46Scarlet Passage Of Time
Prologue 1
"Billions of possibilities!"
"The whole world-"
"Personally guarantee you'll never-"
"- be honored to-"
"On this magical adventure..."
Stars
The first thought that he ever had was a sad one, for the room was filled with stars.
Muttering weakly in his sleep, his eyelids fluttered open to the sight of twinkling dots in the sky. Though his vision was blurry, he knew that the blobs dancing above his body were indeed stars. The specks radiated numerous white shades, twirling atop the tray ceiling in harmony with the dark magenta background. Black and blue hues morphed subtly into the rest of the scenery and soon an entire universe was presented to him.
The light show of galaxies and the ethereal beauty played out to his eyes alone, making his lips form a natural smile as he curled up in a ball. For just a tiny fraction of his life, the boy felt at ease, almost content with whatever fate was left for him to receive. He let himself feel like a child for a fraction of his life, where everything was innocent, and the world was new.
But then, of course, the pain of reality came crashing into his fragile heart.
'-!'
The sudden rush of fire shooting into his brain sent his eyes wrenching open in shock. A piercing wound dug into his mind, making his head throb furiously as he clutched it with a pained gasp. His fingers grazed the area of effect, which only caused the feeling to worsen as his heart pounded from extreme panic.
'O-o-ow! A-ack! W-why d-does i-it hurt so much-!'
He was unsure whether he was sick or somehow injured. Both options sounded equally terrifying for him as he recoiled from the pain, trembling in fear. He tried to distract himself from the swelling ache by clutching desperately onto his sweater. It did little to actually soften the agony, but he felt the instinctive need to grip onto something and hold on for however long his body allowed him to.
'Okay... calm down... just- gck! Just... breathe... it's... gonna be… okay...'
As he continued following his shaky breaths, he attempted to reweave his thoughts. He counted down slowly as he did this. In and out. In and out. He did this twenty times, then again in reverse. His breaths became steady after the thirtieth exhale and the disjointed cracks in his brain eventually stopped splitting apart. It didn't mean much though, as it was more like slapping a bandage on an open wound. But progress was progress, no matter how minuscule it might've been. It was the one thing that allowed him to feel hopeful in a situation already filling him with questions.
'What's going on... where... a-am I?'
He attempted to move his legs as he pondered it, ignoring it's violent protest as he crept up inch by inch. Though each tiny shift made him miserable, he eventually made it to his knees, which then transitioned to him standing up. For a few moments, all was still as his legs turned to sticks, and he could feel hope solidifying within himself once again.
But this proved utterly useless as his legs caved in against his weight.
With nothing to stop his fall, he landed violently onto wooden panels below, sending a shock wave through his skull that made him yelp.
"OOooowwwwwwww..." he muttered weakly, his soft voice echoing throughout the room.
A black bruise formed on his forehead, spreading a dull throbbing sear into his already destroyed mind. He grazed the area with the tip of his fingers and winced as chills racked across his body.
'Yeah… t-that's gonna leave a mark…'
He attempted to rise again, his legs slipping across the floor a few times before being able to place his feet where they needed to go. After a few more trials that sent shudders through his back, he could feel himself standing upright.
'O-ow... o-okay… we're off… to a g-great start…'
With a few airless laughs, he managed to straighten himself against the wall's smooth surface and caught his breath. The searing marks around his body slowly washed away, allowing the block spots in his vision to dissipate as well. Once this happened, his gaze quickly shifted to the ceiling, where much to his disappointment, he found it wasn't filled with stars like he initially thought they were. Instead, the light's bloom came from a large engraved symbol in the center of the ceiling. Much to his surprise, the light radiated from a carved in symbol, rather than a single light bulb. The symbol was of the Earth itself, which held the orbit of the moon and sun around it.
'This... t-this is so strange. What room is this? Is this… mine? Did I wander in here by mistake? I… I can't... remember...'
Suddenly, his mind went blank, making his eyes widen. This room, nothing in it felt familiar. In fact, his entire brain felt detached from himself. He didn't know how it was possible, but somehow, he couldn't even recall his own room, much less himself. His family, his dreams, even his own name. All of it became lost to him.
He had no idea who he was.
His heart rose in a panic, sweat dripping down his forehead as he closed his eyes. It pained him to think, but he forced himself to recall something from his past. Or simply anything at all. He wanted to remember it. To picture something that could offer him warmth and comfort in this time of fear, but nothing resurfaced. His thoughts grew soggy, the barrier between his conscious and memories widening significantly as he tried to remember even the smallest details. He pressed his sore hands against his messy charcoal hair, as if to put his brain back in two. His efforts were rewarded with an earth-shattering headache that forced him to stop.
"I… I don't know…" he muttered, his eyes wide from shock, "I can't... remember anything…"
The words slipped out of his mouth before he could realize what he was saying. It was so surreal to hear them being produced out in the open, as if saying it finally confirmed the reality of what was happening. The thought sent his heart into a panic. He knew he had memories. A past. Some kind of identity. But everything in his head felt like battered mush, with only vivid things keeping his sense of composure intact. No matter how hard he tried to dig through it though, the pieces remained buried. How could someone lose such a thing? His heart pounded as he thought, his brows pressed together and his eyes tense as he looked around the room.
Even though he couldn't remember, he knew one thing was for sure. He was somewhere large, and dark, and terrifying. A place that sent chills crawling down his back the longer he stood in it, with no memory of his own being.
'I-I need to get out of here...'
In the back of his mind, he knew this was his goal all along. Still, it wasn't until he mentally reminded himself of it that he began enacting the mission with a few hazy glances.
It didn't take long for his eyes to lay upon two arched windows that were draped with red curtains. They were parted slightly with golden tassels underlining the bottom of it, allowing a bright light to slip through into the room. Seeing this, he stumbled his way over to them and moved the curtains aside with a weak grip. As he did so, a bright light flashed into his retinas, causing him to wince as his vision cut out for a few moments. It wasn't until he rubbed them with his hands and let them open again that he saw what had caused the brightness.
"G-Gah!" he gasped, his eyes widening beyond belief from what he was seeing.
