Drenched in the heavy metallic taste of blood, I wake, gasping, as if emerging from the depths of the ocean itself. Hesitant, I reach for the spear only to be welcomed by my bare, untouched skin.
Shock falls across my face to realise I was able to move and feel my hand. The one that I had lost.
Amidst the shock, I feel for my chest. It's not there anymore. I press my hand on my chest, feeling only the pumping of my heart. It's rhythmic beat pulsing beneath my hand, I am alive.
But how?
Am I dead? Is this the afterlife? What the hell is going on?
I pick myself up from the ground, shaken from the situation. I look down, the spot where I had lain was now drenched with my blood, now deep-seated into the ground itself.
Images of the betrayal flash in my head, Theo standing in front of me, the spear piercing through my chest. I stare at the weapon lying on the floor, still dressed in my blood. I guess it was real after all. Standing in the desolate battlefield now filled with nothing but corpses, I ponder the reality I am now in.
Without a warning, in front of me, floating text appears, similar to the ones I saw before blacking out.
>> Player No.13 <<
>> Name: Cain Thorne<<
>> Congratulations on your awakening. Welcome to the Game. May you be the last one standing. <<
Player No.13... What the hell is this?
There are other players?
What sort of game are we even playing that brings you back from the dead?
Vividly, I remember the conversation with the mysterious voice when I was near death.
I made a deal with the Devil.
Seeing myself alive after being left to rot by my dearest friend and leader, Theo Rowan. The man who is supposed to be the rising hero decided to kill me. Without an explanation, without a reason, an unexplained death. I had given up my arm to save him, if needed, my life. What a joke.
Anger fuels inside me, relighting the fire for my need for revenge, ever fiercer. The Devil promised me revenge.
" Devil, where are you?" I roar out as my voice echoes in the abandoned battlefield. "You said you will help me get revenge... How?"
The floating characters change.
>> Player: Cain Thorne <<
>> Title: Devil's Awakened <<
>> Level: 1 <<
>> Stats: <<
>> Strength: 21, Agility: 17, Intelligence: 20, Luck: 3, Magic: 9(+25) <<
>> Skills: Locked <<
I look at the characters in confusion.
Stats? These are mine?
I look at the magic. Confused as a sword bearer who does not practice magic on why it's so high.
(+25)? What is this? Something is allowing me to have more magic than I have? A totem or a relic?
Unknowingly, I hover my hand over the numbers.
>> Devil's Awakened: This title provides you with +25 magic points. You belong to the Devil, and as his loyal follower, he has awarded you with a blessing. <<
So it was the Devil's doing... I guess this pact is real.
My eyes glance towards my luck stats as I laugh in irony, uncontrollable, hands clutching my stomach from the pain. My luck points were only 3 before I would say something is wrong, but after the betrayal I had been put through, I can only accept this truth. I was only used, then thrown away once my usefulness had been played out.
Looking at the stat screen again, I see more text at the bottom. It has 3 buttons.
>> [Inventory] [Shop] [Quests] <<
The shop has a lock symbol on it, allowing me to presume I am not allowed to access it yet. Curious, I hover my fingers on the inventory, on doing so, a large box appears in front of me with stacks of empty squares, but at the top, two items are inside. One is a black egg, I hovered over it.
>> Egg of Morbus: It has not been hatched yet. Something dark grows inside. <<
Not much information has been given, but this has now become the norm. I look at the next item, A chest.
>> Welcome Chest: Congratulations pack for awakening as a new player. May you be the last one standing. <<
>> [Open] <<
Again, the same phrase is being repeated. May you be the last one standing. What does this mean? Am I supposed to kill other players? Who are the other players?
The ominous words echo through my head.
I open the chest.
>> Items obtained: 1x Greater Healing Potion(D), 1x Greater Mana Potion(D), 100 Coins, 1x Grimoire Ater <<
I look at the items that I received, eyes wide in disbelief.
A greater potion? These things are expensive to buy as their ingredients are hard to come by, one of them being holy water, but what does this D indicate?
I hover over it, and to my surprise, I am able to draw out the item into my hand. A notice pops up.
>> Greater Healing Potion(D): It will heal all minor and most major wounds, but has limitations. (Demonic Aspect) <<
A Demonic potion? How can a greater potion that needs holy water be Demonic?
Curious, I study the bottle and the liquid is darker in colour than the ones I have seen before, but other than that, I do not see any other clear difference. I insert the bottle back into my inventory, as I can look into it later. As long as it works, it doesn't matter; it can be lifesaving.
Fascinated to see that this mysterious system is providing money too, I look at the last item. Grimoire Ater. A dark Grimoire, I take it out and inspect it. The book is covered with beautiful metallic details and is covered in black leather, hardback. In the middle, a dull stone. I attempt to open the book, but it won't budge. I suspect this is why I was given additional magic points to use this Grimorie, but it won't open. I put it away, still curious about its contents.
Lastly, I hover over the last button. Anticipating what new information I will learn, a screen pops up.
>> Quests<<
>> Easy: Rank up to level 5, Rewards: Level 5 reward chest <<
I grin, more chest.
Another reward chest! This means I can more greater potions?
Excited by the idea that I am able to gain more precious items and materials through quests, I rejoice. The more advantages I gain, the easier it will be for me to get my revenge.
As I come to accept the newfound abilities I have been bestowed, I place my hands on my face, covering it as I take a deep breath and let go.
I look at the surroundings, the corpses piled up high, all the warriors who bled and died for the sake of the kingdom. The soldiers who stood by the side of the hero, 'Theo Rowan', in the end all ended up dead after being used by him.
I pick up the spear, the evidence of his betrayal and walk away from the rotting plain.