I was never really used to my new life. When my adoptive parents brought me to Neko City, I was completely lost and people stared at me weirdly. After all, my story spread pretty fast and others were merciless. I expected people to feel sorry for me, to show some empathy, but after years of thinking about it I realized empathy doesn't exist among kids.
I wasn't exactly bullied nonstop, but people always looked at me strangely, they stared, they kept their distance, and it was always hard to make real friends, unfortunately. One day a small group started harassing me because I was "a lab mistake."
At first I tried to ignore them. I didn't tell my parents, especially since my mother Sarah can be very impulsive, and if I told my other mom, Kety, she'd probably blurt it all out to Sarah. Ignoring it didn't really work — they kept at it until one day I'd had enough.
One of them insulted my mom Kety because she was Sanien and not a hybrid, which is frowned on in Neko City. Angry, I punched him in the face. I was ten, and thanks to training with my aunt I could hit properly. Of course a teacher intervened and, quick as that, I found myself in the principal's office. He called my parents and started lecturing me in front of them. Kety looked worried while Sarah just nodded, looking fed up.
As we left the principal's office and got back to the car, I was sure my parents would punish me — but no, that didn't happen.
"Roxy… When someone bothers you, throwing the first punch makes you the guilty one, and believe me, I've been around… The first to strike has already lost."
I stared at my feet, a little stunned by what Sarah had said.
"And… am I allowed to fight back?"
"Try not to hit too hard. Avoid throwing blows until someone steps in, and then—bingo."
Then an idea came into my head: if I couldn't hit first, I could just provoke them enough so they'd hit me, and then I'd immediately win
I grip my sword tightly. Lynette had stepped back to switch places with Romuald, blocking the street's exits — the only way I could technically escape.
"So you came back for me… I don't know if I should feel flattered by all this attention."
"Shut up, murderer!"
My face tenses, but I try to stay calm.
"I haven't killed anyone outside the challenges."
"And what about the Queen of Davidova? And my girlfriend?"
"I still don't see what you're talking about, Roro."
He raises his sword in rage.
"Don't call me that!"
"I can, Roro. Nothing's stopping me."
"I said stop!"
I sheath my sword.
"What are you doing, Roxy?!"
I cross my arms and look at Romuald with a small smile.
"I'm giving you a chance to win… You know perfectly well who trained me to fight."
"I'm better than you!"
"No! I'm better. I'm giving you a chance to beat me in melee — a good old fistfight."
He growls and puts his sword away, taking a stance. I take one too. Behind Lynette and Admetus, I see a group of policemen watching, ready to intervene, and it seems neither he nor his two other companions behind me noticed them.
Romuald swings a fist at my stomach, but I suddenly step back. I can see his rage as he tries a second punch, which I easily dodge. It's always easier to fight someone blinded by hate and rage in close combat like this. I see the Abundance police moving closer, slipping past Lynette and Admetus toward Romuald. They're lean, but their height makes them imposing. Then I throw a punch straight into Romuald's face and glance at the police.
"Good God… I feared for my life. What a danger."
Behind me, I hear Wolf and Emilliana rushing in to help Romuald, but one of the officers speaks to me.
"What happened here?"
"I was walking down the street when this group surrounded me… and that one, Romuald, tried to attack me."
He rages, struggling against the cuffs being clamped on his wrists.
"You're the murderer! You'll pay!"
I smirk a little.
"He's hated me since the start of the game."
One of the officers addresses the group at large.
"No violence between participants within the Deadhorses' grounds… Participants #2616, #7242, #1766, #3839, and #2281, you are under arrest for violence and complicity in said violence. You will remain detained until the trial begins. Please follow us."
I watch as more Abundance police arrive to take Romuald and his group to the station… For once, it's not me being dragged off, and honestly, I feel happy and relieved.
Later, I rejoin my group at the hotel and tell them about my misadventure after we got separated. Stellio still hadn't come back — it was just me, Ashley, Lesky, and Amr.
"So… did you all have fun shopping?"
Lesky nods eagerly.
"It was awesome!"
Ashley looks at me and takes a sip of her pint of beer.
"Except you couldn't buy anything because everything was too expensive."
Lesky looks down at the table and sighs.
"Yeah…"
Amr stays focused on his plate, then quickly raises his head.
"I saw Deodat with Senga and Deepa. Deodat managed to recover from his injury, maybe thanks to the Rule of Equity."