Through the frosted panes of the glass, he saw what he could only describe as a frozen wasteland of flurrying grey snow and wicked, jagged trees. The trees were compacted together in an obscuring snowfall, making visibility in the woods impossible with the extra added bonus of fast winds piercing into the bark. There was also a little extra treat with sharp-looking sticks that scraped against the glass-like bear claws. If he squinted hard enough, he could see gleaming sheets of ice wrapping itself around the branches, cutting itself into the wood like a deadly virus. And everywhere he looked there was snow. So much snow. All of it pouring down at the speed of tornado winds and building up atop the forest floor.
"I-It's snowing," he said to himself, "where am I... for it to snow like this...?"
Though he knew there were much worse things to wake up to, he couldn't fathom the weather. It was like a blizzard, hurricane, and snowstorm all mushed together into one awful Christmas present that could kill him if exposed. Looking at his sweater, he knew he wouldn't last a second out there without some serious protection, and the sharp ground below didn't look so inviting either to walk on either. Even if he could go outside and survive, it didn't even look like the window would open with how deep the ice had set into the locks.
'It looks l-like I'm stuck inside for now… maybe forever with how bad it is outside... how did it get so strong...?'
His eyes slightly shook as the storm increased in intensity, making him take a few steps back from the window before shutting the curtains completely.
'Definitely not a good start... but that's okay... I just n-need to keep looking…'
With nowhere else to go, he turned around to the rest of the room. It was large and fancy in design, appearing to be a living space of sorts. However, it looked more like a mini apartment, complete with a huge open closet, small but luxurious kitchen, tiny study corner, and living room in the center of it all. Nearby him, there was a door that held a golden symbol of a crown glittering in the light. The scarlet wood combed over in elegant patterns, beckoning him inside whatever place it may lead.
Hesitating a few moments, he opened the door with a steady hand and peeked his head in. Adjoined with the living space was a large bedroom, and near the back, he could see a bathroom door open as well. There were many bookshelves within the room, containing books he couldn't quite make out. The flooring remained mostly the same, with another large rug covering most of the surface. In the center of the room though was a large king-sized overflowing with pillows. The massive blanket on the bed was the only thing keeping them contained on the mattress, as it was laid over in a professional manner. In front of the bed were two chairs and an end table, which were placed directly in the path of a large fireplace.
'This place is d-definitely fancy… perhaps it's some kind of hotel… maybe an apartment? But… w-whose room is this? It can't be mine… right?'
Now even more confused than before, the boy closed the door quietly while a nervous bead of sweat trickled down his brow.
'I really shouldn't d-disturb anything here in case the owner of this room comes back… I should probably s-see myself out then…'
Looking around for a short moment, he noticed a much larger door located in a narrow hallway. He decided to approach it with a slight stumble in his step, passing by many other objects that he didn't dare pay attention to. Once he was closer, he realized it was made out of some heavy wood, retaining the same color and polish as the floor, but holding a two paneled archtop design. It was much… much... bigger than him, coming in at around eight feet in size.
'Oh w-wow… that's… t-tall… r-really tall a-actually'
Pushing his anxiety down, he looked toward the knob of the door, which was drenched in gold and spherical in shape. Weirdly enough, the knob was of normal size, sticking out like a sore thumb against the door. Slightly bewildered by it, he took a few moments to observe it carefully before letting his fingers wrap around it. Inhaling deeply, he mustered all the strength he could and tried to open it.
He discovered it to be unmoving.
A little concerned, he tried to open it again, but his weak arms proved useless in its attempts. Still undeterred though, he began rattling it even more, hoping it would magically open up from his erratic movements. It wasn't until his fingers started to throb that he realized there was a small keyhole under the knob for a key he definitely didn't have.
'Hmmmmm I-I guess I need a k-key... where could I find t-that... ? It's gotta be somewhere close by, right?'
He took his own advice personally and began searching his pockets for the key. First, he searched around his right one, which held nothing but dust and some cotton balls for some reason.
'Y-yeah... i-it probably wouldn't be that easy...'
Then he checked his left one. But much to his surprise, as he was groping around it, he could feel a tiny slip of something graze by his palm.
'A-Ah! I feel something!'
Frantically, his fingers began to press around for the object, but from his utter excitement, he failed to actually grab it properly. His fingers grazed it a few more times before they finally grabbed it. Once he pulled it out, he noticed it was a torn slip of paper. One side was scribbled out with a dark pen, the words too messy to distinguish. The other side however held written words that instantly snatched his attention. The words popped out to him like a bullet, engraving itself into his head until it was all he could think about.
Slowly, he read it aloud.
"Never forget... Prince...?"
'Prince... Prince... Never forget... Prince...? But... who's Prince? I-Is that... me?'
He couldn't understand it, but his dark hazel eyes gravitated fiercely toward the word of royalty. Though it was just a title, seeing it offered a hint of recollection, a warmth he desperately needed and clung to with his remaining strength. Doing this allowed the pain in his body to wash away, as if the word itself had cleared it.
'Prince… Prince… am I… Prince?'
He repeated it over and over again, the name now engraving itself to his brain. Something about it. Why was it so familiar? The word alone meant nothing, but somehow… it meant everything to him. Prince… Prince. He barely knew his own name… but this word… Prince… Prince… this single word...
'Prince…'
...
...
...
Somehow, without any need for further thought, he nodded silently to himself.
"I... I am... Prince..."
Though a bit nervous taking the name, Prince put the note back into his pocket to inspect later and began to ponder his situation.
'Okay... so... I woke up in this l-large room with a splitting headache. I'm in the middle of a violent snowstorm so I can't go o-outside… and… I have a note. I guess it's kind of like a puzzle then, but… what could it mean-'
Beep!
He felt himself jumping out of instinct, his eyes widening as he was unaware of where the noise came from. Backing away a few paces, he glanced around the room in a panicked search for it before he could hear it come from his arm.
Beeep!
Shaking slightly, he hesitantly moved his arm to his view, noticing a small electronic watch that wrapped around his wrist.
'Oh... w-when did I get this...? I don't think I had something l-like this one before.'
It blinked rapidly with an 'alert' notifier producing an annoying buzz that drilled into his ears. He couldn't find any buttons on the sleek watch itself to press, so he tapped the smooth screen with his finger. In an instant, the watch glowed a pale blue color, bringing a hint of light to Prince's dark skin. He stared at the watch in awe before it transitioned to a different background. Much to his surprise, it was the same symbol he saw in the ceiling from earlier. The symbol hovered for a bit before suddenly turning into a few words.
e-WristWatch Activated...
