"Did you hear that?" Lizzy's voice trembled. A sudden bang shattered the warm silence of the evening, echoing through the wooden walls of the small mountain home. The scent of food still lingered in the air, but the laughter had died. Valebrook was already on his feet. His instincts, sharpened by years as a hunter, kicked in before the others could even move. He grabbed the hilt of his sword just as the door exploded inward, slamming to the floor with a blast of smoke and splinters.
Three masked figures with black cloaks stepped through the haze, silent and deadly. Their black cloaks rippled like shadows, and only their eyes gleamed behind their hoods.
"Get behind me!" Valebrook barked, his voice firm and commanding. He shielded his wife and children with his left arm and drew his blade with the other. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
But no answer came. Instead, one of the masked intruders stepped forward. His tattered mask and weathered cloak set him apart. With a flash of pure energy, he conjured a glowing purple sword and lunged at Valebrook without hesitation.
The seasoned hunter met the attack with steel and fury. Their blades collided, sending sparks of magic and steel flying across the room. The intruder's purple blade didn't feel like metal—it pulsed with an unnatural force, like it was alive. Their weapons clashed again, sparks and arcs of energy flared across the wooden floor as Lizzy pulled the children back behind the table. The house groaned beneath the weight of the battle, walls trembling, embers spilling from the hearth.
"Get the children out of here!" Valebrook growled, gritting his teeth as he pushed back the attacker. Lizzy hesitated only a second before dragging the kids toward the back room.
Valebrook's jaw tightened. He'd fought beasts, monsters, and mages. But this was different. Still, he wasn't one to fall easily. He twisted and slammed his palm into the attacker's chest, unleashing a burst of energy that hurled the intruder into the wooden wall. Immediately, dust filled the air.
The masked man groaned, stunned but alive. But there was no time to finish him off. The other two intruders stepped in before he could make his next move.
One raised a hand, summoning a swirling orb of dark fire, while the other summoned wind sharp as blades. They attacked with deadly precision, forcing Valebrook to retreat. Each strike tore the walls, blasting furniture and timber.
Valebrook fought back, driving the intruders toward the door with a flurry of strikes. He forced them out into the night, hoping to draw them away from his family.
But Jimmy couldn't watch anymore. He stood up with fists clenched. But fear rooted him in place. He wanted to help. He wanted to fight. But he couldn't. He was weak. Too weak to even do anything.
Jimmy is a boy of six feet, ten inches tall, with a lean and athletic build. His natural tangled dark hair always made him look unkempt, more like an orphan. Overall, he's a boy with no magic abilities. Unlike his parents and kid sister—who all possessed various magical abilities—Jimmy had none.
He was born powerless in a world that prized strength. A world where magic defined status, and strength meant survival. And now, that same world had come knocking on their door. Outside, Valebrook managed to hold his ground until the first attacker rose again. Bloodied, but not broken. He joined the fight, forcing Valebrook to face all three of them.
Then their strategy shifted. Without saying a word, the two intruders that controlled fire and wind broke away, heading toward the house.
Then their strategy shifted.
Inside, Lizzy sensed something. She looked out through the broken wall. "Valebrook?" she called out.
Then his body jolted. Blood spilled from his mouth as he staggered. A glowing blade, magical and purple in color, had protruded from his chest.
"Valebrook!" Lizzy screamed. Then, she ran toward him, tears running down her face as her world crumbled in an instant. But before she could reach him, the intruder ripped the blade free, letting Valebrook collapse to his knees. His sword slipped from his fingers, clattering uselessly to the ground.
"No, please!" Lizzy cried, but the enemy turned on her, his blade still glowing with her husband's blood. She raised her hands, conjuring a protective barrier. But a blast of wind magic struck first, shattering the shield. Then a second blade pierced her chest. She stopped whatever she intended to do mid-step. Her eyes widened. Her breath caught. Then she collapsed beside her husband.
Jimmy watched it all, frozen in shock. His eyes wide, his breath shallow, his hands trembling by his sides. The night had become a nightmare, and all he could do was stand there. Helpless. Useless. He wanted to scream, to run, to fight. But his legs refused to move.
"Run," Valebrook rasped with the last of his strength, eyes locking onto Jimmy. His hand twitched, pointing toward the bush. The attacker with the purple sword raised his blade and ended Valebrook's life.
Jimmy moved. Not out of courage, but because something inside him snapped. He stepped in front of Alice, with shaking arms. "Stay behind me," he muttered. He lunged forward, but the wind intruder struck him with a single wave of energy, sending him flying back. He hit the floor with a loud thud.
The intruders laughed—cold, mocking.
"The little brat thinks he can be a hero," one of them said. He stepped closer. "Your parents are dead. Be a good orphan and join them."
"Why!?" Jimmy yelled, coughing, his voice raw with grief. "Why are you doing this!?"
"You don't need to know," the fire intruder replied, his hand bursting into flames. "Because you're about to die."
Two of the intruders pulled off their masks. Their faces were cold and twisted with cruelty. The fire wielder stepped toward Alice.
"Don't worry," he sneered. "These will be the last faces you ever see." Then, he turned his palm toward Alice and ignited her in flames.
"No!" Jimmy sobbed as flames engulfed his sister. Her scream was cut off in a flash of light. Jimmy dropped to the floor, sobbing. His body shook. Rage boiled inside of him. But it was useless, as he couldn't stop them.
The fire intruder raised his hand again. "Time to end your misery," he muttered.
It was then Jimmy's eyes caught something beneath the man's cloak. A symbol, more like a crest. The crest of the Holy Knights. The protectors of a kingdom called Elarion. A kingdom that ruled over their village.
His mind spun. So they weren't bandits or assassins. They were knights. Why would they do this?
Why would the protectors of the kingdom massacre an innocent family?
Jimmy's thoughts raced as the fire wielder stepped closer, ready to finish him. "Why would the Holy Knights of Elarion slaughter their own people?" he thought. But none of it made sense. Not even in the slightest way.
The flames surged from his legs to the upper part of his body. He tried to scream, but all that came out were tears—tears that evaporated in the hot flames.
Just when he thought his life was also about to end, a glowing screen appeared before him, pulsing with dark energy. His vision was blurry since he was already losing consciousness. But the words were clear to him.
---
System Message:
You will die in less than five seconds. Would you become the host of the Reaper System?
The floating screen exclaimed in its text.
Option: YES or NO
---
The knights didn't see the screen. They turned and walked away, confident their job was done.
Jimmy stared at the glowing message, barely breathing. He had no time to think, so with the last of his strength, he forced the word through bloodied lips.
"Yes."
The screen pulsed.
Then everything went totally dark.