I hate my life

I remember the stains of crimson, sticky blood on my gloves. Even if I toss them away, I can still see them on my pale hands.

In every crevice under my fingernail, on my fingertips, on every inch of my hands, on my arms, and the soles of my feet-

I can feel their stickiness; I can smell their disgusting coppery metallic stench.

I remember the blood that fell from those running away from me, a futile attempt to escape. I remember the blood from those who fell before me, the warmth in their bodies fading away. I remember wading through a sea of blood, with the bottom of my black dress outlined with blue stained a disgusting color.

I remember many bowing to me, offering me their lives and servitude, in order to be put on a leash for my mercy.

To kneel.

To worship.

To submit.

I remember many hating me. I kill the ones who show it, and keep the ones who hid it in silent solitude, unable to express anything in fear of them or their loved ones being tormented.

I remember many, many more fearing me.

Fear me because of my power. My authority.

My wrath.

Many a times, I remember those who hate me suffer simply because those around them fear my might.

Disgusting.

Even as my dominion spreads over the world, I remember.

It was not just humans that disgust me. Those of the Fair Folk-elves and dwarves, the utterly foul faeries, the mighty dragons, and the weak humans-they're all the same.

All because they simply fear me and my power.

For I am a witch.

So as I stood in my castle, lording over those whom I shackled to my power, to my wrath, I looked back at my throne.

The throne in which I crafted and pulled in all the mana I can take and stored inside it. Even now, I supply it with more mana.

Soon, after I have enough, after I have enough...perhaps I can reach the next level.

For I am a witch.

...no, I am 𝘵𝘩𝘦 Witch.

The Witch of-

"Anna. Hey Anna, are you awake?"

A black-haired girl's eyes slowly opened.

As she opened them, the bright color of white expanded before her eyes. No matter how far she looked, beyond and under the hills, the tall trees, and just about everything else, she would see snow upon snow.

A black and white world, along with a few shades of gray, were flawless in its beauty.

Truly a winter wonderland with the absence of sublime wonder, and filled with a desolate feeling.

"Yes, I am," Anna finally said. Then she looked up at the person ahead of her. "How about you?"

The person who talked to her scratched the back of his head.

"...Uh yes, I am...awake? I think?"

He then turned to the person next to him.

"I am awake right?"

"I don't know, why are you asking me?"

Anna's eyes moved past the hesitant white-haired boy, the confused blonde girl who just answered him, and finally to a naive small white-haired girl.

They were all standing on the road, and further ahead by many, many meters was the entrance to Yume.

They were finally out to get the beans.

The oh so delicious beans from the food bank.

It has been a month, and they still couldn't find the food bank.

Instead, they were definitely not looting the houses and bringing supplies back to her home. Indeed, they were only scavenging.

It was only yesterday night they finally had a map of the town, which had taken them a month long to find for some reason.

Well, they weren't particularly looking for the food bank. If we just found something on their way, they would just nab it on the sleds they also looted from a couple of the houses.

Getting a couple of the sleds and tying them together, they could bring along a larger number of items as they drag it across the snow.

Truly the epitome of being a genius surviving in an apocalyptic world of eternal snow.

A spurt of white mist escaped her mouth as Anna exhaled a long sigh. Gripping her staff, she used it as a mix of a crutch or cane to begin walking again through the snow.

As she did so, she passed by the two siblings that seemed 'uncomfortable.'

Next to them, the blonde girl showed it in a different way, but the other two showed their 'uncomfortableness' in several ways.

Kicking their feet here and there, their eyes never staying in one spot, licking their lips and scratching their heads-

While she let them indulge in their awkwardness, Anna looked up to the gray sky.

So high up into the sky, the clouds covered the sky. In various shades of a lighter gray of sorts, it looked so eternally beautiful and at the same time...weary. Tired, as though in wait of something grand that is to come.

Just looking up at it made her feel the urge to yawn and rest.

The corners of Anna's mouth twitched as another small gust of freezing wind blew against her face. She pulled the hood of her coat further over her head.

The sky was just as gray as that time when it rained. It was just as gray as that time when she stood on that hill.

Even if it was different skies, the ceilings of a cavern, different clouds, different smell-it was still the same as she remembered.

Anna stretched her arms, struggling to hold back her yawn. Unfortunately her jaw gave way, making her open her mouth wide and yawn silently.

Rubbing her eyes with her gloved hands, she could not help but look at the top of her right hand.