Welcome Prince
'Oooohhh... that's pretty cool... it even says the name I found... does that mean it really is mine...?'
He instinctively looked around for some sort of internet signal on his watch, but quickly came to realize there was none. He wasn't sure if this meant someone was jamming it, or he was somewhere very remote. He didn't like either option all that much. Without any access to the internet, he wasn't sure how to inform others of his situation. With that out of the way, he began to mess around with the apps that popped up after a few seconds. There were only two to choose from, with the others being blacked out, but he clicked the one with the notification titled 'Profiles'. Once it finished loading, an image surfaced of himself smiling brightly toward the camera. He didn't remember taking such a picture, but the warmth his digital counterpart presented made him smile in real life.
'It's like... a personal photograph of sorts... too bad this s-situation is so strange... it actually looks really n-nice.'
Scanning the picture closely, he noticed he looked exactly as he did in the photo. He was wearing a wrinkled white button-up collared shirt that had a loose dark green tie, and over the button up was a baggy grey tennis sweater with white and green lines near the v-neck. Embroidered in the sweater was some sort of shield-like badge with the symbol of a dark triquetra encompassed by a circle. The sweater he wore hung down a bit near his legs, covering parts of his blue khaki pants, which were cuffed at the bottom and showed his white socks and black sneakers. The only other thing that stood out to him was his somewhat frazzled black hair that hung out loosely on the right side of his head and remained messily combed on the other side.
Pretty unassuming overall, but then how did that warrant him being here?
'Hmmm… right next to the image is a bunch of i-info...'
{Personal Profile}
Name: Prince
Age: Sixteen Years Old
D.O.B: July 23rd
Height: 5'3" (160 cm.)
Weight: 123 lbs (55 kg.)
Blood Type: O-negative
It didn't reveal anything about his missing memories, but it did detail most of his physical characteristics. He knew most of it by heart, such as his age and his rather short height, but somehow it held info of things that he never told anyone like his weight, and even some info he wasn't so sure about, like his blood type
'O-okay... it may seem bad... b-but I shouldn't jump to conclusions yet... I gotta keep searching for answers...'
He continued quickly with his search, discovering several other profiles lined up beside his own. All of them were blocked off, but from the silhouettes, he could spy, Prince could tell there was an even distribution of both males and females. He counted them slowly with his finger to find there were nineteen profiles in total if he excluded himself.
'My profile lists my info... so perhaps... t-these are even more people just like m-me... and if there are, maybe they are experiencing the same situation as me. I should definitely make it a priority to see how they are holding up... a-assuming I can get out of this room and find them first...'
He then exited the profiles app and found one titled "Map". As soon as it opened, a pixelated screen showcased his location. He felt his heart soar for a tiny bit, before realizing that most of the map was also blocked off with question marks. But from what he could see in the darkness, he noticed how large it was, with his tiny pixelated face covering up only... a tiny corner of the screen. The visual alone was enough for him to assume it'd take a while to find an exit.
The rest of the watch's apps appeared to be locked, but he could read all of their titles, "announcements, rules, notes... t-truth bullets...? And... l-light fragments...?"
Only three out of the five made sense to him, but there was no info detailing any of their uses. With no other options, he turned off his watch and sighed. He still had no idea what was going on, and now he needed to find some sort of key. It was all so unnecessarily complicated, just like school.
'Well… I guess I should look around… see what I can find.'
Breathing in deeply, he finally observed the rest of the room in more detail. Everything, from the mini kitchen to the study area was designed to suggest a luxurious lifestyle, though the modernized items clashed somewhat with the old architecture of the room. It was all so big and gorgeous to look at, but knowing his appearance, the room seemed more in tune for a grand king, not a boring high school student like himself, assuming he even attended high school. He would think he'd at least be getting an education somehow.
First, he checked the living space. There, he found two gold-trimmed couches situated near an ornate fireplace with a sleek wooden mantle. In front of it was a single fancy cover that could be taken on and off, most likely to place more firewood. It already had some firewood inside, but no actual fire itself was lit. Hanging above the mantle of the fireplace was a large painting that was covered by some objects. Those objects upon closer inspection appeared to be a few sculptures of large animals he didn't recognize, making him shake a bit as he noticed their jaws were unhinged and their eyes were sunken. In the middle of the mantle however was a small display case that had a floating orb inside.
Instantly intrigued by it, he took off the glass case, moving his hand under the orb to feel nothing but weightless air. It looked like the moon hovering in the palm of his hand.
'Woooooaaaaaahhhhhhhh...'
He did it over and over again, thoroughly entertained by the floating ball until a soft glow emitted from it. Fascinated by it's flowing red light, he didn't realize a sudden whirlwind of... something forming and transmitting a painful shock through his arm.
"A-ACK! O-kay then, welp! Let's d-definitely not do that again...!"
Putting the display back on sheepishly, he continued to search around the room. The key wasn't hidden in the couches, nor near the fireplace. The two identical bookcases beside the fireplace didn't hold anything either. He continued to search each of the cluttered objects with a thorough inspection, but after a few minutes, he realized he wasn't going to find the key near the living space.
He eventually looked over to the study area, which was nestled within the corner of the room. There sat an L-shaped couch with an assortment of pillows and cushions that had a chess table in front of it. That very table also had two small chairs placed on both sides. Near the area was a big lamp that separated the couch from the desk that was coated with clutter. Pens and papers were strewn about the desk, as if someone had tossed them on it without much concern.
'M-man there's a lot of stuff… I-I guess I'll look there next though'
His search began to cover the study area, finding nothing in most of the objects he looked through. After coming up empty, he turned his attention over to the desk and started shuffling things around with a shaky hand. As soon as he did however, he spotted a small newspaper clipping crumpled up within the pile.
"O-okay... let's see here…" he said aloud, picking up the clip, "hm…"
They call it Grandview Academy,
[BLOCKED] considered [BLOCKED]. Known as a golden institution that offers the pinnacle of humans the finest education in the world… Grandview Academy has recently broken the mold of the academic era… promising immense success for their future graduates. Located in the heart of [BLOCKED], encompassed by tranquil mountains and luminous buildings, Grandview stands out from the rest of the competition with its overwhelming aura of power and achievements on the global scale. [BLOCKED] also from the rich campus, with lined cherry trees along its walkways and a variety of motifs built into its walls. The [BLOCKED] above the world's elements; its mission statement stating aloud, "Those who seek progress take the first step toward power."
