"Zayden," someone whispered. "Zayden! Can you hear me? The monster is around the corner," the voice said and tried to wake the silver haired man from his sleep. "What the hell Zay!" The voice whispered in protest as he patted Zayden harder.
"Hmm," Zayden blinked open as his eyes focussed on his surroundings. He was jammed in a corner inside a rocky cave as the stench of blood was thick in the air. "Who's Zayden?" He asked and tried to sit upright but the figure beside him immediately pushed him back. A small rock noisily dropped from the ground, rolling towards the entrance where the monster was waiting for them to step out.
The figure looked at him and pointed to him. "You of course. C'mon man, don't tell me you've forgotten your Identity," he replied and tried to laugh but the tension in the air was high. An earth shattering growl split the air and the cave shook in tremor. "Oh shit!" The figure cursed and loaded a brownish looking weapon with small golden metals.
"How did I get here?" Zayden asked as he took a look around the hideout. How did he get here? The last thing he remembered was himself dying. Yes. He was stabbed alongside Isabelle. So where was he? And what was he wearing?! He questioned himself as he stared at his clothes. He was clad in a fitting leather trousers and a t-shirt, paired with a dark red coat which had seen better days. His hands. These weren't his.
The figure threw a nasty glare at Zayden and exhaled. "We were heading towards the outskirts of Duskfall when this monster appeared on the road. You said it yourself, it has a high level of mana. It's a wyvern," he replied and looked at Zayden. The latter was looking shocked.
Zayden grabbed his hair as everything came pouring back into his head. His memories of Raiden were there, quiet and fresh. But whose memories was this that kept flashing in his eyes? The stench of blood and slashing of sword. Were they the memories of the owner of this body? He thought as he patted his chest. He was dead right? A conflicted expression settled on his face as he tried to process everything.
Beside him was a slender looking young man staring at him with a curious gaze. He was holding a wooden weapon, a gun. He had seen one in his life as Raiden. "Stanley?" He said, more like a question as if he wasn't sure.
"That's me! You're acting weird man," Stanley replied and focussed on the entrance of the cave. "You fell asleep an hour ago. If we spend another hour in this god-damned cave, we won't make it to Duskfall today and there are lots of these monsters roaming at night." He added.
Zayden remained quiet as his memories settled down. He was quite speechless at the turn of events. He was supposed to be dead but somehow, he was reborn into another body. Now that he was alive, Zayden looked into his memories as he searched for any ability within his body. To his surprise, there was nothing but a sword. Sword slashing, ripping flesh and severing limbs.
"Where's my sword?" He asked when he didn't see the red and black sheath around him.
Stanley nervously scratched his neck as he looked towards the entrance of the cave. On the ground was Zayden's sword, lying recklessly.
"We were in a hurry so you dropped it when the wyvern chased us," Stanley replied with a bit of anxiety in his voice.
"Wyvern? There was no wyvern in the world. Only in myths were they real. Without another word, Zayden jumped down from his hiding spot. His black sturdy booth struck the rocky ground heavily and the wind played with his coat.
Stanley stood in fright as he watched Zayden walk to the entrance. The wyvern was outside this very cave and the man before him wasn't even shaken? Cold sweat broke on his forehead as the grip on his gun tightened impulsively. Who was this man?
Zayden remained unfazed as he reached the cave entrance. Unlike his former body, this one was strong and flexible. Even though his heart was beating erratically in his chest, he didn't back off. The moment he stepped out of the cave, the massive beast-like dragon attacked. His claws elongated as it slashed. Zayden moved a little which was fast enough to dodge the wyvern's attack. It also drew him farther from the sheath. The beast didn't give him time to regain himself, it attacked again, slashing and clawing.
Zayden dodged each attack flawlessly as his body moved like it weighed nothing. Yes! This was fun! He smirked and rushed towards a dead tree that was standing feet away from the cave. The wyvern spread its wings and fled towards him, taking the bait just as Zayden had calculated.
This body was more flexible than he thought. A body that has passed through different training and fights. Zayden smiled and instantly climbed the tree, running on the trunk as if it was nothing, more like a piece of cake. Gathering his power from within him, he teleports as the wyvern slashed again, cutting the tree in two.
His fingers reached for his sword, feeling its familiarity. Cold, menacing. An unknown feeling immediately engulfed him. It was as if he was floating in a bubble, soothing his nerves and racing heart and at the same time, he was filled with dread. The wyvern's screech filled the air. One could feel the terror emanating from it.
Stanley stepped out of the cave as he gripped his gun tightly. Standing in front of him was Zayden's behind. His body was rippling with sweat from battling with the beast.
As the wyvern rushed forward, its anger became prominent. Zayden unsheathed his sword and rushed too. The sword glowed faintly as traces of red mana followed it. As the beast made to attack him, Zayden slid past its under as he struck his sword into the chest area where its core was situated. He dragged it across its belly and down to its tail, tearing the beast apart.
The wyvern wailed endlessly as its body tried to move but the core had already been destroyed. A few seconds later, it lay dead on the ground.
Zayden took a huge breath as his racing heart calmed down. The feel of the sword in his hand gave him absolute solace. With this weapon, he would slay those that sealed his ability. He would take revenge on those who mocked him, those who made him suffer. They took his happiness away and left him with a broken soul. He would make them pay. He seethe.
"Zayden? Ca–can you hear me?" Stanley asked as he took one last look at the dead wyvern that was now dissipating. He couldn't believe this man would take down the beast without help. So the rumors about him were true. Zayden the midnight reaper.
Now that he was done slaying the beast, Zayden took a good look at the man named Stanley. They were both traveling together towards the outskirts of Duskfall.
"We better leave now before it gets dark. We have little time left," Zayden said in a matter of fact tone as he sheathed his blade. Sweaty and hungry, Zayden walked away as Stanley followed him quietly.
When they reached the scene where the wyvern had attacked them, Zayden frowned as he stared at the blood splattered plus design of the vehicle that they had boarded. During his life as Raiden, technology was at its earliest and newest mode of transportation. They were traveling in a bus.
"What year is it?" He asked Stanley who was quiet.
Stanley threw a glimpse at Zayden in confusion but didn't question. "2090. It's been ten years since the beginning war. Now, everything and everyone is a mess. Even surviving is a mess. Earth is at its brink of extinction you know," he replied and started gathering his things that were sprawled on the ground.
Zayden froze. "2090?" He asked himself. This was two centuries apart from the one he lived as Raiden. Did he come to the future? He was unable to digest what Stanley had just said. He then took a good look at his surroundings.
Dilapidated buildings, rotten billboards and dirty broken roads were the scenery before him. Plants were already growing inside some buildings while creepers made the bodies of some buildings their home. Dusty old cars littered the streets. The sky wasn't blue as it used to be. It was a mixture of blue and orange which was weird.
There was hardly any fertile soil in sight. "This was the aftermath of the beginning war, right?" He asked Stanley who was now gazing at the scenery in sadness as his black hair danced to the gentle breeze.
Stanley nodded. "Many people were killed in this war and the Earth's atmosphere cracked, allowing creatures from different dimensions to settle here. It was tough for humans as they fought for humanity. Now, it's said that another war is coming. A war where everyone would fight to survive the cruelty of this world."
"How?" Zayden asked as he stared at Stanley in puzzlement. It was scary and at the same time, intriguing.
"There are some powerful people who want to rebuild the world and rule it. There would be a revolution don't you think? A war between the privileged and the less privileged. I wonder why you haven't heard of it." He said and beckoned Zayden to follow him. "Some have named the war that would take place soon." He shivered.
"Which is?"
"The end war."