It was night.
A very mysterious and beautiful night, a sorrowful night but most notably a cold night.
At least that’s what I thought when I opened my eyes laying on the ground somewhere, watching this bizarre night as I stared up towards the dark skies looking at the brightly lit moon up above shining down on me.
The cold dusty ground beneath my body was uncomfortable, the grainy sand beneath my clothes and the cold wind passing by felt like daggers running down my skin, but I didn’t care, I was too distracted at the moment to feel uncomfortable, my mind racing with dozens and hundreds of questions as I stared towards the moon.
-Where…where am I ?
But obviously the moon didn’t respond, not that I expected it to in the first place. It was just that I felt too overwhelmed at the moment to really make sense of what was happening to me, making lose touch of reality, my head especially felt the brunt of it all indicated by the wicked headache I was experiencing at the moment making it difficult for me to stand up though eventually I managed.
-Ughh..
I cried out of pain, just as I started to recover a little bit and get myself back on my feet, my body immediately started to cry out instead, it had been long time since I felt so much pain and even though pain was the main thing that occupied my mind at the moment I still didn’t let my guard down even if it didn’t seem like anyone was here at the moment to cause me harm.
At this point I had already a few ideas as to why or how I got into the current state I was in, having lived for 25 years and being raised inside a orphanage until 18 near the outskirts of the city of Valkgrieve where the slums lay near, I knew every little thing that went on and every single low life that inhabited this place which also included me.
The city of Valkgrieve is the capital city of the empire and is also the biggest city with the most population, the crime index generally lists this city as one of the most secure within the empire but that only counts within the middle and high class areas where security is high with patrol cars going on the clock, the low class areas in the capital are the complete opposite, with crimes regularly happening around that area and murder being not too uncommon that is hidden within the shadows.
I remember that when I was little and still lived inside the orphanage that was technically still within the middle class area of the city, the countless drunkards and thieves roaming around the area making life miserable for everyone and sometimes even harassing the orphanage itself.
Having grown up in such a place and having to live through a whole lot of injustice be it personally or by observation, I always dreamed to one day leave that place and go somewhere better my goal being the high class area of the capital where all the rich folk and aristocracy lives no matter how hard it is.
Of course I realize that right now isn’t the best time to reminisce about my dreams as I am still in a precarious situation.
-I need to find a weapon fast…it doesn’t seem like anyone is here but I can’t be sure…damn…how did they even get me ? Wasn’t I safely within the middle class area walking back home ? I didn’t think those lowlifes would even have the balls to march into the middle class area much less try something funny in there…It seems like I underestimated them…
I mumbled to myself, forcing my aching body to move as I quickly tried to find anything I could use as a weapon to defend myself while also simultaneously watching my surroundings and trying to remember the last few things before I got knocked out.
The weird thing was that I couldn’t remember anybody ambushing me, the only thing that was still vividly within my memory was a bright light charging directly at me and then everything going dark all of sudden, the best I could deduce through those memories was that someone must have used a flashlight to blind me while charging at me before someone else came from behind and whacked me over my head knocking me out before battering my unconscious body.
-But…its strange still…why did they bother carrying me all the way here after knocking me out ? And where are they in the first place ? Something isn’t quite right here…
I thought, observing my surroundings in more detail as I started to get a better idea as to where I was, it was dark but because of the bright moon up in the sky it was still bright enough for me recognize some of the things that laid around such as the metal support bars, bricks, cement bags and a huge crane that stood next to a half finished apartment complex.
I immediately knew that I was in some construction site, I was intimately familiar with such place as I had worked most of my teenager years starting at 13 until I was 18 within a construction site as a construction worker back when I needed to save money for my future.
Back then I was a unofficial worker, the only reason the manager of this construction site even allowed me to work even though I was a minor was because they were under staffed and needed more workers pronto to finish the building in time.
