The Hero Is Unchained, But Not Free

By: Fox Under Fire

Vol. 1 ~ Prologue

Have you ever wondered if the thing you thought would end your life may be the thing that begins it?

I’m not talking about near-death experiences—though, hanging from the side of a hundred-story building, I’m experiencing one of those now. I can feel the empty air beneath my feet, the sting of the rain on my cheeks, the iron grip on my wrist teasing the act of letting go. But I’m not about to look up into the eyes of the person dangling me—not again; I won’t give him the satisfaction.

Still, now that there’s a good chance I might die and never drink another drop of coffee, I’ve realized something.

In every life, there are a million moments when you know everything is going to change, but you’re not sure how. Those changes loom so large, they’re like a monster standing before you. And every time one of those monster-changes appears, you have two choices: you can either run, or stand and meet the challenge.

I spent so many years of my life running, and I didn’t even realize it. I wore holes in the shoes of my existence, yet told myself I was sporting brand-new heels. So maybe it was fate that I ended up in the Sixty-Eighth Sector. Maybe it was fate that I happened into the coffee bar and ordered that first drink, or that I moved into that rundown apartment.

But even if it was fate, I know I’ve made all my own choices.

And if I could repeat things, I wouldn’t choose differently.

There is no choosing differently when it comes to Satsuya.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, as I tend to do. So let me flip back a book, and tell you all about how I went from writing bad romance novels to hanging off the side of a skyscraper in the rain.

Let me tell you how I, Ivy McLaughlan, came to meet the most powerful Uni in the world.