And for those that took the statement to heart? They became Grand Students. That's how the institution describes it-
The clipping ended abruptly, with no more news regarding the illusive academy. Scratching his head, Prince flipped the clip around to find no more information detailing its achievements or explaining what 'Grand Students' were. Everything else that was on the paper was crossed out violently with some sort of dark marker, but from what he could read, the school seemed very competitive, holding a well-known stigma that exuded honor and success.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember such a place existing before. Grandview Academy... it sounded off in his brain. It didn't fit into anything he knew, nor anything he had lost either. The school's identity was completely foreign to him.
'Man... why is it so hard to remember t-these things?'
Trying to ignore the new headache forming in his head, he put aside the clipping in his pocket before his gaze landed on something hidden within the piles of papers. Brushing them off it, he noticed it was a box of some kind. Seeing it caused his eyebrows to raise, triggering his curiosity over the contents inside. He wondered, could it be treasure? Magic coins? Some info about himself or this place that he could really use right now? He wasn't quite sure what was in store for him, but he was ready to find out. The box itself had a simple latch that he quickly flipped open, and once he did, he witnessed a miracle.
After peering inside, he found a single envelope with a big red stamp, and also a golden antique key attached to it.
"Bongo!" he exclaimed before getting a bit flustered, "w-wait... I meant bingo. Yeah, bingo!"
Feeling relaxed, he wrapped his fingers around the key... before a sudden boiling fire entered into his hands and dug into his muscles.
"OW!" he screamed as a bright red mark seared into his hand, "i-it b-burns!"
He immediately pressed his hand against his sweater to cool it down, wrapping it tightly into the fabric to keep his mind off the pain. The strange shock had happened to him twice now, and he still didn't know why, or even how it was possible.
'I guess that's what I get for touching things I don't understand...'
As he did this, the key's blinding yellowish color eventually faded to its normal dull gold, vibrating slightly from the energy emitting from it. It was only until his hand began to heal that he decided it was worth the risk to check again. He hesitantly stepped over, inspecting the key closely with his head purposefully leaned away from it. It looked just the same as before, only now something was off about it. For some strange reason, his name was engraved into the key in cursive writing, and with a quick glance at its base revealed a small symbol with an "x" and a circle drawn around it.
"W-what...? W-what is going on...?" Prince questioned, picking the key up with his free hand.
His concerns only grew as he looked over it, unsure of what sort of trickery took place to allow that burn to happen. His first thought was magic... but others would say he was stupid if he thought that. It had to be something else. Maybe... those visual effect things he learned about... or even some type of machinery that was sure to fool him. He couldn't truly grasp at an answer.
'Hmmm… it looks… like... t-the key was also taped to an envelope… maybe it'll give me some answers...'
Still rubbing over his buzzing hand, he looked over the envelope attached to the key and took it off neatly. As expected, his name was written out in fancy neat letters, the ink dark and rich, producing spicy notes that created a robust fragrance. The thick smell only strengthened the anxiety in his chest, making his hands shake as he pulled out the withered note inside and began to read it.
To Whom It May Concern
Greetings, Prince, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance on this rather exciting journey we will take.
I would like to apologize for making you so anxious for my reveal. Given the sudden changes to the schedule, we've had to revamp our plan before the grand announcement! But don't worry your precious little whiskers about that, your purpose will be explained in due time, as well as the mysterious circumstances regarding the property! For now, explore! Look around. Introduce yourselves to your fellow guests and make them feel at ease! I know you'll be up to the task, after all, you're such a generous soul, aren't you?
The key attached to this envelope will aid you in your expedition, so it would be best for you to not lose it during your travels. Not only is it crucial for your survival, but it's a one of a kind device specifically designed for you! If you were to misplace it, terrible things might come your way! Who knows what kind of nefarious individuals might take it from you and use it to... kill you in your sleep perhaps?
All joking aside, go make yourself useful until the time comes for the Coronation! When the clock strikes seven, our enforcer will pick you and the remaining guests up. If you don't want to be dragged by that six hundred pound behemoth though, I suggest you meet at the foyer around that time, or simply remain in your room until the announcement arrives. Today is a big day though, it'd be a shame for everyone to miss the sight of your adorable face before... well... perhaps I shouldn't spoil it just yet. That'll make your reaction far more fun for the reveal, I suppose.
That will be all in terms of announcements! I look forward to meeting you and your little friends in a moment. And remember to remain diligent and studious during this expedition! Or... go all out... I really couldn't care less. You can deal with our lovely enforcer if that happens. Although I won't be able to stop him if he grows enraged with your antics.
I also advise keeping this somewhere on your person. You might be mistaken as a trespasser without it, and there's no way I would settle such an issue with a light punishment.
Best Wishes, The Owner
'What… what's going on here? They d-don't really mean some of the things they're saying... r-right?'
He couldn't believe what he was reading. His own survival? Killed in his sleep? None of these things made any sense to him. If anything, it only creeped him out even more. From the way it was written, he assumed it was trying to be formal, but behind most of the words was an ominous, more sinister side, as if some of the things they were detailing were only half true.
'This note confirms someone brought me here. Or at least the owner of this place did… but… why…? Why to just… all of this…?'
He mashed his hands against his head tightly, his brain cracking from the pressure. There were too many thoughts bouncing around in his head for him to produce a clear answer.
'Okay… calm down… just… breathe. Maybe this whole thing is some sort of misunderstanding… as long as you stay calm… it'll be fine… just… breathe…'
The thought seemed to flow smoothly into his head, warming his heart enough to allow the remaining pain to fade away. Though the words were simple, their effects were powerful. It was going to be okay, he was sure of it! He'd find a way out, and maybe he could pass this off as a possible prank. A story to tell back with his friends and family that would raise some eyebrows, but still provide an entertaining tale. He put the box back neatly onto the desk, put the second note into his pocket, and gripped the key in his hand; his movements still a little slow due to the tingly sensation in his head. Going to the wooden door once again, he slid it into the keyhole and turned it slightly, causing a small 'click' to sound.
"It unlocked!" he cheered, a smile growing on his face.
With newfound confidence, Prince quickly shifted the key to his other hand and turned the door knob with his free one, allowing the huge door to slightly creak open. Though his twig arms shook as he pushed against the massive surface, slowly but surely, it slipped past the small frame before suddenly throwing itself open.
