Its bright afternoon and classes just ended. Mark is on his way to the park for his daily exercise. He looks calm and healthy but he is somewhat worried. A number of people around him is doing their own business but the thought of being watch doesn’t escape from his thoughts.

He wonders to himself; “What if I go to a place where there are no people around? Would the culprit show himself? Maybe there is actually no one in the first place. Well regardless, I am really curious.”

He is curious if he really is being watched and followed and there is no denying that this decision of his is quite stupid and dangerous. He strays from the road he is currently walking on onto an empty field of grass a few meters away from the road.

Mark stood still as the wind is blowing up against his face and the bright red clouds looks beautiful as the birds fly into the distance. It was quiet and peaceful and Mark loves the feeling it brings.

He grabs his phone from his bag and took a picture of the view. “Looks beautiful, I think I’m going to draw this on my free time.” He said.

As the screen of his phone went black, he saw something unusual from the reflection. Mark realized that he completely forgot about as to why he went to an empty space in the first place.

Mark turned around and saw a girl wearing a uniform from his school and a grey jacket wrapped around her waist. She has red eyes and black hair. He notices the number of red strands on the girl’s hair and finds it pretty. “Ugh”. Mark uttered.

The girl then stretched out her left hand sideways and black smoke started to appear. The smoke slowly materializes into a huge black scythe. It looked ominous and powerful as red shades of energy flows around the weapon.

“My name is Nova Saegil.” She gave herself an introduction as she spins her scythe around elegantly as if she was trying to show off then slams the weapon on the ground.

Mark is shocked of course. The fact that he was worried about what might happen, he then thinks to himself; “Oh crap, this is Nova. I think I wrote something about her in my journal. Damn, I need to be more passionate in the things I do! Importantly what the hell does she want with me?”

“I’ll be kidnapping you now.” Nova uttered in a weird tone as if she wasn’t accustomed to the traditional accent. “This will only knock you out.” She uttered as she raised her scythe preparing to launch an attack.

Mark stepped back nervously with sweat in his face. He adjusted his glasses nervously trying to make up of what is happening. Nova launches an attack but Mark luckily dodges it. The strike levelled the ground making a small crater upon impact.

Mark is cowardly sitting on the ground as if he was about to piss his pants. “What the hell lady! That was supposed to knock me out?!” He shouted.

Nova gave Mark a look of disgust and said; “You can’t fool me, Prophet. I know that you are more than capable of defending yourself from that attack.” Nova then prepares to launch another attack while Mark just sits there, afraid and pathetic.

“Stoooooop!” An unknown individual called out while running towards Mark and Nova. The person stopped running when she has gotten closer to the two while trying to catch its breath. “One second.” It uttered as the person continues to pant heavily.

“Oh wait it’s a girl.” Mark thought to himself as he finally took a clear view. The girl is wearing a black hoodie making it hard for people to identify her. But her bright green eyes are very noticeable to Mark from where he is sitting.

“Stop Nova… phew. I told you…. That kid is just a normal human.” The girl uttered in a very tired manner. This girl is supposedly a friend of Nova.

Nova then deactivates her scythe as if it was a light saber. “Why are you here? And how did you find me?” Nova asked.

As the girl finally caught her breath, she replied; “Because this is stupid, Nova. An assassin should never have their hearts clouded by vengeance.”

Mark just stares at them while they talk. He slowly gets up and tried to pat the dusts off his body. “I mean I think it’s actually kinda my fault for leading her here in this grasslands if I think about it. I made it look like that I wanted to fight her.” Mark thought to himself.

As the 2 girls were busy with their conversation, Mark decided to disrupt the flow by saying; “So… ughm… what is this all about?”

The two girls awkwardly stared at Mark. The girl with a jacket then takes off her hoodie revealing her looks. Her skin is white, her lips are like strawberries and her eyes are emerald. Mark then noticed that the girl has cat ears.

“My name is Shidou… Shidou Tsubasa. Nice to meet you, Mark.”

“How did you… what do you guys want?” Mark asked as in a very nervous manner. Deep inside Mark is somewhat fulfilled knowing that cat girls exists in real life. “Oh my goooood!” He whispers.

Nova then steps forward menacingly and grabbed Mark’s shoulder’s saying; “I apologize for my behaviour. I didn’t know. If I may ask… what is Martin to you?”

Mark looked confused as he thinks about the question Nova asked. He then thinks to himself; “Does Nova want to know if Martin is a Prophet? I heard that cat girl say something about assassins. Gulp… maybe they are wanderers that hunt down Prophets for a living, crap. Is there such thing? Ok… calm down. Ill just give her a very safe answer.”

Mark straightened his posture while adjusting his glasses and said; “Ehem… I don’t really know what you’re talking about. He is just a guy who happens to be my roommate. That is all.”

Nova then loosens her grip and exhaled with content. “Once again, I apologize for my behaviour.” Nova and Shidou then walks away from Mark while Shidou, the girl with the cat ears gestures to Mark as if she was apologizing.

Then there was silence again. The clouds grew darker and the sun slowly sets. Mark sat back down to enjoy the view once again wondering what the hell was happening. He could not fully grasp the events that are currently happening in his life.

“All my life, I have always been weak and defenceless. My parents were the only good things that I have and the world took them away from me.” Mark looked at the sky and said; “Why do you hate me?”

Mark then smiled down and took his glasses off. “I guess God is annoyed at me for not breaking down after all these years of suffering. To be honest, I have already accepted everything that has happened.”

Mark then remembers his troubled past. His failures, his moments in where he is treated like dirt. “All of those setbacks but in the end, I always manage to get back up without even fighting for myself. Is this my ability? To always get back up no matter what and waiting for the problem to resolve itself? I am tired of standing back up. This time… I will never fall down again.”

The sun has completely descended into the horizon. Mark stood as he gazes at the twilight that is the stars as the breeze blows his hair back. As stares at the city he loved for so long thinking about the heroes he once adored and the thought of his world ending with a checklist in his mind that is yet to be completed. His eyes glowed and said; “Zero out of three.”