"But… they might end up as our enemies."
I nod, though Lynette had told me earlier this game would be in teams of ten. I have no idea if that was true or a complete lie. I don't mention it to the group yet, just in case it turns out false — but if we could ally with Deodat, that'd be nice.
"Oh, I also saw Curro… but ugh."
"Curro is here?!"
Ashley looks a little confused.
"Curro?"
"Yeah, a Hegemonist who tried to make us lose."
"Ah… yeah, really not good news."
Ashley sighs. I glance at Lesky.
"…This time, we'll definitely beat him. But if we've got Curro and Romuald against us, that's two guilds opposing us."
Amr tilts his head slightly.
"They have guilds?"
"Yeah, but I don't really know their goals."
I admit with a sigh, then feel hands on my shoulders. I turn my head — it's Stellio.
"The Anti Semi-Human Guild for Curro, and the Dominion Guild for the one who hates you most… Romuald."
I can't help but jump; I hadn't expected her to be back.
"Where were you?"
"Fishing for info… I asked around about both guilds. Curro's guild aims to make sure all Deadhorse heirs are human. Right now, they've got about thirty members. As for the Dominion Guild, their goal is for each member to be the last of their lineage — either by winning all the trials or eliminating every opponent outside the games."
Stellio sits beside me with a smile.
"Now… Roxy, the question is… what's your guild's goal?"
She smiles at me. Thanks to her, I got tons of information about the rival guilds. But now she asks me something I struggle to answer — why did I create this guild? To have allies, sure… But we don't really have a goal, even if I have a personal one. So with a sigh, I answer:
"Our goal is to stop the Deadhorses and restore order to our world."
I say it with determination. Amr, Lesky, Ashley, and Stellio all look at me, then give me a small round of applause.
"That's a good goal. One I can vibe with."
"…We are the Guild of Heart. And our goal… is to save the world."
"It's impressive—you have the ambition of Sarah."
I wake up in complete darkness. I see Dena's silhouette appear before me, smiling broadly as she turns toward me.
"…Mom…" I say with a sigh.
"She would be proud of you and of how you're growing."
Suddenly, the scenery around me shifts—we're on the street where I fought, and we're floating in the air.
"You fought smart against that Romuald."
"I don't understand where his hatred comes from… Do you have any idea?"
I turn my head to the well of knowledge and wisdom that is Dena.
"No idea at all!"
"Thanks for the help."
"You're welcome," she says as the darkness reappears.
"Tomorrow you have the Trial of Abundance, and like last time, I'll connect you to the power of Abundance."
"Do you know the objective of the game?"
"Yes… it will be in two parts… a gathering part and a combat part… you'll see."
"And teams—any idea?"
"Ten!"
So Lynette was right—ten players.
"I need to find five more people… What a nightmare."
"I understand, it's hard for someone unsociable."
"I'm not unsociable—people just naturally hate me."
"Yet your new friends don't hate you."
The scene changes, and this time I see myself with the others at the inn, talking with Amr, Lesky, Stellio, and Ashley.
I stay quiet; I can't argue with that.
"I'll tell you again—take care of your friends."
I look at Denasaia, then at my friends, and close my eyes. I don't want to lose them; they see me differently from the people I knew… I can't lose them. No way that's going to happen!
"My time is up. Good luck, Roxy."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lore informations
Lynette : Lynette is from the upper class of citizen in the empire, her mother is the boss of a pretty big clothes corporation in the empire. She is a femme fatale and don't hesitate to seduces peoples. She is 17 year old and a heir of the deadhorse of Beauty (23)
Admetus : He is a 15 year old Ophidra. His family originate from Halkyone and they seeked a new life in the empire. He attended a special buisiness school. He is a heir of the Deadhorse of Opportunity (39)
Emilliana : She is a 20 year old borruns from the empire. She helps her mother run her motocycle garage. She is a heir of the Fertility (73)
Wolf : The second child of a noble family known in the empire, he is a 18 year old sanien. His familly were pretty famous generals in the empire. He is a heir of the "Winter"
Anti Semi Human Guild : Founded by Curro, it is a guild made fully by humans who desires a world that would be given back to humans. Their wishes is to have a human supremacy in the world.
Dominion Guild : Founded by Romuald, this guild have two goals but those are yet to be discovered