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The room was shrouded in darkness. Wind howled, slamming against the windows. Lightning tore across the sky in violent arcs of red and gold. Thunder followed—raw, guttural.
I closed my eyes. Inhale. Focus.
Energy stirred—dormant, subtle, like a gentle stream threading through my veins. My body tensed. Veins swelled. Silver streaks threaded through my black hair as I laboured to hold the flow.
[MANA BUILD-UP AT 1000%. STABILISING ENERGY CORE.]
My eyes snapped open, glowing gold.
Hands trembling, I reached out and pressed them against the crystal orb. It shimmered—silver laced with flecks of gold.
Power flowed. Blue. Green. Yellow. Red. The room blazed in radiant colour.
A silence bloomed, then whispers—eager, electric—rippled through the crowd.
The king leaned forward, hope burning in his eyes, clutching the queen’s hand.
The crystal flickered. Dimmed. Then—
Crack!
Shattered.
Gasps tore through the Hall of Heroes. Faces dropped. Eyes dimmed. Hope… extinguished.
Saint Lilith fell, her golden curls flying. Glass sliced her skin. Blood pooled.
“Lilith!” Camille screamed, sprinting to her side. Attendants lifted her from the shards.
I barely turned before—
SLAP!
Pain bloomed across my face. Camille glared. Rage in every line of her posture. She fell to her knees before the court.
“I, Camille—a devoted servant of this nation—declare Diana Hart, the 1000th summoned hero, the prophesied Calamity. Even her magic nearly killed the saint!”
Her voice rang clear. Her smirk was sharper.
The queen stood fury incarnate.
“Guards! Execution board—now!” Her glare stabbed through me, venomous and cold.
Whispers surged: “A heretic.” “She defies the gods.” “A Palicid!” Then, silence.
The king raised his hand. He studied me—silver hair, crimson eyes calculating.
“Execution would anger the gods. The Divine Clock reads premature.” “I strip Diana Hart of her title. She shall be banished from the capital, a courtesy: one pouch of one thousand gold coins. Now go. Leave. And never return.”
Guards stepped forward.
I breathed. Held my ground.
“You bloody bastards think I’m afraid?” I spat. “Banish me. But when this world burns—don’t come crawling.”
I turned, heels sharp against the marble. Didn’t flinch.
Bang! The gates slammed shut behind me.
Now you're wondering how I got here, but it all began just three hours ago.
6:30 AM Darkness…
Thud. A sharp pain struck the back of my head. Silence enveloped me.
Time blurred. Consciousness floated. My other senses picked up the sounds of people talking… and the sharp scent of sour vinegar.
[Soul integration at 100%. The host body is activated.]
Light flooded my vision. I opened my eyes. My fingers grazed silk sheets, a blanket, and wood—likely from the headboard. A soft breeze rustled the curtains. Somewhere distant, chimes rang like whispers.
I squinted and realised I was in a large room. Just as I propped myself up, a voice echoed beside me.
As I opened my eyes and surveyed my surroundings, I noticed it was a simple room. There was a dressing table, a window, a bed, a door I assumed led to the bathroom, and a small wooden study table. Sunlight bathed half of my bed, and the curtains danced in the wind as dust particles floated in the light like little ballerinas.
“You're finally awake, Lady Diana... here, take this.”
Turning to my right, I saw a woman with short brown hair. Her calloused hands offered me a cup of water. She wore white robes with a golden sun and moon crest on her sash.
Her warm hazel eyes fell on my thigh as she asked:
“You’re the 1000th hero. Have you chosen a card yet?”
Her gaze scrutinised me, and an unsettling feeling washed over me. My mouth was dry, and the water in my cup sloshed around as I gulped it down, my eye twitching.
“So how did you know my name? I don’t remember telling you anything,” I said, brows lifted and head tilting in confusion.
This woman seemed suspicious, so I decided to wait and see what she would do next.
Her hand landed on my shoulder, and I pondered her words. She trembled slightly as she turned to the side and coughed before introducing herself.
