Chapter 0

It was a cloudy night. The full moon fought to shine down on the open field. A soft breeze blew through the field, sending the tall yellow grass into a dance. The only sound was the leaves of the surrounding trees rustling. Not a creature stirred not even the grasshoppers. The human army lining one side the field didn't stir. Each man was tensed up gripping their weapons tightly. The 'monster' on the other side held their weapon with trembling hands. The fear was palpable in the air. This wasn't what they wanted. The humans had decided to take over the world and exterminate the monsters. The monsters wanted peace, but they were different, so they had to go.

The leader of the human army, their King, stood stoic facing his opponent. The 'monster', with raven hair that glinted red in the moonlight and eyes burning with a fiery red power, stood for the monsters. Their soft features grew an edge to them over the long five years they had fought for their friends. Their eyes were shadowed by dark circles, they were tired. They had fought tooth and nail for peace... equality. They loved people on both sides, but the humans were wrong.

There were a few humans who disagreed with the war and wanted peace as badly as them... at least in the beginning. The humans weeded those out though, cursing them as 'monster lovers'. They gathered the dissenters, burning them alive, literally dragging them through the streets, bound hand and foot to horses until their broken bodies died. These were public spectacles, warnings to others. That is the humanity the 'monster' loathed. That is the hatred they fought against.

It seemed love was a commodity that was out of stock. So, the 'monster' fought, long and hard, praying to inspire love in the humans. They weren't physical battles at first. They debated and gave speeches and pleaded and begged for years... YEARS! It was for naught, humanities hatred was stronger than their love. So humanity declared war on the monsters. It was a slaughter, there was no war. The monsters refused to fight. They tried to run, to hide. The humans laughed at this, they made jokes, songs, wrote plays. All of them laughing at the 'cowardice' of the monsters. The humans began their hunts. They set out bounties. Bring us proof of your kills, they said, and we will pay you. There wasn't a single human casualty, but they KEPT KILLING.

So, they started killing. The humans acted with hate, mindlessly massacring innocents, so, the 'monster' became the hate of the monsters. They became the hunter of the hunters. They began to round up the monsters leading them to a haven that they had discovered in the mountains. Any time a hunter got close, they would end them. At first... No one was the wiser, monster or human. No one knew what they did. Then, the humans began to get suspicious. Their people were disappearing without a trace. It seemed that the monsters had finally grew a backbone. The humans set their armies on the hunt once more. They tried to harry them. Slaughtering as many as they could, with traps and poison. They began to realize though that wasn't good enough, the 'monster' couldn't carry on alone. There were just too many of them.

They revealed theimself to the monsters. They revealed the truth of their actions and begged for the monsters help in saving them from the human menace. The monsters shamed them. They were angry at them. Fighting back, they said, made them no better than the hatred the humans held. What did they expect them to do? Let the monsters be slaughtered to extinction? That was what was going to happen. They refused to see that at first. Finally, though, they convinced them of the truth. HUMANITIES HATRED WOULD NEVER STOP. They thought the monsters would help them fight, that together, they could finally end the human menace. The monsters had different ideas.

Instead of fighting, they said. We shall hide ourselves from this world. We shall seal ourselves away and live apart from humanity. It will be as if we never existed. So, they came up with a plan. They told the 'monster' the plan. They loathed it. Yet, they saw the necessity of it. So, they would be the one to execute it.

***Determination***

The clouds cleared allowing the moon's full light to shine on the field. The humans' King face twisted from a look of hate to one of shock. The was a collective gasp from the human army.

"Ch... Chara!?" the King exclaimed at the sight the moon light revealed.

"That is right 'father.'" Chara, the 'monster' spat. The word left a sour taste in her mouth.

The human army exploded into a flurry of voices.

"It's... princess Chara."

"... knew ...filthy monster lover..."

"... betrayal..."

"...why..."

The King fell to his knees with tears streaming down his aged cheeks.

"How could you do this Chara? Turn against your own kind? How could you turn against me? What about your family? What about the people who love you?" The King pleaded.

Chara's eyes seemed to burn brighter.

***Determination***

"What do you know of love?! You, who are so consumed of hatred that you know nothing else! You who lead mindless slaughters, seeking for the annihilation of an entire race! For what reason do you do this other than hatred?! Is it because they look different? Is it because they love so strongly that you hate them? Do you hate those who don't know hate because they don't know hate? Is it for the mere fact that they refuse to fight back that you slaughter them? What is the reason for your persecution, if not for the simplicity of your hate?"

"If it were greed, the slaughter is needless. They would gladly give up everything they own. That is a well known fact. No, it isn't greed. Is it because you are scared of them? Is it that they are so much more powerful than humans that you kill them? It can't be that, because to hurt others is against their nature. Fear of them is irrational and unsupported. There is no need for the slaughter. Perhaps then, you kill them because they are different? Simply because they aren't greedy, or cruel, or full of hatred. Maybe because they are physically different than us?"

"Maybe you persecute them because you do hate them for owning things and you want those things. Maybe you persecute them because you do hate them for being powerful, regardless of what they will do with that power. Maybe you actually persecute them because you do hate them for simply being different. There is no reason to hate them. They have done nothing to earn hatred. You can only hate them for things that are beyond their control and that is why I am against you. Your hearts know only hatred for what is inherently good and therefore, I denounce myself of this world. My family is with the 'monsters', as you call them. To me they possess true Humanity. To me... YOU ARE THE MONSTERS! So we will leave this world and live on our own, in peace. Humanity and monsters cannot exist together because you monsters will always hate our Humanity."

***Determination***

"I was, at the beginning, like you monsters. I slaughtered those of you who would try to hurt those who possess Humanity. I became a monster like you. I hated you for what you did and are still trying to do. I still do. So I must atone. I cannot live with those who possess Humanity, because I am not worthy of them. So I shall instead sacrifice myself to protect them. This is my Redemption and their Salvation."

***Determination***

Chara lifted her blade. Her body began to glow with a faint red outline. A bright red heart began to glow over the center of her of her chest. The heart flew out in front of her.

***Determination***

Chara plunged her blade into the heart. A blinding flash filled the scene. The human army covered their eyes with a cry. The King lunged forward.

"CHARA!"

The light faded and Chara was on her knees. The light pulsating weakly. The King reached her and took her into his arms.

"Chara... what have you done?" he begged, his tears falling onto Chara's cheeks.

The glow around Chara was fading.

"I... It is... done... The Barrier... is in place... The monsters... are safe."

Chara gave her last breath as the glow disappeared.

The knife fell from her hands.

The King gave a loud scream of agony. His only child... dead... because of his actions, humanities actions. What had he done?

-Somewhere-

***Determination***

... BUT IT REFUSED...

A/N: How's that for a first chapter? I haven't been actually written since my unfinished story back... some four years ago, maybe? Either way, tell me what you guys think... if you think anything. Thanks a skele-TON for reading.

Edit: Thanks Bobston. Spell checker is a liar. Fixed some grammar