"W-WHAAAA!"
A scream slipped through his lips as gravity pulled him toward the floor, making his hands fly out in front of him before landing on the soft carpet. In an instant, a fiery heat coursed through his fragile palms from the impact, but the rest of his body remained unscathed.
"Owwwwww…" he groaned, putting himself together again as he stood up, "g-good thing I caught myself this time…"
Dusting himself off, he finally composed himself enough to look around...
And that's when he felt his eyes bulge from shock, his words caught in his throat as the glorious scene presented itself.
He had found himself in a large circular room designed mostly by dark royal wood. It gleamed like a frozen-over lake, the shine produced from the small fairy lights that hid inside the pots of plants aligned near pillars. Though they were small, they shined magnificently along the red walls, revealing a vast array of scarlet doors that were situated on two different floors and separated with a fancy wooden balcony. They went around the room, stopping only near the grand staircase that connected the floors together. In between each door were large wooden pillars that jutted out of the walls. They towered over Prince with spiraling plants around their surface, growing all the way to the peak of the ceiling which was shaped in a dome. That very ceiling held an ornate pattern of stars and flowers, which seemingly pulsated with light as small orbs floated around them. Their pale blue color cast the room in a glorious hue of sparkling diamonds and flaming gold, which only added to the tranquil atmosphere.
Prince remained silent as he took it all in, his eyes sparkling as he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The place was overflowing with boundless energy, causing his soul to lift up brightly from what he perceived. In essence, it reminded him of a garden of sorts. But taking a look around the grandiose structure, he knew that wasn't the case. With the flowing red carpet in the middle of the room and historical looking walls that surrounded him, he finally understood where he was.
'This… i-it's a manor? I'm inside a huge manor!? It's… it's so beautiful...'
He couldn't lie, his heart started to skip a few beats when he realized where he was. Sure it definitely didn't look like the typical mansions in the woods, but there was no mistaking the air of prestige the place held. He was in a manor, a real-life manor! A gorgeous one so expansive and rich with life that he couldn't even imagine anything bad happening there. Sure it was dark and somewhat isolating with how gigantic everything was, but the warm bursting colors fading into cool crystal red seemed far top calming to encourage anyone to act the way the threatening note described. Everything seemed peaceful here. From the carefully placed chairs planted around the room, to the hanging oil paintings of chocolate forest and creamy mountains, he felt a bit better now, seeing how nice everything looked.
After taking a bit of time to admire all of the beauty, he looked around at the other doors situated along the walls. Since he was on the second floor, he could get a clearer view of everything. There were twenty doors in total, just like the profiles listed. They held a variety of different faces he didn't quite recognize, but he assumed the doors were placed on led to rooms that belonged to them. Looking at the door he just left from, he saw his own face placed on a fancy wooden plaque.
'S-So… this definitely confirms that there are other people around here… s-so… maybe they're also walking around. In that case… I should probably do w-what the note says and find them… at least until we can figure out what's going on..."
With a new path opened to him, he quickly looked back at the room he came from and waved goodbye out of instinct. No one was there to return it, yet he felt as if he should to remain polite. He didn't know what he was doing there, but he hoped he wouldn't have to return to it. Not that it was a poor place to stay in. Under different circumstances, Prince would be grateful to find himself in such a room. But to wake up there with no memory, it was a bit unsettling to say the least. And that note he found didn't soothe his worries like he wished it would.
He eventually closed the door and locked it with the key he had found, leaving the room behind to explore the rest of the glamours setting he had found himself in. On both of the floors rested large doors that looked like they led somewhere deeper into the manor. However, the second-floor door had large chains wrapped around it. From one look he knew his arms weren't capable of moving them, so he decided to hop down the flight of stairs to the first floor. Once he landed on the wooden surface, he approached the door and found it to be wide open. It led to a large corridor that stretched on in two different paths. Unsure of which way to go, he decided to go straight ahead, hoping to find the whole thing to be a prank and joke around over the matter.
Oh... how wrong he was.
"You know I wouldn't have said such a thing if I believed it was impossible-"
"Are you sure about that? We're talking about-"
"I'm positive about this, you don't need to worry-"
"So you really think you could do it then-?"
"What makes you think I can't-?"
"No, I think you can. I just think deep down you don't want to-"
Void
His pointed fingers grazed along the wineglass's tips, his eyes as boundless as the darkest voids.
The blood-red drink glimmered within the darkness, mirroring the color of simmering black jewels as his gloved hands traced the edges. They wrinkled each time he completed a full circle, ruining the perfectly clean fabric until it was stretched out again. He did this as he waited, and waited, and waited.
It was still cold.
He sat alone in the large room, sitting at the head of a table void of anyone but himself. There was no Light within it. All of it had been drained into the polished crystallized staff that resided next to him. The cool surface of the steel beam radiated with a soft glow, the metal buzzing with energy as he waited. Everything around him was situated. The seats were assigned. The pieces set. It was all done, just as informed. But now came the hard part. Waiting. He hated it. Sitting there useless, no drive toward anything concrete. They must've been dreaming of countless sheep while he sat at his throne, dead to the entire world.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
He fiddled with the drink. Bored. He was so bored. He could sense none of them. The only feeling he had was the cold dead aroma they unconsciously emitted. Only their breaths sprinkled out bits of heat, each one varying slightly from the other. Some were rapid, others were soft. He decided to leave them and focus all his concentration on locating them. Though it was obvious who he would find first, he still sighed in annoyance when he located his dimensions, all of it wide and ugly. It took a moment to locate her, but eventually, her phantom figure revealed itself. The slightly grating tension around them informed him they were somewhere near sector C. For just a tiny moment he was finally separated from them. For a moment, he was alone. Directionless.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
He sat up. Far too bored. There were no more pieces to set. No more orders to direct. Now all he needed to do was wait. He hated waiting. So he stepped away from the table with a half-empty wine glass and left. He made his way through the hall, his dark blue tailcoat flowing behind him, and two abnormally long strands of hair curled out behind him as well. The rest of his dark hair was large and silky. He had combed the massive strands to opposite sides, sticking out like a broken heart. No other hair was quite like his.
That's what he'd like to think.
The concept of liking things was new. He was still trying to grasp onto it tightly, afraid to let go of the crucial information. He had conjured up fear a long time ago, but he was no longer afraid.
