158 DOWNLOAD A LIFE
They gathered around, their eyes falling on Vreena's lifeless body. Her clothes were torn, her appearance disheveled. One of them hesitantly checked her pulse.
"She's dead," he confirmed, his voice trembling.
"What the hell?" another soldier muttered, stepping back in unease. "A corpse? Out here in the middle of nowhere?"
The captain straightened, pulling himself together. "We need to report this," he ordered. But as they turned to leave, one soldier hesitated, his gaze lingering on the body.
"Her body's still warm," he said, his tone unsettling and dark. "And… she's beautiful."
The captain whipped around, his eyes blazing. "You're disgusting! We're soldiers, not bandits," he snarled.
He strode over to the bed, intent on preserving some dignity for the deceased. He pulled a blanket from his pack and moved to cover her.
But before he could, a sudden burst of light erupted from the bed. The force sent the captain crashing to the floor, his comrades reeling in shock.
"Captain!" one of them shouted.
Before their eyes, Vreena's body moved, her limbs jerking unnaturally as she sat up. Her eyes glowed with an eerie light, and her lips curled into a twisted smile.
"All of you must die," she hissed, her voice echoing unnaturally.
Magic surged from her fingertips, lashing out with unrelenting ferocity. The soldiers didn't even have time to react as the room filled with blinding energy.
Their screams were cut short as they fell lifeless to the ground, the hut now bathed in silence.
Vreena stood amidst the carnage, her chest heaving. Her gaze shifted to a nearby pail of water. She stumbled over, crouching to look at her reflection in the still surface.
"I'm so thin and pretty," she murmured, tilting her head as she studied the image staring back at her.
Her lips curled into a chilling smile as she turned her gaze toward the fallen soldiers. With a flick of her fingers, their bodies ignited, consumed by flames that coalesced into the shape of a blazing lotus.
"Wrath of Buddha's Fire," she murmured, her voice laced with curiosity.
Tilting her head slightly, she added, "Is this what this so-called 'starting gift' does? Wrath of Buddha's fire, Old Flame?"
In response to her words, an older man appeared before her, his presence ethereal, his form cloaked in white flames. He radiated an aura of ancient wisdom, his expression calm yet stern.
"That is the manifestation of your wrath's flame," Old Flame explained, his tone steady. "But that power is limited—it's effective only against weaklings like these soldiers. To fulfill your mission, you'll need to cultivate far greater magic."
She crossed her arms, her fiery eyes locking onto his. "And what exactly is my fucking mission?"
Old Flame's gaze hardened. "Your primary mission is to defeat Lilleo Gullee—the Demon of Gullee—in a duel to the death. You have three years to prepare."
At his words, a flood of memories surged into her mind. Vreena's face darkened as the image of her adversary crystallized.
"That bastard," she spat, clenching her fists. "When I get my hands on him, I'll make him regret everything he did to me just like how I'll deal with that Andy Holland."
Old Flame studied her with an unflinching gaze. "Where are you headed next?"
She smirked, the fire in her eyes rekindling. "I have a minor mission to take care of first," she replied, turning away. "Elder Mo-an."
-----
[Somewhere in the City of Boats]
Farah scrolled anxiously through her phone, her heart racing as she scanned the latest posts on X. Her photos—private, intimate, and humiliating—were spreading like wildfire. In minutes, if not seconds, they would be seen by everyone.
"What am I going to do?" she muttered, her voice trembling.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the panic welling inside her. "No, don't freak out. The site will take them down soon. Nobody will see them."
Her phone rang abruptly, snapping her out of her thoughts. She hesitated before answering.
"Farah, what are those revealing pictures of you circulating on social media?" a familiar voice demanded.
"They're not me!" Farah protested, her tone sharp and defensive. "It's Photoshop."
But the calls kept coming, one after another. Each one a reminder of her exposed humiliation.
"I'm fucking ruined," she whispered, burying her face in her hands. Then anger surged through her like a tidal wave. "It's all Andy Holland's fault."
As if summoned by her rage, Andy's name lit up on her phone screen. She picked up the call without hesitation, fury dripping from her voice.
"Why did you post those pictures? They were private! How could you—"
Andy cut her off with a cold laugh. "Private? You're stupid. Do you think I'd ever be interested in a fat, ugly bitch like you? The guys dared me to post those pics. A little bet, that's all. And honestly, you were stupid enough to trust me. One look at a guy's cock you'll give everything."
"You bastard!" she shouted, her voice shaking with anger and betrayal.
"Listen up," Andy continued, his tone now icy and threatening.
"I'm short on cash. Transfer $100 to me right now, or I'll post even worse photos of you. Trust me, I've got plenty more where those came from."
"You're disgusting!"
"$100. Now. Or else." He hung up.
Farah sank into her chair, her body trembling.
This was the worst day of her life, somehow worse than the endless torment she already endured daily. Her size had always made her a target—mocked, bullied, humiliated, and robbed. Every ounce of kindness shown to her turned out to be a cruel trap, just like Andy Holland had been.
Her chest ached with a hollow despair.
"I can't do this anymore," she whispered, the thought of escape from this world becoming dangerously enticing.
Suddenly, her phone flickered. A message appeared:
"Do you want to escape from your life and become the person of your dreams?"
Farah stared at the words, her heart pounding. Was this some kind of joke? But something about it gave her a fleeting sense of hope. Without thinking, she clicked YES.
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