Hi Readers!


Thank you for reading my book and voting for it using your power stones - and also those who added them also to their collection.

I'm a novice writer and this book is supposed to be drawn as comics. I don't have the time to draw now because of my profession as a CPA, my job, and my law school degree. Drawing, scanning, and coloring them in PS is a hard thing to do - as I figured from personal experience as I finished only 3 pages of this one before I made it a book.

Hopefully words gave justice to my vivid imaginations of the battle taking place that can only be visualized in drawing. I thank God He let me finish this. Even though I am not good with words, His wisdom flowed through me to make me contextualize the images I am seeing in my head. Hopefully you are seeing what I'm seeing as you read every chapter leading to the final battle to end this book 1 of 5. 

I will continue with Book 2 if I get some reception. My vision doesn't stop there, although may be delayed. Had a few setbacks too with publishing and from other professional editors saying my work is too ambitious and impossible. Honestly, I am not in it for the money, I can publish it and have the cost to cover the expenses making it if ever. I just want to share my story. But, alas, we are not that lucky, and I am not that great too as a writer. 

Got depressed for a while before I met my wife and got married and forgot about this for 6 years now. That's why I haven't pushed though writing and focused on my professional life, but I will continue this on and finish all 5 books (4 more to go). I am challenging myself too. If I get a lot of reception from you guys, I'll kickstart Book 2 this quarantine period if ever. Thanks for reading my book and God bless you!

Stay safe!

When Bathala created the world, He made sure that the Earth will be safe from the Mortals: the Men and Women of the Earth. Their potential for evil has saddened Him deeply. He has to go away to create Paraiso but He needs to protect them from destroying themselves.

To make sure that life will prosper on Earth, He has blessed three righteous tribes and mandated them to protect the Fountain of Life from being corrupted. The Fountain seeds green life on Earth. Without the fountain, life will cease to exist.

The three tribes that are led by Nagozul, Yagisiv Haya, and Daomagar, left their villages and created their dominion on Bathala's three islands collectively known as The Holy Lands. Their purpose: "Protect the Fountain of Life at all costs." They have been true in following their holy edict and have proven themselves to become the Holy Sentinels of the Lands of Bathala. They have maintained the secrecy and the anonymity of the Holy Lands with perfection as life continued on Earth.

Tens of thousands of years later, the Kingdom of Nagozul has now grown arrogant and has disobeyed Bathala's mandate. An impending doom now shrouds the Holy Lands. Extinction of the mortal race is upon them and the fate of the world is at stake. It is up to the brave Holy Sentinels, the young Princes of Nagozul, to complete the mission and save the souls that are inhabiting the islands of God.

So like a thief, Eric Wu stealthily entered the villa. He looked around to discover the presence of people. Seeing only the modern decoration, he proceeded towards the stair, ignoring the elevator next to it. He ascended in a pensive manner unaware that he was already on the second floor. 

"E-Eric?" 

Startled was Eric Wu once the familiar nervous voice called for him. He looked around and saw Bella Lim was reading a book near the sleek, marble fireplace pit in the living room. A purple cushion was used to elevate her hands that were holding the book. On a closer look, it was his latest published book.

"Where's little Ryan?" he casually asked as if earlier he hadn't made a wish not to run into her. Unexpectedly, he walked towards Bella Lim, sat across her and stretched his body. It all seemed natural except the woman who nervously peeked on him while trying not to be so obvious, hiding behind the thick book on her hand.

"Hmm?" he mumbled, trying to get the response that hadn't been given yet. Bella Lim immediately lowered her book and smiled nervously.

"H-He went to take his coloring supply," she explained, pointed to the coloring book lying on the table in front of her. Then, the book in her hand was rose again, a wall that hid the sight of a woman taking a deep breath in. 

Bella Lim peeked at the man across her and for a while there, she was stunned. The loose necktie, plus the unbuttoned first button, made her took another long, deep breath. The silhouette of him under the dim, golden light, exuded a dangerously sexy sensation. Bella Lim was amazed at herself that such a normal after-work look of him actually made her heart race uncontrollably. However, such a feeling wasn't necessarily a good sign to her.

If she couldn't handle this, how was she supposed to stand the unknown time of her staying with him at the villa? Bella Lim bit her lower lip, trying to remind herself not to go overboard with the imagery so that she could still be proud of her sanity by the time she left the house. 

Eric Wu saw the subtle change in her expression and was amused, returned was the man who loved to tease Bella Lim.

"You should thank little Ryan or else I would've punished you tonight,"

Punish?

"You promised not to stutter anymore. I'm thinking of putting you into labor right away,"

Ohh... Bella Lim exhaled a big sigh, a reaction that was properly hidden behind the book she held. Just now, her perverse mind was quick to jump to a conclusion when she heard Eric Wu's first sentence. Thank morality for his quick help in getting her back to her so-called innocent self.

"I-I think i-it will take t-time," she answered with the worst stutter she could manage.

Eric Wu laughed when he heard Bella Lim's reply. He had the urge to yank the book in her hand so that he could see her blushing face. Apparently, his mind was liking the image of her nervous state.

God!

Eric Wu internally gasped. He couldn't believe that his feeling towards Bella Lim had transcended to the level of admiring her reaction towards him. At the same time, he felt his lips were sealed by an unknown force. Right now, he was clueless about what to say. An awkward silence began.

Right at that moment, of course, little pumpkin who went to retrieve his coloring supply save the two adults!

"Big brother Eric!" little pumpkin jumped in front of Eric Wu, trying to surprise him. He was so excited when he saw him from afar sitting in the living room. Since the time he officially became the resident of Hillside Villa, he had hoped to see the hero of his life.

Little pumpkin appearance with a statement startled both Eric Wu and Bella Lim, while at the same time broke the tension away. Eric Wu was glad that little Ryan made his appearance. He rose from the comfortable seat to scoop the little boy off the ground and cradled him gently into his arm.

"My boy!" he was meant to say, savior.

"Where have you been hiding, huh?" and this sentence was supposed to be said as 'thank you for the perfect timing,'

Little pumpkin giggled as he hugged Eric Wu's neck. 

"Little pumpkin went to take those," he said while pointing to the box of coloring pencils that was thrown to the floor so that his surprise was impactful.

"Little pumpkin? Who gave you such a not-so-cute nickname?" Eric Wu laughed as he tried not to say 'lame'. He had heard of Bella Lim calling the little boy with such a name, yet he purposely asked that question to get to her nerve again. 

It seemed that teasing her was the natural course for Eric Wu.

"Big sis does. Is it not cute big brother Eric?" little pumpkin asked with his head cocked to the left. His big eyes were staring curiously at Eric Wu. Personally, he had no issue being called as little pumpkin.

"Not cute at all," Eric Wu shook his head in an exaggerated manner and sneakily glanced at Bella Lim who was engrossed with the book in her hand or probably not. The proximity between the book surface and her face gave an assumption that she either was too into the book or just short-sighted.

"Really?" little pumpkin asked. 

"Yes. The person who gave you this nickname probably wants to make you a pumpkin," a reply was given by Eric Wu with the support of his confident face.

Little pumpkin thought for a while and stared at the direction of his big sister who wasn't paying attention to them at all. 

"But, big sis gives me this nickname," he said in a sad tone. His big eyes fell onto his sister, hoping that she would give him a verbal response to support her decision of giving the name to him. However, the other wasn't saying anything at all.

"Big sis..." little pumpkin was at the brink of tears now. Eric Wu who saw the little boy getting emotional walked towards Bella Lim and kicked her right foot. That elicited a groan from the oblivious woman. 

Bella Lim closed her book with a loud bang and rose from her sitting position. She faced Eric Wu who was holding little pumpkin in his arms and heaved out. Her expression was livid. 

As she listened to their conversation, she could feel her palpitated heart changed to a flare of anger. Patience, she told herself for she knew that man was making fun of her again. Alas, little pumpkin's response made her feel the opposite. One kick and she fell into a fit.

"Little pumpkin, here," she called in a strict manner, arms were wide open. She noticed his hesitation and initiated the movement, taking the little boy into her arms now.

"Eric, don't you dare downgrade my love for him," she lashed out at Eric Wu. The man's gaze narrowed as he mused over the state Bella Lim was in. It seemed that she could talk properly when she was angry.

The hands that encircled little pumpkin's body became tight. Bella Lim looked into his eyes and said, "Don't listen to his nonsense okay?" she persuaded.

"But, big brother Eric said the name is not cute--at all," little pumpkin spoke, rising the tone as he pronounced the last two words. Bella Lim glared at Eric Wu who was looking at her as if she was an entertainment.

"No-no, you're the cutest thing that ever happens to big sis. Your big brother Eric is just joking," Bella Lim patted little pumpkin's head, comforting the moping boy. Then, she glared at Eric Wu while mouthed the phrase, 'fix this!'.

Eric Wu grinned as he walked closer towards the duo. "Sorry little Ryan. Your big sis is right, you're deserving of that name," he said as he squeezed little pumpkin's chubby cheek.

"That's indeed a cute nickname," he added.

Little pumpkin who had his eyes wetted, brightened. He looked at Eric Wu in disbelieved, "But big brother Eric hated the name," he pouted.

"Actually, big brother Eric wanted to see if your big sis would get angry. Imagine her yelling at me while stuttering," Eric Wu revealed his hidden agenda. Laughter skipped his lips afterward as he noticed the bewildered look of Bella Lim.