For what was coming? Yes... he couldn't wait any longer for that.
As he traveled along the hall the oppressive air flowed past him. Reading on the records provided, he knew that this corridor housed the most death out of any other part. The stench of decay was still present, splattered along the wall like an art piece hidden to all but him. However, he paid no mind to it. It was far too dark for his liking now, so with a concentrated whirl of his staff, he caused the lights to glow, one by one, around the scarlet corridor until the entire hall was lit up in a dazzling ball of red.
After taking a few more steps ahead, he made it to the door. It was large, made of nothing but gold, and holding a prefera of jewels that swirled around the outline and center of the panels. He opened it swiftly, allowing a brilliant glow to shine upon his mask. Once he made it inside, he finally let himself breathe a sigh of relief.
He had made it to the ballroom.
To say the room was massive was an understatement. Its size was similar to that of a football field, with walls as tall crystal skyscrapers. The room itself was completely open to him, outlined with gold and white tiles that gleamed with a polished glow. A crystal chandelier spiraled down from the sky-blue arched ceiling, illuminating the glittering golden walls which were engraved in the decorative Japanese art of stars. At the left-hand side of the room rested a giant stage nestled between two rose curtains, and opposite from it was a long clothed table in front of a similar curtain. The very ends of the room though held three large church-like windows, revealing the darkened woods, and the brilliant seat. The fog's whisp and piercing wind covered the blanket of pure white death, but the sea ahead of it was far too expansive for anything to distract from its beauty. The sun that lowered into it had only a sliver of light left, but it's rays cast an erupting glow across the liquid surface. A far better view than the rest of what was promised here.
Seeing it all laid out before him, he began to grow excited.
He could dream of the flowing red blood along the golden tiles, the dropping of bodies that once filled the room. Would this be anything like that? Sadly, no. There was no such number of the cast big enough. But what could be done? Yes, that was far more exciting. The bursting of the chandelier's chain would make for an explosive finale, or the bursting of blood vessels crawling down their arms would surely intrigue him. Ideas began to flow to him now, and he couldn't help but grow excited.
He looked around some more, humming merrily to himself. Though he had not a heart, he could feel an enveloping warmth wrap around his chest, making him grow giddy. With a spring in his step now, he no longer felt bored. He was beginning to like this feeling. The event that would come. A rush and surge of emotions all clashing together. Only the results mattered, but this would be fun. Playing with life in a hall like this? He couldn't wait. He could feel his feet leaping around, his gloved hands gripping the staff as he spun around and drained the Light within the room. It glowed blue as the sun lowered, and billions of Everglow began appearing above. He couldn't wait. Wait. Wait.
Wait...
He stopped moving. What was that? A sound? Looking back down from the thought, he noticed the bits of glass scattered along the floor. The wine glass had shattered, causing a trail of red wine to lay still on the polished tiles. It seemingly had slipped through his fingers… how careless of him. Though, now that he was seeing it, he hadn't realized how much it looked like real blood. He could taste the metallic iron across his gums, smell the rust drying against its surface.
It was so sudden how quickly his mind turned to blood. He giggled. Then began laughing.
He couldn't stop, he began cackling madly. a side he was all too welcoming of. This was his moment. He needed to see this. Only the results matter, but he couldn't wait for this. He couldn't take it anymore, he just needed this. This one moment. This repeated mind-shattering concept, it was so... pleasant. There was so much space, allowing his emotions to echo over and over again like waves crashing onto rocks.
There was so much he wanted to know. Needed to know now. He couldn't stop giggling. His eyes were darker than the voids of space itself. His feet slightly left the ground, and then static was all he could hear. He knew... this would be fun. So much more than he thought it'd be!
And then in a flash, it stopped. Not only in thought, but also in reality.
A spark of heat flashed through his head in the rooms' direction, causing his head to snap to attention. All he was looking at were the dark brown walls. But he could sense it. The rubbing of body heat against the floor, smearing the surface with its disgusting stench.
They're awake.
He lowered himself to the ground and felt his body compose. Whatever had happened before was only known to him and him alone. To lose control that fast…
...
His gaze landed on the wineglass. What a mess he had made. Annoyed and with an outstretched staff, he moved it in a circular formation and pulled it toward himself. A flowing yellow beam encompassed the staff, transferring the energy from the ground into the glass itself. The spell was done, and glass formed right into the floor, removing any trace it had ever even existed.
With that out of the way, he turned and walked away. After all of that waiting...
It was finally time to turn dreams into ash.
{ Author's Note }
Now, before this story starts, I need to clarify some things. This story... will be a long... long... project in the making. I have everything planned, but with the way, my life is being a high school sophomore with two ap classes, and a massive issue with procrastination, updates may be few and far in between. I know it sucks, but there will be times where I can't publish anything for a while. I want this story to happen so bad though, and I've made many false promises in the past, but I truly want to do this. I have everything the way I want it to be, and this idea, I love it so much. I loved writing out this chapter. I loved the tiny secrets I planted, and the character's I showed, and of course my MC. I love what I have to show you, and I hope this prologue excites you as well as it did me. Of course, there will be mistakes along the way, but I am so excited for this. I know this story is going to happen.
This story involves magic! Yea! Exciting right! The system I have set up is fairly simple, and honestly there might be some mistakes here and there where it might be used inaccurately to what I have planned, but the way it's designed could be described as like... a hard/soft magic system. There are fundamental actions to it that must be accounted for, but other than that, it's pretty much free to do whatever. It'll be explained in more detail as the story goes along, but I had a lot of fun coming up with the concept and plans.
Before I get to the rules and form, I want to thank everyone at the HFH Enterprise for making this story happen. It was such a challenge for me to decide if this story was worth publishing, but everybody on that server is just the purest batch of souls I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Most of their stories are closed, but I recommend you read all of them. They are really good, and they've inspired me to create one of my own. So to everyone on the server, thank you so much. You guys are just amazing, sometimes XD Jk Jk of course you guys are great!
Recommendations
Out Of This World - While the story is closed, it is still a delightful read from start to finish. Other Senpai has practically mastered character writing and motivations in such a natural way that I inspire to reach one day. It's currently reaching a very exciting development with the start of chapter 3, and the story shows a very real possibility of being completed. Show him and everyone there as much love and attention as you can!
