae! It's Gongju-nim! Hyung--"
Before the woman could continue frantically calling out to her brother, Ambrosia held the woman's arm to stop her, dryly responding to her panic.
"Fine. . ."
"A-are you sure Gongju-nim? You don't have to force yourself, you- "
"Fine."
The teenager resolutely answered as she looked at the woman in the eyes. The woman flinched upon seeing Ambrosia's glare and eventually let go of her before fixing herself. Taking a step back, the woman bowed in front of the teenager as she regained her calm.
"Understood, Gongju-nim. I will-"
"Ja-mae! I'm here! What happened to Gongju-nim?!"
Before the woman could finish her sentence, her brother slammed the panel door open, destroying it in the process. Seeing her sister lowering her head and their princess silently looking at him, he was about to sigh in relief and prostate himself when he noticed Ambrosia's injured hand.
"Gongju-nim! Your hand!"
The twins' panic rose once again as they frantically shifted and morphed their bodies into things that they thought would be able to stop their princess' bleeding hand. While the two were in a state of panic, Ambrosia looked at her wounded hand, pushed out the embedded glass shards, and sped up the process of closing her injuries through her quirk - blood manipulation. Wanting to utilize the remaining blood, she opened her previously wounded hand and guided her stray blood into a ball before slowly and crudely shaping it into a new cup.
Only after successfully molding a crude glass did Ambrosia realize that the twins had been looking at her with warm eyes - especially the man.
"Gongju-nim is so amazing! Not only did Gongju-nim heal their wound in an instant, but they also made a cup with nothing but their blood! I'll inform Abuh-ji about this. I'm sure he'll be ecstatic! Ja-mae, continue providing Gongju-nim their needs; I'll go wait for Abuh-ji."
After receiving a nod from his sister, the man bowed towards his princess before exiting the room, only to turn sheepish after seeing the destroyed panel door.
"I-I'll fix this door after Abuh-ji's arrival. . ."
After the man's awkward exit, the woman picked up the pitcher and poured her princess another glass of aromatic blood in the same manner. This silent cycle continued two more times until the woman couldn't bear it any longer and spoke up.
"I'll tell Hyung-jae to bring two more pints of this drink to help Gongju-nim have their fill."
The woman placed the almost empty pitcher on the bedside table before heading towards the exit after bowing. Before she could proceed any further, she heard her princess mumble something inaudible.
"Gongju-nim?"
". . . Who. . .?"
It took the woman a few more minutes to register her princess' question before finally answering her with a slight bow.
"Ah! This lowly one apologizes Gongju-nim, but I believe that Abuh-ji would be the most qualified person to answer Gongju-nim's question."
". . . Mm."
"Then this lowly one will fetch more blood and relay Gongju-nim's question to Abuh-ji."
The woman bowed one last time before finally leaving Ambrosia alone for the second time today. Unlike her earlier state, Ambrosia's body felt much more alive, as if she had regained the things that were rightfully hers. She had forgotten how blood tastes like and how rejuvenating it felt, yet for some reason, Ambrosia knew she shouldn't feel this way. Although she's gained knowledge of some of her memories and who she is, most of them are still hazy.
As Ambrosia continued to drink the remaining blood in the pitcher, she could feel her blood circulating throughout her body, assimilating the new addition and turning them into her own, making her blood denser and more potent. With each drop of foreign blood that enters her system, the stronger she feels, the better her control over her abilities she has, and the more visible the patterns of her body become.
Curious about how she looked, she got off the bed with a stretch, pumping blood towards the sleeping muscles in her body, before heading towards the vanity table. Standing in front of the mirror, she could see a girl in her early teens with long and wavy platinum grey hair that reached her hips. She had mismatched eyes - her right being light red and the other sky blue - and her sleeveless, white, one-piece clothing revealed various degrees of tattoos covering each of her limbs.
Flowers of different types and sizes colored her right wrist to her shoulder that stretched to her neck - just below her right ear. Dragons and snakes of varying degrees and designs painted her left shoulder down to her left elbow. Noticing that her left side continued inside her clothing, she took a peek and realized that her 'scars' covered her left boob and stretched down to her thigh. She also had another set of different demonic masks spread from her right thigh to her ankle.
She froze upon seeing the state of her body, dumbfounded at the realization that she had no idea how she came with such marks and patterns. Not even her blood could repair and restore her colored scars. She stared at the figure of herself in the mirror with trepidation and horror. She was trying to wrap her head around the identity of the stranger that looked back at her. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't accept that this was her. Her body now embodied the definition of 'defilement.'
It wasn't until Ambrosia heard a knock from behind that she snapped out of her downward spiral. Looking back at the door, she saw that there was now an older man who was wearing a similar hanbok for men by the entrance. The three of them were all prostrating with their heads only inches away from the floor.
