Ethereal Paradigm 19 Re: Welcome To N?Thervale!

"Whoever fights monsters, should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."

-F. Nietzsche

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That night. The very threshold of my unusual fate, the direction of my life took a 180-degree turn.

My family was killed lying cold in a pool of blood. The killer? Was the next family heir...my brother. Death then approached me to step by step, making that man whom I aspired to be in the same tier, his main paragon for wanton chaos. On those moments, of which I thought was the finale, I felt nothing but the coalescence of despair, darkness and putrid emotions in which one reigned undoubtedly supreme sadness. And it was then that I thought, this melancholy will eventually kill me before the approaching Death will.

Yet, time ceased, as if the supernatural intervention was present. Turns out I was correct. A lady then appeared out of nowhere with majesty, surreal beauty and prowess, proclaiming to be the "G.o.ddess of Disambiguation", who draws on the world's sadness for power. She then offered me a contract that will rid me of my sorrows in exchange for a price that seemed rational- my freedom. At that time, I never really knew what that meant. All I knew was that the offer was just too sweet to be declined and I could not care more for my freedom if it would spell the nullification of my emotions. I was more than willing to accept the contract. I thought it was better this way. If otherwise, I did not accept the offer, I could have become a slave to my emotions for eternity, still depriving me of my freedom anyway. It was better...no... it is best this way.

Without falters, I then signed the contract, but with lenience on reading the long lines of terms and conditions which could have explained everything to me, but, sad to say it was my folly to choose this path paved with questions that could have already been unraveled. Right after I wrote my signature on the paper, a clock-like insignia then appeared in my right hand with the hour hand facing 3, which implied that I already nullified three of the twelve major emotions. Sadness. Anger. Despair. Now lies powerless against me. And as for the remaining 9, I'll have to experience them myself for the very last time before deeming them quirk-less before me.

After the contract made its potency visible beyond any reasonable doubt, I mercilessly killed my brother with the same weapon he could have used to kill me... without feeling anything. That, is the very perfect retribution for his madness, for his boundless and decadent hunger for materialistic power. It was then that I felt so alone if it were not of the G.o.ddess' presence that comforted me from this feeling of emptiness.

As dead bodies surrounded me, cold and in state of rigor, I then asked the G.o.ddess to purify the place, to give it no plausible place on my memory. I wished to obliterate the scenery along with the remembrance of my forgotten emotions. As she took heed of my request, she summoned the flame spirit "Igniteress" who holds authority over fire. The family mansion was burned down. Without a trace of the decadence that occurred there that night. Not a trail. Not ash. Not even a taint of blood from my brother's berserk.

I was hospitalized as I fell unto a deep trance after that quick showcasing of events. I was then taken by my grandmother while my family was deemed "Missing" in the background. The moment I woke up, there I was in a hospital's room, still accompanied by the G.o.ddess who concealed her presence from everyone but me. I was then asked several questions by medical doctors and several others that I don't know. I answered them with all honesty, not withholding the truth, yet all they did was diagnose me with "Dementia" and "Schizophrenia" and the likes, which they hypothesize was from a blatant trauma as I saw my family being taken far away from me. Little did they know, that I never did have the chance to experience such trauma. I never did get the chance to say farewell or at least say words of love for the last time.

I was then under different psychological appraisals and therapies from fortunate individuals on the field. Costing my grandma a fortune, all of them were unable to do anything. Well, I never did need them in the first place. They were useful on one part though, on identifying that I was naturally gifted, having an IQ beyond the ubiquitous.

I continued to live, striving for each day to end with a supernatural element always beside me, that is the G.o.ddess herself. I lived the rest of my childhood in isolation. extending from primary school to my middle school years. I was unable to make friends with anyone. Well, not that I lived "literally" friendless. Some of my cla.s.smates back then probably considered me one, but I still can't find myself valuing them more. My intelligence? Oh, I tried my hardest to not stand out in cla.s.s. It could be a major pain if they were to know my origin or of my personal information. If I were to academically stand out, teachers will then make me study more, or even send me out to school compet.i.tions all for the school name's fame. Preparing for trivial things like that would be a major waste of time.

It was a life of an endless loop of boredom and insignificance. A life tainted not with the color of roses but of monochromatic shades of gray. I expected that my life was to be this way until my last dying moments. Yet, the moment I received admission papers to a new university, it was then that my life began to take its turn towards an even more supernatural domain.

Autonomous University (AU). Is what the university was emblazoned. It is situated on an artificial island on the vast pacific made by the j.a.panese government with the help of other developed and still developing countries hereby calling it " International Clark City". The island's main university "AU" boasted a new curriculum, unlike K-12. They called it MES or the Merit Educational System. It was to be the world's first revolutionary educational system that aimed to spell the obliteration of the current system's excessive flaws. My grandma, without my knowledge, enrolled me there. I am to live independently standing tall in my own feet and effort. Yet, I never could have expected that it was mere fate that bought me there. The reason? It extended to me signing a contract with that G.o.ddess.