The Monsters Within Us - Not only does my girl Sarita make the story a masterpiece already, but OceanAstro does a terrific job with detailing vivid pictures into the reader's head and setting up a compelling mystery. It's still in the prologue phase, but it'll continue... eventually... just kidding of course, go give the story a read, it's well worth it in my opinion!
The World Beneath Us - Ray's story holds a very interesting premise and shows careful planning and consideration to its plot that'll ensure the story's continuation. He's very passionate about it, so send him some love and characters if you wish! To my knowledge it's still open, as it's deadline is set to December 15th, so there's plenty of time to come up with something extraordinary!
Game Of Four - This story has been taking a backseat in the community for a while, but the characters and ideas it present are really intriguing and loveable. It has multiple protagonists, and Partyboy has a ton of plans and ideas for it! I plan to send him a character myself very soon as his story is still open, so go send him some character's as well, I know he'd really appreciate it!
These creators are so talented and loveable, and the care they show to each other is as deep as the care they show their own stories. So go check them all out! And here are a few more who aren't in the server but I love!
Fresh Meat - Mandi has already finished one SYOC and is well on his way to his second one. The submissions are closed, but the story is so well versed and shows many likable characters's that it's worth it to stick around! He also has a really interesting dynamic with his protagonist, and he isn't afraid to take exciting risk! He posts frequently, so if you see it, give it a follow or review!
Beyond Broken - Like me, Lynn is very, VERY, new on the SYOC scene, but her story shows a lot of promise, and she already has a server for it! So far six characters have been accepted, and she's still looking at submissions. Go check her out and give her a follow, there's quite a buzz surrounding it, and her writing style is very nice.
And that's all of them, I hope you check these stories out! All of them are very well written, and they show so much care and passion in them! While on the topic of Danganronpa stories though, it's finally time to showcase my own. Both the rules and form will be on my profile, and I'll be posting a second chapter showing the cast roster and submissions!
{ Rules }
1. PM'ing Info - Please send your submission through PM's. I know that sometimes making an account isn't worth it, but the idea of having an entire character spoiled through reviews really ruins the fun. If you wish to participate in the story, PM'ing your character is absolutely essential . When you PM, I'd appreciate it if you PM your character in a thread. Splitting it up to different PM's make's it hard to keep track of them. If you wish to send multiple characters, please PM them separately. When sending me a character, I'd like you to tile the PM in question with the following {DR GOLD HOUSE - NAME, GRAND TITLE). If you wish to participate as a guest or reader though, I'd be happy if you left constructive reviews and comment your thoughts on how you feel about the story so far.
2. Character Info - I'd like the be generous for this story, but the maximum number of characters I'd prefer you to send would be two, because that way more people can participate. I know it may be hard to send less than two, but this to ensure a very diverse cast of widely different characters and creators.
3. Grandview Title - This may seem strange, but in this world, ultimates are replaced with "Grand" titles instead. So, for your forms, instead of having your character be an ultimate, they'll be a grand. The reasons for this will be revealed later, but this doesn't change much instead of their backstory I have planned and their title. So, instead of ultimate students, they are grand students instead. Keep this in mind.
4. Original Characters - Please, I beg of you, please don't send me an active character from another story. It's so disrespectful and unfair to the author you trusted your character with and feels really sneaky. For the sake of both of us, it'd be better if your character was somewhat original. If the story has been dead for at least a year or your character has been rejected, I'm completely fine with you sending those types in. However, please update their form to fit within the rules and form of my story.
5. Foreign Characters - In this world, foreign characters are allowed. I encourage you to be diverse, do research, anything you wish. It is your character after all, so I won't restrict you to make the cast strictly Japanese. However, if your characters are foreign, I do have a few things to say. I will most likely only be accepting four foreigners, two girls, two boys. If this changes in any way I will tell you. The story still takes place in Japan, so it's a must for your foreign characters to at least know some Japanese. Other than that, the floodgates for them are open!
6. Deadline - I've extended the deadline for January 31st, as to allow creators a bit more time to work on their character!
7. Magic - It is hard to avoid this, and I did want to keep it a surprise, but if you've read the chapter, magic does exist in this world. The way it works is fairly simple, but, it ties in strongly with physical and mental strength, so characters who fit on one side or the other would be perfect for me. There'll be a part of the form for you to fill out that will determine how magic plays a roll in your character's stories, so be cautious.
8. Theme - The theme for this story is Power Vs. Corruption. Take of that what you will~
9. Have Fun - Like any community story, I encourage you to really be proud of the character you submit, and have a bunch of fun making it. A character that you decide to rush just for the sake of getting something into the story is kind of boring to be honest, but having a character thought out ahead of time and someone you really want to see shine would really make consider adding them to the cast. Take your time, really imagine your character, and if you can't of anything at the moment, that's fine to! Take a few days to relax and have fun. I don't want this story to be a chore. I want it to be a thrilling experience that you look forward to! So, have a good time making your characters guys!
And now with all that out of the way, we can finally get to the form!
{ Character Form }
( Anything with a '*' is simply recommended. Although I'd like for you to fill it out, it's not required for what I have planned. )
(General)
Name/Nickname(s): (Pretty self-explanatory, though nicknames are optional.)
Grand Title: (Instead of 'ultimate', put 'grand'. Examples could be Grand Builder, Grand Procrastinator, Grand anything.)
Age: (I'd prefer something within high school range, so 14 to 18. Anything older or younger would require a in-depth explanation.)
Gender: (Male, Female, and Non-Binary~)
Sexuality: (Are they gay, straight, bi?)
Birthday: (Just a fun little thing for your character)
Nationality: (What part of the world do they originate from?)
Ethnicity/Race: (What is their ethnicity?)
Height/Weight: (Put both height and weight here. I'd prefer if height was in standard feet, and weight be in lbs)
Blood Type: (Pretty self explanatory.)
(Appearance)
Physical Appearance: (Body type, chest size. Face, legs, hair. The physical body of the character should be described here. A paragraph will do nicely, but you're free to go all out as well. Try to make it somewhat believable though)
Everyday Arrie: (The clothes your character will be wearing all the time. I will warn you though, on all of the cast will be some sort of badge embroidered into the clothes, so, keep that in mind when making it. Also, make sure the clothes are appropriate.)
Formal Attire: (Dresses! Suits! Ballrooms! During a formal event your character will need to change, so be willing to put a paragraph here~)
Swimwear: (Pretty self explanatory.)
