I am Leo Aries, 24 years old. My brother, Kane, and I own a company that was infamous all around the world and had multiple branches in almost every country.
Kane and I were handling some business-related work after completing the pile of tasks that had been thrust upon us a few days ago. It's been four days straight since we last visited home.
Although there was no one waiting for us at home since our sole family member, our mother, died last year under unknown circumstances, leading people to think it was an accident, which I had a hard time believing in.
Anyways, today, after leaving the office earlier than we usually do, we decided to do something different. Instead of going back home by our car after eating at a restaurant, we decided to not use our car today.
So, we left our car there at parking area of our company and ate a restaurant nearby. Once we were done, we booked a cab that dropped us at Seol Station, one of the busiest subway station in South Korea.
While I was buying tickets, Kane had disappeared for a moment, but came back after a minute. I wondered where he went. We boarded the train on Line 4, heading towards Sandang Station.
Luckily, we found seats beside the entrance door. After sitting down, we leaned back and closed our eyes to rest a bit as there were still two more stations to go.
After a few minutes, we began to talk. Kane gave me the milkshake he had bought while I was buying tickets. I then teased him a bit which annoyed him as he was exhausted already.
Kane leaned back and looked at the ceiling. I drank while thinking about something. I then leaned back as well, knowing that it was something impossible.
Everything was peaceful and calm, just as we both love.
Coincidentally, my gaze fell onto the watch I was wearing, and saw that the time was 8pm. Strangely, the second hand wasn't moving at all. I thought it was broken, so I turned to Kane to ask him buy me a new one, but he was looking at our surrounding with a vigilant look.
Before I could understand anything, Kane grabbed my collar and shoved me to the ground, while doing so the same himself.
Just a second after what Kane did, an attack came from behind which tore down the wall of train.
People began to scream. The calm atmosphere instantly shattered. In the chaos, an eerie figure entered the train through the torn wall. It was around 8 feet (243.84cm) tall, skeletal, and draped in a worn-out cloak.
It levitated, as if floating just above the floor, exuding a dark, sinister aura.
I could feel that something bad was gonna happen. Peace wasn't a part of our life, after all. Whenever we both brothers seemed to relax and enjoying our time, something bad happened.
It spoke in a voice which chilled me to the bone, "Sons of Voidwalker and Auriel. Join us, or meet your end here."
Suddenly, a floating, screen-like thing appeared before Kane and me. I heard a sound echoing in my ears.
[Descendants Found.]
[Descendant Awaken.]
[Opening Descendant's Information.]
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[Name: Leo Aries Voidwalker.
Age: 24 years old.
Compatible Attribute: Light.
Exclusive Skills: Martial Arts Lv. 3, Weapon Mastery Lv. 4, Patience Lv. 2.
Overall Stats: Physique Lv. 6, Strength Lv. 6, Agility Lv. 7, Magic Lv. 2.
Overall explanation: Despite being not yet being awakened in his true form, Leo Aries Voidwalker is still stronger than an average human after being awaken in 1st form now, and has limitless potential due to Light Attribute.]
+
I stared at screen, trying to comprehend what was happening, while the screams from other passengers faded into the background.
"What... What the hell is going on?" I muttered to myself. My mind was racing with many questions.
How did we get drag into something that happens in novels, movies, or comics?
Kane remained calm despite the chaos. He got up on his feet, and looked directly into the eyes of the tall figure before him.
"Brother, get away from—"
"Aries, be quiet."
I didn't dare to say anything, because I knew no matter how calm Kane looked, he was anything, but calm. He was just putting up a calm face. I got up and made a distance between me and that creepy figure.
"Who the hell are you?" Kane asked him. His voice was calm, yet authoritative. He stared right into the eyes of that eerie figure, though there was no eyes. He had an expression over his face, saying, "I am being serious here. Answer it already, creepy tall scum."
"I apologize for not introducing myself. I am an Undead Ghost named Xiao. I am one of the Generals in Devil's army. I am here to recruit you for our better good, and to eliminate you should you refuse."
Undead Ghost? Why does this name seem familiar? I wondered.
"Make your decision now."
"I refuse."
"I will ask again. Join us—"
"Are you deaf or something? I said, I refuse. Didn't you hear that?"
"..."
I was taken aback by what Kane said as well, because there's no way we can get out and avoid that eerie bastard if he tried to kill us. If what he said was true, then he must have had some kind of super powers.
In other words, as mere humans, who have nothing like that Undead Ghost, we would just die in a minute, if he wanted to kill us.
What are you thinking, brother?! These words ran in my mind upon hearing Kane's response.
"I hoped for taking you both in one piece. But I guess I will have to use some rough methods." Xiao said with annoyance as he moved his hands, summoning something like tendrils of dark, crimson-black colour which when summoned attacked Kane instantly.
(I am using the words such as "he" or so, because he had a masculine voice, but was gender neutral from the looks of it.)
However, Kane dodged those attacks before they could even hit him. Xiao looked surprised. "You are, but a mere human as you stand now. So, how did you dodge it?"
