Chapter 1 - Rebirth

“What an entertaining death!”

Dawn snapped to attention, finding herself in an inexplicable room.

The walls are shifting, stationary, and nonexistent all at once.

“You truly are a madwoman!”

Across a table that wasn’t there, of every color and texture at once, sat and stood a creature of no form.

“My memory is fuzzy. Please give me a minute.”

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Dawn was withdrawing money from the bank when the robber came in.

“Everyone on the ground!” A few warning shots were fired into the ceiling.

The entire room froze for a moment before the robber yelled, “NOW!”

Camo, face covering, single duffle bag. Must be confident to be solo. I could slip away when they turn away.

Dawn stared at the robber, biding her time.

“What are you looking at!” The robber noticed Dawn staring. As they ran over to Dawn, she saw, out of the corner of her eye, the teller press a button under the desk.

Silent alarm.

The robber grabbed Dawn and lifted her, snarled in her face, and threw her backward into a wall.

Abnormal strength. There’s been news of a strength-enhancing drug. The drug's name… Apotheosis. Any other details? I don’t know any.

“You bitch! You dare stare at me!”

The robber began to kick Dawn, aiming all over her body. They didn’t kick her for long, as police sirens went off in the distance.

“Damn it! They’re already here!”

The robber stared at Dawn, a glint forming in their eyes. They grabbed Dawn and held her up, wrapping their arms around Dawn’s neck to hold them.

I’ve become a hostage. What should I do? Give up, perhaps?

Dawn stared into the crowd. Her gaze scanned over the crouching, terrified people. Her eyes eventually landed on a hand mirror. She saw a woman with a dead gaze on the other side.

“Help me,” a child cried out from the crowd.

Very well.

Dawn slipped her hand into her pocket, fingers gripping a small knife. She kicked the robber's legs and spun around, drawing and stabbing the knife into the robber's eye. She ignored the scream of pain, instead taking advantage of the loosened grip to break free of the bindings and tackled them to the floor. The robber's facial covering came off, revealing an angry man underneath.

The robber responded to this new situation by headbutting Dawn. As she reeled back, he stretched for his gun, having fallen just out of reach. Dawn didn’t let him, instead grabbing the knife and stabbing the other eye. He roared in pain, before standing, grabbing Dawn despite his blindness, and chucking her headfirst into a wall.

As Dawn collapsed, consciousness fading, she heard gunfire. She mustered all strength in her body to open an eye. Her gaze was unfocused, but she saw a standing figure pushed back, a red mist appearing.

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“Cause of death, severe brain damage from being chucked headfirst into a wall.”

“Yes, that sounds correct.”

“Ah, such a tale of sacrifice. Why did you anyway? You’ve never stood up to do anything before.”

“... boredom.”

“Hrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm… seems like not quite the full story. That child, asking for help, did that convince you?”

“Close. I decided to be a hero because I was bored. The child simply suggested it.”

“Ahahahahah! You are great fun! I have a gift for you, for such a wonderful show! I’ll reincarnate you!”

“Alright.”

“Ah, right, your boredom. Hrm.” The formless entity did… something, then spoke again. “How about you become empress! Sounds like fun, right?”

A tiny smile, too small for Dawn to notice, formed on her face. “That sounds fine.”

“Great! Any changes to your appearance before I send you off?”

A mirror appeared beside Dawn, who found herself no longer sitting.

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“I’m thinking a more exotic hair color than brown. What about silver?” The form asked.

“That’s fine.”

Dawn stared in the mirror.

Silver, short hair. Lengthen it? No.

Height, 5’ 10”. No need to change that.

Breasts? No.

“Don’t girls care about breast size?”

“Do they?” Dawn asked.

“Hrm. I don’t know.”

“Also, two things. They’re average, and I don’t care about their size anyway.”

“Ah!” the formless creature made an action akin to a nod, clearly enlightened.

Dawn refocused on her reflection.

Muscle? It’s fine.

Facial expression? No.

“I have no requests.”

“Very well! Goodbye, Dawn Faith. May your empire be glorious!”

Dawn vanished in an instant.

