-Midgard, Cathedral City, Year 995-
Cathedral City was in chaos, on what should have been another day for its inhabitants, turned out to be a nightmare, everything seemed to be going as it should, the criminals known as Alan and Rose were captured, the revolt of the noble families was crushed, but suddenly the Institute of Magic went into a state of emergency.
One of his prisoners escaped along with two new specimens that were being studied, seeing that the soldiers would not be able to contain the fugitives, the institute's head mage used weapon Number 16, even then it was not enough, the head mage was killed and Number 16 destroyed.
What followed afterwards could only be discovered from the accounts of the few survivors of the disaster.
A being named as "Angel" came out of the ruins of the Institute and killed all the guards in his path, this "Angel" was accompanied by two magical books that were being studied at the institute.
Amidst the heavy rain that day, the "Angel" approached the execution platform where the criminal known as Rose awaited her end.
From here the reports get harder to believe, the "Angel" stopped in front of the criminal and raised his axe, probably to execute her, but at the last second the angel was interrupted by an explosion that originated in front of him, the survivors reported that the cloud from the explosion formed the shape of a giant flower that pierced the heavens.
A huge crater formed in the place where the "Angel" and the criminal were, due to the size of the explosion, the two were presumed dead.
-XXXXXX-
What happened? Why everything is so dark? And why does my body hurt so much? What is this noise? Rain? I need to get up! But I can't, there's something heavy over my body. I heard the sound of something moving, suddenly I saw a light.
"Lord Alan..."
The voice was muffled, the light increased.
"Lord Alan..."
It was a familiar voice.
"Lord Alan..."
When my senses returned I saw Noir and Rubrum floating above my face.
"Noir? Rubrum? What happened?" I asked as I struggled to my feet, leaning on one of the rocks beside me.
"Lord Alan! You shouldn't get up; you were at the epicenter of the explosion!" Noir said in a worried voice as he floated around me, Rubrum did the same.
"Explosion?" I asked, looking around.
I was inside the parking lot of a building, half of it collapsed, looking up, I saw an entrance hole in the shape of a body. Did the explosion send me here?
Slowly, I climbed a pile of rubble that led to the hole, but there was something strange, I could recognize the outline of my body, only there was something else, it looked like wings. But since when do I have wings?
Never mind! My head is killing me, leaving the parking lot I felt something falling on my body, it was raining, the sky was covered with dark clouds, not a single ray of sunlight could get through.
Looking around I saw that I was in a city in ruins, buildings were crumbling and falling, some of them were tilted and would soon fall, pieces of the ground were ripped off and in the middle of it all was a big crater.
As I walked, I passed a large piece of glass stuck to the floor, probably a piece of a window, when I looked at myself in the glass, my eyes widened with what I saw, I couldn't help but scream.
"AAAHHH!" I screamed, falling to the ground and dragging myself backwards, trying to get away from that thing.
"Lord Alan! What is happening?!" Noir and Rubrum came running towards me.
"What is that thing?!" I yelled, pointing at the glass.
Noir was silent, I could hear him take a deep breath, and Rubrum was also strangely quiet.
"Lord Alan... That's you." Noir said hesitantly and seriously.
"Me?" When I got up, I saw that the thing in the glass imitated my movements, it was my reflection, that thing was me.
What happened to me? I remember managing to escape my cell, find Noir and Rubrum, shortly after we fought the mage and Number 16, Number 16 went out of control and tried to crush us.
So I ordered Noir to absorb the entire institute's magic, which he did. Then was just a blur, I remember fighting soldiers, a flower that gave me a weird feeling and then... Rose... Rose? ROSE!
Where is she?! That explosion was huge, I survived it, but Rose is completely human.
"Rose!" I screamed, running into the crater.
"Lord Alan wait!" Noir yelled behind me, but I didn't stop.
"ROSE! ROSE!" I screamed as I ran through the rubble and ruins.
I kept looking until I saw a hand sticking out from under a pile of rubble.
"ROSE!" I screamed again, running towards the pile, dropping to my knees and removing the rocks.
"ROSE! HOLD TIGHT!" I continued removing the rubble.
"Miss Rose, don't worry, we're here!" Noir yelled, stopping beside me and creating two hands and started removing the rubble too.
