Chapter 1

The full moon shines brightly, blessing a warm light to the earth and the stars twinkling decorating the night. The darkness did not fully dominate the night but instead, a faint bluish line overlapped it, creating a mystical view. On a perfect night, the people prayed for a bright future awaiting them. Faith and dedication is their source of strength, humans live a life being protected by the higher being.

"My child, I’m sorry for leaving you earlier." Deep sadness painted her eyes as tears flowed as she said in a somewhat hoarse voice.

"Beira, hurry up! We don't have any time. They are destroying each continent!" The woman looked at her friend, Beira, who's holding a baby and said, “We will meet with them again in the future."

"I know. Let's go, Gaia."

Beira and her friend left the room after gazing at the baby who was on a large rune for a moment. At the moment, the baby can only feel the fleeting warm embrace from her mother and hear a loud explosion before its eyes close by itself.

"That dream again," Olivia muttered as her clock rang, signalling that it’s time for her to wake up. She got ready for school and went downstairs to make breakfast. Suddenly, a meek voice called her out. “Olivia, thank you as usual.”

It’s her mom, eyes still sleepy and yawning softly. “Where’s dad?” Olivia asked.

“He came home late last night. Let him sleep some more. It’s his day off after all.” Olivia nodded and sat down in front of her mom. They ate in silence as birds chirping could be occasionally heard. As much as Olivia could remember, she always loved this peaceful moment and never once did she wish to get out of it.

Clocks are ticking, it’s time for her to go to school. “Mom, I have to go. Take care.”

“You too, honey. Your father and I will be waiting. He said he wants to spend time with you a lot today.”

Olivia smiles a little, “Yes, I’ll be back soon.”

Click! The door closed as Olivia went out.

Olivia breathes in the fresh air as she walks to her school. She put on her earphones, turning on slow-paced music. The walk took a few minutes before she arrived and saw her two friends waiting for her at the school gate. One of them waved her hand, “Olivia, good morning!” Thea, with sun-kissed skin and pale blond hair, greeted Olivia in joy. The other person, Amaya, with jet black hair and ivory skin, nodded calmly, “Good morning, Olivia.” In return, Olivia nodded at them. Used to the quiet demeanour of Olivia, they shrugged as Thea started a conversation while entering the school. “I heard that Miran won first place?”

“Yes, he did. Our school is making a fuss over it. Looks like they really are proud of Miran’s achievement.” Amaya replied. She then glanced at the quiet Olivia before speaking again. “I heard Michael broke his ties with his family?”

Three of them stopped on their tracks to class. Both Amaya and Lily are now looking at Olivia. “..When?” Olivia asked, her voice carrying deep coolness in it. Thea snickered, “Don’t know, probably last weekend? He really had the gall to do that. Well, I don’t care. He has his own company that he built to deal with the aftermath. Besides...even if he can’t, someone will take responsibility.” Amaya chuckled at Thea’s knowing tone. Olivia’s gaze darkened as she picked up her pace and left her friends who’s snickering.

A second later, Olivia suddenly felt intense pain. Her head throbbed as if someone was crushing and grinding her skull with a club. Her body sweats as her joints and bones are cracking in half. The closed eyes opened and saw nothing.

Empty space without any lights.

Olivia couldn’t care less when the pain suddenly got stronger until she collapsed. It’s mud..? Olivia could feel that she fell on a sticky and slimy substance similar to mud. She tried to discern what it was when something pulled her harshly and once again fell face on the substances. “Huh? Is it this deep before..?” The sticky substances are deeper than before, almost knee-high.

Olivia felt a sense of crisis. She struggled to get up only to fall down again.

The sticky substances are somehow pulling her in and she could feel it’s becoming deeper enough to drown her in. ‘..I can’t move?’

Olivia really wishes this is just a dream and she will wake up soon. The stickiness is enough to make her vomit and the somehow ice-cold temperature is freezing her nerves. Probably why she can’t really move.

Being in denial and wishing it was nothing but a dream, Olivia waits patiently for the substance to drown her in. Usually, you will wake up when you’re dying... Right?

The moment after she drowned, Olivia suddenly smell the humidity of earth, noises you could usually hear in a forest and the feeling of grass in her hands. Just as she opened her eyes and saw the greenery forest, her body was thrown across by sharp claws and hammered onto a thick tree.

Cracks!

Her back fractures as blood fill up her mouth like a sharp pain on the abdomen indicates the heavy injuries she’s having now. Every breath she takes causes her pain and her body are rapidly cooling down.

Dimly from afar, she could see the blurry figure of a big animal similar to a bear. Its eyes glow red and the mouth opens wanting to swallow her in.

Olivia is a sheltered human. Panic eroded her and she can’t think of anything. Her whole body’s shaken from the impact and she can’t get up. The looming presence of the animal is slowly drowning her with heavy grief.

She felt how weak and powerless she is now as she can only tremble in front of death. The word ‘help’ stuck in her throat as tears flowed on her face.

The animal growled loudly and launched itself onto Olivia, the claws thick in a purple substance, probably a poison.

A person’s face flashed in her eyes at that moment, “...Michael.”