“I’m Camille, the 80th junior priest to the saint. I work in the Valkyries' Grand Temple.”
As time passed, our conversation flowed animatedly; however, I couldn't shake the impression that she kept flinching and sweating, perhaps due to the heat.
She explained as we left the room:
“Because you’re a hero, we are only given basic information about you through the messages received by the saints in prayer.”
Basic information… yes, basic information such as name, age, gender, and physical appearance… and so on.
After a while of walking, we reached a giant wooden oak door with chip carving and relief carvings. The outer frame of the Narthex was carved with roses and vines. The doors had six panels divided into three on each side, featuring images of doves and a saint praying—all crafted using relief carving techniques.
I reached out, my finger brushing over the smooth, warm surface of the oak door. An earthy scent mingled around it.
Light flooded in past the arcade—a series of arches supported by columns or piers, forming a covered walkway. A rosy pink reflected from the rose plant that grew on the cloister's pillars—a covered walkway, often with an open arcade, surrounding a courtyard.
Within myself, my heart raced. My fingertips began to glow as I sensed a warm energy—dormant, like a docile beast.
Camille reached, her hand pushing the door open. The oak door groaned. A small breeze lifted from the pressure. We strode in.
Inside the naos—the central and most sacred space, housing the main deity's image or cult statue—I walked on white ceramic tiles. A soothing scent of lavender wafted into my nose. My fingers brushed over oak seats in the nave—the main part of the temple where the congregation gathers for worship.
A soft voice carried through the air, reciting words in a language I didn’t recognise:
“Nos ad te prospicimus, Vetos, Imperator Caelestis, Deus terrae et pacis. Duc me gratia tua et concede sancto regi nostro scientiam et sapientiam nationi. Sana aegros, cura pauperes, et purga haereticos qui sanctitatem simulant. Duc me ad pacem.”
I froze mid-step, brows wrinkling in confusion. Camille noticed my hesitation.
“That’s Latin,” she whispered. “A sacred invocation. The Saintess is praying.”
Her eyes glimmered as she translated softly: We bow before you, Vetos, Heavenly Emperor, God of the earth and peace. Guide me with your grace and grant our holy king knowledge and wisdom for the nation. Heal the sick, care for the poor, and purge the heretics who feign holiness. Lead me to peace.
Following the sound, I saw a woman draped in a white peplos that covered her feet, a golden rope—a cincture—tied around her waist. A white blindfold covered her blond hair, draped over her back as she knelt before an altar and statue of a lion. Candles and offerings of food were laid around the chancel—the area around the altar, often slightly elevated, and where the clergy and choir may be located.
I blinked.
Camille, noticing my confusion, whispered,
“This is Saintess Lilith. One of the five great saintesses.”
Pointing in her direction, her body trembling from excitement, she was about to explain further—but I stopped her.
My finger silenced her in a shushing gesture. I don’t want to hear your ‘I have a dream’ speech and life story, thank you.
I thought, smiling as I scrutinised Camille. Her body flinched as if she heard my thoughts. She turned away, offended.
“This woman… how dare she be so rude. This wretch,” Camille thought, her face turning away.
Meanwhile, from Saint Lilith’s perspective…
Today is Tuesday, right? I wonder if Saint Ophilia has summoned as many heroes as I have.
I grinned, my head bowed as I continued to chant the prayer. The jingling of the bells echoed in my ears.
Diana Hart was the last of the heroes to wake up. I should have put a cushioning mat at their landing. I just put them straight into a coma. Damn! I'm that good.
But any hero would be blessed to be summoned by me.
I open my eyes as I strike the last bell to signal the end of the prayer. Ding!
I stood up, my legs wobbling and numb. Turning around, I sensed the 1000th hero; she had hair as black as ebony, a bad omen in the empire, with azure eyes. Her aura seemed weak, bits of pure golden energy seeping out like steam from a boiling kettle—docile.
I guess she hasn’t activated her card yet. Hah, that’s good—great, even, according to our plans.
