Evolved.

Amanise woke up with a gasp.

Breathing heavily, feeling scared. The scenes of what she experienced before she died replaying like a broken record in her mind.

'Curse that Monster! How could she kill me?! I swear if I see her I will put a fucking bullet in her skull! The last thing she will see is me laughing at her as she crumbles off in flames'

Amanise raged in her thoughts, only for her words to echo right back at her.

Surprised, she looked around her surroundings.

She was sitting down in a white space.

There was nothing here, neither a beginning nor end.

Finding out she was the only thing in existence here, unsettled her. Amanise moved her legs to stand up, groggily.

I have my legs again!

The elation of gaining back her legs was short lived. Confusion gradually etched in her face, instantly replaced with a disgruntled, miserable expression. Letting out a scream, her head belted backwards with a pain of being clubbed multiple of times in the same position. The torture and ringing in her head was piercing, echoing back at her in mockery. Her body spasmed violently, staggering to regain her balance, her vision equally darkened, blurry.

'Am I really dead? Is this the Afterlife?'

Her thoughts echoed back, the throbbing added to the tumult of mind-shattering chaos in her head.

She crouched, shrieking. Shrilly notes escaping her progressively hoarse throat.

Then it stopped.

There was a subtle change in the air, like reality bent over and cracked open.

When she lifted her head up. Ignoring the loud ringing in her ears.

She saw Her.

A faceless white mask possessing arrow like eyes of an abyss. She was staring down at Amanise from the space. Behind her were constellations of stars and far galaxies like a halo on her head. The moonlight streaming down her outwardly being.

They both engaged in a staring contest. Amanise was losing badly. Because her instincts warned her not to stare into those eyes. She was afraid if she did she would die without knowing how, so she stared at the hood veiling her.

The goddess lifted a pale, blood stained hand towards her. Pointing a finger to her.

Amanise's eyes darted towards the bloody finger. Wary she raised her hand. Connecting her finger with Her. When Amanise looked up. She saw the goddess' mask crack.

A mirrored apparition of her.

Before Amanise could understand what was happening, the reflection shattered into a thousand pieces. From the stars and galaxies above her like a halo to the tip of her bloody, pale finger.

A mechanical voice echoed in her head transitioning into something more smooth and sinister

[You have slained your first monster!]

[You have slained a NightStalker Rank 6: Avatar of Serar.]

[You have achieved the impossible!]

[You have reached the requirements to access the System!]

[Do you wish to evolve? Yes or no.]

Messages flooded her eyes, feeling disoriented. Amanise nodded to the question.

It started a little bit subtle before blooming similar to a flower in her chest. She felt something waking up inside of her. A whimper escaped her lips trying to process what was happening. The feeling wasn't painful as earlier. Neither was it unpleasant yet it was like nothing she had ever experienced. She felt as though her soul trembled, infusing with a strange new energy. However the energy was coming from within. Intuitively, Amanise felt it was always there, sleeping. The energy filled every fiber of her being. She sensed her emotions becoming clearer and sharper. Her body began to change too.

There in the center of her chest where she first felt it bloom, was a core burning as a star. Waves of heat radiating from it, slowly circulating her whole body. Under that heat her bones, muscles, organs and blood vessels were destroyed and rebuilt. Her skin shone clearer. Her body felt stronger, faster and healthier.

Amanise felt reborn.

[Evolution ended.]

[The First Seal has been broken.]

[You are one step closer to Desire.]

[Would you like to access your overall information?]

'Yes.'

[Name: Amanise Grimshaw.

True Name: Harbinger of Ruin.

Rank: Seeker of Whispers (Nine)

Monster Core: [1/7]

Soul Fragments:[200/1000]

'What she has Monster Core? Was she a Monster herself?' Repulsion rose from her skin. She felt disgusted with herself.

Nevertheless, she still kept on reading the dark, floating runes infront of her.

[Attributes: [Cursed] [Sign of Divinity] [Spawn of Desire] [Scale of Truth] [***]

Ability: [Judgement Scale][Distortion][Mirror of Desire][Alter Ego][Manipulation] [Ember Sight]

Skills: [Soul Forging] [Marionette Command] [Void Language]

Soul Bonds:[2]

Amanise skipped the description mentally reminding herself to go through it again, later. When she thought the System was finally done. A sinister voice whispered in her ears, almost soothing.

[With great power comes a price.]

[You have received a Quirk.]

[Quirk: With every power you receive you lose something in return.]

"What?! No way! Take that back right now! I don't want it!"

Amanise screamed. In response the white space began to crumble around her.

"Hey stop! Take that back now!!"

Amanise screamed as she fell into the black void.

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

"Lady Grimshaw, please wake up. Your presence has been requested."

Amanise yawned, slowly waking up to a pleading voice. Her lashes fluttered open to see a young woman dressed in a simple, neat long modest gray gown belted at the waist an apron over it and a matching gray headscarf covering her brown mane.

A maid?

For a moment, she thought she saw the maid flinch from looking at her.

'Where am I ?' Amanise thought.

"Who are you?"

The maid's narrow face lit up in a demure smile, beads of perspiration pooling on her forehead.

"My name is Madeline, My Lady."

"Where am I?"

"Duchy of Bloodthorn."

'What is a Duchy?' Amanise thought.

Soren's memories flooded in as if waiting for that question. Understanding flickered those scarlet depths. Her eyes observed the maid.

'Something feels off'

[Would you like to use Ember Sight?]

Amanise's blood ran cold. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She stood up abruptly, frightening the maid to a quivering mess. Ignoring her, she looked around her gaze spotted a large mirror on the wall. She crossed the room towards it. Looking at her reflection.

Her vermilion eyes were more redder. They were in the planes of crimson now. They could easily pass as rubies, those costly jewels because of the inherent glow in them. Her skin was also much paler.

If she didn't breathe for a moment and stood still, she'd look like a porcelain doll, an upgrade from a voodoo one.

Her hair was longer, the curls untamed. From a distance it could pass as living black snakes.

Raising her hand to touch her face her eyes caught a black ink on her wrist. It seemed like a tattoo.

When did I get a tattoo!

Mom will kill me if she ever got to know.

She tentatively felt the lines of the tattoo. It was a dark, crescent moon and a shadowy figure embracing beneath it.

For some reason her heart was filled with longing and comfort. She felt something closing up in the empty confines of her heart.

"My Lady, your presence is still needed."

Amanise turned to look at the maid who was looking downwards.

"Who is the Duke of this Duchy?"

"Me."

A neutral response came from behind her. Startled, her body twirled, sliding backwards. Her clenched hands up in an offensive stance. Taken aback that she couldn't sense whoever was behind her.

Her eyes widened when she saw him in all glory.

"Relax Grimshaw. If I wanted you dead. You will be. No excuses."

Amanise snarled in response.

"It's definitely not a pleasure to see you, again. Hamlin."