I Was Not Meant To Exist

Five young people stood in front of one of the giant walls in one corner of the human palace.

Katarina, who had been helping Alex walk all this time, began to release her support, she walked closer to the giant wall.

She raised her left thumb and bit it with her teeth, her brow twitched slightly when the metallic taste of blood was felt on her tongue.

She pressed her bleeding thumb against the giant wall, a cold sensation spread across her skin, and not long after, a series of unique symbols appeared from the giant wall.

Those symbols glowed in different colors which became stains on the white wall.

Alex and the others who saw it were amazed, but the next sight even made Alex shout.

The giant white wall slowly split apart in front of Katarina, behind the giant wall a large blood-red corridor with an ancient interior became visible.

That corridor became a bridge that led their path toward a hall on the other side.

The corridor glowed even without any visible source of lighting.

Katarina slightly turned her head toward the others, she once again helped Alex walk.

"Let’s go... we have to be quick."

They slowly walked through the corridor, Alex who was still amazed tried to touch the wall of the corridor he passed.

A cold sensation spread across his skin when his fingers touched the stone that felt familiar from his old world.

Katarina who saw Alex being mesmerized began to whisper, while Aril, Ken, and Reva had already walked ahead.

"This entire room is made of red emerald..."

Alex who heard what Katarina said immediately turned toward her, he also looked back toward the corridor wall in front of him, his eyes opened and closed several times.

In the reflection of Alex’s black eyes what he saw was a golden wall, he swallowed and cold sweat began to come out.

’What color do you see, Krystal?’

Krystal was silent for a moment before answering.

’Gold....’

Alex cursed in his mind after hearing Krystal’s answer, he looked again at the entire corridor and the hall at the end of the corridor, in the reflection of his black eyes everything shone gold.

Katarina who saw Alex like someone confused began to ask him while helping him walk to catch up with the others.

"What’s wrong with you?.... you look like you’ve seen a ghost."

Alex’s ear twitched when he heard Katarina’s question, he let out an awkward chuckle.

"How could I be afraid of ghosts, I’m just amazed by this corridor..."

One of Katarina’s eyebrows raised, she looked at the same corridor as Alex but what they saw was different.

"How can you be amazed by this creepy corridor..."

Katarina sighed, she continued what she wanted to say, while Alex only listened while looking at her.

"I came here when I was little and immediately cried because it was too scary..."

Alex chuckled when he heard what Katarina said, he tilted his head slightly.

"So you were a crybaby when you were little too?.... but you’re still a crybaby even now, partner."

Katarina’s expression became stiff when she heard what Alex said, she stepped one of her legs forward to trip Alex’s leg which made him almost fall.

Alex gritted his teeth, he felt pain throughout his body especially his heart which almost popped out when he almost fell.

"You! Damn it.... I’ll get you back later"

Katarina clicked her tongue, a sigh came out from her lips.

"But do you know? This corridor has another color..."

Alex whose anger had risen began to calm down again, he looked at Katarina.

"What color?"

Katarina looked at the blood-red corridor walls that she passed.

"Gold... in the eyes of a saint who has holy energy, this corridor will be gold."

Katarina brushed her dark red hair that blocked her eyes.

"It must be beautiful to be able to see it in gold?...."

Alex’s heart beat fast, his black eyes saw the entire corridor in front of him, a golden reflection was visible in his black eyes.

"Yes... very beautiful."

Alex turned again toward Katarina who was helping him walk.

"But why can only a saint see its golden color?"

Katarina was silent for a moment, she seemed to recall her past life memories that felt distant, she raised her shoulders.

"I don’t know, I never asked in my previous life...."

This time Alex’s expression became stiff, he clicked his tongue.

"What a crazy princess..."

Katarina who heard that began to get wild, the two of them walked for too long to pass through the corridor.

And when they arrived at the end of the corridor, a circular hall was visible, the hall was pure white with a circle in the center with four white pillars surrounding it.

Everyone except Katarina came there for the first time, they all looked at Katarina to know what they would do next.

Katarina slowly stepped together with Alex whom she helped toward the circle surrounded by four white pillars.

Reva, Aril, and Ken followed her and now the five of them were in the middle of the circle together with their shadows.

Katarina took a breath, she looked at everyone who was there.

"We will go to the academy city Osteria...."