Rubrum also came to our side; the stones were surrounded by a red aura and were thrown away thanks to Rubrum's magic.
Using his hands Noir lifted a large rock that was on top of Rose and I pulled her out.
I laid Rose on the floor, with my right hand keeping her upper torso lifted, I was desperate with the amount of injuries on Rose's body, her legs where crushed, I doubt she would be able to walk again, her left arm was crooked, probably broken in several parts, her right eye was closed with blood oozing out of it.
With a breath of air Rose's left eye opened, she looked around, not understanding what was happening, so she looked at her legs, I immediately grabbed her chin and made her look at me.
"Don't look! Look at me!"
Her eyes widened in surprise, Rose struggled in my arms, I must not be a pleasant sight.
"Rose stop!" I screamed, but she kept struggling.
"Miss Rose, please calm down!" Noir said, floating beside me, Rubrum came right after, doing her best to try to calm Rose down.
Rose's remaining eye went towards Noir, then Rubrum, and finally me.
Rose slightly closed her eye, trying to focus her vision, slowly she raised her right hand towards my face, touching my cheek and I placed my left hand over it, trying to comfort her.
"A-alan?" Rose asked.
"Yes, it's me, Alan." I said smiling at her.
Rose gave me a small smile; suddenly she coughed up blood.
"COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!" Rose coughed, and with each cough more blood flew from her mouth.
"ROSE! ROSE!" I screamed in desperation, but Rose kept coughing.
"ROSE! DON'T WORRY! EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE! STAY WITH ME!"
My pleas didn't help, with one last smile Rose's eye closed and her hand dropped to the side.
"ROSE!" I screamed, shooking her, but there was no answer, she was dead.
I saw something dripping on Rose's face. Was it rain? No, I felt something running down my face. I was crying? Yes I was. For a long time I stayed there with Rose's body in my arms.
Noir was silent beside me.
I could hear Rubrum crying.
"Lord Alan, we need to go." Noir said putting a hand on my shoulder.
I hate to admit it, but he's right, we managed to escape. Who knows how long until the guards, or worse, the Lords will take to get here?
"You're right, but first let's give Rose a proper burial." I said, slipping my left arm under Rose's legs and carring her in my arms.
"I couldn't agree more Lord Alan." Noir said sadly.
Rubrum floated in front of us as she watched Rose's body.
Together through the rain, the four of us made our way out of the cathedral city, I couldn't stop crying during our way out.
Suddenly I felt something grabbing my leg, looking down I saw that it was one of the Cathedral City guards.
"Help." He said weakly.
"Don't worry, I'll help you." I answered without emotion.
Swinging my leg I made him release me, then I lifted my foot and stompped his head, where his head was, now there was a red pool of blood and flesh.
So I walked away from Cathedral City. Hmph! As if any of you deserve any help.
-XXXXXX-
Where I am? I'm dead? The angel cut my head off? Or it was all a dream? I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't, I tried to get up, but there was something heavy on top of my body. I couldn't feel my legs; I couldn't feel one of my arms. Is this the afterlife? A void where you feel nothing and can't move?
"ROSE..."
I heard a voice, but it was muffled.
"ROSE..."
Once again the voice called me, it sounded familiar.
"ROSE!"
This time I could hear, someone was calling my name. But who owned that voice?
I felt the weight on my body gradually disappear; I could see a light. And what was that noise? Rain?
The weight on me was gone, I felt something pulling me forward, laying me on the floor, my back was being supported by something, lifting me slightly, I felt the cold air in my body.
Breathing deeply, I felt a little relieved when the air entered my lungs, I tried to open my eyes, but I could only open one. So started looking around.
What the hell happened here? I was in the midst of rubble and ruins, a torrential rain was pouring down on me. Where did that flower go? She was so beautiful. No use worrying about it! I survived! Better get out of here before the guards arrive!
I tried to get up but I couldn't, I couldn't feel my legs, there was something wrong with them. I slowly lowered my gaze towards it. Oh! So that's why I can't get up! They're crushed! Before I could register what had happened I felt something grab my chin and change the direction I was looking.
I felt my heart speed up at what I was seeing. What was that thing? The thing was saying something, but I couldn't hear it, there was an incessant ringing in my ear.
