I woke up from a deep sleep to the loud howling of a beast. It had four legs like a wolf, but unlike wolves who travel in packs, this one was alone.
Its body was ethereal, moving swiftly through the trees. Grayish-red fur shimmered in the moonlight, and it came toward me with a glimmer of intelligence in its eyes.
My heart slammed against my ribs. I wished I had a peaceful place to sleep.
I picked up a blade made of blackened feathers with a handle lying nearby. Standing up, I moved slightly away from the open campfire.
In a small pool where water had gathered, I caught my reflection: a blindfold covered my eyes, white hair framed my youthful, handsome face. I wore black clothes, a coat, boots, everything hidden in shadow.
I saw the world through my blindfold, it was like it wasn't there.
Pouring power into my black blade, the feathers began to shimmer in the night under a moon that looked like it was on fire.
The weapon changed color from dark grey to a whitish-grey. All of this happened in mere seconds—the exact amount of time it took for the ethereal wolf to reach the clearing near the giant bones scattered across the ground.
Just before we could clash, a deafening sound rippled through the earth, making it difficult to maintain my balance.
But the beast seemed unaffected and lunged at me, claws reaching out to tear me apart.
I jumped back a few steps, the trembling ground beneath me growing more unstable. The wolf wouldn't let go.
I made a decision. Whatever happens, it will be a problem for future. I unleashed my power, channeling it into the black blade.
A white force began to materialize around it. The moment that light took form, the wolf tucked its tail and turned to run, but not fast enough.
I took a stance and slashed toward the beast. Even though it was quick, it wasn't quick enough to escape the arc of my blade.
My sword cut it cleanly in half, and the creature dissolved into a puff of smoke.
While that was happening, far away, a being with eight arms, long legs, and nine majestic wings burst from the sky. The moment the wolf was split in two, this entity arrived there.
"D*mn," I muttered, "I think I chose the wrong place to sleep."
The being flew down but didn't attack. Calmly, it walked toward me. I could feel its power, something beyond anything I had ever sensed.
The ground cracked beneath its feet, and where it stepped, the earth turned to nothingness.
It placed one hand on my chest. My clothes tore apart at the touch, and something eerie began to invade my body.
Pain surged through me; no, not pain. Something far worse. Life itself seemed to slip away.
Black veins spread from the spot where its hand had touched, and a strange mask formed—it looked like a hand of destruction. Within it was a small orb which was falling apart.
Then the being stopped and flew away, leaving me crumpled on the ground in agony. No human could endure what I just did.
Good thing I wasn't human anymore. I suppose I'm lucky, and my vision began to become blurry.
When I woke up again, something new stirred in my mind, something had been added. A new ability. A gift.
The entity had granted me the power of purification, an ability to cleanse evil beings.
And with the power of time since the time I became the Angel of time, now those two powers. They will help me survive in this forsaken land.
With no one around, I decided to hide. I headed toward a massive bone nearby and climbed inside, despite knowing that entering the remains of the dead was taboo in this wasteland.
But I had no choice. Inside, thin lines around me began to glow in a blue-ish hue. I knew I was in deep trouble, it had of those beings.
'D*mn. It was the domain of a being of domination, creatures or beings that created realms within their very souls when they died.
I was now in a cave of utter darkness. I couldn't see far ahead. I tread carefully.
'First, I needed information. What was this domain's nature? Was it darkness? Or something else?'
As I ventured further, I passed countless corpses. No immediate danger presented itself, so, exhausted from my earlier encounter, I rested.
When I awoke, I was still in that strange realm where the fallen had gathered. I pressed on, discovering ancient buildings, forgotten castles, and the corpses of kings, queens, and beings beyond description.
The deeper I went, the older and more dangerous things became. I finally decided it wasn't worth the risk. I began a chant:
"Oh Angel of Time, keeper of fate, creator of history,
Return me to where I stood before entering this forsaken realm."
By invoking my titles, I drew out a power long sealed within me by those wretched beings. Just as I prepared to leave, something stirred in the depths of the realm. Something ancient... it had awakened.
But before it could reach me, I was already gone. Thank me for being fast.
Back outside, the black sun hung high in the sky, veiled by crimson clouds. My stomach growled. I needed food.
On the way, I encountered a lizard man wielding a sword of light. I had no choice. I was hungry. I drew my blade, and in a swift motion, beheaded him.
I started a fire and cooked the meat. He had nothing else on him, and he was separated from his pack, so I attacked him.
He wasn't one of the elite, since if he was, he wouldn't die so easily. Those elite ones are a nightmare to deal with since they each have special ability, which makes the fight unpredictable.
'The taste was awful, dry, bitter. Typical of this place. I let out a tired sigh, munched through half of it, and left the rest for someone, or something else.'
I started wandering again, hoping to find a safe haven to rest. But deep down, I knew such a place didn't exist here.
So I chose to sleep near the desert, where I could at least keep watch on my surroundings. Not that it would matter to the things that truly hunted in this land.