Prologue

Life is full of mysteries. Our existence is one of it.

Why do we live? To die?

Some may say they have a purpose for living. Then how about a purpose for dying?

We have different opinions about this but an opinion is an opinion. It is an answer based on our perspective. Thus, it might never be true to others.

The truth lurks near our answers but it will never get closer than that. After all, we try to dig deeper but we never try to fly higher. Higher than Icarus had reached.

Nevertheless, I, as a person, have my own personal belief:

"Life is a journey to death but before you go there, cherish your time looking at the wonders of your world."

The end of a journey is the beginning of another journey.

Chapter 1: Last Christmas

I am sitting on a bench alone playing the game that the people got addicted to. It is Christmas and it is already 6:00 p.m.. Christmas is a day you should enjoy with your family, friends or lovers. It is a day where everyone should be happy or so. You might ask why I am alone. Let me answer that question for you. I have no friends to be with, no lovers and no family but I got some relatives. I live with my aunt, the sister of my father, but they don't even bother taking care of me. When I was 10 years old, my father and mother are witnesses of a murder. As they tried to tell the police what happened, both of them were killed by the suspects. My parents died even though they are in the right. THERE IS NO JUSTICE. The suspects were not found. After that, I lived with my aunt. Since the beginning, they hated me as much as how they hated my father. So in the end, I can't depend on them. At least they gave me shelter or else I'll become a beggar in the street.

*click* *tap*

Therefore, no one cares about me. I am useless. Even if I died today, no one would be sad. The total happiness of the world won't change. That's why...

"bzzzt....Game Over....bzzzt"

...I'll commit suicide later.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The people that pass by me are decreasing as the time passes by. I don't look at them. I just see them through my peripheral vision. After all, they disgust me. The smile on their face, the lovers holding hands and the families strolling with their children reminds me of how people just looked at us as the killers tried to kill my parents.

"I guess it's time now."

It is already 12 midnight. Christmas has passed. I checked my surroundings if there are still people walking or staying in the streets. I looked to my right and saw the light post that was dying out. Next, I looked to my left and saw a girl with an umbrella. Next, I looked in front-

"Wait, a girl?"

"Uhm!!," the girl got closed and shouted at me.

"Wahhh!!!," I shrieked.

"I-I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you."

"No.. uhm.. I screamed because I thought you are scaring me."

Please believe that lie.

"Is that so, then I feel relieved."

Wait, she did!?

"And so ,uhm, what is it that you want?"

"Eh..T-This might be strange coming from a stranger like me who just showed up in the-"

"Uhm if you may, please get straight to the point. I still have something to do."

"Well okay. Actually the thing is..."

"Is there a dirt in my face?"

"No uhm-," she breathed deeply and said...

"Can I be your friend?"

"Friend? Me?"

"Is it a no-no?," she said with teary eyes.

"No, that's not it. It's fine but why me?"

"This might be rude but I didn't choose you particularly. I just happened to see you while I'm walking and you look somehow uhmmm harmless."

I thought it is my destiny to meet this beautiful blonde-haired girl with her unique choker with numbers written in it. Does it have a meaning? Well, she also has a big bossom-!

If she hears this, she won't think of me as a harmless person again.

"Well, forget about the reason. Ehem ehem. You can be my friend-"

"Yay-"

"-but only for today."

"Sure! That's all I need!"

"Then let's g-"

"And one more thing..."

"What? There's more? What is it?"

"Can you lend me money? Teehee."

"Ugh!"

She asked me to spend the day with her while having fun. After that, we looked for stores that are still open. We walked through the darkness and silence. There's no people around. Just the two of us. After a while, we luckily found some store. The dango store beside the bridge that is closing but the owner let us in and then we ate a lot while talking about how delicious they are.

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

We've gone to the arcade and played Arcade Fighters. Never played it like before. I did have some fun but I never won against the girl even though she doesn't play this much like me.

When we got outside, the girl saw a dog. She tried to get closer to pet it but the dog barked and tried to bite her. We ran as fast as we can. We kept laughing at each other. We laughed at our own stupidity. Then, finally, we got a spot where the dog can't see us.

"It is gone now."

"Let me take a look too."

I realized that her face is close to mine.

"Why are you blushing?"

"hUh? AhHh? mE? b-Bl-bLusHiNG?!!"

"Hahahaha, your expression is funny."

We continued our strolling and saw a table tennis with the equipment needed outside a house. Since no one is looking at us we played. I tried my best to win but, as expected, I lost a lot of times. We stopped playing when the ball got inside the house and it hit the dog. The dog barked loudly and continuously so the people inside woke up and once again we ran. We still don't know why they left their things outside. How stupid of them hahaha.

We got exhausted. We took a break in a shed where I usually stay after school.

Of all the things I experienced in my life, today was the best. Father, mother, I found the person who made my life happy again.

We sat on the bench in the shed. We were silent. I have to tell her that our friendship must not end here. I have to take the initiative.

"UHM!!," we shouted.

"Ah you can talk first."

"Eh, ah, actually, the truth is ahhh you are the first, wait. Ah, no. The thing is... the thing I said when we met... you know... the-the-the friendship thing hahaha I w-want it to last longer-"

"AH! My umbrella is missing!"

"What? You're bringing it with you the whole time, right?"

"Yes, and now I can't find it. Help me search for it."

"Sure."

Did she hear the thing I have just said? I wish she didn't. It's too embarrassing. Wait, never mind, I want her to know that we'll be friends after this day and so on.

I helped her look for the umbrella near the shed. There are no traces of it being there. I thought I saw it beside her when we were sitting. Maybe my eyes are deceiving me.

"Did you see it?"

"I'm sorry."

"No, it is fine. I will search for it with you until we find it."

"It's not that."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"The umbrella's behind my back."