Katarina stroked the cube-shaped glass necklace that she wore.

"....tonight is a long night for all of us in the palace, my heart feels painful because I have to leave the others."

Katarina lowered her head, she remembered the people who should have been there with them, she even remembered the servants that she should protect as a princess.

Alex who saw Katarina lost in thought began to speak to her.

"Are you thinking about Julian, the gambler, the clean freak psychopath, and the pink-haired girl?"

Reva who heard that clicked her tongue, she looked at Alex.

"You damn trickster! We do not know the pain that the princess feels"

Alex nodded when he heard what Reva said, he looked at Reva.

"I know, you short-tempered bastard...."

Alex then pointed at everyone there including himself.

"....but try to look at yourself! We also went through a difficult night, especially we are carrying this damn artifact that became the core of all this problem."

Aril nodded when he heard what Alex said, so did Ken, while Reva only let out a breath.

Alex patted Katarina’s shoulder several times.

"The others must be fine... there are many strong people here, the important thing is we escape first. My heart will keep almost exploding if we haven’t met the headmaster."

Katarina let out a breath, she brushed her dark red hair, she also looked at the others, they were all injured except herself who only ran out of mana.

’Yes.... everything must be fine. Just a little more we will succeed in keeping this artifact away.’

Katarina nodded several times to convince herself.

"Alright... let’s go."

Katarina released her help on Alex, now she stood at the very center in the circle surrounded by four white pillars, she turned her back on everyone.

She closed her eyes, she also channeled the little mana she had left into her throat and mouth.

Slowly Katarina opened her mouth, her voice sounded echoing in that hall.

The words that came out of Katarina’s mouth were not a language they knew, every word that Katarina said made the others feel goosebumps.

After several words that Katarina said, slowly the four white pillars that surrounded them glowed, Katarina’s voice became louder after that, a gust of wind that suddenly appeared hit them from below, that gust of wind lifted their hair, the circle that they stepped on also glowed together with the gust of wind.

The light from the pillars and the circle became brighter, the gust of wind that they felt also became wilder.

Katarina’s voice that chanted words that they did not know slowly stopped, a breath was heard from her, her long dark red hair was now fluttering by the wind coming from below.

She turned her body to look at the others, a smile almost formed on her face before something disturbed her.

Her blue eyes saw something that should not happen, Katarina’s blue eyes reflected the shadows of her friends that were moving on their own.

Her heart beat fast, she slowly looked at her own shadow which also moved.

Alex and the others who saw Katarina acting strange began to pay attention to her.

They saw Katarina only looking at her shadow, they followed her gaze, and they all became silent when they saw Katarina’s shadow writhing.

Before they could speak, a burnt smell was smelled together with a rotten smell.

Katarina turned toward the red corridor that they passed earlier, the others followed Katarina’s gaze toward the corridor.

There a black spear flew quickly toward them, it was so fast that they did not even have time to react, even Alex’s body only twitched even though he had the first soul core.

The black spear shot toward one of the white pillars that surrounded them, when the black spear collided, the sound of an explosion was heard, they all protected themselves from the fragments of the pillar that was destroyed.

Smoke rose as a result of the destruction of one of the pillars and the light that illuminated the other pillars and the circle they stood on began to disappear when one of the pillars was destroyed.

They all shifted their gaze toward the corridor which was the origin of the black spear that destroyed the pillar, there Envy appeared, he began to walk slowly toward the hall they occupied.

The burnt and rotten smell became stronger with every step that he took to approach the hall.

A voice was heard from Envy, a voice that they could hear even from afar, a disgusting voice sounded in their ears that made their hair stand.

"Hello... human princess."

As soon as Envy’s greeting finished, the air pressure in the hall increased, their bodies became heavy, and the pressure forced the five of them to bend their knees to the floor, the sound of teeth grinding was heard from the five of them.

Envy walked casually in the middle of the hall that had strong pressure that even brought the five of them down, his gaze was only focused on the glass necklace that Katarina wore.

Alex who saw Envy getting closer gritted his teeth, his heart beat fast like it would explode, cold sweat flowed all over his body.

’Is that a demon?...’

Krystal who saw that for the first time answered Alex after being silent for a moment.

’Yes... but that is Mira’s father’s body. He became a demon temporarily until his body is destroyed’

Alex’s breath became heavy, his palms clenched on the floor, his gaze was fixed on Envy who did not look at him.

