Capítulo 1: Raven

In a world where everything was in perfect harmony and the presence of peace was felt even by a single glance, an eternal mountain stood proudly in the middle of a vast and almost crystal-clear azure ocean.

And exactly at the very top of this mountain, which had a peak surrounded by pure-white clouds in the shape of a ring, a great tree with a trunk as yellow as the most refined gold and with leaves as colorful as a rainbow stood straight with a top that reached the stars high above!

"Do you really think this is the right choice? If you accept to join her dirty game you will put everything on the line. Is it really worth the risk?"

Just below the tree's shade where the temperature was just excellent, two individuals were seen beside each other, one leaning against the trunk of the tree while the other one lay calmly beside with a head gently placed on the other's lap.

The one leaning against the tree was a young man with features that only those eternal existences from ancient tales and myths were capable of achieving and sustaining!

Short, pitch-black hair which was darker than ink, a slim but seemingly well-refined body together with bronze skin, and eyes as golden as the gold of a hive. He wore a black dress with golden sewings on it which was slightly loose above, thus revealing the middle of his firm chest, and the golden necklace representing a star that hung down his neck.

On the other hand, the one lying on his side with a head on his lap was a young woman, whose long and soft hair was caressed by the young man with both care and passion.

However, in contrast to the young man's could be said 'usual' appearance, the young woman while being otherworldly beautiful to the point where even gods would decide to kneel before her, was slightly different as she seemingly had the ears and tail of a cat, each having the same color as her long and silky smooth white hair!

Furthermore, although her eyes were closed as she visibly enjoyed the young man's every touch, from time to time she opened her eyelids, revealing two stunningly enhancing silver eyes that even had a vertical slit in them, just akin to a cat!

Holding a golden coin in his other hand which was turned and twisted between his fingers as if it was a part of his body, the young man slowly raised his head toward the clear blue sky filled with numerous glowing stars and pondered in silence.

Just only when he felt a soft movement on his lap did he lower his gaze to meet the young woman's silver eyes and spoke, "Then why don't we just leave everything to luck? For example, with a coin toss?"

Then, grabbing and holding the golden coin between his right thumb and index finger, the young man smiled softly, "If it's tails, I will refuse to go along her little game. However, if it is a head, I won't."

"And what if it falls and gets stuck standing in the ground, landing on neither of its sides?"

The young man smiled and placing his hand on the young woman's head, patting her smooth hair and cat ears with passion, he said, "Then I guess I will have no choice but to leave the decision up to you."

The young woman pouted cutely upon hearing the young man's words and turning her head slightly to the side she started to mumble quietly, in a way that sounded more of a cat's purr than exact words.

The young man just smiled and chuckled gently as an answer before he shifted his gaze at the coin in his hand. Then, after pondering for a while, he threw it into the air.

The young woman's cat ears twitched scarcely upon the light sound of the coin getting tossed before her charming silver gaze shifted toward the sky, watching how the coin soared higher and higher toward the stars above before gravity finally forced it to come to a halt for a split second and drag it down in the next.

And just a moment after the coin hit the ground...

...

"It's tails! It's tails! Haha! You have lost once again, Raven! Haha!" inside a luxurious room which was filled with lots of shiny and expensive items and antiques, an old man with a chubby face and short gray hair punched his fist into the air as a delighted laugh escaped his mouth.

"Haha, luck is truly not on your side today either, brat. Losing several grand just under a single night... No, just under a single hour! You are truly something else." the old man showed an exhilarated grin as he leaned back into his comfy sofa, causing his shirt around his big round and bulging belly to tighten.

Luckily enough, his shirt had firm buttons which could keep the cloth together. If not, it was pretty feasible that the way and speed the old man leaned back the shirt would have gotten ripped apart if not into numerous parts!

"...Old Dan, let's play another one! Just one more time! I am pretty sure this time I will win! I can feel it!"

The old man previously called Old Dan stopped laughing and even halted his hand from moving which was ready to place a big cigarette into his mouth. Instead, what he did was lower both his thick eyebrows into a tight frown and stare at the young individual on the other side of the wooden table in front of him with solemnity.

Short, slightly messy black hair, dark gray eyes, bronze skin, and a physique that was neither slim nor bulky, just a build that was slightly above average. Even his height was only a little bit above average, perhaps around 185 centimeters or 6 feet.