"Hehehe, so big brother Eric used me to tease big sis? meanieeee~ poor big sis!" little pumpkin cupped his mouth with both hands. Giggle in his eyes. When he saw Eric Wu nodded, he could no longer stop the laughter he tried so hard to suppress. He held out his hands, asking for Eric Wu to take him away. Soon, Bella Lim was left standing alone in the living room. Both Eric Wu and little pumpkin who rested in his arms were heading to the elevator, still laughing.

What just happened? Bella Lim moved her jaw in consternation. 

Did she just get played? She let out a chuckle, followed by another. Her face in total confusion, although she finally realized the stupid reason that brought about the entire scene.

She collapsed into the sofa and looked straight with loose eyes. 

For God's sake, this was only her first day living with Eric Wu!

Bella Lim wanted to cry but seemed like her own tears were teasing her as they refused to make an appearance, leaving the woman looked drained and hopeless.

"Bella,"

That voice shot her up. Bella Lim looked towards the owner of the voice. Eric Wu and little pumpkin were both staring at her.

"Let's go eat," Eric Wu spoke. His lips alongside the angle of his eyes were smiling. A smile that once again sent Bella Lim into disarray.

She walked towards them in a daze.

Hiatus - Read Author's note in the latest chapter for more info.

Bella Lim was just an ordinary girl who had a peculiar hobby of stalking the most handsome, rich, popular man in the whole country.

One day, she found out a secret that could endanger the man's life. She tried to warn him but it was too late, she saw his dire state in front of her very eyes. And she was killed under the hand of the ruthless killer. 

But, due to her 'sin', she was reborn. It was a blessing but at the same time a curse that changed her life forever.

Her life entangled with him and dark past returned!



*I'll update weekly sometimes daily.
* a cliche reincarnation story (with some originality.cough.)
*English is not perfect. Comments/review for improvement is most welcome.

The room was brightly lit. The flooring had changed from solid grey stone to smoothed oak wood. The room looked to have six rows of shelves on each side of the room, but those rows seemed to extend forever. Each shelf was built from the same material as the flooring and had approximately twenty-five shelves per bookcase. The books themselves ranged from ancient-looking to more modern. Wool, cloth, fabrics, wood, they were made from all different kinds of material. The fire from the torches on the walls didn't seem to affect the wood and did nothing to threaten them. Sargon looked around the room quickly before sighing.

	"What am I even supposed to be doing here?" He looked at Alina.

	"Looking for information." She responded in a mumble. Alina began walking down one of the pathways and skimming through the books on the shelves.

	"There's a lot to look through." Emily sighed and went in the opposite direction as Alina. Sargon chose to follow Dalton. She had gone down the furthest path from the entrance and was trying to skim through the books. Not to find something to help everyone, but hopefully, something that could give her answers to her own questions. Sargon simply crossed his arms, and kept an eye on Dalton, occasionally glancing over at some of the books. 

	"So are we supposed to find the location ourselves?" Sargon asked her.

	"I don't know. All I know is that this library... probably has every written work ever produced here." She simply said in a quiet tone. Sargon sighed again.

	"Instead of just handing us the book, that prick just puts us in here and pretty much said find it yourselves. We'll need a miracle to find out where it is, in this place."

	Sargon started walking around, looking for anything that caught his eye, or looked as though it could give a hint to the location of the elven temple. Many of the books he passed where older ones. Some about old forgotten spells. Soon, one book did catch his eye. It seemed to beckon him. As he approached it and pulled it from his shelf, he felt a strange power from it. The cover was nothing more then Ageria's universal symbol for dark magic, on a black leather cover. He flipped the book open and looked through the pages. There were spells in that book he had never even heard of. Some had warnings and others were simply crossed out and ripped from the pages of the book.

	"Well, would you look at that." He mumbled, grinning. Dalton stayed with Sargon. She would occasionally pass a book that looked interesting to her and was forming a small pile in her arms. None of which were based on magic, but rather works of fact and fiction. She soon reached into her pocket and pulled out her portal key. She swung it and her storage opened beside her. She still had a large stack of coin, but not as much as Emily. Gently, Dalton placed the books into the portal and closed it. Surely the vampire lord would not mind a few missing books from this infinite library. Sargon noticed this and looked back at her. He saw there was a hint of excitement in her eyes as she slid the books into her personal storage.

	"What are you doing, Dalton?" He asked.

	"With such wealth's of knowledge, how could I resist taking a few. Plus, they've got thousands, if not millions of books here. What do a few missing matters." She shrugged.

	"I honestly don't think it's stealing at all. No one will probably read most of these."

	"Eh, even if they won't miss 'em, still stealing. But... it's got kinda this... thrill to it, y' know?"

	"It's not stealing. Period. We made a deal and they promised to help us. Any knowledge that can add to our adventure counts as help." Sargon shrugged.

Karaline and Violet went their separate ways as well. Lunette chose to stay with Violet and floated just above her as she walked. Violet too had her own interests in mind. She was looking for spell books and actual books that told interesting stories that she could read. She soon came across a section of those books. Somewhere a collection of short stories and others were much longer stories, organized side by side into volumes ranging from three to five. Lunette was a flying a few shelves above Violet. She, could not read, but she found the spines of the book to be intriguing. The wordings on them all looked different. Some shiny, some old and worn. Lunette reached out and grabbed a book at random. One simply on plants and tree life. After a glance down at Violet, she mimicked how she opened a book. Their there pictures inside, and that seemed to be enough to entertain the naive fairy. She was still wearing the same clothing she had gotten from Dalton after their first adventure. A simple silk white cloth wrapped around her breast's, and white panties. They had not been washed since, as Lunette was not aware they needed to be. She simply wore them and treated them like they weren't there, as she didn't like having to wear them. For as soft as they were, the material still itched her from time to time. Her hair had gotten slightly longer, and where now almost down to her knees. Her fairy wings sparkle in the light given off by the fire on the walls, and a small pattern of light was shadowed on the wall's around her because of it. 

	Violet looked up at Lunette and let out a small sigh from under her mask. She tried to get her attention and get her to come back down, not wanting her to get further than her reach, which for her size, wasn't very far. Lunette noticed Violet after a brief moment and happily flew down and sat on her head, crossing her legs and looking back down at the pictures of trees and plants in her book. Violet sighed again, and pushed Lunette's hair out of her face, and continued walking. Lunette weighed nothing, and Violet was starting to get used to being a stool for the fairy. She went on her way and continued to look at books, forming a stack of them in her arms as she walked along the shelves. 

	Emily had gone down her own way. She flapped her wings and climbed up to the higher shelves. She was doing the same as Dalton, only rather than stealing works of literature, she was stealing advanced and forbidden spellbooks. She had already formed a large pile on the ground beneath her and had been coming back to it as she flew around the shelves and found books that interested her. Emily slowly floated down to the floorboards and placed another book onto her growing pile. A book of advanced earth magic. Just as she was about to go looking for more, she felt something cold brush her shoulder. Emily froze and stiffened up, she slowly turned her head and spun around, but there was nothing behind her. The torches on the wall around her began to dim and eventually went out, leaving her in darkness. This wasn't a problem for her, as she could see in the dark quite well, only she still felt nervous. A dark, cloudy fog drifted down in front of her. Despite its shapeless nature, it seemed to curl as if beckoning her.

	Emily simply stared at the dark cloud, before cautiously stepping towards it. She slowly raised and extended her arm towards the fog. Just as her metal pointed fingertip touched it, she heard a female voice. It was soft and echoed in her mind, almost like it was ringing through it.

	"Tell me, little one... how old are you?"

	"W- What?" Emily muttered in confusion.

	"How old are you? How long since you were turned?" The voice repeated.

	"Umm... I'm... 16... I was turned... I don't know... a month ago... two?" Emily spun around and looked to see if the voice could be coming from any other direction. "Who are you?"

	"Who turned you, little one?" The voice asked gently. Emily kept looking around for the source of the voice, though she was starting to suspect it was actually coming from the cloud of black fog.

	"Um, her name is Alina... she..."

	The soft voice cut her off.

	"Oh, you poor child."

	"What do you mean?"

	"Tell me... has she done anything yet?"

	"Again... what do you mean?"

	"Has she hurt you? Or anyone else? Threatened you?"

	"Um, n- no... not me..."

	"You can't trust her. Don't forget that. Believe me..." 	The soft voice let out a small sigh.

	"Why not? She takes care of me." Emily started to get more nervous the more the voice spoke. 

	"For now, maybe... but there's no guarantee that won't change."

	"W- Who are you?" Emily demanded in a quiet tone. There was a long moment of silence. So long that Emily assumed the voice had gone.

	"Her aunt." 

	"Her aunt?" Emily turned again towards the black fog. After another moment of silence, a woman faded into existence out of the smoke. She had dark skin, and black hair pulled back into a braid coiled into a bun, a headband set with a blue gem across her forehead, with a few black feathers arching over her head. Her dress went down to her ankles. It appeared to resemble the design of the more revealing dresses most female vampires wore, only this dress didn't reveal much. Black clothing was worn underneath, covering up any visible skin aside form the face, neck, and hands. Her eyes were grey and silver. Her wings where just like Alina's, with feathers rough and vaguely ragged at the edges. Emily had to step back in shock when the woman appeared before her.

