The Void

Floating… or falling. At this point, Riven couldn't really tell if he was doing both, or neither.

All that he knew was that it was comfortable and quiet.

How long had he been here in this overwhelming darkness? Days? Months? Years? It seemed as if the void around him had no beginning or end, just an endless abyss.

"Atleast here in the darkness I'm away from those who hurt me." Riven thought to himself.

The thoughts and memories in his head of that fateful night first filled him with sadness and betrayal, but as time moved on those thoughts turned to anger and fury.

He began to remember times when he was the one who had to sacrifice things he wanted for the sake of the family. Like one time when he was growing up, he had saved all of his pocket money up so he could go to a summer camp with his friends, but in the end his sister needed money to keep her piano lessons going so he was forced into putting his money towards it.

But of course he was told it was because he was such a kind a caring big brother and that if he didn't do it he would be selfish and ungrateful.

Now that he thought about it, he can't remember a time when he had ever bought something for himself. The books he loved to read were always borrowed from the library, all of his clothes were hand me downs from his father. Even at birthdays and christmases he was always given gifts relating to the bakery like a new mixer, or new work shoes.

He also remembered his 10th birthday when he had asked all year round for a bike so he could play out with his friends but instead he was gifted a colouring book. His parents explained to him that they were really struggling this year and that they couldn't afford to get him a bike. Riven understood that and never once blamed his parents for not being able to afford things for him, but it was the fact that that year at Christmas, they had bought his sister a brand new bike.

"She's younger than you and is a lot weaker. She needs a bike so she can excersize. You understand, right?"

"Your sister never complains when we give you presents, does she? You're acting selfish again."

But that wasn't even the worst time.

Another time was when he was planning to go onto college to study graphics design - he even received a full scholarship for it. But because his sister wanted to go to a medical college, he was expected to stay at home and help at the bakery.

"Your sister is going to become a doctor and start bringing money into this family - you won't earn money learning how to draw!" His father would tell him.

"We've made so many sacrifices for you - why can't you do this for us?" His mother would say.

All of those times when he gave up what he wanted to do or buy just because his family would tell him to. At the time he would think that it was him who made the choice to do these things - that it was because he loved his family and that it was what he needed to do. But now when he looked back, he realised how they manipulated him and used his love for them against him.

He gave them his everything and they threw him away.

If he could go back and do it all again he wouldnt care about family or friends, he would just focus on himself. He would do whatever he wanted, buy whatever he wanted - he would live for himself and no one else. He wouldn't suffer again… he would never trust again.

The darkness began to tremble around him as he recalled his hurtful past. It reached out to him like some monstrous claw, running across him skin and seemed to seep into his body, feeding his intense emotions.

He realised that he wasn't sad anymore. He was pissed.

Actually, he was beyond pissed. The rage he felt was so primal and raw that it ravaged through his body like a wild beast.

He wanted revenge. He wanted to be selfish and do whatever the hell he wanted to. He wanted another chance at life and this time actually live it to its fullest!

If only he had another chance…

Suddenly, a flicker of light in the void.

All conditions met…

System Awakening…

Welcome Player Riven.

Riven blinked and squinted against the flickering digital lights of the floating screen in front of him.

Congratulations! You have absorbed some mana! 

Mana type: Dark (1%)

Congratulations! You have absorbed your first mana!

Awakening mana heart…

Riven flinched against the onslaught of digital screens that kept popping up in front of him. He tried to raise a hand to swipe at the screen but he froze when he noticed that his limb had now turned grey and translucent.

Error. Mana Heart Awakening failed. Trying again…

A sudden red light filling his vision snapped him out of his shock. What the hell was this screen doing? It reminded him of the time he was allowed to go to a friends house and he was able to play digital games for the first time. The notification screen he was looking at right now reminded him of the ones he saw then.

Error. Mana Heart Awakening failed. Trying again…

A small digital alarm began to ring with the various red alerts that kept popping up and Riven began to panic again. He looked around him, trying to remember where he was and what was happening again.

Oh… that's right.

He was dead.

Error. Mana Heart Awakening failed. Trying again…

The memories of what happened in the bakery came flooding back to him, making his floating, translucent body begin tremble. Rage and fury began to build inside of him again, so pure and powerful that the digital screen in front of him began to flicker.

The darkness around continued to slide across his skin, caressing and flooding his senses and it began to gather in front of his chest.

Congratulations! You have absorbed some mana!

Mana Type: Dark (2%)

Awakening Mana Heart…

Error. Error. Mana Heart Awakening failed. Trying again…

Riven seethed, revelling in the fury that filled his body, seeming as if it was the very blood pumping through his spectral body. He opened his mouth and yelled into the darkness, letting out every emotion he had had growing up until now.

Congratulations! You have absorbed some mana!

Mana Type: Dark (9%)

Error. Error. Mana Heart Awakening failed.

Trying again…

As Riven began absorbing the darkness around him, the flurry of red warning screens kept filling up the space in front of him.

The Dark mana was becoming one with the fury inside of him, filling him to the point where he thought he might explode. But he didn't care.

ERROR. ERROR. ERROR.

Mana overload without a mana heart. System failed. System failed. System failed.

The digital screens in front of him began to crack and tremble, spilling bright red light across whatever void he was currently floating in.

As his spectral body began to tear and fade into the darkness around him, he began to lose consciousness. His vision blurred and he revelled in the way it felt to be taken by such pure darkness.

Suddenly, the torrent of screens disappeared, leaving one single bright blue screen in front of him.

Riven tried to focus against the dark mana flooding around him, barely making out the letters on the screen.

System administrator override. The administrator admires your perseverance. Rewarding…

Congratulations! You have received a gift from the administrator!

Reward: Abyss Mana Heart. Rank: ???

Just as Riven was about to be completely absorbed into the darkness, a sudden stabbing pain radiated from his chest. He screamed as he felt flesh tearing and bones breaking.

As the pain began to subside, a sudden heat began to build… and build… and build until it felt as if someone had poured molten lava into the cavity in his chest.

Then it began.

The darkness that had been absorbing him into the void stopped and began to move backwards. It began to be sucked into his chest at an alarming rate, swirling in a small tornado shape in front of him, feeding the heat inside him until it was unbearable.

Congratulations! You are now absorbing mana into your mana heart!

Mana Type: Dark (20%)

Mana Heart: Abyss Mana Heart. (+0 circles)

Congratulations! You are now…

The torrent of blue screens began to fill the background behind the dark tornado that was funnelling into his chest and Riven began to lose consciousness again. Exhausted, overwhelmed and tired. 

So, so tired.

He closed his eyes and gave himself into whatever was happening.

He could have sworn as he drifted out of consciousness, a dark rumble of a laughter echoed through the void around him.