On the first day, I departed early with my school bag and a little head start cash from my grandma while the G.o.ddess went on with me, still hiding her presence from everyone. We took the train and arrived at a very early hour. I handed my admission papers and several requirements to the office to make my enrollment official, received little words for inspiration from the lady-in-charge and as well as my cla.s.sroom a.s.signment. I decided to look for that cla.s.sroom in advance to reserve a seat that I would feel comfortable with. Room 12-A8 was to be the cla.s.sroom where a year of high school was to be normally spent. Or so I thought. I opened the room and someone was already there. It was a girl of majestic stature in par with the G.o.ddess. It was this year's representative. Celes Stella Reignsworth. A girl of straight academic excellence and is from a family of renown. Unprecedentedly, she also lived her life in isolation, although she did not want it. Unlike me, who took the idea of isolation a privilege. For her, it was unfortunate all because someone named her "Prima Donna", the emblazonment that spelled her being apart from the crowd.
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As presaged, the school year started with the opening ceremony that everybody hates and was then followed by a brief getting-to-know-your-cla.s.smates activity which was, of course, spearheaded by the cla.s.s adviser. I was able to introduce myself without anything worthy to be mentioned and yet, everybody got to know me in a very different manner as I was the first to approach the girl undauntedly, while they were trying there very best to avert their gazes from her. I was the first to ever approach her like that. I saw that, as rather being defenseless and cold approach. For her, It was an act of courage, such as one that never takes into account social boundaries, but for everyone, it was an act of me challenging her to an academic rivalry or any of the same sorts. Which was not the case.

The first day of the cla.s.s ended. Overall, there were 22 of us in that cla.s.s and everyone had their backgrounds. The majority formed circles of new friends and several others left the campus for shopping, etc.

Yet, at my seat I found myself alone again, but, I could not care less. Same as the Prima Donna herself who was too focused on reading her philosophical book. But what I least expected was for me to get an invitation form her. It was then that the normal high school life I expected became the very pedestal of the opposite.

We had a little awkward chitchat towards the university cafeteria to buy some lunch and possibly eat there. Yet, it was ideally crowded, not a place for a de facto loner like myself. She suggested that we eat somewhere more peaceful, away from there and I approved. From there, I presaged that the school rooftop was the perfect spot. Yes...It was to be the perfect spot for us to eat without intervention from hose socialized ones, not until she took a different turn. Little did I knew that there lies a motive in her invitation and her plan was working flawlessly. She knew that I had a connection with a supernatural, which was probably the allegiance of me with that G.o.ddess. Of course, I tried to divert her from the truth, yet nothing worked. She was dead set in her decision. a.s.suming that I was an enemy, she was ready to obliterate me with a powerful-looking sword she summoned out of nowhere using mere french words.

But, I called out to Lacrimosa's name. She severed the swords power and a deity called "Deus Ex Machina" who calls himself the phantom deity that appeared on the side of the Prima Donna. From there she and Lacrimosa who appeared to be an acquaintance of the past had their little brutal reunion. The phantom deity was by far ready to kill me as he said that it was the worst sin to form a contract with the G.o.ddess she called as a puppet of the devil. For my sake, Lacrimosa introduced me to her customized minimalist realm and there gave me the answers to the most fundamentals of questions, that should have been already answered if I have had allotted a little time to scan the contact's terms and conditions.

I am a Herrscher. Someone who bears the will of a deity.

I am in a game, a war between fates spearheaded by the deities of old to decide humanity's extremity as a race. If either they deserve salvation? Or d.a.m.nation.

I am to be a subject of her decision if whether she wants to save or destroy mankind.

That was supposed to be it. But, for additional the deity made me choose my power given that it is not too overpowered or too weak to defend myself while I am on this gamble.

I chose to "Control anything dark by default". The G.o.ddess granted it as she thought it was not significant. Little did she know that I feigned her.

After the pa.s.sing of powers, I was to follow the G.o.ddess outside of her realm. Towards reality. I was ready to defend myself from Celes and the phantom with whatever black I had with me. The jet black ink of my pen of course.

Yet, the moment I stepped out of the portal, something more peculiar was spelled into the city affecting even those who are not a partic.i.p.ant of the warfare. A powerful viscount figure named "End" summoned a giant and putrid gargoyle emblazoned "Atlas". The giant, in its wake, killed several hundred while he strangled the island with brute force. If it were not of the ma.s.sive magical circles protecting us, a fraction of the whole population could have been the only ones that are left.

Many died, as those gigantic hand took hold of the whole island dragging us towards this dark tear on the sky. which was little known to be some sort of a portal towards a different realm, which we knew nothing of. For hours the island has been in the dark, with gruesome death, cries of pain and agony engulfing us whole.

I then found myself helping this little girl whose name is s.h.i.+ro. Her family was one of those killed in the wake of the gargoyle. I was certainly not an act of kindness nor sympathy. I just saw myself in her as she gazed on the lifeless bodies of her beloved mom and dad.

Now as the gargoyle stepped out from the darkness where it dragged us into, here we are. In what Lacrimosa called as "The Third Realm". The far vision of Tokyo is gone and the towering skysc.r.a.pers of neighboring cities are nowhere in sight. In contrast, you could see medieval-themed kingdoms, with dragons drifting in the vast skies and other unnamed ent.i.ties.

I already get it. The purpose of this game that we are to partic.i.p.ate into. What I don't get is why they decided to also draw those mere humans in this game. I presumed that they came into this city to start anew in their lives. Now, here they are questioning everything that they are seeing and recovering from their loss. Probably having difficulties in differentiating reality and delusion. Trapped in a vicious circle of carnage in a world they believed could have only existed in fairy tales.

"All right gather round now!"

A large masculine voice then came echoing in the far ends of the island which is now "Unearthly". I then found myself and the whole population in that dominance listening and taking heed of the voice as it seemed rather important. Maybe it would explain the whole status quo...

"I am Hermes. One of the game masters of this warfare... I am summoned to explain to you the basics, the rules, and also to give you a little overview of the game...While there are so many things that are needed to be explained...Ehhh... Let me say this one thing as a major kick start of the most antic.i.p.ated event of the eon... "

"WELCOME TO NÆTHERVALE!"