What the hell? I need to get out of here! I tried to escape the thing's grip, but it only held me tighter. Let me go! Stay away from me! I can't die like this!
Suddenly two familiar figures appeared next to that thing, my vision alternated between the three, if those were Noir and Rubrum then that means this thing holding me is...
Slowly and with a lot of effort I raised my hand towards the thing's face, its face was familiar but I needed to make sure it was who I'm thinking, I managed to put my hand on the thing's cheek, and the thing put one of its hands over mine.
In that moment I was sure who it was.
"A-alan?"
The thing smiled when it said that name, so I'm right, I couldn't help but smile. Who could guess? Were you an angel this whole time? Thinking about everything that's happened so far, it kind of doesn't surprise me.
You appeared out of nowhere wearing strange clothes, talking in a strange way, stronger than anyone and carrying two talking magic books.
You showed up at the moment I needed the most, you saved me and took care of me, and now you are here by my side in my last moments, you are truly a guardian angel, my guardian angel. Thank you for everything.
My vision started to dim, Alan was saying something but I couldn't hear it, I just smiled at him. Goodbye, I doubt that I will go to heaven, but if by some miracle this happens, I hope to meet you again.
Soon everything went dark.
-XXXXXX-
"Well Rose, we're leaving." I spoke to the grave where I buried Rose.
We were in a forest far from Cathedral City; I buried Rose in a clearing in the middle of a field of flowers. Rose liked flowers. A makeshift cross was just above the grave, I wish I could have done something better.
"I've talked to Noir and Rubrum; we've come to the conclusion that we're going to stick with our original plan. We are going to the Land of Forests." There was no answer, just the sound of the wind blowing in my ears.
"The Land of Forests is where most of the non-human population lives, I think Noir, Rubrum and I will be able to fit in there." I said, looking at my hands.
"There were so many things I wanted to show you, we could have seen the Coliseum in Rome, and then maybe we could get out of Midgard and see the rest of the world, Egypt, Greece, China… But that's just a dream now." I took a deep breath as tears streamed down my face.
"I think that's it, goodbye Rose and thanks for everything." I said before leaving.
"Goodbye Miss Rose." Noir said, bowing in front of the grave.
Rubrum placed a flower on top of the grave using her magic.
Well I think that's it, while walking among the trees I came across something that left me confused. Placed under a tree in front of me was my backpack, I stretched my hand towards Noir.
Noir opened and from inside him came out the handle of a weapon, pulling the handle I removed my ax from inside Noir. Apparently Noir has almost infinite storage inside him.
I approached my backpack with the ax in both hands, looking around for any sign of whoever had left my stuff there.
When I stopped in front of my backpack, I kicked it lightly, nothing happened, I bent down and opened it, to my surprise inside it were the clothes I wore when I arrived at Midgard, my boots, jeans, black shirt and gray coat, my cell phone and my map of Midgard.
"Lord Alan how did it get here?" Noir asked.
"I have no idea." I walked behind a tree and put on the clothes, technically I've been naked this whole time, but a kind of darkness seemed to cover my private parts, luckily my "member" between my legs was still there. I checked.
When I finished changing, I hung my backpack on my back and put my cell phone in my pocket. It brings back memories. When I took a step forward I felt something in my pocket, it was a piece of paper, unfolding it I saw that it was a kind of note.
'A gift from a observer, I thought you'd need it due to your condition, maybe we'll meet in the future.
Signed: Accord'
Observer? I have a stalker now? And who the hell is Accord? I looked around for this person, but there was no one here. Great!
"What was written in the note, Lord Alan?"
"Nothing Noir." I said, crumpling the paper and throwing it away.
"Let's go." I said to both books.
Noir, Rubrum and I walked through the forest until we reached a road, when I emerged from the shade of the trees I felt my face and hands burn in the sunlight.
"AAAHHH!" I screamed, jumping back in pain.
"Lord Alan! Are you okay?" Noir asked me worriedly, Rubrum floated around me looking for wounds.
"Yes I'm fine." I put my hand out of the shadows, smoke came out of it as it made contact with sunlight. Great! Does that mean I've become some kind of vampire? I hope not, I dont want to turn into a bat and thirst for blood.