’Isn’t this our chance?...’

Krystal clicked her tongue, a breath was heard from her.

’No... not now.’

Alex’s face became confused, he closed his eyes in annoyance and opened them again, but when he opened his eyes, Envy raised his hand and swung it.

After that swing, Alex, Reva, Ken, and Aril were thrown backward.

Alex, Ken, and Aril immediately slammed into the wall, unfortunately for Reva, her head hit one of the white pillars.

Pain spread throughout Alex’s body, he who even had difficulty walking alone now felt the consequences of forcing himself, he gripped the floor tightly, his gaze only focused on Katarina who stood facing Envy.

In the reflection of Alex’s black eyes, blue fire came out from both of Katarina’s palms which made Envy chuckle.

"Are you sure you want to attack me with your small fire?.... even hellfire cannot kill me, human princess."

Katarina did not listen to what Envy said, she released two bursts of blue fire that she could release at this moment with her thin mana.

Katarina’s blue fire became wild, warmth enveloped the hall, but even with all that, the blue fire disappeared with just one swing of Envy’s hand.

Katarina’s blue eyes trembled, she slowly stepped her foot backward, her heart beat fast.

Envy licked his mouth with his long tongue, his body slightly cracked at his chest.

"If you are that scared, just hand over the necklace, and I will not kill you like your mother."

Katarina’s blue eyes widened but a wide smile was also carved on her face, she summoned her blue fire again.

"My mother could not possibly die in the hands of a vessel like you, Envy..."

One of Envy’s eyebrows twitched, he pointed his hand toward Katarina, black mist came out quickly making Katarina unable to move her body.

"A child should not speak like that...".

Envy smiled widely, he pointed his index finger toward Katarina’s glass necklace, black mist covered the necklace, Envy’s index finger began to bend which made Katarina’s glass necklace move toward him.

But Envy’s index finger slowly stopped, his body became stiff for a moment,

something began to approach Envy, he raised his left fist toward Envy’s face.

Katarina who still could not move because of the black mist began to shout even though her voice was choked.

"Don’t do it... Aril!"

Aril who did not respond to Katarina only directed his left fist toward Envy while he could not move.

But after they became closer, Envy’s golden eyes glanced toward him, his golden eyes saw Aril completely.

He raised his left hand which turned into a black claw toward Aril, a large slash was carved on Aril’s body, the confidence that previously shone in Aril’s brown eyes had now disappeared, now what remained was only an expression of disbelief.

The black mist pushed Aril until he crashed into one of the pillars and destroyed it just like that.

Katarina’s blue eyes trembled, she gritted her teeth, she burned all of her remaining mana, blue fire boiled out from her entire body, the explosion of blue fire made her free from the grip of the black mist, now Katarina was kneeling on the floor.

Envy shifted his gaze back toward Katarina, he spread his wings and in an instant, he stood in front of Katarina who was kneeling, his hand stretched toward Katarina but suddenly his body became stiff again.

A shout followed, there Ken dashed while holding his katana with both hands.

His right eye released more blood than before, pain spread through his body but he still forced himself, a horizontal slash was directed toward Envy’s neck which was stiff.

On Envy’s face which was stiff, cracks slowly appeared and became more numerous.

When Ken’s katana almost touched his neck, black mist came out again from his body, Ken’s slash was blocked by the black mist causing his katana to be trapped.

Ken’s right eye trembled, now his body could not be moved, blood flowed like a waterfall from Ken’s right eye, now the vision of Ken’s right eye began to blur.

His heart beat fast, he closed both of his eyes and a punch to his stomach made him bounce back to the wall behind him, this time the sound of the collision sounded fatal.

Katarina slowly stood up, her blue eyes met Envy’s golden eyes, her hand trembled touching her glass necklace.

Envy stretched out his hand to ask for the glass necklace from Katarina, Katarina’s body trembled violently, even Ken who had almost lost his vision could see it.

He tried to move his body but his body did not respond, he bit his lips, he took a deep breath, his last voice was heard echoing before he lost consciousness.

"ALEXX!!!!"

Ken’s shout reached Alex who was still trying to crawl on the floor, but that shout also reached Reva who had just seen Katarina like that.

