Wake up Lazy!

Darkness- there's nothing but that one thing. No sound, no light, no one. I was alone in that Darkness.

Last night was hard to remember, yet that fight was hard to forget. A red humanoid rabbit killed me.

It was black with red–no, it had a red base, but black clung, and violet vibrated off and around it.

I haven’t seen many spirits but that one. B#nny was definitely different. I was different.

“Tell your master that I accept his challenge! I’ll fucking crush him!”

I said that? Me? With a face that was filled with more excitement than a child discovering ice cream for the first time. That can’t be right.

But it was. I did say that. But does it matter anymore? I’m dead, or at least I think. It’s hard to tell. I can still “feel.” I can still “think.” If I feel and think, then I must still be alive, right?

“Zane…Zane, please wake up.”

A voice I recognized. I can’t tell if I’m hallucinating or if I can still “hear,” but regardless, the voice I hear is a voice I don’t want to sound sad.

If I’m right, that voice is my little cousin, who I call a niece, Annie. Annie was small; she usually kept her hair short. Many people can’t tell we’re related because she has pearly pale skin while mine is more earthy.

Mid-thought, I felt a head on mine, hair on my belly, and a scent I recognized.

Is that pumpkin? The only person I know who wears that kinda of conditioner and shampoo is my Aunt Mari.

Mari had tan skin, so it was easier for people to believe we were related, but then the hair confused them. Many think she dyes it, but that’s not true; her hair is naturally black and red.

But when people see my hair, well, having naturally white hair is kinda annoying. Most people make grandpa or “unc.” jokes, but after a while adults just think I’m stressed out.

I don’t stress much, though.

“Zane…please…”

Yet again it’s that same voice. One of the only two voices in this life that I don’t want to hear in that sad tone.

However, that sad tone was drowning out; a raindrop rippled through the voice. Then another raindrop, and another, and another, and another. It must be storming outside.

The rain, I love the rain.

I woke up with my eyelids parted, my body raised and my breath steady. I was in an Eastern-style room. Over there in the land of the rising sun, they call a room like this “washitsu.” Or at least I think I don’t really know properly because of the amount of spirits they advise many not to go over there.

So then why am I in a room like this? I looked around; the room was dark, but somehow I was able to make out one person sitting in the room with me.

Dark, long blue hair- that hair. That’s the woman from the river. She was wearing thick blue baggy pants; her chest was rather exposed, except for the fact that she was wearing a chest Binder with white wrap.

My eyes traced her abdomen. Holy shit, her abs popped out like she just finished a workout. She was extremely toned.

The second my eyes moved towards the thick sword beside her, those red eyes opened and looked directly at me.

“You’re awake? Good. Bout time your lazy ass got up, " she commented, and might I add, in a dickish way.

She’s acting like I chose to pass out; my chest was ripped open–wait.

“My chest? It’s healed?”

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t celebrate.”

She stood up and practically glided towards me. She squatted in front of me. She looked into my eyes, or maybe threw them.

She let out a sigh. “You’re probably gonna die soon.”

“Wow, not even gonna try and be soft about it?”

“No. Honestly, it would just be a waste of time beating around the bush. You are now in a challenge with the Venta Knight.”

Venta Knight? Is that what B#nny meant by “master”

“So who’s the Venta Knight?”

“Let me finish first, then you can ask questions. Within this challenge, you’ll have eight opponents, with the Venta Knight being the ninth.”

Eight… wait, does she mean–

“The Reflection, The Opposite, The Other, The Self; Clubs, Hearts, Diamonds, Spades. This is the Venta Knights challenge!”

That’s what B#nny said.

“Wait, but that doesn’t make sense. B#nny said that I’m the spade-ow!”

She flicked my forehead as quickly as I spoke.

“Don’t interrupt me.”

Damn okay!

She let out another sigh, but she did it in a way that felt like she was yelling at me.

“Anyways, the challenge starts with the first four, which are called the Worth stage. The Reflection, The Opposite, The Other, The Self. You must beat four opponents that represent these things about yourself; every opponent will be a spirit in this stage.”

I see, the Venta Knight is testing me to see if I have what it takes.

“The next stage is the suits stage: Clubs, Hearts, Diamonds, Spades. Depending on the suit he assigned to you, he will label two of one suit for you to fight and defeat. He labeled you as a spade, so in this challenge there will be spades. After you defeat the suits, you’ll battle the Venta Knight eight days later. Any questions?”

I got many!

“What determined my suit? Also, how do you know what suit I am?”

It wasn’t the first question that came to my mind, but it confused me. She shifted from a squat to a more comfortable criss-cross position.

“The suit is marked on your back, and as far as anyone knows, it’s due to your magic type.”

“My magic type?”

How do I have a type if I haven’t used magic before?

“Yes, everyone can be broken into five categories: Hearts: those who find strength in Empathy and Connection. Diamonds: Those who find strength in their status and wealth. Clubs: Those who find strength in creativity and nature. Spades: Those who find strength in change, conflict, or ambition. And finally, Jokers: Those who find strength in chaos.”

“There are five types, but only four are allowed? Why is that?”

“No one knows.”

“Okay, but how does this Venta Knight even know my magic type if I haven’t used magic?”

She looked to the ceiling as if she was trying to find a way to dumb it down for me.

“Have you heard of the phrase, Magic is the world of the subjective '?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“The world of the subjective, well, to put this simply, if spiritual energy is set in stone, then magic is as free as water. But then again, our minds are the containers. It’s more about–”

She pressed her pale fingers against my forehead; after lingering there for a second, she tapped my forehead once, twice, then thrice.

“Right there, it’s about that thing you call a brain.”

How can she look and sound so nice, but the words themselves sound so mean?

“I have one more question. You said I was gonna die; what do you mean by that?”

Her face somehow darkened within this already dark room. She leaned back as if she was talking to a ghost.

“Because, as for the last forty-nine instances where someone documented that they were a part of the challenge. None of them succeeded.”

“Oh.”

I see. Well then, no point in mopping, not when my heart is racing this much. Am I getting excited for my own death?

No, I think I’m excited to face the Venta Knight.

“What’s that look for? You’re going to die.”

“Yeah, but I’d rather die giving it my all than being pouty about it.”

Her face shifted; I thought it would be annoyance, but no, it was a small smile. What did she find my declaration amusing?

“I see. Well then, it sounds like you’re well enough to get to work.”

“Work?”

“Yes, work. You did sleep here for three months.”

What?

“Thr-three months?”

“Yes, and might I add that your mother and sister came by, bothering us with their cries for you to wake up, yet you didn’t seem to want to exit your slumber.”

“Mother and sister- no, those were my Aunt and cousin–wait, they were here!”

“Yes, and because of their crying and your laziness, you must work off your debt.”

“Work it off how?”

She gave a smile, and the next day, there I was in a butler outfit in front of the entire crew of Company Seven.

Before I knew it, I was officially a member of Company Seven, but not as a spirit hunter, but as a damn butler.