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Siren
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Siren couldn't believe her eyes as she watched the scene that displayed itself in front of her. The limp body of Jade falling, as a hole took place where her torso once was. The viewers were going wild, but she could only sit there with a shocked look. Something felt off about it all.
Jaehwan finished off the creature, a strong stab tearing it into pieces. The man huffed out a breath as he put his sword into the scabbard and looked to his companions. Or at least that's what he thought he would see. Lying bloody was the corpse of Jade and a heavily injured Yoonhwan.
Yoonhwan coughed out blood as Jaehwan approached him, a chuck of his side had been ripped out from the tail strike. While he may live yet, the wound would serve to only make him a burden to his friend.
-I guess we can't all be the hero of the story... I'm sorry Jaehwan...
The Smile Knight wore no smile at that moment, a somber tone filling the air as the knight took out a grey stone. Jaehwan look at the stone and clenched his jaw, aware of his companions choice. He turned and put a foot forward to walk away.
-Finish the tower Jaewhan... for us.
With those words, Jaewhan went forth, leaving behind the last remnants of Carpe Diem. Yoonhwan chuckled despite his pain and winced, limping over to an open window and sitting on the sill.
-Perhaps in another life, it could have been different for all of us...
With one last look to the corpse of Jade and the beast, he fell. But that would not be his end. It was simply the beginning for the trio, the beginning of the end.
Siren was astonished at the events but quickly threw together a video for her compilation. These products really raked in the views for her but something still gnawed at her soul. Looking over the final bits of footage, she found a sight that shook her. In the final moments of broadcast for the 98th floor, as Yoonhwan embraced finality, a force seemed to surround the corpse of Jade. And on the final frame, no such corpse was to be found.
Just what being was interfering with the cultivation of these products? And why did she feel like something big was coming?
She sighed and swiped her hand, sending the screen away as she floated around her workshop. As she decided to busy her mind by working on one of her many towers, a sound came from nowhere... a ripple in reality.
-What the?
She had no time to react as a body flew into her, sending both her and the person tumbling into her workspace.
-Agh!
While she was disoriented, she still readied her power in defense. Alas as she took in who the body belonged to, she took pasued in shock.
-A product?
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Jade
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Everything was dark.
Where was I?
I... thought I had died...
Suddenly a voice rang out, coming from every direction.
-You did die and you have no idea how much trouble it was to fix what you did. Y'know, was it really so hard to just listen?
The voice huffed out as I tried to get my bearings. I had no physical body and was in what seemed to be a void. I tried to look at my hand but all that was there was a purple mist, in fact it seemed I was made of this purple mist.
-Where am I?
-Thats not important. What is important is that you listen to me right now.
A flash brightened the void as a figure became visible. The figure was blurry and seemed to be made of every color, even ones that had no name.
-What are you? I-
I was cut off as the figure finished forming. What was there was now a vaguely androgynous humanoid form with flowing hair which seemed to be made of stars.
-You have no clue what's happening do you?
She chuckled but quickly stopped and circled my form, beginning to etch images into the void showing a variety of things, the nightmare tower, earth, even myself.
-You were never supposed to exist Jade. You are an anomaly. Tell me... can you remember anything from before I entered your head at the beginning of the tower?
Her words took me by surprise and I sputtered out a response, eager to prove her wrong. But there was nothing. What had I been doing before the tower? Where did I live? Who was I?
-You see? Your very existence is well... wrong. Just by being here, the tapestry of fate is being rewritten. And now because of your self sacrifice, I had to bring you here.
-Now '-'^*' will know you exist... and that's a whole load of problems for both you and me. So here's what's going to happen...
-I'm going to send you to Chaos. From there it's up to you but to do that I'm going to have to give you most of my power to even make you a physical form.
My head was spinning from the bombardment of information. I wasn't supposed to exist? And now I was being sent to some random place because something was after me?
-Slow down... what even are you?! What is going on?! I deserve to know that at least!
She clicked her tongue in response and sighed, crossing her legs as she floated in place.
-I'm afraid we don't have time for that, just by being here, it's like a pinging signal for '-'^*' but I can tell you this...
-I am... well was an observer. But my role has changed. My name is Ophelia. I can tell you more in time.
She looked around in a panic as something seemed to have startled her. Something I couldn't even sense.
-You have to go! Remember this! Climb the tree! I can tell you more when you reach-
My vision blurred as a flurry of colors exploded across the void. I could do little to stop her as she pushed me through some tear in reality.
As I observed my new surroundings, I felt my physical body again, life on a new lease. Turning around I found a pink woman floating with her arms out defensively. Her voice was like honey to my new ears.
-Jade?
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End Of Chapter 1