	"You look... just like her?" Emily was confused. This woman looked like Alina, but at the same time wasn't. "You're her aunt?"

	"Yes. Her father was my brother, poor thing..." She sighed softly, looking more than a little sad. "The white-haired one on the council is her sister... they and Ombra were triplets."

	"She... She has sisters?" Emily asked in a soft voice.

	"She had sisters."

	"Had?"

	"Lucilla is the only one still around."

	"Why?" Emily asked cautiously. After a long pause, the woman bent over slightly and looked down at the young vampire.

	"Because she murdered the others. Ombra and... Amy... the poor baby... she wasn't even three." She appeared deeply saddened by retelling the story.

	"W- What? Alina... she murdered her sister?"

	The woman nodded, lacing her thin fingers together.

	"But she is different now." Emily quickly said.

	"Can you be sure of that?" She asked sadly.

	"Yes!" Emily quickly exclaimed. "She's... she is different... now..." Her voice slowed down as she looked towards the ground and thought of it more. "Right?"

	"Well..." The woman pursed her lips slightly. "I'm afraid I likely can't leave. Maybe you're right, maybe she has changed, and I do hope that's the case, but can you at least make sure the others in your little... group... are aware, in case things go badly?"

	"Um, is that really a good idea?" Emily questioned.

	"Should they not know?" The woman asked.

	"Maybe... I don't want them getting mad at her though."

	The woman taped one long-nail finger across her lip, then carefully reached into her pocket and pulled out a necklace. It looked like a plain black chain at the moment. 

	"Here... if you keep this on we can at least speak to each other. It has glamour, so you can change its appearance to be one more fitting if you'd like."

	Emily looked at the necklace and hesitantly reached out for it. She held it in her hands and examined the design of it.

	"Um, okay... thanks?" She slowly put it around her neck.

	"Just keep your eyes open, all right? And any protective magic you have ready, just in case. If anything ever happens, just tell me to come and I'll pick you up, and bring you somewhere safe."

	"Y- Yeah, sure?" Emily gave her a nervous smile.

	"Thank you. I wish I could help in some other way." She mumbled.

	"Help with what exactly?" Emily tilted her head.

	"Her? I cannot leave. I am not even supposed to be in here, but I thought you could use a warning."

	"Oh... um... okay." Emily looked back down at her necklace. She made sure it was secure around her neck, before looking back up at the woman. "What's your name?"

	The woman stood there in silence. She looked down at the girl and frowned a bit. After a long sigh, she opened her mouth.

	"Valerie. My name is Valerie."

	Alina walked between the bookshelves of her row. She only had one book in mind. Time had passed and the group had spent almost an hour in the library, and still had no luck. Alina had wandered far from where she started. So far, she couldn't see the entrance to the library anymore. Alina had looked threw geographic books, books on the legend, and books about the gods and their lives. None of which had the answers she was looking for. She slumped down and sat against the bookshelf, and took a deep breath. It was hot in the library. All the torches aligned on the walls, and shelves, and the wooden containment of the library made it an increasingly hot room to be in. After a quick breather, Alina got back up and kept walking. More time passed, and soon two hours had gone by, then three, then four. Alina had not seen any of her allies since she had started. She reached for her belt and grabbed the small flask of blood she always had on it and drank. It gave her enough energy to keep going, but she needed to stock up on more blood. Emily still had plenty, but that was because Alina had basically given her all her blood. 

	Alina browsed the shelf she was on and finally saw another book about Ageria. This one was all about Ageria's desert, and it was piled with a stack of volumes about the same thing. Out of curiosity, Alina took the most recent one and flipped through its pages. Half of them were blank, and the last page is written on didn't look complete. It talked about a small town just being built a ways south of where they were picked up by the ship. She closed the book and put it back, then grabbed the earliest volume. She let out a long sigh and opened it. She skimmed through the pages, and just like every other book she had found, nothing. Another hour passed as Alina skimmed through the multiple volumes of the books, and eventually, she just dropped the current one she was holding, and moved on, leaving it open on the floor, on a page about the creatures of the desert. Alina walked a little further, and eventually spotted an odd-looking book. It was much thicker than all the bothers, and it looked much older then any other book she had seen. Alina approached it slowly and pulled it from the shelf. It weighed a ton and was a lot heavier than Alina was expecting, but her strength helped her hold onto it. The books cover was blank and covered in a layer of dust. She blew on the book and the dust blew off in all directions. She coughed as it entered her lungs. The book has markings on the side of the spine, but they were markings she could not read. Alina opened the book and looked through the pages. It was a book of Ageria's Past. There was nothing new in here Alina had not read in any other book like it, only there was a chapter that caught her eye. 'The Temples of the Gods'. Quickly, she flipped the pages and tried to find the chapter. Once she did, she was greeted by a small table of contents. They're there only four things on it, but they were exactly what Alina was looking for. 

Alina skimmed to the page explaining the Elven temple. The book stated that beneath the sand and under the pyramids, was the location of the Elven artifact. Alina flipped the page and saw a map. The map took up two whole pages, and even then, it was half a circle. Alina tilted her head in confusion, then released both pages were folded. She unfolded them and a whole circle appeared. The details and markings in the circle where hard to make out, but upon closer inspection, it looked like a maze. A labyrinth of sorts. Alina folded the pages again and flipped them. Again, there was another folded half circle. Alina raised an eyebrow and unfolded the pages. It was the same maze, but nothing looked different. She flipped to the next page. It was the same thing, and so was the next page, and the one after that. Alina found a total of forty pages that all had the same maze drawn onto them. When she flipped to the last page she found a small warning. She read it aloud.

"Be warned. For the maze changes every hour." 

Another hour passed, and Alina slammed the book shut. She reached into her pocket and pulled her portal key out. After tossing the massive book into the portal, she put they kept back in her pocket and spread her wings. Like all the rooms in the castle, everything was wide enough for Vampires to fly. She jumped and flapped her wings once, sending her rocketing down the hallway of books. A large, powerful gust of wind followed behind Alina. It knocked books off the shelves and tore the pages out of some of them. Magically though, the books repaired themselves. It only took Alina half an hour to fly the distance she walked, and soon she arrived back at the entrance. Dalton was sitting against one of the shelves, looking down at a book, with Emily using her shoulder as a pillow and sleeping on it. Violet was reading across from them. Sargon and Karaline had stacked books in a pile and had been looking through them.

"Alina?" Karaline said, being the first to see she had returned. The gust of wind caught up to them and hit the group hard. Sending the books, and papers inside flying out and around. The wind woke Emily up, and she looked around, confused. Alina quickly approached the two adults and grabbed the massive book from her portal and began showing them everything she had found out.

Emily sighed and looked forward at Violet. She saw she was distracted and took the opportunity and reach into her pocket and pull out a small pebble. She chucked it at Violet's mask to get her attention. There was a loud clicking sound as it bounded off. Violet looked up and at Emily.

"Hey, Violet... what are you read?" 

Violet looked at Emily with a blank expression behind the mask, before turning the book over and showing her. 

"Could you tell me about it?" Emily teased. Violet didn't respond and flipped her book back around. She sighed and looked back down at it. Emily had been doing this to her quite a lot recently. Mainly when they were traveling. Emily would throw a rock or something at Violet to get or attention, or just to annoy her. She would tease Violet about her height and the fact she couldn't talk. It didn't bother Violet though, as she has been teased like this her whole life. She had simply learned to ignore those people. Emily seemed to get some sort of pleasure out of messing with her teammate, and it didn't help that Violet never fought back. She would just ignore it, and only once did Emily get a response when she tossed a handful of sand at Violet and it got into her clothes. The group had to stop while Violet had to strip and get all the sand out of her clothes before putting them back on. It irritated her sometimes that Emily picked on her, and it was starting to hurt that her teammate continued to do it. Violet did like Emily as a person and wanted to see her as an ally, but it was hard at times. Finally, Violet said something.

"Why do you pester me?" She wrote in the air with her finger, using smoke as a way to communicate.

"Because it's fun to cause trouble!" Emily said with a slightly cheerful tone. Violet put the book in her lap and sighed, crossing her arms.

"Please put out your palm." She wrote in the air. Emily tilted her head and did so, not thinking Violet would do anything. In fact, she didn't Violet reached into her pocket and grabbed the handful of rocks Emily had been throwing at her and dumped them into Emily's hand. She looked Violet in confusion before taking the rocks back and looking down at them. 

"I believe these are yours." She wrote, and with that, Violet went back to reading her book, getting absorbed back into the story. Emily sighed and looked back over at Alina. Sargon had handed her a black book with the simple label of 'Vampires' on its cover.

The following morning went on much the same way. In the short period of an hour, since going down to the kitchen until finally getting to my classroom, I managed to panic twice, get angry at every word he said, stammer every now and then, think I'd end up throwing up and curse his existence all the way to the school gates. By the time Joanne greeted me cheerfully I was already feeling exhausted and my morning had barely begun.

The high point of the day was, as to be expected, lunchtime.

As agreed Gabriel and I joined Michael and his friends outside, and we were happily greeted. After all, they belonged to the same world of famous beautiful people. Only I stood out of place.

To my misery, I found out that those short moments were the only thing that made facing the torture my everyday routine had become worthwhile. And when Michael reached into his bag and pulled out a book and handed it to me, I wanted to die right there and then.

