Shattered Gate

He smiled lightly as the gate's 10 stars blinked once and went back to 0. 

'It's nice seeing this in person finally.' Daniel thought. Daniel looked in glee as the summoning gate went up to 1 star! He could jump for joy right now. He sincerely hoped it was a combat class. To his absolute surprise, the summoning gate went up to 2 stars. Daniel's mouth dropped but quickly curved back into a smirk. He finally had a stroke of luck. Daniel was momentarily distracted by the sound of a notification appearing.

[I hope you're happy]

Daniel swallowed as he read the message and watched with wide eyes as the gate went to 3 stars.

[I really want to see you happy]

Daniel narrowed his gaze as he felt that something was wrong. The summoning gate went to 4 stars.

[Because then, your pain will be that much sweeter]

**Crack!**

Daniel looked more intensely and took a step back, knowing for certain that something was wrong as the summoning gate's edge began to shatter and the gate went to 5 stars.

[Killing you would be too easy so I'd like to play a game]

**Boom!**

The summoning gate went to six stars but simultaneously shattered the outer ring. Daniel stared in horror as crimson claws and an unknown appendage emerged from the gate. The creature's claws wrapped around the gate's seventh star and broke it, preventing the gate from going higher in stars.

[I'll be the lord and you can be the maid.]

Daniel fell to his knees as an overwhelming pressure forced him to the ground. "N-no." Daniel immediately recognized the being destroying the gate as a pair of hate-filled emerald eyes stared back at him from the voidlike darkness of the summoning gate.

**Bam!**

The summoning gate broke apart instantly and became absorbed by the new summon. A sadistic smile painted the face of his summon and claws wrapped around Daniel's throat in an instant. As it did so, its pressure dissipated and it adjusted into its new tierless form. Ales looked completely different. Her eyes locked onto Daniel and her tail coiled around his legs slowly. The link of loyalty began to establish itself between the two of them and Ales's eye twitched in response. 

As the power gap between the two began to disappear, Ales released her grasp on Daniel's throat, but remained coiled and staring into his eyes. She looked ready to strike at any moment. Daniel coughed and struggled to breathe for a moment before he refocused his attention on the summoning gate that was no longer present. He should no longer be a lord yet there was no change to his war rune. Daniel tracked her gaze and whispered, "What are you?"

Ales's lip twitched. "Ask her."

Daniel's turned his head instantly when he heard the sound of a notification.

[-]

Ales uncoiled herself immediately and began to search over the horizon. Daniel stumbled to his feet and searched for the faint link of loyalty between them. "Where's the gate?"

Ales glared back at him, "I am your gate." Daniel stared in utter confusion before Ales spoke again, "You don't have any scrolls. Actually, you have nothing so don't waste my time with unnecessary questions."

Daniel knew this was inherently true. He had nothing in this world and especially not in the real one.

Ales looked back at him and coiled herself up to where she was taller than him in terms of height. It truly looked like a cobra's striking pose or a beastial intimidation technique. Ales glared down at him and spoke in a mystic voice littered with rage, "Don't even think about backstabbing me. You kill me and your precious gate dissolves, understand?" Daniel stared dumbfounded and quickly nodded.

Daniel took a moment to piece together the events of the origin expanse into some logical puzzle but it was quite hard to do given the circumstances. Inherently, he knew that he had just been giving an amazing opportunity, but it certainly didn't feel like it yet.