Hidden beneath the warm black glove, there was a mark.

Multiple marks that represent what she is and what she can do.

Three emblems.

Three emblems of grace.

Three emblems of embrace.

With such evidence, Anna cannot deny that it was simply a 'simple dream.' Even when a month had passed, ever she woke up from it, she can remember it as though she was experiencing it firsthand.

A perk of "evolving" to a new race, perhaps?

Further evidence shows the dream to be of increasing importance is the change to her 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴.

Speaking of her status-

===============================

Name: Anna Choko (???)

Titles: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱, ???, ???

Bonded Companion: Amor

Race: Fae of the Distant Shores (Fair Folk)

Strength: ?

Endurance: ??

Agility: ??

Magic: ???

Luck: ?

-------------------------------------------------------------

𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀:

???

-------------------------------------------------------------

𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘳 (Black)

Status: Awakened

0/100 (Error)

-------------------------------------------------------------

𝘛𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘰𝘳 (Black)

Status: Awakened

0/50 (Error)

-------------------------------------------------------------

𝘈𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳 (Black)

Status: Awakened

0/1000 (Error)

===============================

None of her 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴 unable to grow, no matter what she did. For her status, many-no, all her stats or attributes were now [???]. She had a title that doesn't offer an explanation of its benefits, and her race-

'Perhaps joining two entirely different branches of power is impossible after all.'

Anna suddenly breathed in another breath of the fresh, freezing cold air.

Just as before, it 'burned' the insides of her nostrils, but she still made a small smile that was hidden from the rest of the world.

Well, all save for one.

She barely brought her hand into the air before a small, circular, dreamy blue butter landed onto it.

Anna smiled again as her closest companion flew off into the sky above moments later. Looking up, she took another deep breath.

Her nose still stung from the coldness in the air, but this time it felt more refreshing.

"Where did that blue butterfly come from..." a certain boy said in the back. "I never actually see that butterfly until it's around Anna."

Even as Amor disappeared to wherever he goes, somewhere in the distance, Anna can still feel the faint connection in her mind.

At the thought, she felt something warm 'brush' against her mind, and she couldn't help but smile again.

Why was she smiling so much these days?

Even as her face was hidden, it could not stop the tiniest bit of the morning light from above to pierce through the thick blanket of clouds and shine onto her face.

Today was a brand new day, for this day is the tomorrow of yesterday.

There was much to be done.

'Oh man, I hate my life,' Anna thought with a bit of tiredness.

She should've just stayed in the house as usual. Why does she even come out once a week or so anyways?

"Come," Anna finally said, looking behind her. The rest of the group turned to look at her.

"Let us go forth, venturing into the unknown-I mean, let's find the beans we've longed to find, shall we?"

...

As the hooded girl walked off ahead of them, Jonah hesitantly looked beside him.

"Do you think that...she is somehow...different?" the white-haired boy asked.

"She? Who is 'she?'" that someone responded beside him.

Jonah stared at the blonde girl exasperatedly. Sighing, and dropping the leash that pulled the sleds, he pointed at the "she."

"That she. Her. Anna."

"Her?"

Avalow tilted her head and hummed.

"I don't see what's really wrong though..."

Jonah looked down at the snowy ground and kicked lumps of snow here and there.

"I don't know how to really explain it, but..." he hesitated. "...sometimes she's 'normal.' Being aloof, scary, alone, and all that stuff. Then these days, other times..."

The boy trailed off, rubbing the back of his head which was covered by a beanie.

What was he supposed to say? That she was strangely...free? Almost dismissive? That she changed as though something traumatizing happened or something?

Change for the better or worse? No one really knows.

During the time he had been with her nothing really unique happened, but it must've been because of her 'dream.'

Which coincides with him 'dreaming' as well.

How peculiar.

She also said it was weeks in there, but to him it was only a couple hours or so. Maybe there was some sort of time difference.

In some dreams, it feels like minutes, but when he wakes up it has been eight hours or so.

Truly peculiar.

Besides him, Avalow seemed to know what he was talking about as she nodded her head and smiled. Jonah saw something else in that smile, but it was gone the moment he took notice.

"She is more 'herself' then she has been ever since we met," the blonde girl said. "And maybe even more."

"You mean...she grew to treat us as friends?" Jonah tentatively asked.

There was a silent question that was said between the two. If the blonde girl seemed to notice the silent question, she only showed it in the form of nodding, but then shaking her head just after.