I hugged the book he'd lent me the rest of the afternoon, smelling its white pages like an obsessive mad woman. I could still feel his perfume, and imagining him touching those pages, reading them, made me float above any dark cloud. By reading that book I felt I could reach some occult part of him; reading the same story he'd read and, who knows, sharing the same emotions. To me that bounded pile of paper was like a sacred key to a little bit of his secret world.

I went back home as soon as classes were over, completely forgetting the possibility of having to share my house with him. Had I remembered it I'd probably stayed in the library like the previous day. But he wasn't home.

I smiled in pure bliss as I lay down on my bed opening Michael's book on the first page. The story was basically a romance and, even before reaching the end, I'd already guessed that everything would end well, like in a fairy tale.

The sound of the front door closing made me put down the book and go downstairs to greet my mom. I stopped before reaching the bottom of the stairs and she smiled up at me.

"Hi, Mari. How was your day?" she asked in an obvious good mood.

"Was okay."

"Gabriel came to pick me up again," she explained, noticing my distrustful expression. "Even though I'd already told you there was no need for that!" she added looking back at him.

"Because it's not safe for a lady to be walking around at night all by herself," he stated and Rachel shrugged, as if she'd given up arguing with him. Once more anger burned inside me. How could he say something like that with that serious expression? The only dangerous monster I knew was him!

"But come! Let's get something to eat. I'm famished and have good news to tell you," she announced reaching out her hand and I took it.

Sitting at the table, our plates filled with tuna salad, Rachel took her time asking us about school, if everything was all right, if anything special had happened. I just answered with a short 'yes' or 'no', while he went about describing in detail things that had never even happened.

I was about to stand up to clear the plates and exchange our salad bowls for some fruit when Rachel's hand held mine, surprising me and captivating my attention. I eased back into my chair, growing more apprehensive by the minute, and recalled the last time I'd seen that expression on her face — when she'd informed me that she and my dad had decided to get a divorce. For a moment I thought she was about to tell me that she was getting married, or that someone was having a baby, or something like that, and I readied myself for the shock, trying not to react too poorly to whatever came my way. On the other side of the table Gabriel remained calm, his expression empty of any emotions, once more the perfect statue, making me believe he already knew what she was about to tell me.

"Mari, you know yesterday I had a dinner meeting, right?" she asked me in a careful tone that only made me even more restless. "So ... the gentlemen present were all very important people. They saw my new project and were quite well impressed. I think I've never been so praised in my entire life!" she added, laughing lightly, her eyes filled with pride. "They made me a work proposition," she reveled and I empathized with her obvious happiness.

"But that's great, mom!" She nodded and squeezed my hand.

"Yeah! It's an once in a lifetime chance and something that will promote my career beyond measure!" Only then did I notice that something was still amiss.

"And? Did you take it?" I asked. The light that had filled her eyes became dimmer.

"No. Not yet. I wanted to talk with you first," she replied and I frowned, trying to understand what was going on, more and more certain that things weren't as easy as they sounded.

"Why?"

"They want me to go to Paris for six months." It felt as if someone had just fired a gun at me. "They'll pay for everything — travel expenses, place to stay, food, car. I'll be able to attend any workshops I want free of charge, and I'll be participating in one of the biggest projects in Europe," she went on excitedly, but I could hardly hear her.

Paris! And leave everything behind? The school that I'd finally managed to get used to; Stephanie, Joanne and the others ... worst of all, Michael! Just thinking about it, the pain was unbearable. And how could I move to Paris? What about my studies? I'd never been that strong at French. Above all, I did not want to leave London!

"And so I've been thinking," she added in a more serious tone. "If you're against it, I won't go. You're my daughter and, as much as I like my work, or as much as our life may improve if I take this job, there's nothing more important than you."

"But you jut said it was an once in a life chance," I muttered and she smiled kindly.

"Still, you're more important than any of that," she reaffirmed and I couldn't help blushing. "But then I thought of another solution. Something that a few days ago would never have even crossed my mind. But now everything's different." I listened eagerly. "Most parents with kids your age think teenagers of seventeen, eighteen years old are basically adults. In my opinion they're not adults enough to be left home alone for six months, while their mom is working on the other side of the ocean. However, as things stand, should you stay, you wouldn't be staying on your own. You'd have Gabriel to keep you company and lend you a hand, if needed. And that is something I'd be willing to compromise with."

I opened my mouth, wordless, and forgot to breathe. My mind fought desperately not to drown and I looked at him, trying to make sense of what my mother had just said. His statue-like expression opened into a cold cynic smile, and I clearly saw the dark corner he'd, once more, pulled me into.

"You don't have to answer right away. Just think about it and we can talk again tomorrow," she said, all understanding. And, as I sat there, unable to utter a single word, she got up and cleared the dishes. "Anyway, it's as I've told you. Sure it would be a wonderful experience, but it's not something I can't live without. And to tell you the truth, even knowing you wouldn't be alone, leaving you here it's still not something I'm completely comfortable with."

I stared blankly at the red and white checks of the tablecloth. Her words, just now, had nothing to do with the enthusiasm that had burned in her eyes just a few moments ago ... and I was the only one to blame. I bit my lower lip making my stunned mind consider what she'd just suggested. Anyway, what difference would it make? That thing could appear and disappear at will, not to mention that I didn't even know what other powers he might have. My mother's presence in that house wouldn't change anything. She'd never be able to protect me, I concluded bitterly. Quite the opposite! At least in Paris, away from all that mess, she'd be safe. And, with some luck, for better or for worse, everything would be over in six months' time. Besides it was obvious she really wanted to accept the offer. And I recalled how she'd always tried her best to be a good mother, without having to give up her professional dreams. Unlike my father, who had fully devoted himself to work, Rachel had never missed a school festival or parents' day. Her schedules were tight, making her relinquish luxuries like personal time, but she always managed to wake up earlier than me, just to make me breakfast. I could hardly be childish and selfish now that she needed my support. After all, it was only for six months.

I took a deep breath as I found my answer and smiled as honestly as I could when I looked up at her.

"There's no need to think, mom," I told her and she turned to face me, looking surprised to hear me speak in such a clear tone. "You can go to Paris. Sure, I'll miss you lots, since we've never been apart before and everything. But it's only for six months. And, like you said, I won't be alone." I was fully aware of Gabriel's persistent smile, and Rachel looked like she couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

"You sure? I mean, you don't have to force yourself to accept it, or anything," she stammered and I smiled again.

"Of course I'm sure. It's something you really want to do, right? I'm very happy to know how important I am to you, but I don't want to feel like I've completely taken over your life! It is your life, after all."

She threw her arms around me, crushing my head against her chest, and laughed happily.

"Do you have any idea of just how much I love you, Mari?" she said in between laughs and turned to look at Gabriel. "Ain't I the luckiest to have a daughter like her?" she asked him but he didn't answer and simply kept smiling.

What would you do if in this world there was a Magic Spell able to make the one you love love you in return? And what would you do if,suddenly, what began as a joke, a mere expression of a hidden desire,awoke a dangerous and cruel creature determined to make you bend to his will?

Mariane is a simple and introverted Human girl.

Gabriel is a powerful Deiwos used to always get what he wants.

And how can these two different existences, originated from such different worlds, ever hope to learn to live together, communicate and, who knows, even understand each other ...?

"Speaking of Gillian, time for his turn. Shall we go somewhere else?" asked Mavislin.

"I'm fine with any place," said Gillian, smiling.

"Then what Time do you prefer?" asked Raiyen, winking and smirking. 

"You sure you can pull that off?" asked Baldwin, worried.

"What? Is the Angry Man suddenly caring for a mischievous kid?" taunted Z, nudging Baldwin's shoulder.

"I care only for the kids, not you, Snow Cap," retorted Baldwin, angered.

"Don't underestimate me just because I'm the youngest," said Raiyen as he prepared for a Time Teleportation trip.

"Weave time. Manipulate space. These are the elements I control. Setting coordinates. Time is fixed. Space is fixed. Time Teleportation has begun!" recited Raiyen.

As the snowstorm enveloped the group and cleared, they were met with the notorious Northern Lights. 

"Sorry, I couldn't do a library. But this is about a few hundred years before we all gathered. Try out the main spell of your Ancient Relic. It's called Flashbacks for a reason," instructed Raiyen. 

"Looks like you are in charge of this one, huh?" asked Gillian, as he pulled out the book. 

Gillian's Ancient Relic did not require an incantation. Just by saying out its title will call for the Ancient Relic immediately. With its leather cover and dusty golden pages, he held up the Relic and called out its true name.

"Voynich Manuscript!"

Within a split second, the pages flew out. A mass of white papers swarmed around the group.

"Establish who is your target now!" commanded Raiyen, fiercely.

The book's cover was now imprinted with the words; 'Book Of Code' in a bright orange glow. He then chose the target to be the Valkyrie as the entire plane was being rewritten and covered with a memory. A flashback from the Valkyrie's past. 

"There's no control on which memory it can show. But a subtle feature is that if the target is an ally, it won't show a hurtful memory," explained Raiyen. 

"I hope so," replied Mavislin, clenching her fists. 

The dark blue night sky with Northern Lights was now replaced by a familiar evening purple blanket with bright pink clouds. The pure white floor underneath was now a dusty orange carpet. It was as if the Child of Valokia had returned home.

