Chapter 1: I Want to Be Free

[Author’s Note: the characters’ inner monologues are written in bold /normal italics]

The clash rang like thunder through the frozen dungeon walls.
Steel screamed. Sparks burst like dying stars.

“YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!” the warrior roared, swinging his sword with wild fury. “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOUUU!”

“Oh?” The towering knight tilted its horned helmet, violet fire burning inside the visor. Its voice was calm—mocking. “No wonder he chose you as his vessel. But don’t worry—your fire dies soon enough.”

Their blades collided again. Each strike echoed with rage and desperation.
For a heartbeat, the warrior looked unstoppable—his will alone shaking the dungeon.

Then the knight stopped pretending.

“I, devoted knight of the Fallen Dragon of the Cursed Abyss,” it declared, voice deep and cold, “recognize you as the chosen vessel. Serve… or be tested.”

The warrior grinned through blood. “Oi, tin can. Just shut up and fight.”

He lunged—fist slamming into the knight’s chestplate. Pain shot up his arm.
But when he staggered back, there was a dent in the armor.

The knight looked down. “…Impressive. And foolish.”

Then came the storm.
A blur of violet light.
A swing that shattered his guard.
A second that severed his arm.

Before he could breathe, the knight seized his leg and dragged him toward a glowing circle.
A grimoire lay there—purple, alive, whispering in a tongue that made the air tremble.

A voice echoed inside the warrior’s skull, raw and commanding:
"No one deserves to win against you, Kaiser. Get up."

The knight placed the grimoire on his chest, raising his axe high.
“Now submit to the grimoire.”

The axe fell—

Yeah… let’s pause right here. Kai here again.

Before we jump back into getting decapitated by some knight with a grimoire, let’s rewind a bit. When he was twelve at this point. You know, just a normal kid. Trust me, you need the backstory to understand how he ended up in this sh*tshow.

Six Years Earlier — Marvin City

The sink water ran cold. My hands ached, wrinkled from hours of washing.

“Kaiser!”

The sponge slipped from my hand. Reily stood in the doorway, arms crossed, sharp eyes full of disgust.

“I told you to wipe the counter, not daydream! What are you, braindead?”

“I… I’m doing it,” I muttered.

“Useless bastard,” she scoffed. “Just like your mother. Honestly, sometimes I wish you’d died with your parents — would’ve saved me the trouble.”

My chest tightened, but I didn’t respond.

From the living room, Terry shouted, drunk as usual, “Reily! Shut up! I’m watching TV!”

“Maybe if your creepy nephew didn’t stare like a serial killer, I wouldn’t have to yell!” she snapped back.

Their daughter, Sally, skipped in, licking frosting off her fingers.
“Can I have Kaiser’s slice too?”

“Go ahead,” Reily said. “He doesn’t need sugar. Might give him energy to talk back again.”

Sally grinned. “Thanks, loser,” she said—and smacked me on the head.

That cake was expired, Good luck in the toilet.

Then Ava entered, eyes glued to her phone.
“You missed a fork,” she muttered. “Like you missed your parents.”

Kaiser's hand tightened around the sponge.

“HEY!” Reily barked. “Toilet stinks. Scrub it after dishes!”

Yeah, maybe if people here learned how to flush…

The window above the sink reflected a dull, empty face—mine.
And that’s when I heard it.

A whisper.
Low. Unfamiliar.
“You don’t belong here.”

He froze.

“You’re better than this, Kaiser. You were never meant to live like this.”

I must be going crazy, I thought. Living with these animals…

Days bled together:
He wake up early. Avoid Terry.
Walk the girls to school. If he did not he would get beaten up.
Do chores. Sleep. Repeat.

One winter night, after another beating, they locked him outside.

“They don’t deserve you,” the whispers murmured. “You’re stronger than this. One day, they’ll regret everything.”

When Terry raised his hand again the next day, I didn’t even flinch.
I didn’t care anymore.

That night, staring at the cracked ceiling, the voice returned—calm, almost comforting.

“They’ll never accept you,” it said. “But I will.”

I smiled faintly. “Maybe you’re right. I don’t know who you are yet… but I’ll figure it out.”

Wind tapped the window.

“So what will you do?” the voice asked.

“I just want to be strong.”

A low creak echoed through the room.
I turned—heart racing.
“Wait! I didn’t—”