Darkness Me, Colorful You

By J.X. Fu

If you were told that you're the reincarnation of a mythical beast who almost destroyed the world 500 years ago, how would you respond-face the allegations and redeem yourself, or give up on life entirely?

Koka Ferrers suffers from memory loss and dwindling trust among those who claim to be on his side. Life becomes a roller c

• Language: English
• Publisher: New Degree Press
• Release date: Oct 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9798885044158

Book preview

Darkness Me, Colorful You

J.X. Fu

new degree press

copyright © 2022 J.X. Fu

All rights reserved.

Darkness Me, Colorful You

ISBN

979-8-88504-414-1 Paperback

979-8-88504-413-4 Kindle Ebook

979-8-88504-415-8 Digital Ebook

I dedicate this book to those who have encouraged me to express my creativity in the simple form of writing and to those who have supported this journey since its beginning. Putting pen to paper is one thing, but the strength to flesh out one’s imagination and fantasies into a complete book is different. For all writers looking to take that next step, surround yourself with beautiful and caring humans like I did, and you’ve set the right foundation to let your mind of color explode into light.

Contents

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Author’s Note

Part 1.

From the Village to the Capital

Prologue

The Khaki One

Chapter 1

The Hazel One

Chapter 2

The Bronze One

Chapter 3

The Iron One

Chapter 4

The Navy One

Chapter 5

The Pewter One

Part 2.

The Heart of a Leopold Princess

Chapter 6

The Blond One

Chapter 7

The Bisque One

Chapter 8

The Golden One

Chapter 9

The Stone One

Part 3.

The Tempest and the Himer Gate

Chapter 10

The Caramel One

Chapter 11

The Coconut One

Chapter 12

The Damask One

Chapter 13

The Mauve One

Part 4.

A Silver Prince and a Crimson Gal

Chapter 14

The Silver One

Chapter 15

The Hickory One

Chapter 16

The Crimson One

Part 5.

The Disaster of Iconia

Chapter 17

The Ocher One

Chapter 18

The Soot One

Chapter 19

The Violet One

Part 6.

Memories of a Goddess

Chapter 20

The Beige One

Chapter 21

The Sage One

Chapter 22

The Copper One

Part 7.

My Color Is Your Color

Chapter 23

The Olive One

Chapter 24

The Stygian One

Chapter 25

The Amber One

Acknowledgments

Author’s Note

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My personal life was at an all-time low when I first started writing this light novel. Originally planning to travel to New York City for a business internship without any plans for writing a fantasy book, the large pandemic that rattled our planet in 2020 forced me to move back home with a receipt of canceled job opportunities and a sudden time away from friends. With an abundance of time to spare, I spent my days loitering around in my parents’ home with a breath of ideas and desires unfulfilled. I made excuse after excuse to avoid exploring my creative side, thinking it would pile into only empty dreams. During the first half of summer 2020, I encountered my first ever moment of depression and anxiety.

Yet as the endless days of isolation continued to pass by, I began to realize something: I’ve always wanted to write and publish a novel, but I feared rejection or that I’d be told that my writing was bland. This prevented me from exploring the endless frames of my romance and fantasy-based imagination. I had a plethora of ideas and stories boggling my mind, itching to be released, yet my lack of ability or ideas wasn’t what hindered that first step from the start line. It was courage.

Thanks to this realization, I finally managed to put my head down and start writing. Koka Ferrers, a man whom many may regard as feeble and overly perturbed in the beginning, reflects my past self, running away from my own fears for the sake of a fixed mindset. Just as he struggles to understand what it means to defy all expectations and opinions of him, I too faced this challenge. Thus, we ended up taking that first slow step together.

Treading through a beautiful yet corrupt world named Perpetua, it was time for us to explore just why life—the people, the romance, and the battles—is much more complicated than how it appears on the surface. Being a fan of fantasy and mystery books, I took and ran with this inspiration, alongside the historical Hanging Gardens of Babylon and my general love for romantic subtext and powerful lore, to bring my story to life in the same format.

I stem from a background in science, business, and short story writing. These contrasting experiences, combined with my knowledge and love for both Japanese and American pop culture, allowed me to put together the piece you’re seeing today. Ultimately, this story is for anyone who wants to dive into a fantasy where relatable characters struggle with their hearts to uncover secrets that will lead you, the reader, to feel like you’re part of this journey!

Thus, I am proud to say that the characters, story, and colors of reverie are what brought my creativity and writing spirit to new heights. It’s been an opportunity to employ my abilities while discovering where I still need improvement.

Because life is much more amusing when you’re wrong!

Part I

FROM THE VILLAGE TO THE CAPITAL

Prologue

The Khaki One

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This has to be the greatest nightmare one’s ever beheld.

Valentina puffed out large expanding balls of warm breath into the cold air from the tall steep cliff she stood upon. The rapid thumping of her chest only caused her to pant faster.