"So this is Valokia," said Gillian, impressed as the adults were flying within the clouds. 

Beside them, stood a little cottage, adorned with a red roof and aquamarine-covered walls. The door flew open as two young children stumbled onto each other in the excitement of having playtime. 

The little girl had her twin braids tied up using crimson ribbons while wearing a black summer dress. The little handsome boy had a black robe and both of their eyes were shining gold. 

"This is the day, no, the moment we learned how to summon our wings," said Mavislin, her voice slightly cracking. 

Tears threatened to fall as she witnessed the precious memory before her. One she knew she could never get back. 

"Oi, I thought it was to show something non-harmful?" asked Baldwin, angrily.

"Correct but this particular memory sparked sadness within her. Not under the Relic's control, unless Gillian commanded it to. In which I highly doubt so," interpreted Raiyen. 

The grief-stricken girl continues to stare, as stiff as a board along with Ysabeau and Gillian.

"Come on, Benny. You can do it!" cheered the young girl.

"I'm scared..." whined the twin boy. 

The little girl thought carefully and came up with an idea.

"How about I give it a shot first? Would that make you feel better?" suggested the girl with a brimming smile. 

The boy looked uneasy as he nodded.

"I'll try..."

"You've got to!" 

After stating the conditions, she began breathing in and out. The surrounding bright energy started to swirl around the little girl, which prompted her dress to float. Or was it her body? Soon, after the golden light had dispersed, two small wings stayed on her back. 

"Wow, it's so huge!" yelled the boy, trying to touch the wings. 

The girl moved it once and hovered above the orange ground. 

"My turn!" said the boy, happily. 

As she witnessed the memory before her, the facts came back rushing into her mind. Her twin could only do things if he had seen his twin sister do it before. From their first steps to their first words being the opposite twin's names, Benjamin would only have the confidence after Mavislin tries it first. 

But for him, dark purple streams came from the skies above and towards him. After the cloud had gone, indigo-dyed wings clung onto the young boy's back. It took a few delayed moments for the young brother to realize the difference between his wings and his sister's pair.

"Why isn't mine as big as Mavy's?!" cried the young twin. 

The sister then swoops down towards her brother, in an attempt to soothe his cries.

In this universe, those who can manipulate certain Elements were called 'Mages'. From Water to Fire, and even Time itself, these Mages were bred in all corners of the Universe. 

Each planet created are known for their distinct Elements. 

A certain war came about and destroyed all in its wake. The Great Noble War, a war that took down a multitude of stars. For unknown reasons, the sole excuse for that terrible war was gone along with the great planet of Valokia.

But, from the remnants of galaxies that were affected, one particular galaxy called the Milky Way birthed something called the Solar System. This System was the collection of eight planets and their moons. 

They orbit around a star called the Sun, together with smaller bodies in the form of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets. A particular planet stood out from the rest as a haven to all; Earth.

Humanity was not very welcoming to these foreign beings, so the first few Mages developed a system as well as an organization, called the Congregation. All in hopes to protect these groups of gifted Mages.

But there is something strange about this organization...
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Credits to valeriex for making the cover!

Death was such a complicated thing, and it did not get easier with time. Harry knew this, and felt each and every version of his parents dying. No matter how many times it happened, he still ached.

'If only this was possible to prevent,' the child groused inwardly. 

He had actually tried more than one hundred separate times to save them. Each time they still died, and each time Harry felt more helpless. More inhuman. 

'They die over and over, while I live on again and again.' 

His heart hurt, and he didn't particularly feel festive as Halloween approached. Lily was decorating the house with muggle and magical decorations. She had even come up with a plan to make a sort of in-home trick or treating for Harry, since they were all confined to the cottage and it's Fidelius Charm. A trusted adult and guard was scheduled to wait behind each cottage door. When Harry knocked, each closet or room would open to reveal a different Marauder or Order member, each holding a bowl of candy. 

'It's hard to smile when I feel so low,' Harry thought, leaning across a low coffee table set up with a coloring book and large crayons. His chubby cheek was pressed flat against the cool wood, and the frown on his face was partially squashed. The coloring book he was working on was magical in nature, and the unicorn he was currently coloring would rear and prance nervously every twenty seconds; tossing it's magnificent mane, it charged across the page when he attempted to apply some sunset orange to the spiral horn. 

'Death is only the beginning for me,' he admitted to himself, wax crayon poised above plain parchment. 'Pity it isn't the same for them. Always, always the same results.' 

It was probably a fixed point in time, which meant that nothing he did could change it. Unfortunately, there were some cases of this. No matter the interference, the event would progress even without him interacting or encouraging the situation. His parents, Sirius, Cedric, Remus; these were all deaths he had actively fought. Regardless, each lifetime he witnessed, they died the same. 

'I feel like the King in Sleeping Beauty,' Harry sighed. 'No matter how many spindles I burn, the curse still exists and comes to existence. My family is still doomed, and there's nothing a mere human can do.' 

At this point, he had a small understanding of Time, Fate, and Death. All three were Principle Primordial existences. They were endless and ageless; from a time before Time existed. And all three Principles had finite laws and ideals.

If Fate destined something to happen then it was impossible to deny it. If Time agreed with Fate, then it would happen specifically without fail on a specific date or hour. If Death made an arrangement, and Fate and Time could coincide or make stakes, then that arrangement would supersede all others. In other words, if Death decreed his parents to die at 11:52 PM and both Time and Fate agreed, then they would die before the clock could tick over the two to a three. 

Time often decreed that something specific happened to him, so that something would always happen, too. Time had decided that Harry was bitten by the basilisk fang in each reality, and somehow this always happened. 

How this came to be was sometimes strange, such as Harry accidentally hatching a basilisk from a chicken egg beneath a toad. Or worse still, when the ancient fossilized fang of a basilisk on display in a museum had managed to break his fall. Time always got it's destined end. 

Fate was kinder, but just as stubbornly stuck in place. Harry was somehow always the 'One'. No matter who he was, or what lifetime be lived. Even as a koi fish, it was his interventions that saved the world from the Dark. And wasn't that convoluted?! A koi fish saved the day, without credit. This was prejudice, that's what it was.

Toddler Harry snorted. 'A bloody koi fish saved their arses,' He taunted inwardly, picturing the faces Dumbledore had made in his office. Completely dumbfounded, the wizard would likely have lost his sanity. Perhaps that was why he had thrown himself from the astronomy tower later that same evening, all whilst cackling.

Always the same but not; that version of Dumbledore was not killed by Snape or the ring's curse. Instead, he had thrown himself from the tower, much the same as he always fell in death. Head down, eyes upwards, and sprawled out helpless. 

Death cared nothing for dignity, he knew. 

'Tonight they die,' Harry sighed silently. His heart felt heavy, painful, but this was inevitable. Anticipation was his arch nemesis, but like the Principle Entities that controlled his existence.

In a last ditch effort to show his love, Harry did his best not to bother the adults. Behaving was difficult for a toddler, but he just managed. Somehow, he wanted to make today easier for them.

"I am telling you, he's not himself today. What if he's getting sick?" Lily was talking animately in the next room. 

"We'll give him a bit of Pepper-Up at dinner. He's fine, Lils," James was telling his wife, his voice getting nearer as they spoke. No doubt he had moved closer and was now holding his wife. "He's a Potter. He'll survive this, and he'll come out on top and be amazing. At the ripe old age of one hundred and eleven he will pass gently into the next world, asleep in his bed. Loved and content with his choices."

Lily made some muffled noises, before quietly asking, "Do you really think so?" 

James sighed deeply, a sound he made often when he was holding Harry's mother tight and close. A sound reserved for her, almost like he was breathing her in. Nonetheless, it was a sound Harry heard often, at least once daily. 

Harry's heart throbbed painfully, and he tried to put the evening from his mind. Sure enough, the Floo activated, and several Order members reported an attack before most of the adults, save his parents, left. It was a violent call, something about a vicious and explosive attack on Diagon Alley. Voldemort himself was supposed to be in attendance. 

But that wasn't true, Harry knew. It was a set up to distract the Order. In reality, although most of his Death Eaters were destroying the popular shopping district in London, currently Voldemort was heading to the Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow. Secret and rat in hand, he was poised to come and fulfil the prophecy by killing the Potter child, having chosen a half-blood like himself.

Harry wanted it to be over already. Tears stinging his eyes, he hugged a blanket to his chest, still morosely laid across the end table. 

'KaBoom!' Came the sound of the wards crumbling, a sound similar to glass breaking immediately following. The wards and intent barrier had fallen. Voldemort was here. They only had seven minutes before they could expect the Dark Lord at their actual door. 

A tear slid down Harry's face, sliding across his nose and tracing a hot, salty trail to his plump cheek pressed against the wood. 

Lily ran in seconds later, face paler than usual. James was hot on her heels, and as soon as he was certain that his son was carefully ensconced in his wife's arms, he hugged them both close. Pressing a kiss to Lily's upturned forehead, he gently ruffled Harry's eternally fluffy hair. Held tight in his mother's arms, Harry mewled helplessly in distress.

"You know what to do," James whispered hoarsely against his wife's soft red curls. Her hair smelled of mint and rosemary.

Lily nodded, her body moving shakily. She was afraid, but there was a fire in her green eyes. A determination to be strong shone through as she lifted her head, tipping her chin up. 