“And, I wonder how long until you learn of my second gift?”

A laughter that came from nowhere filled the room that wasn’t.

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Dawn awoke in a field of grass. She sat up, glancing around.

A forest, and wooden walls in the distance. Seems like a town.

Dawn immediately began to walk, mind still thinking.

How will I become empress? The first step is to join society. Then, get some information and start climbing the ranks.

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“HALT!” a guard yelled.

Dawn, a good distance from the gate & the two guards, obeyed.

The only clothes they’re wearing are furs. They’re holding sticks. Is this world not very developed? The walls are just wood, large logs simply dug into the dirt. The gateway has no door, and from what I can see of the houses, they don’t have doors, just leaves draped over the doorway.

“State your reasons for being here,” the second guard asked.

“I’ve come to join your town.”

The first guard strengthened their grip and shifted their stance, readying themself to strike. The second guard instead stepped back, shock evident on their face.

“No. Leave now,” the first guard growled, stepping forward.

Odd. Xenophobia, but why?

“I said, leave!” the guard began to run at Dawn.

Dawn turned on her heel, running as well.

“Jared! Get back here!” the second guard yelled. Dawn glanced back, noticing Jared slowing before turning back.

They won’t let me in, at least not now.

Dawn looked around, noticing another wooden ring of walls in the distance.

Another town. Must have been hidden by the forest.

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“Ah, you want to join us? Give me a minute, and I’ll go discuss this. You can just wait there,” a guard said, flashing a smile before heading into the town. The other two guards stood back, clearly wary.

But they aren’t attacking. This town seems bigger, so perhaps they let more people in. However, these guards also have sticks and wear furs, like the first town.

“There she is!” a yell called Dawn’s attention to the inside of town, seeing a crowd rushing.

A mass greeting? Odd…

Dawn shifted slightly, readying herself to run. Breaking her gaze from the crowd, she noticed a guard's stick swinging at her. Leaping back, Dawn barely avoided the attack but stumbled over herself.

They’re attacking me. But why?

The second guard smacked Dawn across the face, nearly knocking her out.

No time.

Dawn began to crawl quickly away, eventually managed to stand up again while running for her life. She glanced back, seeing the crowd.

They’re following me. Is that floating fire?

The flame went flying at Dawn. As the attack grew close, she leaped to the side, avoiding the explosion and dodging the now-burning grass, but she was lying on the ground, and the mob was close.

How unfortunate. I’m dying before becoming empress.

Dawn watched the faces, seeing them lick their lips and crack their wrists.

“Come now, everyone! The feast has readied itself for us! Eat well, and you may be blessed!” the guard who had called the crowd in the first place yelled.

The mob surrounded her, beginning a chant.

“Oh Lord of Blood! Accept our offering! Grant us knowledge!”

A few individuals stepped out of the crowd, hastily placed blood-stained leathers on their heads, and drew stone knives.

Those leathers look like skin. And they mentioned eat… a cannibal cult? Perhaps that is what the first town was scared of, me being a member of them.

One of the people stabbed Dawn’s neck. Dawn simply stared at her killer, her face still expressionless.

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Dawn opened her eyes to see a canopy of leaves and branches. Sitting up, she found herself surrounded by trees.

I’m in a forest?

Dawn checked her body, finding no injuries and no clothes.

Those leaves… perhaps I can use them as clothes.

Dawn tore several large leaves from the branches and draped them on herself.

How to secure these leaves… vines.

Dawn scanned through trees, finding a sturdy vine soon enough. She removed it, and tore holes in the leaves, stringing the vine through to make a dress.

The leaf dress [https://i.imgur.com/s5SQ4sE.png]

She wrapped the vine cord around her shoulders, draping the leaves down and covering her body.

With a new dress, Dawn went to the edge of the woods, and saw a crowd in the distance.

Is that… the crowd that killed me? And I’m alive here in the woods… I was revived somehow. I need to keep away from them; I’m too weak to stop them. But how can I get stronger? That fire… magic exists. If I can learn it, I might become strong enough to show my face.

Dawn turned away and headed deeper into the forest.