The explosive sounds of bombs and roars from below in the valley continued jumping into her ears. Even the taste of the air felt dry and lifeless as if the end of the world was truly near.

Valentina threw off her silky coat to free her arms and reached for her hip, despite the cold blasts of wind instantly stabbing her bare skin. The snow-white bandages covering her hands—a sign of the lasting damage and hell she’d suffered from past fights—gripped the sword sheath resting on her belt tightly. Piles of dust continued gliding into her white blouse and khaki skirt. Despite that, her beauty could capture the eyes of anyone.

It was soon time to take out the gauntlet she had been saving up for this fight. Her burning eyes watered in sorrow, watching the evil lionlike creature make its move from below. With slow yet deadly movements, it opened its large, lethal jaws and unleashed its attack.

From the view of Valentina, who anxiously reigned on the tall cliff, it was clear the monster’s power could mercilessly destroy the entire village, which sat in the valley between the famous Evergreen Mountains. Being stuck within the rough and ragged mountain terrain meant the settlement was quite isolated. Its disappearance at the hands of the beast was more than imminent.

More horrifying explosions resulted in piles of wood and stone being blasted around everywhere. Even from the steep, rocky cliff, which itself looked ready to break, Valentina caught sight of all the destruction the monster was making.

Run! Baku is here!

Countless shouts of horror even reached the heavenly clouds surrounding the mountain’s apex. For those who couldn’t dash away in time, their remaining lifeless bodies lay underneath the growing dust storm as Baku continued to wreak havoc on every inch he saw. Opening his deadly jaws in a repeated fashion to unleash powerful beams of jiku magic like a flashy beam of light, he doled out one destructive attack after another.

More sounds, along with screams of horror, echoed across the mountains, eventually reaching Valentina’s ear. Tears continued flowing down her freezing face. Gritting her teeth, she readied her attack to fight back against the evil being who knew nothing but calamity.

"You, the Stygian Monster Baku, must you take away not only mine but everyone else’s loved ones too? she screamed, hoping to get the beast’s attention from the faraway cliff where she rested upon. You’re a being without a proper soul of righteousness; a living hell spreading inanity upon our land."

She paused her speech, puffed out her chest while taking a deep breath, and released the rest, Only I can warrant you to a pitch-black hell!

Jumping off the cliff with ferocious might, Valentina fell through the thick air and let her sword guide her across the strong winds toward her enemy. As she glided while holding her sword with her gauntlet, only two lines of thought crossed her mind. Larius, Olivia, Bero… I’m sorry I couldn’t save you from this beast. But, let me take revenge!

Her light body flew elegantly like how a meteor would fall from the sky. Swinging both her arms while gripping her deadly blade behind her back, she readied her first attack using the Jasper Sword of April.

Baku, despite the streams of heavy dust and fire surrounding his strong armor-like fur, looked up at the attacking Valentina. He smiled and calmly watched as she edged closer to his head.

Valentina, your vile clan, like all the others, will die in misery by my bare fangs! Baku roared as the two readied for a clash. Cloaking his entire body in bright, shining armor, he leaped at the falling Valentina, soon crashing into her with full power.

The sound of their colliding jiku powers—the magic among their people—ruptured the inner walls of the Evergreen canyon surrounding the city. Ravening deflections of jiku flew out of the epicenter of their impact, causing nearby houses to collapse completely or be blown away instantly.

You! Valentina spoke heavily in between her panting as they jumped back from each other in preparation for a second strike. I will hang your wretched body in the Gardens of Gispyl for all to witness your heinous blood become absorbed into the dirt!

Baku glared at Valentina without opening his mouth this time. A brief yet eerie silence filled the air between them. It didn’t last long, however, as Valentina jumped forward once more.

This time, Baku predicted her move precisely. As her long Jasper Sword of April was lifted in preparation for another heavy swing from above, Baku stood in his spot without any movement except the wind-induced swish of his fur. He was frozen in place like a wooden statue with determined eyes staring at his prey, baiting them to make the first move.

Suddenly, just inches from being sliced into vertical halves by Valentina’s razor-sharp blade, Baku leaped to the side with the force of all four of his muscle-filled legs. He then wasted no time in attempting to launch his entire body at Valentina. This was the opportunity to counter while she was open. Yet…

What?

His legs stumbled instead, failing even to lift his paws off the ground.

Arghhh! The mighty lionlike beast slammed into the hard rocky floor as a sudden large gash appeared on the side of his body. Streams of blood oozed out of his dampened fur, creating a small pool of blood on the ground underneath him. Anyone could see just how fatal his wound was.

But how? Baku desperately asked. I dodged your pathetic sword.

Foolish and weak, Valentina quietly lowered her sword and expressed a small sigh of relief. And not just that of your combat ability… your philosophy, your emotions, and your character. The sum of all weighs into one’s outcome in battle.