I breathed a sigh of relief, my racing heart slowing.
“Camille, bring the hero closer,” I commanded; my high-pitched, smooth voice echoed in the sanctuary.
“Yes, yes, your holy saint,” she answered, her voice slightly hoarse from anxiety.
I raised a brow as their footsteps drew closer, a reminder to me.
“Stop! Take off your shoes; we have to make sure we keep the sanctuary pure.”
“Yes, Saint Lilith.”
10 minutes later… Silence.
Camille and I stood before the saint, a gentle smile on her face. Shadows covered the saint's figure as sunshine bathed the rest of the sanctuary. I’ll just call the saint Lilith for the sake of time.
So, Lilith touched my face, her cold palms feeling around my face.
"You're quite beautiful... Lady Diana." "Your black hair is quite... unique."
Her hands traced the features of my face and ran through my hair.
"You should tie it up, keep it safe." "What?" "I mean, your hair. The world rarely has such omens as yours. Unique." Black sheep…
"In any case, I won't waste your time. I'm Saint Lilith Shamila, the fourth saint ranked among the holy emperors."
She spoke with her upper body bowed at a thirty-degree angle, her left hand placed on the right side of her chest in a gesture of respect.
“Lady Lilith, you shouldn’t—” Camille started to say, but her sentence was cut short by the sharp gaze of Lilith.
"Why did she use her left hand? Why not the right?" Camille wondered, her brows furrowing in growing concern.
I, too, bowed my right hand, following Camille's lead.
We discussed for a while as she further explained and introduced the world to me.
The reason we summoned you here was to deal with the Demon King, or more specifically, the thirteenth heavenly emperor.
Though there are only twelve emperors, it's a long story.
There was a prophecy given by the Universal Traveller before her disappearance. It mentioned that great evil would one day return when the spirit of the realm weakened, but heroes would arrive, and among them would be one who held the power of the Universal Traveller.
As she spoke, her hands glowed a light blue, and a gigantic map began to appear as the room darkened. White, black, blue, and red dots flickered on a life-sized map.
“What are all these colours?”
“They represent the veil. A barrier placed between the worlds and the void. White represents the strongest part of the veil and the amount of pure mana in the environment. Black is the weakest part of the barrier, either about to decay or already decayed. Blue represents areas that are semi-affected, and the barrier is halfway through breaking or has the potential to break. Red represents areas about to form rifts to the void.”
“But doesn’t black mean it's most likely to form a rift?”
“Not necessarily. Palicids enter through the other dotted areas because they have more energy. To emerge, there needs to be an initial amount of pure energy for a rift to form. Although they can form on the black dots, it is less likely due to the little energy.”
She stated, her hands pointing at the black dots.
“So, what does that have to do with me? I mean no offence, Your Holiness, but I am a human from another world who has no ties to you or anyone here. I have neither the obligation to protect your people nor the strength to fight whatever demonic threat you’ve brought upon yourself. You brought it here, so deal with it yourselves. Don’t you feel ashamed to rely on the young, the old, and the pregnant for your protection? I'm not going to sacrifice myself for people I barely know!”
“If you're so unsure, I won't force you. However, if you'd like to return to your realm in peace, you should confront this demon. Let's hope you can maintain this resolve when the time comes.”
She smiled as she walked out.
“Take this beloved child to meet the other heroes,” she commanded, her footsteps echoing against the ceramic tiles.
The door groaned and slammed shut behind her.
Camille sighed, holding my hand as she led me out. Her hands were cold—icy like a corpse. I glanced down and saw scars of cuts on her wrist—patches of purple and blue around them.
Must have been painful, I thought. Camille reflexively covered her wrists.
System. System. Why are you so quiet? I called out in my mind.
🎶 “Hey, hey You light me up like soda fizz Sweet sting, burnin’ on my lips Galaxy shake in every kiss You're my cosmic crush, can’t resist 사랑 같아, 너무 달콤해…”
The music blared through the carriage’s crystalline speakers, bouncing off the gilded walls like liquid light. Diana squinted, grabbing her ears.