"Instincts," said Kane who was now standing beside me with a faint smirk. "I am glad that my instincts are perfect as always."
I whispered to him, urgently, "What do we do now? There's no way out."
"Well... I don't know." Kane glanced at me with a smirk tugging on his lips. "Let's just stick to what we always do."
I understood what he meant. I smirked, because I'd a hunch that he would definitely say something like that, and replied, "Got it."
Before we could act, a blinding golden light appeared behind us. "That won't do, Xiao. I can't let you kill them. You see, we need them as well."
Kane and I looked back, surprised. "What's it this time?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
A tall masculine figure with wings and angelic features stood before us.
Xiao sucked his teeth and said, "Damn Angel. I should have made my move sooner."
"Now, now, don't be like that. I am here to recruit them as well, and I'd prefer to avoid bloodshed."
"So, what's your proposal?"
"Why don't we make a deal? You take Dark one, and I take Light one?"
Xiao sighed and called off his summonings, knowing that fighting here wouldn't prove fruitful to him. "Fine. If we fought now, they'll both die in their current state. You have yourself a deal, Sam."
Wait, wait, wait. Who's taking who? What the hell are they even talking about? What's happening? Who are these guys? I looked back and forth, to get a clue of who these guys were. But I couldn't even understand what was happening.
I wondered if I slept on train and was dreaming about it. Maybe it's just a dream and Kane was going to wake me up, and tell me that we have arrived at our station.
But what if it's a reality? The panic clawed at my throat. I was too confused. If it's a dream then it's all okay, but If it's a reality, then it meant if I did something reckless I could die.
Xiao and that Angel began to move towards us, while the passengers continued to panic and scream. Some were even screaming that it's a dream. It's a nightmare. They would wake up soon.
"What do we do now, brother?" I began to panic.
"Calm down. We will still do what we were going to do. Having one more doesn't make much difference." Kane was calm as always.
"It's useless, Kane," said Sam with a smile. That smile appeared to be innocent, but I somehow knew it was not.
Kane didn't flinch an inch. When Xiao was within the range we wanted him to be, we began to move towards him, because we planned to dodge him somehow and get out through the hole Xiao made.
Of course, there was no guarantee that the hole he made was big enough for both of us to pass through, but we were hoping that it was exactly as we thought.
We only had moved a few steps towards him, then barriers appeared on our both sides, keeping Xiao and Sam away from us, outside the barrier.
"Darn it. I was too late," Xiao muttered to himself, frustratingly.
Sam wore an annoying look on his face. "Damn those two bastards. Always messing up our plans."
Then a portal beside us opened. Kane and I moved away from that, taking our stance to fight, even though we didn't have any weapon.
Two humans came out of it. Both of them looked around and felt relieved.
"Thank God, we made it on time."
"Yeah, barely."
"Hey, you two. Who in the earth are you two?" I asked, still confused by what was happening.
"We are humans just like you."
"There's no time to explain, come with us if you want to live. Hurry!"
What the hell were they talking about? There's no way in hell that we would accompany them after what had just happened.
There's no knowing whether they were our allies or not. In the first place, we didn't have a clue on what was happening. From my point of view, no matter whom we chose, we were either going to be used or killed.
"There's no way—" I was going to tell them that there's no way we would join them, but Kane cut me off.
"Let's go, Aries." Kane then began to move towards them. "Hurry up, we don't have time."
"Huh...?"
I was left confused by what Kane said. How could he easily trust them after what we had faced? There's no guarantee that they didn't want to harm us. Just what was he thinking when he agreed to that?
Kane glanced at me from his shoulder as if to say, "Aries, hurry."
But still, somehow, I knew that Kane was doing what he should. I somehow knew that Kane had an idea which would ensure our safety and such. I always had some problems trusting strangers, but I always trusted Kane. It was because of his confidence.
So, I trusted Kane this time as well, just like always, and moved myself and walked towards them as well.
I didn't know what was going to happen or what was Kane thinking. But what I knew was that if I was with him, I would remain alive, at least I will be in one piece.
Sam and Xiao were continuously trying their best to destroy the barrier, but they couldn't even leave a scratch on the barrier.
"You made a good choice. Now, let's go."
With that, we all passed through the portal they had opened. The portal closed as all passed through it and the barrier which they had made to protect us disappeared.
We were now in a completely different world. We were standing at the cliff of the mountain. Behind us was a black coloured jeep which, of course, was theirs.
They have a good taste, I thought.
I looked around at our surroundings, just for confirmation. And yes, it indeed was completely different from our world. Looking at the sky, I guessed that it was noon. I then glanced at my watch to see if it was still broken or not. I don't know why I did that, but I somehow felt that I should.
To my surprise, it was working, and the time was already changed by itself. The time was 1:45pm. I was surprised by it. I had too many questions to ask. But I decided not to ask them yet.
"Now then, care to explain what the hell is happening?" said Kane, looking at the men who rescued us from Sam and Xiao.
Our journey from now on is going to be one hell of a ride, I guess, I thought to myself.