Ignoring his victor’s blatant comments, Baku slowly tilted his head down to locate his pain. A sense of numbness was already flowing across his body, and his energy was sinking like quicksand. Just how did Valentina manage to leave him such a gaping wound?

Your gauntlet… just what is it? he struggled to ask. He stared back up at the panting warrior who damaged him beyond repair, noticing the giant silver gauntlet covering her entire right hand.

Valentina’s stance, despite still being a defensive one, was breathtaking. Her lush olive hair flowed past her shoulders after flying out of its ponytail. The sharpness in her eyes never lost its sparkle while glaring back at Baku. Anyone who witnessed her beauty could have mistaken her for a real goddess.

Kicking a nearby rock at the dying beast, Valentina spoke up once more while flashing the gauntlet covering her hand.

"Its name is Aisytil. It holds a special unparalleled jiku. Any slash I make will follow its original target until it makes its hit."

What?

Baku could barely react since all but his head was now dysfunctional. Despite knowing every gauntlet in existence and their powers, never in his life had Baku heard of such a lethal, not to mention fearsome, ability.

That can’t be! No way that’s possible because I…

Such a plight you’re in. So much for erasing your hated world from existence. Noticing Baku’s sustained confusion, Valentina explained further. Well, of course, such power has its limitations. The power of the strike fades fast the further I’m away from you on the battlefield. I had to get close enough to deal a deadly blow.

Baku’s dying eyes opened wide one last time as he finally pieced it all together. The first clash was simply a decoy to fool him into fighting at close range.

Y-you! Ugh…

Baku’s eyes began to close. His consciousness faded faster than the surrounding wind. Valentina wiped her cold, stuffy nose while watching the monster live his final moment. The smell of dust and smoke was all she could sense. Just how much destruction did he manage to cause before she interfered?

Jasper. I have but one warning to you before my soul leaves this body.

Valentina, while surprised at first by Baku’s sudden acceptance of his death and his mentioning of her clan’s name, replied in earnest. Your pleas fall on deaf ears but entice me.

You’ve won this battle… Stopping his line to hack out a spot of blood, Baku continued despite his voice weakening by the second. But I will return one day in five hundred years’ time. So please, seek me out again.

With one last dying breath withering into the black muted air, Baku lay lifeless on the hard ground. Strong piles of dust and ash flew on top of his bloodied fur. Valentina watched as leftover fires continued to burn across the town, and she coughed from the continuing smoke. She spun away and peered down at her own arms and legs: What was usually pale and clean were now lathered in ash and bits of ember.

This despicable monster’s returning in five hundred years?

With one final glance behind her shoulder at the slain beast, Valentina dropped her sword back into the large sheath attached to her waist.

This town and these mountains, blown to pieces by the monstrosity of the Stygian Monster. A forever winter is to sweep Olivia’s grace from these lands.

Baku, just who are you?

Walking back to Baku’s dead body, Valentina gasped, bringing both hands to her mouth. Next to the blood-drenched fur was a small, copper button, almost blended in with the stone ground.

Wait… it can’t be!

Her hands trembled in despair.

I must chase you down! I must travel five hundred years into the future and fast!

Chapter 1

The Hazel One

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You devilish monster…

A crying, transient female voice popped into Koka’s mind, causing the twenty-year-old to freeze in his tracks just as he was about to open the frail wooden door to his father’s iron shop. Yet her face was nowhere to be seen.

He heard his own voice respond to the cry: Yeah, so what? This city was a garbage dump to begin with!

A memory?

Koka’s hand trembled, causing the rusty doorknob to shake as he held it. Just who was this woman? Her harrowing voice continued to pierce through his mind.

Why must you return to spread your evil after I had already killed you before?

Koka could then hear his own voice reply: Wait, I’m not the cause of all of this!

Whether you’re Baku or not, even one hundred days of begging isn’t enough to mend your foul deeds!

He shook his head as the last line of speech from his memories faded away with a light breeze blowing against his forehead.

What was that? he muttered while kicking a few stones outside the entrance to the shed. Something from my lost memories?

Koka hesitated for a moment before he finally entered and breathed a heavy sigh. While he barely understood a single thing from that conversation, the tone felt sorrowful and dangerous. It brought nothing but cold shivers down his spine despite the scorching hot day outside.

Wearing small yet sturdy black boots together with dirty brown trousers and a plain white button-up shirt, Koka had woken up earlier than usual to begin his morning work as a blacksmith. The shed he worked from was just an old beatdown shack only a few steps away from his house. Despite the closeness, the yard surrounding both buildings looked as if it hadn’t been watered in years. Uneven patches of yellow grass sat between spots of brown dirt and stone—hints that perhaps a real walkway was once underneath. However, the present walkways were barely visible, causing most villagers in their rundown town of Cascana to tread