Because I was a minor I couldn’t sign a official work contract meaning I became a unofficial worker who didn’t gain any health insurance if anything went wrong be it injuries or sickness, since I was a unofficial worker the construction manager also only paid me half the amount he paid for ordinary workers plus he worked me like a horse always watching me at every turn not giving me a break and making me his errand boy, at times when he was in a particular bad mood he would usually always verbally or physically abuse me be it in private or in public, sometimes he wouldn’t even pay me the amount he promised and when I would confront him about it he would usually beat up for defying him sometimes even calling other construction workers who were his underlings to teach me a lesson.
Nobody stood up for me when it happened which was understandable as nobody wanted to provoke the inhuman manager as that would very much mean a cut in the salary which was their livelihood.
I grit my teeth and endured, after 5 years of ceaseless working and studying in my free time I was finally able to quit my work as I had passed the national exam with flying colors making me eligible for a full-time scholarship in a prestigious school of my choosing within the middle to high class areas that covered everything from tuition, lodgings, food and even entertainment.
It was quite literally the happiest day of my life, it was also the first step I took towards my dream, finally able to get out of the low class area and leave everything behind.
I was only 18 back then mature and cool headed too, even though I did acquire the scholarship I kept myself calm and collected, I sorted everything I needed to sort out and quickly went back to the construction site to tell my ass wipe of a boss that I would quit while also showing off my accomplishment.
In reality I didn’t even need to go back to tell him I quit, since I was a unofficial worker it didn’t matter whether or not I told him that I was going to quit since he couldn’t sue me without the contract.
No, the truth was I simply wanted to show off and make the manager feel bad with my bright future, and in fact it was quite successful even now I remember the look of utter disbelieve and horror that man had when I showed him the copy of my certificate for the scholarship which was directly filed by the emperor himself with his stamp.
I don’t know why I did that, even though I usually refrained from doing anything unnecessary to keep a low profile, I just couldn’t resist showing off in front of that shit stain of a manager be it because of my vanity or just because I wanted to scare him to let him know that I would someday come back to take my revenge on how he treated me which I never did as I was too busy with my studies eventually turning him into a forgotten figure whose name I don’t even remember even now after recollection.
Lucky him I guess.
Those days were extremely miserable and counted as one of the most hardest days of my life, looking around again I felt a sense of melancholy envelope me as I smelled the dust and machinery oil within my nostrils.
I never thought that I would ever come back here in my entire life, its not that I feared this place but rather it invoked unpleasant memories that I would rather forget.
-Now I am really in a bad mood…damn whoever did this to me I am sure as hell going to make them pay…
A seething burst of anger streamed within me making me ignore my pain, but after a few seconds I quickly calmed down, it had been a long time since I felt like this ever since I left the orphanage, up until now I was always or at least most of the time in control over myself and my situation, the reason I am so insisted on control is because I am a extremely paranoid person by nature, my whole life I learned to not trust anyone and always rely on myself.
And even when forming relationships I always consider ulterior motives.
Friends are just people who use each other for personal gain while lovers are just decoration to show how influential you are, nothing more and nothing less.
Even blood ties such as the bond between a parent and a child is questionable to me, but that is likely just me being biased since my parents left me in the orphanage one day and disappeared without rhyme or reason.
I pondered, noticing how unusually expressive I am being today within my mind, even though it had been more then a few years even since I last thought about these things, the mere glance at something familiar about my past could invoke such a strong emotion and memories was bizarre, furthermore…
-This construction site…why does it look so much more similar to the one I worked before ?
I asked, to no one in particular once again, expecting no answer which is why I was surprised when I suddenly could hear a voice behind me answering me.
-Well ! Because it really is the place you worked before, master !
The voice shocked me, not even trying to comprehend what it just said I immediately sprang into action, crouching down I picked up a iron pipe laying around and swiftly swung it behind me hoping to land a lucky hit.
(Whoosh)
Unfortunately the moment I swung I could feel the pipe hitting air and nothing else, for a moment I believed the person must have dodged but after looking back I realized that there was no one there to begin with making me even more apprehensive then I already was…
-Who’s there ! Show yourself ! Why did you bring me here ? Who are you !?