"We humbly greet Gongju-nim. I am surnamed Bam, given the name Gibyeong - like the horseman. I am the current and 8th patriarch of the Bam family. The people behind me are my twin children. My son is named Gun-in - like the soldier, while my daughter is named Jeonsa - like the warrior. The Bam family will be Gongju-nim's retainers starting today 'till the end of time."
"""Live long and prosper, Gongju-nim!"""
Ambrosia didn't know which was more outrageous, her scarred body or the blind loyalty the people in front of her is showing. She would've understood if it was on behalf of her family or parents, but she knew better. Ambrosia knew that despite her hazy memories and unclear circumstances, her father was long gone. Ambrosia didn't know why, but she just knew. She could vaguely remember witnessing his death but would experience a harsher headache before she could recall anything substantial.
". . . Mm."
That was all Ambrosia could reply to when faced with three enthusiastic retainers.
With all the pleasantries done, Gibyeong took it upon himself to explain the current situation to their princess while Gun-in fixed the door and Jeonsa poured her fresh pints of blood.
According to Gibyeong, it's been almost 80 years since her slumber. Since then, their country has entered a more modern age with more efficient and effective technologies. Better medical health, foster economic development, and more quirk users. But because of the Braeden Massacre, they lost their influence in Korea and went down as one of the more nefarious organizations of the country. As one of the surviving loyal retainers of her father, he gave Gibyeong's ancestor the task to ensure Ambrosia's survival to keep their bloodline alive - which his family dutifully fulfilled up to the present.
Ambrosia was surprised to learn about the death of her clan. She couldn't care less about her father and relatives who treated their children as nothing but pawns and livestock, but her mother was a different story. Her mother was the only reason Ambrosia could have something akin to childhood, knew what love felt like, and didn't become a lifeless doll, like her cousins. She was why Ambrosia desperately clawed her way out of the abyss, her raison d'etre. Without her, what else is there left for her to continue living?
With a tightened grip on her cup and her knees, Ambrosia struggled to ask about her mother's well-being. It's been 80 years, yes, but somewhere, deep in her subconscious, Ambrosia wished for her mother to have survived and lived with all her heart.
"Who. . . else?"
The room fell into silence as Gibyeong pondered on how to break the news to their princess. He thought she didn't remember how she killed her clan and was just sad about her family's death. Although the entirety of Korea is thankful for their princess without knowing who she is for freeing their country from Alarick's cursed hands, their princess is still a kid nonetheless. After taking a deep breath, Gibyeong looked straight at his trembling princess and adapted his most gentle voice and expression.
"You're the only survivor, Gongju-nim. . ."
Ambrosia's eyes widened for a moment before she shut them tight. The room's atmosphere suddenly grew heavier, and their princess' tattoos started to get a darker hue.
The three knew that them staying any longer wouldn't benefit their princess, so Gibyeong silently rose from his seat, slightly bowed before leaving the room with his children in tow. Once they've exited the room and turned to the hallway, the twins breathed a sigh of relief while wiping their sweat. The older man couldn't blame his children for acting that way. Even though their princess just woke up from her long slumber, it did little to diminish the lethality of one of the Braeden family's accursed abilities - blood mist.
Back in the room, Ambrosia sat on the sofa with fists tightened on her knees that her knuckles had turned white.
She knew. She knew somewhere in her heart that there was no way her mother would still be alive. It's been 80 years, after all. Even if her mother had a unique quirk, there was no way her wretched father would leave her be. But, if she's dead, why is Ambrosia alive?
The gloomy mist that filled the room got denser and denser as Ambrosia's feelings continued to turmoil.
In a place with nothing but red, Ambrosia sat in the center while hugging her knees, trembling with tears running down her cheeks. How could fate be so cruel? Without her mother to tell her that everything would be alright, to comfort her whenever tears form in her eyes, or to be there whenever she's alone, she might as well return to the black ocean - where she would need nothing, think nothing, and feel nothing.
'Why the long face?'
Looking up at the voice, Ambrosia sniffled as she wiped her snot and tears using her clear pale hands.
'I'm alone. . .'
'Alone, you say? Then, what about me?'
'Y-you. . .?'
'Yeah, me. I'm here with you, aren't I?'
'Who. . . Who are you?'
'Me?'
'Mm.'
'I'm you.'
'. . . M-me?'
Ambrosia's picture of the figure in front of her slowly grew clearer. The figure was a girl who looked like her with tattoos that were darker and colorful than hers.
'Yes, you. With that said, you're not alone now, are you?'
'I. . . I guess, but. . . what now?'
'What now? What else? Do what you want.'
'. . . What I want?"
'Yeah, you can do anything you want.'
'But, why? Mother's dead.'
'Hmm. . . Mother, huh. Then I'll be Mother for the both of us. That should be enough, right?'
Ambrosia was a little surprised upon hearing the figure's declaration but felt at ease now that she had a new mother. After clumsily wiping her tears and snot clean, Ambrosia brightly smiled for the first time in a long time at the figure before everything went black.