"Defeat.."

After the game stated the match result, it led me to the lobby where I could queue once again. It's the 8th time in a row.

My name is Josh Morden a college student (probably). Due to various compounding reasons, I stopped submitting any activities to my teachers. I never forget the said activities but I really just couldn't. I'd rather play Wild Rifters, a 5v5 mobile MOBA, than make those.

Though  I probably suck even at this game.

I knew this game will absorb all your life force just by playing due to its difficulty but that was the reason I was hooked on this game in the first place. I was stuck in the second-lowest rank, the Bronze, for 3 weeks before I  graduated to Silver. Over time, climbing the ranks became one of my reasons to live.

Almost 2 years ago, I was so excited to play this game that I literally played it for 16 hours. Then, I suddenly fell asleep. The next day, I research a lot about the game and how I can improve as a newbie.

Despite wasting hundreds if not thousands of hours on the game, I only got to Diamond. And now, after being on a losing streak, I am losing my temper on Emerald.

"Damn, this game is not fun to play, " I said. "These teammates are all dogs."

If not because of my teammates, I might be one of those in the most prestigious Challenger rank. But, I also know my shortcomings and the need to improve my own game. Still, I really hate those AFKs.

"Agh!"

I let out my frustrations and then I stared at the ceiling. It is on a yellowish-white hue, spiderwebs are dangling, and specks of dust appeared to have been caught along with a couple of insects. Even inside this small room, "survival of the fittest" can be observed.

"I wonder what day is today."

As if I was hit by something, I suddenly felt depressed and anxious.

When I let my eyes set on the calendar, I saw all the circles used to mark dates. These circles will then remind me of the things that I should've done but didn't.

I was so focused on escaping my responsibilities that I addicted myself to gaming, anime, and other things that gave me instant gratification. Naturally, an hour can be felt like minutes and a day can be over without me noticing.

"I really hate myself... I hope I could just disappear..."

As I muttered those words, a blinding light suddenly filled the room. I covered my eyes in a rush and wondered what is going on. Despite my covering, I have soaked enough light to my eyes that it made me water. The light in my room was never used I prefer darkness as a result my eyes were very sensitive to light.

As I wonder what is going on, it suddenly stopped.

"Ehem, good day human!" a voice of a girl said cheerfully.

I hadn't invited a girl to my house before yet that voice was clearly from a girl. I also reached out to my phone but since I played for 7 hours straight, it's out of juice. Moreover, this also led to my brain being exhausted making me unable to think of any reason why I heard a girl's voice.

I opened my eyes and looked around. There is nothing out of the ordinary but I definitely heard a voice.

"Wh-Who are you?!" I asked hesitantly just to make sure that my ears are not playing games with me.

"The name's Kara," she replied.

I asked but I never really thought I'd receive an answer —should I say I hope no one answers. However, the reality of my situation was confirmed by a cutesy voice from what sounded like a girl. My hands and feet trembled with fear as I digest the fact that there is someone who appeared along with that mysterious light.

"The name's Kara."

After those words were said by Kara, they confirmed her existence.

"Where are you from?"

"What's that weird burst of light?"

I asked her these questions but she never answered any.

The silence was enough for me to raise my guard. I slowly reached for any possible weapon I can use. While—still, shaking.

I looked at my drawer near my bed where I usually put my tools for College. Surely, there should be something that I can use as a weapon, right?

Unfortunately, the only weapon-like object I could lay my hands on was a mechanical pencil from the Rostring Master set, an overpriced set of a mechanical pen along with other things used in Engineering drawing. The pencil itself, along with the other items included in the set, was well built. They're not made from cheap material making them ideal as a weapon— at least in an emergency situation such as this.

I never used this to draw or write anything for more than 6 months now. However, in my current situation, I really have no other choice but to use the needle-like tip to at least warn my possible attackers that I won't go down without a fight.

As I held the mechanical pencil like a dagger pointing towards the direction of the voice, she spoke for the first time after she stated her name.

"you don't have to be alarmed, I am harmless you see... argh!"

I could hear the pain in her voice.

"What happened to you? Why are you in pain?" I asked.

"Nothing, just a graze. ke ke..."