I shouted, frantically glancing around looking for my assailant while also glancing at the exit which wasn’t too far off and within my view.
My body was battered and still in pain, but it wasn’t too damaged for me to be unable to run off, the only reason I hadn’t run just yet was because I couldn’t find nor see my assailant just yet making me hesitate or ponder whether or not there were people waiting near the exit to ambush me if I tried to leave, it all just made me terribly confused but I kept cool.
I’ve lived through worse, I knew I could push through again.
I reassured myself, constantly looking around as I tried to find any trace of my assailant to no avail, I was about to shout again hoping to garner some response but ultimately didn’t need to as the voice of my assailant once again resounded just as near as it was before.
-Hey ! That was dangerous ! What would you done if you hit me ! Are you listening ?! I am down here idiotic master ! Look down !
The voice shouted unhappily, I was a bit surprised suspicion mixed in, but I still looked down not sure what I would be looking at only to find a small golden retriever puppy near my feet trying to climb my leg.
-…
I was slightly dumbfounded, the tension that was in my body immediately risked to fall apart upon being exposed to the cute little puppy that was shaking its tiny tail and panting with its tongue out, I was even feeling tempted to drop the iron pipe, but I forced myself to still cling onto my only weapon and glanced around to see if someone was here.
-You still don’t get it ?! How can you be so thickheaded !? Yes that’s me ! The puppy is really me !
The voice once again shouted, clearly coming out of the golden retrieve puppy that was furiously clinging onto my leg shaking it, I looked down again, now finding the whole situation even more bizarre I couldn’t keep on holding the iron pipe any longer and sighed, throwing it away while also crouching down and picking up the little puppy.
I narrowed my eyes at it, looking at its pure, cute and shining little eyes I simply couldn’t comprehend what was going on, I slightly started to suspect that someone was playing a prank on me but after thinking about my injuries and how battered I was I shelved that idea and simply inspected the puppy, turning it around and feeling its soft body.
-Wahhh ! Ahh~ what are you doing ! Where are you touching ! Thats sexual harassment ! Hey ! Say something ? Uhh~! Why are you touching me like this ! OHhh~!
The puppy continued to moan sensually with the voice of a adult woman, somewhat getting on my nerves as it always moaned whenever I touched a sensitive area like the crotch or the belly sometimes even its leg.
The puppy begged me to stop, tears even starting to well up its eyes but I didn’t care, the only thing I cared about was finding any sort of microphone or speaker on it to expose this facade, I was convinced that someone must be messing with me and that the dog was just a distraction which is why I ignored everything it said.
Unfortunately after much searching and inspecting its every nook and cranny, I couldn’t find a single indication as to where the microphone or speakers where, the puppy for all its purposes also seemed like a ordinary puppy with blood and organs, other than the fact that it could speak somehow or was projected to speak, I didn’t find anything unusual.
I was about to put down the puppy and let it go but just before I was about to do so the puppy or the person who was projecting its voices cried out tearfully.
-WAHHH! I had enough ! Let me down you brute ! Sexual fiend !
Its cry surprised me, not only because it was loud but also because with its cry a gigantic flash of light enveloped the puppy and streamed outwards blinding me while also forcing me to let go of the puppy who fell down on the ground with a light thud.
My surprised couldn’t be described at this point, I was already starting to think that maybe something was wrong with my head but soon enough the bright light disappeared leaving only a small golden retriever puppy that looked really exhausted on the ground.
-What the hell…
I murmured, sitting on my butt I stared at the puppy not sure what to do anymore, the puppy itself slowly started to get up on its feet, seeming to have recovered a bit it looked at me with a hard glare and charged at me as fast as it could, which was not very fast, until it finally landed on my laps and bit my hand surprisingly causing blood to come out.
-Ouch !