"I take Harry, go upstairs and wait. After twenty minutes, if you haven't joined us, then I floo out. If I can't floo, I apparate; if I can't apparate, I use the emergency portkey in the hallway inside the circle. If at any time it feels like the situation has worsened, I am to immediately evacuate ahead of you." Her eyes blazed as she looked through her lashes at her husband. "You will survive this, so hurry up. Don't be a ridiculous Gryffindor, run if you have to. Your family needs you." 

James' smile was warm and full of love. Soft hazel eyes, wide grin and youthful black curls, he looked very young. Harry was painfully reminded of how very young both his parents were. 

"I finally have the most beautiful flower in all the world. My fire flower, so passionate, so brave. So smart and kind, she puts a saint to shame." His smile looked lopsided at this angle, making the man look charming and devilishly handsome. "My fire Lily has given me a home, a family. A son to carry on, and hopefully one m--" 

Lily frowned and pressed a finger to his lips, shifting her grip on their son. 

"We'll talk about it when you come back to us," she said firmly. "And not a moment before."

James laughed.

The next few minutes were a blur. Lily headed upstairs, holding Harry in her arms. James headed to the front door, waiting to greet their unwelcome visitor. There was loud voices, screaming, spell colors lighting up the night through the windows. The sound of furniture moving, snapping, breaking, shattering, exploding! 

For a while this continued, noise rising steadily like a crescendo of destruction. 

But suddenly, it was quiet. A violent sort of quiet that swallowed up all hope, leaving only fear.

Lily began to weep, shoulders shaking as she placed Harry in his playpen and threw green powder into the fireplace. There was no reaction, and Lily's expression tightened. Quickly rising to her feet, she turned and went to the playpen. Her hand holding Harry's, she waved and flicked her wand-- but instead of a magnificent 'crack!', there was a sort of grinding noise. Apparation and floo were impossible, cut off, in or out. 

Sucking in a breath through her teeth, Lily hefted Harry quickly, putting him on her slender hip as she walked quickly to the door, wand out before them. She turned the knob, pulling the door open slowly as she glanced down the hallway towards the portkey and transmigration circle some distance away. 

However, she immediately screamed and slammed the door closed. The Dark Lord Voldemort was walking slowly through the hallway towards them, resplendent and terrifying in robes of all black. 

Lily ran deeper into the room, whispering the password to the lock on the nursery. Immediately spell chains heavily interwoven locked the room down. Now, even opening a window was impossible. It cut off their own escape, but bought time for the Order to arrive. As soon as the lockdown was activated, Dumbledore would be alerted.

Harry felt his face being pressed tightly against his mother's chest. She kissed him tenderly, keeping her lips against his black curls before more tears slid down her face, running into his hair. 

Placing her son in the wooden crib James had carved with steady transfiguration when he first heard she was pregnant Lily brushed the hair back from his forehead and knelt before him. 

"Mama loves you," she whispered, a tear making its way unhindered down her cheek. "Dada loves you," Lily encouraged, looking solemn and beautiful. A tragic and lovely angel. "You have to be brave now, Harry. You have to be brave."

Harry began to cry, and Lily tried to smile for him but it was watery at best. 

"Ma... ma!" Harry cried, his entire being hurting. "Mama!" 

Lily smiled again, a bit more realistically, but this time there was an explosion, and then the sudden cracking of the wooden door as it flew apart and off the hinges. Voldemort had cracked the lockdown.

Through the rubble and smoke stood a dark and cloaked figure. Elegantly, he stepped through the frame of the door, looking for all the world as though this was just tea. Even the dust settling onto his dark shoulders did not hinder his casual elegance.

Glowing red eyes with serpentine vertically slit pupils locked with the cautious gaze of Lily Potter. 

"Stand aside, girl!" Hissed a high voice. 

"No!" Cried his mother. "I won't. Take me, take me instead! But not Harry, don't touch Harry!" 

"Step aside!" This was the second time life was offered to Lily Potter. 

"Not Harry, take me! Just don't hurt my baby!" 

His mother held firm. 

"Step aside, you foolish girl!" Voldemort hissed his final warning. 

"No! Please, don't take him. Not my son, not Harry. Take me!" Lily begged, eyes fierce and back straight. She was noble in a way Harry could only hope to be. 

"As you wish," Voldemort sneered, and brandished his yew wand, long fingers curled around the handle. Sweeping it back, he lunged forward as though fencing, and said the words to the worst Unforgivable. 

"Avada Kedavra!" 

Green light shot out of his wand. Lily turned quickly, her back to her assailant, not running away but shielding, hunching down protectively above Harry. 

The light hit Lily between her shoulder blades. She screamed, body jerking quickly backwards before falling down and off to the side. 

Harry felt pressure behind his ears, a sudden and high pitched ringing. Buzzing and trilling loudly, the noise took precedence over everything. When it jerkily ended, Harry heard high-pitched laughter. High and cold, it mocked him like waking up from a dream into harsh reality. This nightmare was his reality. 

"I will have no equal, I will rule eternal! I, who have beaten death, shall live forever and reign!" 

Voldemort cackled maniacally and bowed in a mocking farce. Harry couldn't see his face, cast in shadow as it was beneath his hood, but he suspected the other was smiling and jeering at him. 

"My apologies, forgive me as I have already taken so much. On a positive note, you shall never experience the life of an orphan. This is our first and last meeting, so I bid you good bye... Harry Potter..." He pulled back his arm and lunged his wand downwards, crying out, "Avada Kedavra!" 

Green light raced towards Harry, but he only glanced up slowly, expression hollow. He wanted his mother to get up. He wanted James to charge in here, safe and alive. But neither of these things happened.
 
Harry closed his eyes, not wanting to see what was happening. Tired. So tired. He wanted to sleep, he wanted to dream. To dream of his family, laughing that summer. The way they looked. The way they smelled. The way they felt. 

As the death curse rebounded, Harry closed his eyes and slept. He didn't see Voldemort disintegrate. Nor did he see Severus Snape crying over his mother's corpse. He slept through the arrival of Hagrid, and his loading onto Sirius' flying bicycle. 

Tears glittering on his dark lashes, he dreamt of his birthday. 

Lily twirling with James in the kitchen, her soft cream skirt flaring out like flower petals. The way the light hit her hair and turned it into brilliant red and copper. The sound of her laughter. The way she sang along to the radio, or how she always smelled like vanilla and herbs.

James swaying with his wife, hazel brown eyes full of laughter. Honey light sparkled in his eyes, eyes that only looked at his wife. The way the shadows lit up the lines of his lean face and strong jawline, drawing attention to the dimples in both cheeks, framing his wide mouth. Dark and messy curls bounced loosely on his head, a halo of shadows. 

It was a beautiful memory. His parents were truly a beautiful couple. Everyone was happy... 

Harry didn't wake all through the night, even when Dumbledore placed him on the Dursley's doorstep. It was only morning when Harry woke, confused and alarmed, to the shrill screaming of his Aunt. 

'Ahh,' Harry inwardly sighed. 'Durzkaban hell.'

Harry Potter is the Master of Death. Unable to pass on after death, he is instead reincarnated eight hundred and ninety-one times. It turns out, dying is the easier part. Living? That's the hard bit. 

***** 

I generally get out a chapter every weekend, though occasionally sooner. Sometimes I already have a draft started the next day, adding to it throughout the week. 
This will have weekly chapters!

*****
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..
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I do not own Harry Potter. This is a work of fanbased fiction, and is not intended to be of anything but amusement with zero monetary value. 
Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers and co.