"Yes...and no?" she slightly tilted her head.

Then, she seriously nodded.

"Yes, that's right. Yes and no."

The blonde girl afterwards walked off in a joyful and carefree manner, trailing after the other girl ahead.

Jonah facepalmed, his glove tickling his nose.

Why do people keep saying vague things and not explaining? Is it really so difficult to do something like that?

Well, as long as anyone doesn't say he's a siscon, they're a friend in his book.

Probably.

As Jonah picked up the leash pulling the sleds and followed after the two ahead, with his free hand, he pulled Chaya closer to him. The little girl smiled widely, hugging onto him.

The boy smiled back and he rubbed her head.

While he was doing so, he looked up at the same, gray sky that Anna looked up to seconds earlier.

The sun was hidden behind the eternal gray blanket that separates them from the beautiful blue sky and warm sun.

'Has it really been a month since that strange dream?' Jonah thought.

As he thought of that, the spear in his hand grew somewhat heavy. Playing with the spear Jonah reflected on what it was.

He knew it wasn't just a 'dream,' even if he wanted to deny he had met a shady person in it. Now that he thought about Erebus...how is that slippery thief?

He looked down on the spear in his right hand, snugged comfortably against his glove. The heavy spear dangling from his hand was evidence of what had happened.

Carved and polished, the white-haired boy could see his own reflection glinting off the white-gray metallic sheen of the entire shaft and its sharpened tip. Patterns seemingly embedded with gold and such were carved across its entire eight-to-nine-foot-length shaft, which was about four times his height.

Yes, the entire spear is made out of some kind of metal. On the day he woke up and brought the spear out, Avalow stated it was something made out of 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴.

Even when the blonde girl and a certain other girl's faces contorted in a strange, similar fashion, the boy ignored them, for he was simply, wholly confused.

If Avalow had just said "magic," then he would've nodded and left it at that. He knew that was a whole can of worms that shouldn't be opened.

But no, of course she didn't.

Of course he asked for an explanation, and the blonde girl made a very convincing blank face with a wide "U" shape smile and a little wider-than-normal eyes.

When Jonah turned to Anna, he saw that she had a certain 'knowing look.' In the end she never bothered to provide some input pertaining to what sort of sorcery that laid in his hands.

They simply said it's not comparable to a relic like a particular floating chair, but it's comparable to a magic item, or even an artifact, whatever that means.

To sum it up, they just said it wouldn't hurt to use it.

So this entire month, Jonah had been training with it. At first, it was so heavy that he could barely swing and thrust with it. Nowadays he could handle it pretty comfortably, carrying it around normally.

He attributed his ease at using a weapon quite adeptly within a few weeks as being a [𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼].

…moving on, speaking spears, the boy left his very first makeshift spear back at the house, as a keepsake of sorts-

"Hey you better hurry up, she's getting farther away," someone suddenly said, and 'poked' his back.

Hard.

With a grunt, he stumbled and nearly fell into the snow before he caught himself at the right moment.

"What the heck..."

Rubbing his back, Jonah looked behind him and was about to spit out some sarcasm when he saw no one.

"What the..."

Hurriedly looking around him, it only took a few seconds for him to spot the culprit.

Ahead of him, the blonde girl was quickly darting across the snowy plains like a rabbit running across an open plain.

Speaking of rabbits, there was a smaller one next to her that was almost camouflaged against the snow.

Jonah looked at his side, only to find his adorable little sister had long since ditched him.

Holding Avalow's hand, Chaya ran through the snow, laughing.

"Come on Jonah, hurry up you slowpoke!" she called out behind her, laughter in her voice.

"What the-Chaya, wait-!"

Seeing that they were not stopping anytime soon, he took in a deep breath before letting out a very long sigh, the white mist exhaling from his mouth.

'I hate my life,' he thought. Suddenly imbuing his legs with mana, Jonah did a mix of running and hopping as he chased after them, the sleds behind him hopping up and down, like many speedboats riding over the ocean's tides.

Even as he eventually caught up and semi-tackled them in the snow, giving them a piece of his mind, he couldn't help but smile over the laughter.

'Well, at least my hateful life isn't that bad now,' Jonah thought amidst the laughter, and he couldn't help but think of a girl with beautiful eyes that incinerated him an innumerable amount of times.

Then, like the arrival of the night, a tall shadow stood over them. Above them, Anna looked down on them with a 'stone face.'

In an instant they all became humble, dusting the bits of snow off themselves as they got back on their feet.

