In a world once lush and vibrant, now lay a frozen wasteland where the snowstorms were deadly, and demonic creatures roamed free under the cover of night. A 7 year old Reika, young girl with eyes as red as blood, watched in silent horror as her clan's dwindling numbers were claimed one by one by the harsh elements and the creatures that lurked in the shadows.
Once a thriving community, their village now lay in ruins, the once warm and flickering fires now extinguished forever. Reika's parents had been the first to fall, their bodies succumbing to the bitter cold and the relentless hunger that gnawed at them each passing day. Her older sister, [Redacted], was grabbed by an infected, their snarls echoing through the night as Reika cowered in fear, helpless to save her. She remembered how she could only watch in horror as her last family member was turned front of her, the newly infected [Redacted] growled almost taunting her to try and stop them. With her remaining humanity, [Redacted] urged the youngest Kysophy to flee and life on in a new world.
Alone and grief-stricken, Reika knew that she had to find a way to survive in this unforgiving land. With nothing other than her sister's book left to tie her to the ruins of her former life, she set out on a perilous journey through the icy wilderness, her footsteps barely leaving a trace in the rapidly piling snow.
As the days turned into weeks, Reika's sense of despair deepened as the blizzard winds bit into her skin, tearing at her resolve. She struggled to push forward, her hunger pains gnawing at her stomach like a pack of ravenous wolves. But still, she pressed on, driven by a flickering spark of hope that refused to die.
One night, as Reika huddled beneath the shelter of a crumbling overhang, she saw a red light in the distance, glowing like a beacon in the darkness. Hope burned her in her body as she dashed towards the light, only to be grabbed and slammed against the wall, effectively knocking her out.
Hours later, the child woke, dazed and confused. Masked people surrounded her, gazing down at her as if she were a test subject. Unfortunately for Reika, that was exactly was she was in their eyes. Fodder. Another tool to experiment on. For days, she was experimented on, her captors repeatedly beating her over and over again even to the point of breaking her bones. They eventually found that the same demons that took everything she loved had a strange connection to her.
So what did they do?
They decided it would be a great idea to inject the demon's blood into Reika.
In her cell, Reika could hear what they were planning. She tried to hide away in the corner of her small cell but 2 cultists grabbed her and strapped her to a table. They pierced her arm with a needle and began the transfusion. The venom dripped into her system, waves of hot pain flushed over her body for what felt like hours. Her body spasmed in response to the blood slowly killing her and replacing her humanity with the Reikgon's will. Before long, she had passed out from the pain, her last thoughts before losing conscience was her hatred towards the cultists who worshipped the Reikgons.
As Reika awoke, she realised her body was free from the table. Looking around, there was nobody in sight. The only traces of the Cultists were the banners on the walls and the dead corpses on the floor- wait a minute. A scream erupted from Reika before she clamped her mouth shut for fear that whatever killed these men- no, monsters would come after her next. Hearing growling, she dashed down the corridors towards anywhere away from where she was kept. Footsteps pounded behind her and looking over her shoulder, she saw a demon but what was odd was that it was covered in smoke and wielding a scythe instead of claws. A light led her to a swirling vortex, a portal shimmering as a hand stretched out towards her. Without hesitation, Reika grabbed the hand and stepped through the portal, leaving behind the frozen wasteland that had claimed all she held dear.
As she emerged on the other side, Reika found herself standing in a world unlike anything she had ever seen before. Lush green forests stretched out before her, teeming with life and vibrant colors that danced in the sunlight. Birds sang in the trees, their sweet melodies a stark contrast to the icy silence of her former home.
A tall man in a magenta pink hoodie with a falcon wing stood to the right of a child in front of her. On his left was a girl named Evelynn.
With tears of gratitude and sorrow streaming down her cheeks, Reika knew that she had found a new beginning in this strange and beautiful world. And as she took her first steps into her new home, she vowed to never forget the frozen wasteland that had shaped her into the resilient survivor she had become.
And so, Reika walked forward, her hand in the hands of her new caretakers, her heart heavy with the memories of those she had lost and the trials she had faced. But in her eyes shone a glimmer of hope, a beacon of light that would guide her on her journey through the wonders of the new world she now called home.
[Sufficient word count - Bonus chapter imminent]
[Please see next chapter]
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Written by Delta
WC: 921 words
Edited by Grammarly
Written on 2024-05-12 to 15