The blonde haired woman stood in front of the students, not far from where I was standing with a large smile on her face, although it was clearly fake. She looked like she didn't want to be here at all.
She clapped her hands and began to speak to the class.
"Okay class, today we have a new student. Everyone give a warm welcome to Elijah Lutz."
I waved. "Nice to meet you all. I hope we can have a nice year together."
To my surprise the class erupted with chatter. Guys talking enviously about how they need to watch out for me and girls giggling and gossiping about me. A few girls were even arguing over who was allowed to talk to me. I guess Esther was right. This place is a lot easier and people are definitely more feeble minded.
The teacher, whose name I didn't bother remembering, clapped her hands again to shut the class up. I thought it would be a worthless attempt but it was a surprisingly effective method.
"Quiet down everyone."
She scanned over the class for a second and then pointed at an empty desk, right near the window. "Let's see...you can sit right there Elijah."
Window seat, Huh? Well if that isn't the most overused cliché. Well whatever, guess it means I get to be the main character.
I sat down in the seat and let down by red and black backpack. I looked outside of the window to see the courtyard where the athletic events most likely happen, although it was empty now for obvious reasons.
"Since you don't have your books yet you can share a book with a person near you. Don't be afraid to ask one of your neighbors for help."
And with that she turned to the board behind her and started furiously writing on the chalkboard.
I looked to the right of me to see an extremely built guy, the likes of who couldn't possibly be a high school freshman. He had shaven black hair, small eyes, and a large ears. He wore a red and black jersey with the BULLS 23 on it and matching black shorts on it. He was lifting a dumbbell with one arm and flipping the pages of a sports magazine with the other.
Nope, I thought. Not dealing with it.
Then I looked behind me to see a very colorful girl sitting behind me. She had an ombré hair color pattern that started out sunset orange that evolved into a pinkish red into a galaxy purple. Her long hair was extremely sparkly and included star shaped hair clips of different colors. Her eyes were a mix of starry purple and blue but what I found weird was she didn't have regular pupils. Her pupils were yellow and shaped just like stars.
She appeared to be busy coloring a page, which I thought wasn't too weird, until I saw her art. It looked more like she printed an image off of the internet than a drawing. She was coloring in the galaxy and hundreds of stars on her paper only using three markers using a perfect mix of purple, blue, and black.
...Let's try one more, I thought.
I turned around and tapped the back of the guy in front of me.
Please be normal, I thought. Please be normal.
The guy turned around with a confused look on his face. In comparison to the other two he looked surprisingly normal. He had neat blue hair and a navy blue t-shirt. He looked like he was wearing blue jeans but I couldn't tell his shoes from under his seat, not that it really mattered.
"Yo new kid, what'd you need?"
"Hey, by chance, could you share your book with me?"
He studied me for a second but it didn't look like he was looking at me. Rather, it looked like he was looking through me. He looked back to his book, as if he had a tough decision to make. Then he shrugged.
"Sure man, you can take it. I don't really need it."
He grabbed the book and plopped it on my desk.
I really don't trust this guy, I thought. He just gave me a bad vibe. But he gave me his book, so I guess I should at least be appreciative.
I smiled. "Ah, thank you."
"No problem, just tell me if you have any questions." He raised his out hand to shake. "I'm Mark."
I clasped his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise."
Before he turned around, he leaned in and started whispering.
"By the way, be careful of that girl behind you. She's really weird."
"Noted."
And with that he turned around.
I didn't need your help to figure that out though. To be honest, I don't even think she's worth messing with. It's best I just leave her in her own little world.
I looked down at the book to see it say: Algebra 1. Oh it's math class. How boring. At least give me a more challenging level.
I didn't really pay very much attention throughout the class period. The teacher called on me twice, and I met her question with the right answer each time, much to the amazement of my classmates. At the end of the hour, the bell rung for lunch. But rather than leave for lunch, my classmates swarmed my desk. At least ten people surrounded me, the majority being girls. They began bombarding me with questions.
"Hey, hey, where are you from?" one girl asked.
"Does everyone have white hair and sparkling blue eyes like you where you lived?" Another girl asked.
"Can I touch your hair?" A guy asked.
All the girls paused and looked at the guy with clear disgust in their eyes.
"Ahah, never mind," he said as he backed away and ran out the classroom.
Then the girls resumed their barrage of questions.
"Do you like sports?"
"Do you like anime?"
"Are you single?"
"Do you date blondes?"
Eventually they stopped asking questions and waited for a response. I thought about all their questions for a second before answering, to make sure I wasn't rude and accidentally skipped over one of them. I had to remain likable.
"Classified, no, no, I prefer manga but yes, yes, and no."
I could hear a few disappointed groans and a few celebration yelps from the army of girls that surrounded me.
"He won't tell me where he's from. I was right. He's definitely the mysterious type."
"He watches anime and reads manga? He's definitely a catch."
This is going to be a very easy year if these are my classmates, I thought.
"Hmm, What about, what type of magic can you create? If you go to this school, then you must have magic."
I smiled at them. "My magic's not that impressive. I'm a rune mage," I said.
"Oh, is that all," the girl with long purple hair responded. "Well it's certainly rare but not really that special. Ah, I didn't mean to insult you or anything."
"It's fine. You're completely right," I said. "It's nothing special."
After a few more questions, the crowd dispersed after realizing they wasted half their lunch time trying to play 21 questions with me. With that only a few people were still in the room, one being the sparkly girl sitting behind me, and she seemed to pay no mind to the large crowd that was just here.
My stomach growled.
Of course I'm hungry, I thought. Maybe I'll just leave campus and get food somewhere near here.
I got up and started walking out the room. That is until I was walking out the doorway and a voice stopped me in my tracks.
"By the way, new student, the campus has a policy that students aren't allowed to leave the grounds during lunchtime."
I looked back to see a girl with black hair that was tied into a ponytail and hazel eyes that lacked any care. She had on a white blouse and a blue skirt. She had in earbuds and was staring intently at her iPod.
Di-did she just read my mind? Certainly with magic anything is possible but mind reading should be just as rare as rune magic.
"Huh, how'd you know I was going off campus?"
"I didn't. I heard your stomach growl and wanted to remind you of the school's policy," she answered, not looking up from her iPod. "However, It seems like I was right to do so."
That's impossible, I thought. Her hearing my stomach growl from across the room is hard enough to believe, but she has in headphones as well? It had to be magic of some sort. Sensory magic maybe? Whatever the case is, I need to be careful of her.
"I guess you're right. Well in that case can you tell me where the cafeteria is? I don't really know my way around here yet."
"You're better off asking someone else. I can't help you."
"What do you mean? You know where it is don't you?"
"I can't help you," she repeated, still staring at her iPod.
"Sigh, well thank you I guess. I'll try to ask someone else for help."
Well she's a dick, I thought. I'll just see if someone else knows where it is.
I scanned the barren classroom for others that might be able to help me. Sparkle girl seemed to be finished coloring and was now raising up and admiring her art. Best to leave her alone.
There was a quiet girl with glasses reading a book in back of the classroom. Her eyes were brown like her hair and she had a side bun with a brown scrunchie. She had on a faded orange turtleneck and light blue jeans.
I wanted to go ask her but she exuded pure anti-social aura the closer I got to her. She definitely wasn't an option.
The last person in the room was a boy with blue hair in the corner muttering to himself. He kept mentioning how losing isn't an option and how he needs to remain strong to not let out the demon within. Clearly, he's been watching too much anime.
This sucks, I thought. I'm in a room full of weirdos. I almost miss the girls from earlier. At least they were capable of conversation. Screw this, I'll just find the cafeteria myself. If I'm lucky, I'll find a teacher I can ask for directions.
I left the classroom and turned left in. the hallway. On my right were large windows showing the entrance of the school. On the left were many doors for classrooms, most of which were open due to lunch period. On the blue walls between the classroom doors were fliers for various clubs at the school. None of them really caught my attention but it was interesting just how many of them there were.
As I walked down the hallway, I noticed two guys standing in my way. I tried to walk to the left and they mirrored me. I tried moving to the right and again they copied me.
"Hey you're the new kid right?" The one on the left said. He was pretty big but not exactly intimidating.
Can someone at least learn my name?
I raised my hand out to shake. "Yeah, my name is Elijah. Nice to meet you."
The one on the right slapped my hand out of the way and grinned. He was a lot bulkier then his chubby companion and at least five times more intimidating, but it didn't take me much analyzation to realize he was the stereotypical dumb as a bag of bricks bully.
Esther wouldn't want me to get into a fight on my first day, I thought. I should probably find a way to talk myself out of this.
Both of them held out their hands. "You should know the deal," the one on the right said. "Lunch money, now."
"I would but I had a friend of mine hold my wallet. If you could show me where the cafeteria is I can certainly give you your money."
The chubby one whispered something into his friend's ears and the bulky one nodded.
"Hah, sure thing. Anything for a free dolla."
They definitely think I'm just an idiot. That's probably what his friend whispered to him.
They turned around and began walking and I followed. They occasionally looked back to make sure I wasn't running away. This went on for a minute until the fat one turned around.
"Wait a minute," he said. "You're new. You don't have any friends here."
Hearing this, the brute turned around and got into a fighting stance. It seems words no longer worked on him.
I reached into my right pocket and grabbed slice of gum. I unwrapped it and pressed it with both fingers before tossing it into my mouth and chewing. I stuffed the wrapper back into my pocket. 
Plan B I guess.
The buff bully was charging up a punch. Based on how slow he was, it should be pretty easy to dodge. Or at least that's what I thought until the punch was centimeters from my face.
I zoomed past both of them like a gust of wind and stopped once I felt I gained enough distance. The fliers taped to the walls scattered all over the floors and a large gust of wind hit me from behind. I immediately spit out the gum. But before it hit the ground, The gum zoomed away at high speeds, never to be seen again.
Well that was closer than I'd hope. It's strange how much distance he closed in the time I blinked. It's doubtful an oaf him has time manipulation and if he did it wouldn't make sense for him to use it for so short of a time. Well, it's not something I should have to worry about.
Right as I thought that, the two magically appeared in front of me.
"Eh?" I said.
"You were marked by Tenga," the chubby one snorted.
Marked? I don't remember any sort of markin-
Then I remembered the oaf slapping my hand during our first exchange.
Of course he did. This is stupid. I just want to eat. Maybe that's a good enough excuse to tell Esther after getting sent to the principal's office. Yeah, no, she'll probably still be angry with me. It's fine I have a contingency plan.
I gripped the gum wrapper in my pocket between two fingers and pressed on it. Then I took my hand out of my pocket and stood there, waiting.
The brawny giant once again charged up his fist and the chubby one got in a funny position where it looked like he was about to snap his fingers. Suddenly, they stopped and darted past me.
"Wait get back here," they both yelled.
I put my hands behind my head and yawned. Well that was easy, I thought. Maybe I should've just done that the first time.
I felt the silver wrapper in my pocket disappear.
I started walking forward until I saw two figures appear in front of me again.
I groaned. That mark isn't a one time use. I guess I'll just bite the bullet and suffer the consequences later.
"Stop messing with us," the fat one said. "Just take your beating like man."
"I'd like to not fight if possible," I said.
"Of course, cuz you're a wuss," Tenga said. "Only scaredy cats run from danger."
I sighed. Can't say I didn't try.
I thought they'd foolishly repeat the same strategy as last time, but this time Tenga charged at me. I looked towards the chubby one on the side, who was in position to snap his fingers. If my assumption is right, he can turn off a person's consciousness for around a second by snapping his fingers. If that's true, dealing with him takes priority.
I grabbed another slice of gum and popped it in my mouth. I sped past the brute and clocked the fatty in his neck. I spit out the gum and grasped the empty wrapper. I continued pummeling him until I felt the ground shake. I looked behind me to see the brute had jumped from his original spot and was winding up a punch near my direction. I created a barrier behind me and turned back to my original target. I punched him in his jaw and he finally fell to the ground and collapsed.
Just as he fell, I felt my barrier crack. I turned around to see the brute wailing on my barrier, ultimately breaking it like a mirror.
"Well aren't you persistent?" I asked.
I threw a third piece of gum in my mouth and just as I did the brute threw a haymaker. I dodged it and tapped his shoulder.
"See ya later big guy."
I turned away from him and started walking towards the cafeteria. In the corner of my eye I could see him try to move but was unable to. I could hear him yelling threats and swearing at me in the distance.
"Yea, yea, eat a brick why don't you?"
I spit out my gum and just as I did a small storm cloud appeared above it and jolted it with a lightning.
Huh, so that's its downside. I definitely shouldn't forget to spit it out.
Now that that's out of the way, I can finally eat. At least that's what I thought would happen. As I kept walking the bell rung, letting me know my opportunity to get food was gone. Furthermore, a hand appeared on my shoulder from behind me.
"Mr. Lutz, I need to see you in the principal's office."