...

As though listening to the quiet wishes for serenity and peace, the Lord or some higher being has given them an uneventful day.

Full of fighting, three comrades stood shoulder to shoulder and fought together. Seamless and graceful, they fought as though they fought alongside each other for years.

One after another, they finished off each fire monster in various ways.

Far away from each fight, did the little girl watch. Far away from each conflict she stood. She watched them dance and weave, like colorful braids folding over each other to create something beautiful.

Although it can be considered an uneventful day to them, it was fulfilling. They found what they were looking for, along with a few more "loot."

No, not just a few. Many.

Since they're ownerless now, that makes them their owners.

Yes, that's right. There is no need to feel shame or guilt.

That's what Avalow said when we picked the locks into each house, each safe, and whatever locks locked something.

As long as no one comes back for it, it is in their right to loot.

Any who, if there really were people, then they wouldn't be here. It has already been a month, judging by the dust that had piled up on the shelves and tables.

As Jonah was bringing the last of the loot onto the sleds, he had a sudden thought.

Where were the other people?

Did they...die? Escape with the military if they had already arrived and left the stragglers behind?

If so, were the four the only ones in this desolate, empty town?

So...where was...dad?

"Jonah, are you coming to help us with the beans?"

The white-haired boy shook his head, and the thoughts soon faded away. While he walked back to the three waiting for him, he felt his mind still ache and, for some reason, the top of his left hand being ticklish.

...

It was night, and they had returned home with the lovely beans.

With the lovely beans, they cooked a wonderful stew with a variety of other frozen vegetables.

Truly, the beans were one of the Lord's greatest gifts to man.

That night, Jonah went to bed with Chaya, comfortable and full. Tucking Chaya into bed, he smiled, watching over the little girl's soft face.

As he watched over her, eventually, he felt his eyelids becoming heavy.

Yawning, the boy laid down beside her. Crossing his hands over his stomach and closing his eyes, Jonah let himself drift into slumber.

The darkness, like always, reached out to him. Embracing him, he began to feel the dark ocean's waters pulling him.

Deeper and deeper he fell, the cool feeling the waves of water brought coiled around his body, rhythmically pulsing.

Amidst the darkness, he then began to hear the voices.

The voices he started hearing a month ago, the voices he started to hear since that dream.

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲...𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻...𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲.

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲...𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲...!

...

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲...𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻...𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲.

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲...𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲...!

'Why must you keep talking to me?' Jonah thought languidly, hearing the voice echo into his ears from some far away place that he cannot perceive nor see.

His arms and legs floated though they were floating in water; his body continued sinking deeper and deeper.

Colder and colder, drowsier and drowsier, he could barely think. Yet, that voice, one of the many things that traveled with him from that one dream, continued speaking to him. Each night, every time he slept, he could hear the voice begging him to save who knows who, and then save the voice itself. On

'How can I possibly help you?' he thought. 'How could I, a thirteen year old boy, help you?'

Just like the other times during the past month, the boy continued saying he couldn't help, for how could he possibly help? Even then, even so-

The voices never stopped.

That is until he realized he could no longer hear it.

The voices had stopped.

When did it stop? Why did it stop?

Although Jonah had many questions and held onto the faint glimmer of hope that it had finally and truly disappeared for good, he still felt pessimistic enough that it'll come back.

So he waited, and waited, and waited. The cool ocean's water lapped against his body rhythmically and calmly as he waited.

Finally, after much waiting, he accepted that it was gone.

So he smiled, full of relief and-

[𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗵,] said the voice, now filled with determination. Foregoing the begging tone it had previously, it was said so clearly, so distinctly unlike the once muted tone it has, Jonah could no longer ignore it.

Instead, the words made the boy abruptly picture a world of ruin, in which amidst the fires and ashes a person stood alone. Then, as though noticing that someone was watching the figure, the person turned around and looked at him with familiar, startling beautiful eyes-

'Uh oh,' Jonah thought, and a chill ran up his spine.

'Shi-'

Then he suddenly himself was yanked downwards. The boy felt his chest tightening, his eyes slowly falling into a deeper darkness., his lungs unable to breathe-

'Why...why must I suffer?' he thought as he sank deeper and deeper.

Then the darkness truly wrapped itself around him, and he could no longer think.

...

...

...

When I opened my eyes, the star outside greeted me with its pure immensity and wonder.

