Chapter 01: A Different World
Xxx
It was supposed to be a normal day for him, walking through the streets of Akihabara. Having repaired his laptop, Saito was eager to get back home and reconnect with life on the internet. That is, until he comes across something odd.
"What," Saito pauses, staring at the strange green ellipse floating right in front of him, "is that?"
Furthermore, the people around him aren't noticing it at all. It's like they can't see it.
Common sense dictates that Saito should have leave it be and walk away but he was curious. He had always been, of everything and anything under the sun and given how monotonous his life has been in years, Saito decided to take a chance.
Moving towards it, he poked his finger at the ellipse.
"Ehh-" The moment his hand had touched the eclipse, a gap as wide as a mouth had opened and swallowed the entirety of his hand. The laptop was dropped in his surprise.
"Wha-wait! Someone help-"
Before he could do anything else the ellipse flared, and he was violently wrenched in, the ellipse then sealed itself behind him.
On that day, Hiraga Saito disappeared from earth.
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(Saito POV)
The first thing I noticed after getting swallowed is that the inside of the ellipse is some kind of void. The second thing is that my body is now bathed in a strange light. Then I began to hear it.
"My servant that exists somewhere in this universe!" A voice booms from the vicinity of my head. Looking up, it showed no sign of the speaker but instead I saw that I was heading towards a bright light.
"My divine, beautiful, and powerful familiar!" The same voice boomed again. This time, the voice was louder. The shine around my body begin to glow brighter the closer I get and then-
*Whoom*
"ARGHHHH!"
Something blitz pass me so quickly that it subsequently injures my sides. Like pool balls, I was veered off course.
"I wish and assert from the bottom of my heart..."
Taking a quick glance, I could make out what appeared to be another humanoid figure ahead of me. The person - I hope it is a human and not a humanoid alien - was surrounded with the same strange light that I am sporting. As it continues and disappeared into the distance where the light shines the brightest.
"Answer my guidance!" The voice commanded as an explosive reaction take place instantaneously.
*BOOOOOOMMM*
"Gahhh!"
The force from the explosion blasted me away with such an incredible speed that I can feel my skin burning from the friction. My head is still echoing the sounds from the explosion, notice the mysterious light surrounding my body begin to fade and with it, my consciousness as well.
'So this is how I die, eh?" I thought, darkness is quickly overtaking me. I mumble my apologies, "Sorry mum, sorry dad."
After that, there was nothing. The mysterious force stills, and I was left drifting in the void.
"..."
"..."
XXxxx
[? – Night]
In another world, rain is pouring heavily on the town as strong winds howl into the night.
On a nearby hill just outskirt of the town sat a small atelier and within it, a young lass with short auburn hair could be seen reading a book on her bed.
"Hwa, it's too bad that it's raining today," She sighed as she looked out her window. "And I was so looking forward to gathering materials today."
"Yes, that is unfortunate," A flying book approached her, stopping beside where the lass is on her bed, "But you can reschedule it to tomorrow if the weath-!?"
"...?" The girl tilted her head when the book suddenly paused. She turned away from the book to look at her guide. "Plachta what's wrong?"
"I don't know, Sophie," The book admitted, "I'm sensing something unusual in this weather."
Curious, Sophie prods, "Unusual?"
*CRACKKKK*
"Hya!" Sophie jolts from the sudden thunder breaking the dull drumming of droplets on windowsills. Soon lightning was flashing and striking the ground. Getting up from her bed, she rushed to the windows to see what's going on. Despite not knowing what is happening, whatever Sophie saw had made her worried. The strange weather was converging at where her grandmother's grave is.
Biting her lips, Sophie whispered fearfully, "Grandma..."
Another flash of lightning striking near the grave and Sophie's eyes lit up determinedly. Quickly grabbing both her coat and staff, she was rushing to head out-
"Sophie, where are you going!" Plactha voiced out, panic blatant.
"I'm going check it out." Sophie answered, pausing to pull the knob open.
Plactha's pages were ruffled in her worry as she reminds Sophie to be careful. And with that, she heads out.
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[Nearby Forest – Night]
(Sophie POV)
When I neared the area I could definitely feel the anomaly in the air. Dirt and rocks are levitating in the air. Raindrops fall sluggishly as if time itself has slowed. And I can see a strange distortion in the air surrounding this place.
'I gotta be careful not to touch it,' I thought, as I transverse my way up the hill, 'Who knows what'll happen if I do.'
Soon enough, I had finally reached the place. It's a small clearing above the hill where grandma was buried.
"Whew, it looks to be fine," I breathed in relief, seeing the smooth marble untouched. "But..."
The words trail off my lips into silence. Looking up at the skies, my uneasiness grows as I spot the energy gathering above the area before it begins to compress upon itself.
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[Void? – ?]
(Saito POV)
When I awoke, I noticed that I'm still in the void. I'm... Still alive? I don't really know but my body hurts.
"How long have I been here," I said to myself. However, my query soon starts to become negligible as I notice a light forming nearby, the very same kind that exploded earlier. But somehow, it feels different. More smoothing.
Before I know it, my hand was reaching towards it.
*Shine*
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[Nearby Forest – Night]
(Sophie POV)
*Booooom*
"Hyaaa!?" I screamed, as I was knocked back from the explosion. Dirt and debris pelted my body. Throwing a quick glimpse at my bare knees showed no signs of injuries save for my soiled clothing. The anomalies slowly begin to disappear as it continued to rain heavily, unaffected by the ongoing prior.
"Ehh..." Getting up carefully, I noticed a large crater in front of me, its epicentre heavily covered in smoke from the explosion, making it hard to make out whatever is there.
Holding my staff close to my being, I slowly approached it. Soon the smoke starts to dissipate with help from the rain.
"A guy?" I asked, surprised at what I saw. I moved closer. From what I could tell, he has black hair and is wearing a blue hoodie.
When I'm near enough, I probed him with my staff. There's a slow rise and fall of his chest so he's alive, good. Then the stranger began to stir.
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(Saito POV)
Rain was the first thing I felt as I come to. I tried to move my body, but it wasn't responding. Everything felt like it weighs a ton.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a girl standing before me. I can't make out what's she is saying but...
'She's cute,' I thought before I succumbed back to darkness.
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[Atelier – Night]
"Plachta, I'm back," I voiced out when I opened the door. Warm heat washes over me as if to welcome me back home. But it does little to my now drenched clothes.
"Sophie, are you unhurt?" The book fluttered over, the pages of her books flapping agitatedly "I saw a beam of lightning striking down at your immediate vicinity."
"Yeah I'm alright," I said, removing my wet coat. I walked towards the drawer and brought out some towels.
"Who's that?" Plachta asked. Lying against the wall was the mysterious guy that I found, still unconscious.
"Urm…," Pressing my fingers together hesitantly, I mumbled, "I found him,"
"Elaborate."
Xxxx
