While eighteen-year-olds are celebrating their successful awakenings, Alex, however, had been placed in darkness, an entire pit of reflectionless black.
"Revenge?" Alex wondered, "By whom? How?" His gaze darkened, and he felt an uneasy pressure coming from his own body.
"Questions just need answers. But you, my friend… Needs revenge." A figure, a dark silhouette, began appearing from just in front, its form covering Alex's entire view. "Welcome, Alex Thorn of royal blood, 'The Failed Noble,' to our contractual barrier."
It spoke creepily, its voice's pitch continuously rose, as its claws started taking shape beneath that darkened silhouette.
"Interesting…" Alex whispered, looking up at the large, scary figure, "You're a Demon, aren't you?" He assumed, taking into account the different features it held.
"Oh," it spoke exquisitely, like a clown, more so the Joker. "Well, indeed I am. Victor Kane, that's me, the Demon you wish to contract."
"I wish?" Alex crackled, "What's in it for you?" Alex remained intelligent and quick; these matters were obvious. Victor wanted something in return.
"I want to take revenge myself," Victor replied. The Demon's aura darkened; it felt real and adequate.
Alex smirked, "So, you're in it for the same reason, I suppose."
"Now it seems as though you're trying to seduce me." Victor replied, "Oh no, I'm an innocent woman, please don't do anything, mister 'Failed Noble.'"
Alex laughed it off, "Haven't laughed in quite a while. Feels good knowing I could bring a Demon down to my level." Alex paused, tapping on his jaw, "Humans and Demons have been at war for many years now, so it's odd that a 'Demon' can have internal struggles same to my own."
Just as Alex put it, Demon kind and the land of the Beast-Tamers have always been on slightly uneven terms. Yet, in the middle that separated both their continents, were the governors, playing it fair between the two independent races.
"It's very common in all actuality." Victor stated, "Just as you were tossed away from society, I was as well. Though now, let's measure our goals, and rise to the top, become someone more than a simple extra in a world filled with arrogant bastards. I want to plunge this entire world into chaos just as much as you do, not just my own blood."
"This entire world needs cleansing, not just us." Alex added, "Let's put away any misdeeds that exist."
"So?" Victor sneered, "what do you say?" Its silhouette's size increased; the shape of the Demon became more obvious, with two large hands that were tied to its large claws.
Even if he didn't accept this contract, Alex would end up living the rest of his life as a weakling, a side character, an independent fool.
"I accept." Alex put it simply, without hesitation, "What should I call you?"
"Me?" Victor thought about it really hard, "Call me papa."
Alex giggled, "Anything but that."
"Daddy?"
"Try again."
"Father?"
"Never."
"Uncle?"
"Shut up."
"How about brother-"
"I said shut up-" Alex paused in thought, "how old are you?"
"Eighteen." Victor replied quickly, "Demons only live for fifty years; that's the cause and effect of our extraordinary power."
"Eighteen, same as me." Alex thought about it really hard, then gave in, "Welcome, brother."
Victor grinned, backing away into the darkness, "Alex Thorn, born of the Thorn blood, brother of Victor Thorn."
"I called you brother, that doesn't mean you're a Thorn."
"Come on," Victor stammered.
Alex's gaze darkened, "I hate the Thorns, I'd rather call you a Crowe, which I hate just as much now. Use your actual name," Alex demanded with authority.
"Fine, fine." Victor let in, "Brother of Victor Wembanyama-"
"We've lost the actual plot." Alex cut Victor short, "Who even is that?"
"I don't know," Victor replied, "it just came to mind."
"Use your actual name, or this contract will be declined," Alex demanded once again.
"Ordering a Demon is a dangerous move, my brother, but so be it." Victor added, "Alex Thorn, born of the Thorn blood, brother of Victor Kane. We will now proceed with the contract demands."
A dark holographic screen began displaying messages around Alex, and he peered intently at every one of them.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Pathfinder's Name: Victor Kane]
[User's Name: Alex Thorn]
[Relationship]
└ Not Blood-Related Brothers
[Form a Contract With 'Failed Potential Man.']
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upon gazing at that, Alex let out a laugh, scratching his eyes right after.
"What you see in front of you is our contractual system; only Demons are capable of such feats. This will help us interact at any given moment, and help you evolve more effectively and efficiently. Think of it like a video game."
Alex thought Call of Duty right away, "levelling up? That would be cool." He said, "Interesting way of doing things."
Victor nodded, "Don't bother with ['Failed Potential Man.'] Means nothing, just a glitch."
Alex looked at him, then didn't want to pry into the matter any further.
"Got it," he said calmly, as more systemic messages began displaying around him.
Each one had white bolded text inside a grey, holographic screen, with purple lingering around the edges.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:]
[Signature Here ___]
[Warning!]
[Read Before Proceeding]
[Upon signing the contract, the user cannot break it by any means.]
[Rules & Agreements]
└ Click Here To Access Rule/Agreement #1
└ Click Here To Access Rule/Agreement #2
└ Click Here To Access Rule/Agreement #3
└ Click Here To Access Rule/Agreement #4
└ Click Here To Access Rule/Agreement #5
└ Click Here To Access Rule/Agreement #6
└ Click Here To Access Rule/Agreement #7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'll assume the rules don't restrict me by any means, because I'm not reading all that." Alex sighed.
"You only need to use your hands for the signature," Victor added, "as long as you can think of the command after today, it'll be automatically adjusted towards that point. Example, yelling out 'Status,' will show you your stats."
"Nice," Alex whispered, placing his hand towards the screen that showed where to sign.
He put his index finger onto the little black box and, with purple ink, began writing the initials of his name, 'A.T.'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Contractual Signing Completed!]
[Welcome!]
└ Alex Thorn
[Full Access Not Yet Given!]
[Status]
[Level]
└ No Access Yet
[Hp: 100/100]
[DE: 0]
└ Demonic Energy
[Fatigue: 0]
[State: Well]
[No System Points! Go On Quests To Earn Some!]
[Stats]
[Person Rank]
└ F-Rank
└ STR: F [●○○○○] → LOCKED UPGRADE
└ DEF: F [ [●○○○○] → LOCKED UPGRADE
└ AGI: F [ [●○○○○] → LOCKED UPGRADE
└ INT: F [ [●○○○○] → LOCKED UPGRADE
└ CHARM: F [ [●○○○○] → LOCKED UPGRADE
[DP: 0]
└ Demon Points
[Skills]
└ None
[Abilities]
└ None
[Tamer Rank]
└ Unidentified
[Side Note]
└ Tamer Rank is Separate From The User's Personal Rank
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex grinned, "What now?" He asked.
"From here on, you'll be able to do whatever you wish, or whatever tasks the system desires for you. As long as you can seek steps towards vengeance, then it's just steps to strength." Victor declared.
The darkness that encompassed Alex gradually separated. This included Victor's silhouette.
Now, Alex was simply lying down on the same porta-potty he had been smashed into. Getting up, he touched himself.
"My injuries have faded." He said.
"As a result of the contractual process, any minor diseases or injuries will fade, brother," A voice rang through Alex's head, "Only this time, of course."
"You can speak to me internally, Victor," Alex said out loud.
"Call me brother." Victor's voice rang through his head again, but it felt natural, "but yeah, for as long as this contract stays, we'll always be linked."
"O-"
"So then," Victor cut Alex off smoothly, "what's your goal now?"
"To make it into the academy."
He replied, sneering as he walked out of the porta-potty, only to be met with more snow.
His goal was now to enter the academy and rise through the ranks to change this messed-up place. But to do that, he would have to become more messed up than anybody else.