Stretching across the dark ocean sky, as grand as beyond the horizon and as deep as the blue ocean, they twinkled brightly.

So bright. So beautiful.

And so endless.

Twinkling in the sea of night, the ocean of stars never changed.

Not in the past, not the present, and neither the future.

Not for a century, a millennia, or perhaps even further.

The stars are one of the many things that would never change.

Yet, why were they so far, far away?

As the wind brushed against me, ruffling my hair, I stretched my hand to the stars above me.

Just as ephemeral as the moon's reflection atop a lake, no matter how many times I reach for it, I can never hold it in my grasp.

So why, why...ever since I had that premonition, that dream...why is this feeling of longing, this feeling of emptiness, this feeling of hopelessness-!

"Dana, Dana! It's time!"

Spinning around, I saw a figure. Light spilled from her back, illuminating her as though the aura of light was infused into her.

"Dana, what are you doing? Come on..."

I began reaching for the back of my head, but I immediately stopped myself and dropped myself into a curtsy.

"Heheheheh, right, sorry-I mean I apologize for this behavior of mine..."

"Jeez," the figure said, sighing while simultaneously facepalming her own face. "Why are you always daydreaming like this-hey, stop, stop! Don't bow! You don't have to be so dignified and formal now that only I'm around. However..."

"Heheh, yeah, sorry, I'm trying to get used to being formal and proper, but it's just so hard..."

"Yeah, well, you'll get used to it. So please, avoid frank expressions and act more dignified when the others are around."

At such serious words, I couldn't help but nod.

"R-right..."

"Anyways, it's time for the ceremony to commence. Everything has been prepared, and everyone is waiting for you."

"Right," I nodded, this time more confidently. "I'll be there."

As I began walking towards the figure, I couldn't help but look back at the stars.

Glittering eternally in the night sky, so far from my grasp, I wonder...if I can ever become just like them?

No, I wonder if everyone who I hold dear can become just like them?

Always shining brightly, beautiful, and never changing.

Just like-

Jonah's eyes shot wide open and he didn't stop for a moment to sit straight up. Gasping, he put a hand over his chest and gulped down deep breaths of air.

While he tried to calm his rapidly beating heartbeat, he put his other hand over his forehead, sighing.

Why are these dang, dang nightmares so-!

"Uh-?"

The first he noticed was the smell. The rank smell in the air could be simply described with the words 'feces, dirt, and sweat.' The smell that he oh-so-gratefully inhaled desperately seconds earlier.

'Oh god,' Jonah thought. 'I'm going to throw up.'

While he tried to keep 'it' down, he happened to notice the second thing that he should've noticed earlier with his ears.

"Hey, you. You're finally awake."

"...what? Wait...where am I-!"

Jonah looked around in a panicked manner. According to his eyes that is assuredly not faking what he is seeing, the boy found himself on top of a moving wooden open carriage with about five boys around the ages thirteen to sixteen, with himself being the sixth.

Some wore tunics and leather armor that covered their vitals, others simply just wore brown leather shoulder-pads and gray wool pants, leaving their tanned, toned bare chest out to the world as though the sharp end of a sword or something wouldn't fit itself nicely into their chest.

What Jonah had eyed instead was what they all had in common-weapons.

Swords, shields, and spears-they all had at least one of each.

When the white-haired boy created a 'ruckus,' they all had looked at him with simply curiosity. Soon enough they turned their heads away and went back to their own business.

Jonah, not calm at all, looked down and found himself wearing an uncomfortable and unfamiliar pale tunic and brown pants. In his bare hands he found an unfamiliar wooden spear in his grasp.

Slowly putting it aside, he looked behind himself.

The sight made him gasp in wonder.

Open plains that stretch beyond the horizon where his eyes cannot see. If the sun was high in the sky, then he would most likely see a beautiful green plain. However, with the sun slowly setting below the horizon, the shadows that were casted across the plains were quite the sight to see.

The white-haired boy finally felt his heart starting to calm down as he felt the rumbling carriage beneath him rumbling and groaning.

Looking to his left, he saw a middle-age man wearing what all the people besides him were wearing-except better-holding on to the reins of a brown horse trotting on the grainy dirt path.

𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘱-𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘱.

𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘱-𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘱.

𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘱-𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘱.

Finally, after a moment of taking in the bare minimum of information, his eyes went back to the person who talked to him.

"Hahahaha, Jonah, you really did get a screw knocked out of ya," a brown-haired boy said. Sitting in front of him, with a childish face fitting his age, he smiled and chuckled as he slightly shifted the scabbard on his waist.