"Huh? Ehhh! Hahaha, you got me there."

She had this sad look in her face even though we were supposed to be laughing or, so do we?

"I want you to remember this. The answer is always near you. Some may try to hide the fact that they exist but never let those things affect you. Staying in your place is sometimes much better than moving around. Like what I did with the umbrella. If you had just stayed, you'll eventually find it on my back but you kept moving around."

"Wait, I don't get this. Why are you telling this to me?"

"There's no time left."

"Huh?"

"After 5 minutes, I'll die."

Is she leaving me behind? No, there's no time for this. I have to ask why-

"You might want to ask me why. I'll tell you a secret of this world."

"What secret?"

"This is not new to others but from people like you, this is something news to your ears. The 'Under the Shadow'."

Certainly, this is news to my ears but to think that that thing in her neck is a time limit of her life. She did not tell me this but the numbers written in there is exactly the same to the time she mentioned of her being alive.

"I can't let you go with me there. It is a place under our footing that is full of creatures that are not easily defeated by mere human weapons."

"I want to go there with you."

"Are you even listening to me?!"

"The truth is I am going to commit suicide if I never met you. I have nothing. No one will be sad if I die. But, you came. You became the guiding light to my dark journey. All I have is you. So, if you are going to die, I might as well die."

"No. I can't-"

"You can't stop me."

"Okay, you're so stubborn. I'll let you come with me."

"That's the spirit!"

She chanted some words that I can't understand. She asked me to close my eyes. We held hands and then the moment I opened my eyes-

"It's dark."

"Welcome to Under the Shadow."

I don't see the end of the place but I can see some hills in it. It is enveloped by darkness. The only one I can clearly see is the girl. For some reason, she possesses light that the place doesn't have.

"Just what is this-"

A strange annoying sound starts to ring across the place.

"It started. Stay back there."

The numbers from her choker became 0000 from 0500.

"No, I will protect you."

"No, I will protect you. You still have to live on and see the beauty of the world."

"Me?! What about you?! What are you talking about?! Is there no chance for you to live?! Is that what you are pointing out?!"

"Yes, I will die today. It is my destiny. And-"

"And?"

"I will be sad if you die. Oh, by the way, my name is Lacia, nice meeting you."

She smiled. She smiled while knowing she will die. Why does she have to die? I don’t get it. I don’t really get it. All I can do is cry.

When the sound stopped. A hole started to open in mid-air. In that hole, I saw a creature I never saw before. The only thing I can say about it is-

"M-Monster."

I trembled in fear. The killing intent of them can be felt even when you are far to them. I can't stand. How can I protect her? Why can't I do anything? Why am I so powerless?

"Don't worry, I'm here."

She put her hands together. It’s as if she is praying. Then, a spark glows in her hands. It starts to get bigger. She ran forward to the monster and then! She cut through them. She was fast as a lightning and as sharp as a sword. The monster died but many others had started to show up. She fought them. She never falters. As time passed by, she got exhausted. I can't bear to watch her anymore. I can't just let her die. I stood up and walked to her place. My purpose is to save her but I killed her. Two monsters got near me. One at my right and one at my back. She saw that. She didn't kill the monster instead she saved me.

I KILLED HER. I KILLED HER. I KILLED HER. I KILLED HER.

I held her in my hands. I embraced her. I cried and cried and cried. Is crying the only thing I can do?

I heard a faint voice. It is Lacia's.

"Don't blame yourself."

"I let them do this to you."

"I won't die *coughs blood* as long as I live in your heart."

"*sob* By the way, this is too late for introduction but my name is Marco, very… very nice*sob* meeting you."

"Marco, huh? What a nice name."

She smiled. I kissed her. After that she became cold. She doesn't move anymore. Her soul left her body already.

When I kissed her, I felt her power surging through me. I felt like my weight became as of a feather. I felt like I can do anything.

My anger towards the monster released a great power within me. It caused a shock among the monster in there. I created a Shockwave. They suddenly stopped moving then they were turned to dust.

I felt fatigued after I released the Shockwave. As I got down, I saw 9 persons in there. They are running towards my place. They are talking to me. I can't hear. My consciousness passes.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The moment I woke up, I saw a light. A light coming from a bulb. I am in a room I've never seen before. It is pure white with a bed and a bookshelf filled with books. I remembered the accident. I remembered everything. I muttered some words unconsciously then I fell asleep.

When I woke up again, it is dark. The same structure but I don't see any light. I walked through the place and searched for some water. Before I saw the kitchen, I saw a strange door in the wall. I've gone there. And... I saw her. I saw Lacia.

The Lacia I saw was not a real person. It is a picture of her. But, it is not just her. A picture including the 9 people I barely saw during the accident. But something's different with Lacia's. It has an 'X' mark in it. I felt angry. Why would they tamper the face of Lacia with a mark? Is it because she is dead? I looked around and saw something: a letter. I've read it and it shook me.

"KILL MY GROUP MEMBERS AND OBTAIN THE TRUTH AND POWER BEYOND HUMAN'S CAPABILITIES."

I fell down on my knees. The killer is in their group. But why? What is the 'truth' and 'power' it’s talking about. I saw the chokers in another table that killed Lacia. Is the killer using chokers to kill them? Then, I saw another paper containing something.

"Target: Lacia. Dead"

There are other papers but I felt a presence. A deadly presence. The presence of the killer among the group. Who is it? I want to see. I want to know the truth. But, I'll die. I can feel it. I hid at the table near me. Even though I am hiding under the table, I can feel him gazing at me. He(she) walks closer to me. My heart won't stop racing. I'M GOING TO DIE. Then he(she) suddenly ran away. Due to the nervousness it caused me, I collapsed. I don't know if he(she) will find me here by the time I wake up.

Chapter 1 END