Elijah never wanted any of this. A school full of weirdos, egotistical magic users roaming the streets, and fights that create nothing but chaos. At least it isn't his problem right? If only...

Remnants of our once abundant population found themselves packed like canned sardines on a coastal stretch of sand. All heads were turned to watch a plume of smoke. They worried, they fretted, they feared, it would be the end. Even the vertically challenged ones, who struggle to peer over an overgrown treeline, knew it neared.

With children who could do no worse than distress, parents played in the shallows. "We can't have the tikes carrying such a conscience," they reasoned, getting splashed by giggling brats.

The adults told them to "keep peeled eyes out for an approaching sea-vessel."
In child-like response, the tikes made a commotion over every little obscuration. "I see it, I see it," they cried at shadows on water. Disturbed by their upbeat attitude, parents berated children with contempt. The mood was going sour.

The elders, having lived too long a life to care, made the most of the seaside situation. Using salvaged fold-out plastic chairs, they lounged over the water. White-wash played at their feet, rolling in and out. "Quit it. Give us a break," they drawled at the children, a grandparents teasing smile on their lips. "Ahh, this new generation." But even they had enough.

Envying them all, the children, the parents, the grandparents, I listened to their grievances and anxieties. Questions and answers, they posed, and I assumed to resolve them. That was my responsibility. The situation was my fault. I started the fire. I incited the rebellion. I murdered the people. It was my doing.

It did nothing to deny me the right of shedding tears though. Like an open wound, droplets gushed from my eyes. Little did I care if they soaked the pages. You would have to deal with it.

And with that, I leave this book to rest, for you and your people to recover.

When Damian was caught stealing from Dina's room, he could never escape her again.

She led him inot her world of mysteries and adventure.

"So really no magic huh!" Sirius said with a moment of awkwardness not sure if it was the right thing to do, "I thought you were kidding when you said, it's someone stronger than the 'dark lord' but I guess not. Even he couldn't come up with such magic otherwise we would've been screwed back then."
"The more I think about it the more I want to retract my phrase... I am sure he's not stronger than Voldemort nor clever... he's just someone with knowledge of how to do things. It's like a kid who found a step by step coloring book with all the secrets and magic no one has ever heard of." Draco said as he searched over the shelf hoping there would be a mechanical way out of this bloody place, "Though that's quite relaxing to think about it still is a pain in the ass."
"So what the complete deal with this Ryan guy? I mean... how did you come in contact with him."
"It's like a connection from the other world but I guess that's too vague...and easy to misunderstand," Draco retracted his words as he saw Sirius's smug face, "But I guess you could say, that we're the two sides of the same coin... from what I understand at least."
"Hmm... mysterious villain... mysterious you... and our time is wasting away." Sirius said sounding more annoyed the more he spoke as he threw the books from its shelf, "If I knew how much it sucked to be without magic I would've never wished for it when I was young."
"You wished to be a muggle?" Draco said coming over as he picked up an intriguing black leather book. 
"Once... you should know about it." Sirius said, "I can see that you're a bit like me and you're from a family like mine as well... don't you wish you could just escape sometimes."
"Not really." Draco said as he turned over the pages, "Though I guess you wouldn't agree my father and mother are quite different from their past selves actually. I wouldn't claim they've become saints but they certainly are more cheerful than they've been in the past. As for magic... I feel like I know what it's like to be without it already so I don't need that experience ever again. So yes, you could say we're alike except I am much more clever and useful than you we..."
"Why don't you finish your sentence?" Sirius growled, "And I take back what I said we are nothin alike, you wanna be a smart ass.."
"Grindlewald."
"What?"
"This lab you idiot... it's Gellert Grindlewald's." Draco said as he showed Sirius the note that had Grindlewald's name signed on it, "Then, this whole place..."
Draco quickly went over picking up other similar types of books and suspected all of them were notes. Notes from Grindlewald himself on different magic. Though the curiosity in him was rising he didn't let it get the best of him as he began shifting the books to his suitcase.
"A little help here..."
"Nerd." Sirius clicked his tongue as he caught hold of a pile of books and threw it in the suitcase. "You know this could hold a lot of information on dark magic, right? After all, Grindlewald wasn't a saint."
"And neither is Dumbledore...Oh, come on, even though he didn't help you at all in the trial you still wanna follow him like a dog."
"Don't speak about him like that!" Sirius dropped the book in his hand as he pushed Draco towards the wall.
"You still want to defend him... did you lose your mind or did you never have one." Draco growled as he tried to force Sirius away but without magic, he wasn't strong enough, "Dumbledore knows everything about what happens in Hogwarts, he knows some of my secrets what makes you think he didn't know yours and your pretty little group. Dumbledore certainly knew about your animagus form after all he isn't the headmaster for nothing and you weren't keeping it a tight secret were you."
Sirius grip lossen the more he heard as his eye look like they lost focus. 
"Sirius, listen to me. It wasn't hard for me to find out... a second-year student who is not even part of Gryffindor to find out what makes you think he didn't." Draco said, "For him its nothing more than a game. A game where as long as he can maintain peace and destroy evil he would be willing to do it all, even the dirty deeds. So stop acting as if he's the god of honesty. Though faint, I can still smell the dark magic on him so white wizard my ass."
Sirius stayed silent as he stared at Draco.
"We can talk about this later but right now let's not waste any time," Draco said but Sirius didn't let go, it felt as if he wasn't even looking at him. "I know it a lot to take in but you should..."
Sirius didn't say anything as his hands raised towards him.
"Sirius..." Draco called out but Sirius didn't stop but unlike what he expected Sirius reached over for something behind his back. It was another book but unlike others, it was a bit different, as it was deeper into the shelves. Sirius tried to pull it but no luck thinking for a while he pushed the book in further and the small vent near the entrance that Draco came through opened.
"I knew it," Draco said as he quickly went over and looked through it as he could finally see the other side.
"What made you so sure?" Sirius asked.
"I wasn't completely sure but I had my doubts." Draco said, "As you could see with the books some of them are for first years so whoever got in here first surely didn't do it with magic. Though I didn't know the person was Grindlewald himself but it made much sense that if a first-year student could find this place it had to be quite an easy way to get in rather than complex magic."
"When the whole rune activated and the magic it pulled from us was used in that attack it malfunctioned so I now I am sure the one who hid the place better than before was Grindelwald who before his expulsion made a lot of changes to this place."
Sirius just nodded as he saw the elves come in as well. They searched the entire place and luckily all the victims were just as they were left before except much paler considering they didn't have anything to eat for so long but the magic coma they were in helping them to sustain. Unluckily the sickness too had gotten worse of them.
Draco went towards the hall as he saw the elves mourning for one of their own who was lying on the floor headless and dead, while still trying to pull the body back into his suitcase so they could take him to the hospital. The dead elf's body had already begun rotting, Draco wanted to do something but since he didn't have any magic.
"Help the elves will you... I will look for a way to end this rune and bring magic back to the place."
"Is it even possible?"
"Sure it is." Draco said, "The rune is too powerful to activate in its own so it certainly requires a catalyst and a holder. If I find any of the two I would be able to stop the ruin for good."
"What does this... two look like?" Sirius asked, "If I find it I'll be sure to call."
"Well the catalyst is harder to find as I've no idea what it could be but the holder is much easier to locate as it looks like a jewel, with so much magic in it. I am sure it's bright and shiny."

A guy dies and is reborn as Draco Malfoy and has to face greater danger than Voldemort.
****Not a yaoi or hentai**** Sigh! The trolls...
Also it is a Harem without a system.
P.S I don't own harry potter, JK Rowling does.

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