I had half a mind to just throw away the puppy for biting me, but after having experienced all of this and seeing that it wasn’t putting pressure into its bite anymore, I kept it there instead as I wasn’t into harming innocent animals, furthermore I was starting to get a weird feeling within my chest the moment the puppy bit me, looking at it I see it drinking my blood for some reason, common sense dictates that I should stop it from doing so as it could lead to a infectious diseases but for some reason I didn’t think that at all, instead I let it drink my blood until it was satisfied letting go of my hand which surprisingly didn’t have a single injury even though the puppy had drawn blood and drank some of it…it was like.
-It healed within a few seconds…
It was like a dream, for a moment I thought that maybe I was just dreaming everything, and that I was actually just sleeping inside my home safe and sound.
-Hahah ! Silly master of course you aren’t dreaming ! This is reality and just like the pain you just felt, I am real !
The puppy proclaimed, somehow capable of reading my thoughts, but after thinking about it some more I noticed that now I had a weird connection to the puppy as if a invisible line was binding us together.
-How…no…what is happening…who are you ?
I asked, staring at the puppy who now looked a bit more regal then before.
It was still sitting on my lap, but now it had a completely different air then before its eyes full of pride, it proclaimed to me.
-I am Sistina ! Your eternal partner and loyal guard dog ! From today on you will be my master and also our god’s first Angel, your duty from today on will be to help this world and put balance back into its wake !
It spoke, telling me of my holy duties or whatever, everything was simply too surreal at this point giving me no other choice but to helpessly put my hands up into the air and shout.
-I REFUSE !
-…
The puppy or Sistina immediately got quiet after that staring at me dumbfounded from the look of its eyes. It took a few seconds for it to recover before it shook its head and glared at me.
-No ! You can’t refuse ! You already agreed !
-Yes, I can ! I don’t remember ever signing up for this ! What makes you think I will agree to anything you say to me ?! Who do you think you are !
I shouted at it angrily, my previous calm completely ruined as I denied vehemently about any involved with the puppy or whoever it was.
Sistina the puppy, was very unhappy, I could feel it through our invisible bond but suddenly that unhappiness immediately disappeared and instead I could feel her coming up with some kind of idea which I was unaware of.
I was a bit disturbed, staring back at the Sistina I could now see its scheming intentions as it looked at me with laughing eyes.
-Hehe ! So you say you don’t remember ? Now then if its so, then I make you remember watch me !
It shouted, wasting no time, it jumped up my chest climbing with speed quickly reaching my head before I could even react, now eye to eye, the puppy Sistina looked as if it was smiling at me with the face of a puppy, a small light gathered within its paw as it touched my forehead.
-GAHHH!
It hurt…the moment the light infused paw touched my head a terrible pain assaulted me like no other, I wanted to shake off Sistina and throw her away, but I was too weak and too pained to move my limbs, not being able to do anything I could only endure the pain as a vortex of memories started to appear within my mind, unlocking some memories that I had forgotten.
That night..when I was going home from the convenience store..
The bright light that charged at me…
When everything turned dark the moment the light caught me…
I realized.
I had died.
A truck had run me over.
Unwilling to die I frantically reached for something in the dark.
But I couldn’t find anything, falling into the eternal abyss I heard a heavenly voice speak out to me.
-Do you want to live ?
It asked.
Knowing nothing and having no idea what was going on other then wanted to live I desperately answered.
-Yes ! I want to live please ! Save me !
But the heavenly voice didn’t answer immediately, it waited the wait feeling like e eternity before it spoke again.
-Then, what are you willing to give ? How far are you willing to go ?
The question stumped me, and for a moment I stopped flailing around falling into the abyss, I don’t know what I was thinking at the time but it must have been something important as I didn’t need a lot of time to answer.
Unfortunately I couldn’t remember what I said, but as soon as I finished saying what I wanted to say the heavenly voice laughed.
-Hehe..I see, indeed it looks like you will my purposes, very well, I will give you life, but in exchange you will follow my will, this is all ask of you so little soul…what is your name.
It asked, a bright celestial light suddenly tearing out of the dark up above, a beautiful hand reaching down to me as it sought to grab out of the abyss.
I reached as well, telling it my name.
-I am…I am Rahmiel Phostus
A Place Of Legends 