*Accessories: (Anything else your character likes to wear with their everyday attire? Earrings? Necklace? Gloves?)
*Other: (Anything else you wish to include?)
(Personality)
Outward Personality: (How do they present themselves to others. What sides are they willing to share? Are they an open book? Or is there mask at play here? This should be pretty detailed, but at least two detailed paragraphs will do.)
Inward Personality: (Do they hold a darker side to themselves? Are they pretty much the same to their exterior? Is there some moral ideals they hold within their heart but don't expose? This should be pretty detailed as well.)
Hobbies: (Besides their talent, what do they do that they personally enjoy? I'd prefer at least two hobbies.)
Mentality: (Are they mostly sane? Are they a unhinged? Are they in between?)
*Disorders/Mental Illnesses: (Are they afflicted with anything?)
Likes/Dislikes: (Both likes and dislikes should be here.)
Habits/Mannerisms: (Are they fidgety? Do they touch their hair? What do they do that makes them special?)
Voice/Quotes: (Describe their voice to me and showcase some quotes so I can get a feel for their speech.)
*People They'd Love: (Is there someone they'd be willing to change for? Someone they would fall romantically attracted with? Describe both physical and emotional characteristics that they'd find attractive. If you don't think you're character would love someone or they have a partner, you can cut this out.)
People They'd Like: (Is there a certain type of person they tend to like more than others? Is there a gravitation toward a certain personality? Would they be easy friends with this person? Explain why they would like them.)
People They'd Dislike: (Same as above. Is there a certain type of person they tend to distrust? Are there certain qualities that can make someone undesirable? Would they be rivals? Explain their reasoning for disliking them.)
(Background & Relations)
Backstory: (This, needs to be detailed. This has to explain everything about them. Their goals, aspirations, wishes, desires, wants. It needs to showcase people who've really changed them, made them who they are, affected them to act the way they did. If you can condense all of this, I'd like it to be at least three paragraphs, but more are definitely appreciated. Go all out.)
Family: (Important family members or caretakers and their role in your character's life.)
*Romance: (Do they have a crush on anyone in their story? Are they dating someone before the killing game?)
*Friends: (Is there anyone besides family that your character holds dear and has affected them?)
*Pets: (Any adorable furry creatures they cherish?)
(Magic)
Believer: (Do they believe "magic" exists? Eben before witnessing it, do they believe it? Would they be ecstatic once proven it exists? Creeped out? If they were rather logical, would they dismiss the idea of magic, or would they think of smart ways to use it to their advantage? Are they even willing to use magic, or would they cast it aside?)
Logic/Emotion/Strength: (This is very important. Are they one to use their head and think their way through problems? Or, are they physically involve, acting as a protector and using their athletic skills to help others? Are they a little bit of both? Are they neither? Do they get emotional?
Capacity To Change: (Are they willing to admit they're flawed? Are they willing to see their mistakes? Will they strive to be better? Or, are they unwilling to admit their wrong doings? Are they bitter toward something else? If they could change, what would cause it? Explain this in great detail.)
Desire: (What pushes them through life? What makes them believe they have a purpose? Is it a desire for power? Acceptance? Greater purpose? Or are they pushing through for someone else? How far are they willing to go to get it? Will, they not care for anyone else? Do they still show humanity when gaining for this desire, or could they lose themself? This can double as a motive, so if you wish, you can use this.
Strive: (How far are they willing to go to get what they want? Will they do the minimum effort? Listen to what others say. Or do they follow their own part at a reasonable pace? Maybe they want nothing and are content with themselves. Or, are they a monsterious machine of determination, not caring who they hurt as long as they achieve what they want? What would they consider okay to get what they need to accomplish their goal.)
(Killing Game)
*Thought's On Prince: (What are your character's first impression of Prince? If you wish to skip this you can.)
*Thought's On Manor: (How would they act around the manor? Would they be curious about it? Would they accept it as their new home? Or would they hate it?)
Attitude Toward The Owner And Staff: (Would they be rebellious to them? Listen to what they say? Attempt to make peace with them? Spoiler, but some are quite reasonable. And by that, I mean mostly quiet. Would the characters trust them, or would they consider them enemies. They will go through major changes in the arc, so, put whatever you wish.)
Reaction To Killing Game Announcement: (How would they feel being told you have to kill to leave.)
Role In Group: (Is your character a leader, follower, villain? What can they contribute to the group? Would they go it alone?)
Attitude Before First Murder: (How would act before the first official murder?)
Attitude After First Murder: (After the trial and death of their fellow classmates, how would they at now and for every subsequent murder?)
Motive To Kill: (Any classic motives and reasons your character would be willing to end the life of a human being? What is there limit? You can use aspects of desire here if you wish.)
Reaction To Dead Body: (Innocent/Guilty)
Role In Investigation: (Innocent/Guilty)
Role In Trial: (Innocent/Guilty)
Reaction To Being Accused: (Innocent/Guilty)
Execution: (Witnessing Execution/Being Executed)
*Execution Ideas: (What execution can you think up for your grand student?)
*Free Time Event Ideas: (Anything you think would make for an interesting free time?)
Potential Arc: (Ideas for an arc your character might have? This can be detailed or scarce.)
Justification For Survivor: (What thematic or legitimate reasons does your character have to be a survivor of this killing game?)
Justification For Killer: (What thematic or legitimate reasons does your character have to be a blackened in this killing game?)
Justification For Victim: (What thematic or legitimate reasons does your character have to be a victim in this killing game?)
Justification For Mastermind: (This, is very important. Even if the reasons are small. Even if they're pure. What thematic or legitimate reasons does your character have to be a mastermind of this killing game? Remember, there are unquie ways for a character to start a killing game. Maybe they have good reason for doing this. Are they only looking out for themselves? Do they care for the world? Why would someone do this?)
*Preference: (This will only be considered a little bit, but the second the character is accepted in the story, I have all say in their arcs and fates.)
(Other)
*Anything Else: (Literally, anything you want can be put here. Want to bring something up about the character? Want to tell me something specifically? Wanna say hi? Anything goes!)
My god, I made this thing to long. But it's for good reason. Many things are going to happen once this story starts, so I hope you stick around for future updates! Currently, nothing else is going on in my life, but that may change soon and I might have to take a backseat on this story. Until then though, have a great day!
Take Care
CandleFire45