After getting comfortable, tugging the tunic, shrugging the shoulders and all that, he settled down and scratched the back of his head.

"That brick really did some wonders, you should've seen it! It flew outta nowhere as we were getting on the carriage, bonking you squarely on the noggin and neatly sending you to the white shores. As we were in a hurry, we didn't get professional help, so we simply bandaged your head and prayed to the Goddess. She must've listened, because somehow you're up and in almost tip top shape! This must be a sign that we have to get to the holy city in prime condition, for we have volunteered to be enlisted..."

As the person in front of him rattled on and on, the white-haired boy's eyes were unfocused. For in front his eyes was a floating blue transparent square that no one else seemed to notice.

A square that was unlike the status screen.

======================

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭: The End of an Era

𝘛𝘢𝘴𝘬: Bare witness

-A mysterious voice calls to you, pulling you here.

You have woken up in a place unknown to yourself. A place so far in the past, you cannot comprehend nor understand.

Away from your comfort, away from all that is familiar, and away from your most beloved sister.

Carefully tread your way through the beginning of the end of the Age of Magic, where the magic will be soon long forgotten in history. Carefully make your way through the world, and be watchful of those waiting in the shadows.

The cards are laid before you. Training your skills, learning magic, making friends-all at the whim of your choice.

Above all else, if you truly want to make it back, you must survive at all costs.

Saving the voice is but an option.

======================

Jonah's mouth hung open as he blankly stared at the magical phenomenon that was floating right in front of his face.

Not by the words, but by how it appeared.

'Is this...something like a status screen?'

'Wait,' he suddenly thought. "Didn't Anna mention something like this? Getting a quest during the 'trial?' Then...this is...'

The boy felt his hands trembling, his lips becoming noticeably dry.

'Am I...in the actual trial?'

Just like a rock, being the thought, tossed into a pond, multiple ripples of water spread outwards. Each ripple contained a thought, an answer, and so many questions that were simultaneously answered and not answered.

'Why am I not chained on a chair in a stone cold room with a puddle? Why did I not enter the trial earlier in the past month? Does each person differ in terms of the beginning of each trial? How do I get back to Chaya? Could I really trust the words in the quest.'

As countless thoughts scrambled in his head, he clenched his hands into fists, and his forehead began to sweat.

Despair filled his veins as he looked forward at the bleak future.

'I hate my life,' he thought.

...

No matter what anyone does, time always moves forward.

The sun set even further beneath the horizon, and the winds grew harsher and colder. The sky became increasingly darker and purple, creating a wonderful contrast between the dying orange color and twilight itself.

As it did, the turmoil and conflict in a certain boy's heart soon calmed down like the fading ripples of a pond after a certain amount of time.

Jonah looked with melancholy at an unreachable, distant horizon. A place where no one but him can see. A place that he wanted to see, but couldn't continue to see anymore because a hand continued waving in front of him.

The boy blinked and pushed the hand away. As though a stiff man had suddenly begun moving, his bones cracked, and he groaned as he began rubbing his eyes.

Was he finally losing it?

"...hey Jonah, did you really forget everything?" the boy said, concerned tinged in his voice. Sighing, his head fell into his hands. "Oh Goddess above...what am I going to do..."

"Your name," Jonah suddenly perked up and said. There was something on the back of his mind that told him he knew this boy. It was on the tip of his tongue, and yet he simply can't remember.

The other boy looked at him, bewilderment clear across his face.

"Wha...what do you-"

"What is your name?"

Underneath the darkening sky, the boy remained silent for a long time until a strange expression grew on his shadowed face. Leaning forward and pointing to himself, he raised his eyebrows.

"Don't you remember me? Your longtime friend and companion? It's me, Perc."

Jonah carefully looked at the boy who called himself "Perc."

For half a minute straight, he simply sat on the uncomfortable wooden bench, looking at the boy.

Then, after a while, he sighed. Inhaling the stench of sweat and feces in the air, he closed his eyes and rested against the much more uncomfortable backrest.

"Jonah? Jonah, you okay? Is your wound acting up again?"

No matter what, just like the voices he heard in that dark ocean, the voices in the background were muted. Soon enough, they simply faded away as the darkness once again embraced the white-haired boy.

'Perc, huh?' he thought, and he then smiled.

'I hate my life,'

At that moment, Jonah made himself fall asleep then and there.