On the other hand, what was not average about him was his eyes, or to be more precise the outer corner of his left eye which had a small curvy black mark almost as if it was a tattoo.

However, those that knew this young man's past, just as how Old Dan did, knew that it was not a tattoo but a birthmark instead, one which was there ever since he was found as a baby just below a light pole surrounded by several ravens during a cold autumn night.

And exactly because of that and his mark that almost represented the wing of a bird was why he earned the name Raven and not something else!

Of course, there were also other reasons such as his love for shiny items or his ever-so-great bad luck, but those were only secondary matters.

Old Dan looked at Raven in silence for several seconds before he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh while his hand holding the cigarette also got lowered.

"Look, brat, I say we should stop for today. You have lost enough already."

"I have just lost thirty-six times!"

'...Just?' Old Dan was left stupified by that statement and wished to facepalm himself, but instead decided to ask, "Then tell me, if we play once more and you, through Lady Luck's great blessing, somehow win, do you think it will change anything?"

"I mean, double or nothing could pretty much change everything," Raven said with a casual shrug.

However, it seemed that was a mistake from his side as Old Dan's expression instantly darkened almost as if dark clouds have appeared above his head!

"...Get out."

"Huh? Why?" Raven asked with surprise, seemingly puzzled.

"Because this is my house and I said so."

"But..."

"I said get out! Now!"

Upon hearing the sudden shout of Old Dan, Raven sighed narrowly instead of getting intimidated and quickly stood up before walking toward the door on the side.

"And don't even let me see you until you don't pay me back, understood?" Old Dan asked with a grave expression as he followed Raven's figure with a sharp gaze.

"...Yeah." Raven sighed once again and without looking back or saying anything else walked out of the room.

"Did Master Dan get angry once again at you? Let me guess, you tried to keep gambling despite losing at least thirty times, right?" A man seemingly being in his early thirties and having a well-built body looked at Raven once he saw him leaving, his brown gaze filled with visible knowledge examining his figure from top to bottom.

"Was it really that obvious, Thomas?" Raven asked with a bittersweet smile as he let out a somewhat awkward laugh.

Upon seeing Raven's smile Thomas shook his head helplessly before gesturing at Raven to follow him. Raven naturally understood that Thomas will bring him to the entrance so quickly followed after him.

"Raven, I hope you won't take Master Dan's yelling to your heart. He just wishes you to understand that-"

"That gambling when you have lost a dozen times already will bring me nowhere but to my demise. Yeah, I know." Raven nodded as he finished Thomas' sentence just before they reached the exit after walking through a spacious hallway that was filled with both antiques, paintings, and other old but extremely expensive items.

"Though, I can't help it. The thirst for gambling just happens to be my nature. Whenever I get the chance to bet, let it be with or without any risk, I can't stop but do it." Raven mumbled quietly as his gaze was shifted to the scenery outside where he watched as the sky was engulfed in dark clouds as if a great storm was ready to descend.

"Should I drive you back home?" Thomas asked once he noticed the weather outside.

But strangely Raven shook his head and grabbed his coat from the coat rack on the side. It was a rather old black coat, one that perhaps was last produced a decade ago.

"I see. Then I wish you a safe trip." Thomas nodded and opened the door for Raven.

Raven thanked Thomas and with quick steps walked away, only stopping and looking back at the huge mansion when he was a few hundred meters away.

"Sigh... I wonder just how long will it take me to collect five grand and come back here." Raven shook his head helplessly and was ready to start walking when suddenly the ground below his feet began to shake as if a huge meteor have crashed into Earth's surface several miles away and he was forced to fall onto his backside rather unpleasantly.

"Argh... An earthquake? Here, in the middle of... Huh?"

The whole surroundings kept shaking with such force that the earth threatened to crack and split and even the trees in the distance urged to fall.

Raven frowned with a hint of pain before his eyes opened wide and stared at the sight in front of him with utter disbelief.

Right before him, about a meter away from his face, a small panel akin to a hologram floated silently.

However, his shock quickly turned into deep disbelief as suddenly words one by one began to appear on this magic panel, forming a question that made the middle of his palm itch uncontrollably!

[Say, do you wish to play a game?]

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