"That certainly does not sound like a graze. Where are you? I have a first aid kit here, let me treat you."

I go and grabbed the first aid kit from my cabinet near the restroom. Even with the current progression of the situation, certainly did not lower my guard despite my offering. As a result, I walked backward while facing the direction of the voice.

"That... won't probably help," she said gloomily. It is very far from her tone when she first arrived.

"What do you mean?"

I was dumbfounded by what she said and couldn't help but ask.

There should be no one who would refuse a first aid treatment. First aids help to ease the pain and discomfort caused by an injury or wound. As I returned the first aid kit to the cabinet, she spoke.

"Maybe it's better if you see it yourself"

I slowly approached the desk where I used to study. However, in the last 4 months, it was left untouched. Saying it's unclean would be an understatement. Even the mug I used was still there— now filled with molds.

I thought she might be sitting on the chair in front of my desk. However, there was no one.

Pretty sure that the voice was coming from the direction I was facing, I froze on my spot and observed intently. Due to the sudden burst of light, my eyes were not as reliable as they should be. I am barely seeing anything. If not due to my familiarity with the room's layout,  I would not be able to move freely.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"On the table," she said.

She must be bluffing, it's a relatively small desk and has relatively weak legs. If you put too much weight, it would immediately collapse.

"My eyes are impaired but I could sense that there's no one sitting on top of the table."

"look down, beside the mug."

I let my eyes set on the mug.

I could not see that much due to the darkness and the sudden burst of light but there I saw something that shouldn't have been possible— a small winged figure was leaning on the mug.

Across different cultures around the world, the only thing that seems to have been present since the dawn of humanity— the demons.

From the Mayans to the pre-colonial Filipinos, from human hybrids to devils. They are creatures that are made to make instill fear among children. They are used to make them not go out during the darkest of the night, or so I thought.

As I actively refuse to accept the fact that someone or something that should only be just a subject of legends and rumors leans on my mug, cold sweat ran across my face.

"Wh-what are you?" I asked hoping that if this is a dream I'd immediately wake up.

However, my hopeful thinking was shattered by her groaning.

"That's a rude question to ask, you know?" she said, clearly trying to keep her cheerful persona.

What do you want me to say?! I thought.

I never even once dreamed of being able to talk with such a creature let alone meet one.

My brain is close to exploding with the number of unusual things that suddenly happened to me. Thus, I was almost at my limit.

Despite that, I tried to keep my composure and tried to extract more information before I do anything stupid.

"What is your objective coming into this room?" I asked, knowing full well that this meet is probably not a coincidence.

"You got me. I'll go straight to the point. I need to suck something out from you."

Hearing those words coming from her is definitely not good.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" I, unfortunately, blurted out.

I messed up, I let my thoughts come out of my mouth

"Not that you weirdo!"

It's not my fault though. All those ero manga and anime corrupted my mind. That's right, it is not my fault.  I defended myself on my mind.

" I need your assistance to feed myself"

"What is it?"

"I need to suck your mana— you should be familiar if I use that term"

"huh?"

Mana? Is it the one that was used in almost every game and fantasy anime that I knew? It is supposed to be another type of energy that exists in the human body. However, instead of mana, it should have been called a life force.

I only have a vague understanding of the subject but from what I could recall, this is also been observed in different cultures—the Chinese have "Qi", Japanese have "Chakra", and Melanesian and Polynesian mythology have "Mana". These are only a few of the energy that is supposedly housed in our bodies.

"If I am thinking is correct, does this mean that also have this 'mana'?" I asked.

As I waited for an answer, the hole on her belly suddenly burst open.

"W-we need to.. argh... do.. it now.."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Just come and... sit on the chair... I'll just tr-try my.. hardest to stand up."

After she said those words, I obediently sat.

"Okay, whats ne—"

Before I could finish my words, she changed her form into something that was straight from a nightmare.

In just a blink of an eye, her pupils changed their color from blue into red and her sclera's whitishness was dissolved until it turned to pure black. The smooth skin that she once possessed suddenly turned into a rough almost rock-like texture.

The winged creature that I could comfortably identify as "she" had nothing that resembles a female. In a moment, the winged creature was now an "it".

"I am really sorry..." it said in a rough almost non-earthy voice.