Reva’s heart beat fast, her brown eyes trembled filled with anger, even the pain from her head that was bleeding did not stop her, she burned all the mana that she had, burning it until not even a little remained.

"Hold on for a moment, princess..."

Slowly Reva’s entire body was covered by her own shadow, even her face was no longer visible because it was covered by shadow, she slowly turned into a shadow and crawled on the floor toward Katarina.

Meanwhile Katarina was still holding her necklace, Envy who was starting to become impatient immediately approached.

"Give it.... I will not hurt your friend."

Envy’s words made Katarina’s ears ring, she stepped her foot backward, her hand that was previously holding her necklace now pressed something on her smart bracelet.

’I must not fail again.... not when we have come this far, not with the many victims that have fallen’

Envy who saw that immediately lunged toward Katarina, but his step stopped because something approached him, he turned to see what was approaching him.

There a shadow crawled toward him, Envy’s golden eyes widened, he was silent for a moment.

That shadow used that moment, it showed its physical form covered by shadow, Reva returned to her physical form with shadow still covering her entire body, in her hand something sharp wriggled toward Envy.

Envy who saw Reva’s form covered by shadow chuckled, he moved his black claw quickly, and in an instant Reva’s body was split into two.

Katarina who saw that screamed.

"Reva!!"

But Reva did not answer, no blood came out when her body was split into two, because after being split her body returned to being whole.

Envy who had already predicted that immediately flowed black mist around himself with Reva, darkness enveloped both of them.

Inside that darkness, the shadow covering Reva’s body disappeared, her physical body now lost the shadow that covered her, Reva coughed hard, blood accompanied her cough, but she could not enjoy the pain of her cough, because Envy’s hand gripped her neck tightly.

Reva struggled in pain, her legs now floated kicking the air, her brown eyes now released tears, she hit Envy’s hand which slowly cracked.

Envy only smiled seeing Reva like that.

"How dare you use shadow to attack the oldest shadow..."

Reva’s punches on Envy slowly weakened, her kicks in the air also became heavy, she could almost not breathe at all.

Meanwhile outside the black mist that enveloped Envy and Reva, Katarina stood, she took out a spear from her smart bracelet.

When her hand gripped the spear, red lightning flashed, that red lightning became wilder, Katarina raised her spear and threw it at the black mist that enveloped Envy and Reva.

Katarina’s scream was heard reaching Reva when she threw her spear.

"REVAAA!!!"

Katarina’s scream also reached Envy, he turned toward that scream, there the black mist that covered them slowly shone red.

From that red color, a lightning spear appeared piercing through the black mist, that spear went straight toward Envy’s chest, a scream of pain was heard from Envy for the first time after controlling Thomas’s body.

Envy released his grip on Reva, the black mist slowly shrank and disappeared.

Reva fell to the ground unconscious, while Katarina ran closer toward her.

All of that scene was witnessed by Alex who was still trying to crawl, his heart felt like it was being torn apart when he saw his friends being beaten to near death.

"Krystal... I think this is the time..."

Krystal answered Alex in his mind.

’You will not be able to bear the burden right now, your body is not working properly’

Veins appeared on Alex’s forehead, he gritted his teeth, his hand clenched and punched the floor repeatedly.

"Then what should I do damn it!! Am I just going to watch all of this?!"

Alex’s breath became heavy, his black eyes trembled.

"That bastard, I just met him once but he is already this damn terrible...."

Alex swallowed his saliva which felt bitter, he slowly stood up even though his body trembled.

"....just give it to me, Krystal. I will not die this time."

Krystal was silent for a moment, a breath was heard from her.

’You must not die damn it... I will have trouble if I meet Saint Azara again.’

Alex nodded in silence, his black eyes were still only focused on Envy.

A gust of wind hit around Alex, his body now slowly shone, from his body golden dust slowly came out, Alex’s tense body now became calmer because of the warmth that spread throughout his body.

Krystal’s voice echoed again in Alex’s mind.

’This holy energy can only be used to fight that demon, your body must move with your own ability.’

A puff of breath came out from Alex’s lips, his heart beat fast until it covered his hearing.

"Yes.... now, let’s kill that bastard and save the gambler."

Krystal who heard Alex’s request immediately maximized her holy energy on Alex, now the burst of light illuminated the entire room, making everyone look toward Alex.