I put the hood over my head, my hands in the pocket of my coat, and walked down the road with my head down, Noir and Rubrum by my side.
-Rose's Grave-
A long time ago there was a girl, this girl never knew her father and was never loved by her mother, one day her mother sold her to a brothel, from then on this girl started to hate the world. Why of all the people in the world, did she have to suffer? Why was the world so unfair? Why couldn't she have a normal life?
But in the midst of hell this girl made a friend, a girl with indigo eyes. Indigo named her new friend Rose because of her pink eyes.
One day Indigo and Rose decided to run away, they stole all the money from the brothel and fled through the streets, upon reaching a bridge leading out of the city, Rose had her remaining faith in the world and its people destroyed.
Indigo was never her friend, she just needed someone to help carry the gold and now Indigo needed to get rid of the only witness to the crime.
At that moment Rose's life would have come to an end, but fate had other plans, out of nowhere as if by magic a person appeared, a total stranger, he wore strange clothes, spoke in a strange way, and had no idea where he was, all he knew was that he must find a way back home.
This stranger helped Rose, scaring Indigo and getting rid of the brothel bosses who chased them, together the stranger and Rose left the city with the stolen money , the stranger introduced himself as Alan, Rose didn't trust him, after all the last person that she trusted tried to kill her.
As time passed, a bond formed between the two, Alan and Rose managed to live a relatively normal life, unfortunately this normality would not last forever, Rose's past would come back to haunt her.
One night a group of men invaded her house, they were hired by the brothel bosses, the men were supposed to kill Alan and take Rose and the money back.
Seeing no other option Alan revealed his secret, two magical books, Noir the ever-loyal black book, and Rubrum the red book with the spirit of a child, together they killed every man except one who begged for his life and was spared. This piety would prove to be a mistake in the future.
The man who had his life spared revealed to the Evil Lords who ruled Midgard Alan's secret, the magic books, Alan and Rose had to flee, but eventually they were captured and taken to Cathedral City, Rose was being tortured for her crimes, Alan and his books became the target of experiments by the mages of the Institute of Magic.
Rose had accepted her fate, in her last moments she cursed the world she lived in, Alan had already made a deal with a mysterious man named Bartas, a deal that the next time they met the two would fight to the death.
Alan managed to escape with his books, but upon arriving at the institute's doors they had to fight Number 16, a weapon created from Alan's blood, and the institute's head mage. To kill an uncontrolled Number 16 Alan ordered Noir to absorb all the magic of the institute, with that Alan lost his human form, but gained a great power.
Finally free Alan went in search of Rose, finding her on an execution platform, surrounded by petals and with a beautiful flower at her feet, for Rose that flower was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, for Alan that flower was the most disgusting and revolting thing he had ever seen, with great fury in his being Alan tried to destroy the flower but was stopped by a huge explosion.
Due to his new form Alan managed to get out of the explosion almost unharmed, but Rose had no such luck, with a dead Rose in his arms Alan left Cathedral City, he buried her in a field of flowers where Rose could finally have the peace that she wished.
Or at least that's what he thought, this cruel world wasn't over with Rose, and the flower had just begun, the earth in Rose's grave started to shake, soon a little flower came out from inside the grave, this flower grew and grew, until it was taller than a person.
A noise could be heard coming out of the flower.
"AAAHHH!"
This noise got louder as the flower grew.
"AAAHHH!"
Suddenly a bloody arm came out of the flower and the noise could be heard clearly.
"AAAHHH!" It was a scream of pain, a scream of excruciating pain, an agonizing pain, a pain that few human beings could bear.
The arm was attached to a body, little by little, that body came out of the flower, and it was the body of a girl, naked and covered in blood, with a flower in one of her eyes and screaming from the top of her lungs.
"AAAHHH!"
Soon the girl's body came out of the flower, and the flower that she just emerged from dissolved into black and red smoke.
The girl took a few steps forward, her legs trembling, she looked frantically left and right without understanding what was happening, after all she was dead a few minutes ago, not enduring the shock the girl passed out.
And due to being unconscious the girl didn't notice the black mud coming out of the flower in her eye, this black mud started to take shape, the form of five little girls.
END OF THE CHAPTER