The Sage's Partner - Re: Zero OC (DROPPED)

Chapter 1 - Arrival

"And... submit. Well, that's my schoolwork done for the week."

Quietly talking to himself in an attempt to ignore the dull buzz of the air conditioner in an otherwise silent apartment, Orion raised his arms above his head, stretching out his back as he turned to the digital clock on the corner of the desk.

"And just in time too, huh?" he said, the corner of his mouth curling down in a frown. "Well, not like I have anything better to do anyway."

Getting up off his chair, the man quickly grabbed a sweater, draping it over his shoulders before picking up his phone, wallet, and keys and heading out the door.

Greeted by the cool night air, he thought about plugging in his earphones before deciding against it, choosing to let the sounds of the city enter his ears as he walked toward the gym.

"To think. I just turned 19, and aside from living, all I do is switch from doing school and boxing. Hah," he chuckled to himself. "How boring."

Getting an odd look from a passing pedestrian, Orion quickly turned his head down in an attempt to hide his blushing face from the world.

'And now I'm talking to myself in public. I must look like a damn crazy person,' he thought.

Hearing the passing footsteps quiet into nothingness, he raised his head, staring at the night sky with glazed eyes.

'Why am I even training? It's not like it'll be any useful in real life.' His fists clenched. 'And why am I even trying so hard in school? Passing my days like a machine, finishing assignments until I'm 25 or something, only to work until I'm 60 and die?'

He stopped for a moment as his eyebrows scrunched in annoyance, and perhaps a bit of sadness.

'How... purposeless. What the hell is even the point? I know Dad said he kept going because of Mom and us, but... what about me?'

Shuffling his feet on the slightly cracked sidewalk, Orion released a sigh as he waited for the light to change.

'Fucking finally.'

As the red hand changed into a white man, Orion took a step forward, only to stumble as a sharp pain thrummed in his head.

"Ugh, shit."

Holding his head, he was once again hit with a throb of pain, this time originating from his chest, as an intense burning sensation erupted from his core.

Just as he was about to kneel down, he was interrupted by a silky-sweet voice that seemed to resound from inside his head.

"I know... you're strong... old friend," the girl's voice changed tone from familiar to pained. "Please... help my love."

Immensely confused, Orion was about to turn around to see who had just whispered into his mind, but was instead forced to close his eyes in pain as his headache thrummed once more.

Opening his eyes, he was immediately hit with a bright glare, forcing him to wince as his eyes came into focus on the world around him.

"...What?" Was all Orion could say as he stood still, stunned by what he was seeing.

First, while he was closing his eyes, night had seemingly turned to day, with the sun shining brightly overhead and a sky clear of clouds stretching into the horizon.

Two, the surroundings were completely foreign.

Not in the sense of a niche neighbourhood he had never explored, but rather that every single building looked completely different from his homeland. The usual concrete skyscrapers and brick townhouses were replaced with wooden-framed houses with white plaster marking the walls, and most importantly, the large castle that stood upon the distant hill, overlooking the city he had somehow found himself in.