“System, turn down the volume! Are you trying to burst my eardrums!”
[Sorry, host, I was … kind of busy. Listening to the new release song from Huntrix. SAJA BOYS, Cosmic Crush. It’s so catchy. Sometimes I’m jealous of you, host.]
“What?”
[I wish I had a soul too. Then I’d offer it to the SAJA BOYS.]
🎶 “Bubble hearts in the neon rain Got me spinning like a sugar plane Every glance is a wild cascade 넌 내 숨결까지 흔들어…” (You shake even my breath)
Diana snorted softly. Without realizing it, her foot had started tapping. The lyrics felt familiar—like something inside her was responding.
“In any case, is it normal for systems to have interests in movies like this? Don’t you have a job or something?”
[I don’t know who told you that systems don’t have interests, but we do. We are just entities born from the essence of the universe and all its inhabitants, meaning we pick up habits and interests just like any other creature with a conscience.]
🎶 “Sip the rush, it's taking hold Like chrome dreams dipped in gold I don't need you—but I want it bad 모든 감정이 널 향해…” (Every feeling aims at you)
[In any case, I have a name. It’s Alita. And I’m a 15-year-old girl by your human standards.]
A smile tugged at Diana’s lips. And then, as if it had slipped past her defenses, she began to sing along—quiet, half-whispered.
🎶 “Hey, hey (yeah), you light me up like soda fizz Sweet sting, burnin’ on my lips Galaxy shake in every kiss You're my cosmic crush, can’t resist 사랑 같아, 너무 달콤해…” (Feels like love, so sweet)
Her voice wavered, uncertain at first. But with every line, something inside her vibrated. It wasn’t just a pop song—it was resonant, coded, alive.
“Alita, I have to ask—what happened to the Anomylous card I was holding? It was gone by the time I woke up.”
[You absorbed the card.]
“Absorbed. Into me? So what magic do I have?”
🎶 “Hold tight, it’s a meteor ride One taste, and I’m electrified Sparks rain down in stereo 네 목소리가 내 우주야…” (Your voice is my universe)
Diana hummed the final line like an afterthought—except it echoed through the carriage like a key unlocking something unseen.
[Not sure. But you’ll find out soon enough, Diana.]
“What do you—”
My thoughts were cut by Camille’s voice as she took me to a carriage. It was grand and luxurious, painted in gold and with the same crest on Camille’s back.
As the carriage trundled forward—toward the beginning of what would mark the end of my previous existence—I felt a spark of excitement, despite my lingering scepticism.
Ergo… gladium empturus es an non?
(So… are you going to buy the sword or not?)
What did he say? Never mind that now.
“Are you a hero? Hush. Don’t interrupt me—I haven’t even told you the best part.
So, with all the theatrical reverence you can muster, you will graciously present your magnificent kitana to this humble novice.
I kept on singing;
Neon nights on a mirrored street . Echoes dance to a cosmic beat 💫🎶 넌 내 우주 속 별빛 같아 ✨🌌 (You're like starlight in my universe) I chase your glow on endless repeat 🔁💜
Midnight calls from a velvet sky ✨ Dripping stars in my cherry high 🍒🌠 넌 내 심장 속 불꽃 같아 🔥❤️ (You're like the fire in my heart) Flare me up just to watch me fly 🚀💫
You're my cosmic crush, can't come down ☄️⛓️ Lost in your orbit, spinning round 🔁🪐 네 숨결 속에 날 가둬줘 🌬️🔒 (Trap me in your breath) Kiss me once and I’ll hit the ground 💋🌍
Crushed in colour, lost in sound 🎨🔊 Your gravity pulls me underground 🌍🕳️ 널 안고 싶은 이 느낌 🤗💭 (This feeling of wanting to hold you) I’m floating where our hearts are found 💞🌙”
And as the last note fades into glittering silence, the system voice crackles through the airwaves with infuriating smugness: “I told you… Saja boys are catchy.”
47Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquBUAw4BDy
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