A Heart Game!
As the name suggests, it's a game of the heart. Everything that happened before... fighting low and high-level monsters—wasn't truly the game at all.
It was just preparation, ensuring the gamers had some basic skills. Nothing more!!
But there was one peculiar issue... that cursed monster. A rare occurrence, much like any game that throws in unexpected challenges to spice things up.
The real game begins when the past starts to replay itself, and the gamers must choose. It's deceptively simple.... choose whether to walk away with regret just like in the past or to forge ahead on the path that promises something.... worse!
The level bar? Completely irrelevant. It wouldn't change the outcome, just an extra element to add some tension.
Winning the game? That wasn't easy!
Losing it? That wasn't easy either!!
This game didn't let anyone go without torment. Whether you passed or failed, your soul would be haunted.
But... there was one secret to escaping the torment. A way to win without losing yourself. And the only one who knew it was.... Raven Noir.
How?
Only she knows!!
"Huff-Huff- Get out of my waaayyyyy!!"
Slash
Chuccckkk!!
Blood splattered everywhere as Raven's blade pierced the final humanoid monster. She stood there, panting, her body trembling with exhaustion. For nearly a year, she had been locked in battle with this relentless defence system.
Her muscles screamed in protest, her vision blurred from the toll of endless fighting. Her eyes darted around, assessing her surroundings. The last guardian monster protecting this cursed place collapsed at her feet, blood pooling beneath it.
Step... Step....
Raven's heavy steps echoed in the dim chamber. Each step took every ounce of strength she had left, but she couldn't stop now.
The prize was within reach... the treasure she had fought so long for.
Yes, like any game, this one had a prize. But not everyone would receive it.
That much Raven Noir understood. What she didn't understand was why only some were deemed worthy. But there was one thing she knew for sure: those who claimed this prize would become the next Dragon King.
As she entered the dark, shadowy heart of the chamber, something caught her eye. Amidst the gloom, a single red glow twitched in the distance.
Ba-Dump... Ba-Dump....
Her eyes locked onto the source of the pulse... a heart, suspended in mid-air, beating rhythmically.
Drip, Drip....
Blood dripped from the ceiling above, feeding the heart, which pulsed with raw power as if it were pumping life into the air around it.
Raven's lips curled into a weak smile as she staggered forward. "F-Finally!... I've finally got it..." Her voice trembled with exhaustion and relief. As she reached out with trembling hands toward the bloody heart, her own heartbeat quickened. Her pulse thundered in her ears, her excitement building, "W-With this... and once I get the horns...
everything will fall into place—"
"Are you sure?"
The voice was soft, feminine, and mocking. Raven's hand froze mid-air as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Her gaze darted around, searching for the source.
"Ha... look at you, all scared now," the voice taunted, echoing eerily around the chamber.
"Who are you?" Raven demanded, frowning deeply. The voice was familiar, yet she couldn't quite place it. Her guard was up, her instincts screaming at her that this wasn't just another defence mechanism.
"Who am I?" The voice mused, teasingly, "Hmm... that's a tricky question. Why don't we play a game? You tell me who you are, and I'll tell you who I am. Sounds fair, doesn't it? After all, you prefer deals over pointless words, don't you?" Your next chapter awaits on empire
Raven's brow furrowed in frustration, but she decided to play along. It could be a trap, but it might also be the key to moving forward, "My name is Raven Noir," she said carefully, her voice steady.
A dry chuckle echoed through the darkness, "Tsk, tsk... that's not the right answer."
The voice grew closer, and when Raven turned to face it, she froze in horror.
Standing behind the heart was... herself.
An exact duplicate, down to the last detail.... But there was one difference.... this version of Raven had no sunglasses, and her eyes were closed.
The doppelgänger smirked, her fingers tracing the heart's outline delicately, "My name is... Pyra Raven."
Raven's heart skipped a beat, her chest tightening as her breath hitched.
Pyra Raven? Before she could react, the doppelgänger continued, a playful grin spreading across her face.
"Surprised? Oh, come on, don't look so horrified. You should know me better than that. After all, aren't we one and the same?"
Raven reached for the heart, but her body wouldn't move. It was as if she was paralyzed, trapped in place. She struggled to break free from this unknown force.
The doppelgänger moved behind her, gently running her fingers through Raven's hair, whispering softly, "Your hair... it's nice, isn't it?" She chuckled darkly, and slowly, one of her eyes opened—a dark, bottomless void stared back at Raven.
"What... what are you?" Raven gasped, fear creeping into her voice.
The doppelgänger laughed softly, her voice rich with amusement. "Oh, don't start with that again. What am I? That's the wrong question, Raven. The real question is—what are you?"
"H-Huh?"
The doppelgänger's smile widened, "Are you Raven Noir, or Pyra Raven... or perhaps... Pyra Noirix?" Her grin grew more sinister as she opened her other eye—a glowing crimson pupil burned into Raven's soul, leaving her frozen in terror.
"How... how is this—" Raven stammered, but before she could finish, the doppelgänger vanished into thin air.
Raven spun around, her heart racing, scanning the darkness, but no one was there. Except...
"Pyra Noirix... a woman born with the blood of the Phoenix. A pure Phoenix!!"
"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Raven roared, her voice echoing through the empty chamber, her anger boiling over.
But the voice continued, taunting her from the shadows, "Pyra Noirix, the younger sister of Pyra Raven... or should I say, Raven Noir? Hmm... confusing, isn't it? Unless... you tell me who you truly are, we'll never know who the younger sister is...
or perhaps you're both? Hmm... could you be~?"
"STOP IT!!" Raven screamed, clutching her head as her body shook. Her heart pounded uncontrollably, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. She spun toward the heart, desperate to grab it, but before she could reach it, two hands grasped her face from behind.
The voice whispered in her ear, low and dangerous, "Mother never liked cheaters... If you want that heart, then face the game. But this time..."
Raven's body froze, unable to move, her sunglasses suddenly burst into pieces as they revealed her one deep black and one deep crimson red eye....
"Face it fair and square."
Thud!
....
.....
~Ding!~
[Mission: Save and Seduce Raven Noir]
The notification blinked rapidly on the screen, demanding attention. But...
"A-Aether... you're infertile!!"
Aether stared blankly at the scene unfolding before him, his mind struggling to process what he had just witnessed.
[Sad times don't last long... now, let the nightmare begin~]