Disclaimer : It's so obvious that I don't own Threads of Fate and all of its properties used here.

Warning : AU, OoC, etc.

PLEASE READ : I THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO REVIEWING :D I decided to edit this fic and changed the chapter. It's still the same. Still AU with modern era takes places and times. It's just that I take some things in the game which don't exist anymore in the real world, like; Carona Twon, etc. One thing is about Rue's hairstyle. I kinda changed it in this fic (it's still spiky and all, just becomes more stylish). I just couldn't picture anyone with weird hairstyle like that in this era. And almost forgot to tell you that this entire fic is told from Rue's PoV (you'll actually understand in the end of the story). Anyway, I suggest you to read this first because I've changed many things. That's all to say, I guess. On with the story!

Days of Contract

Day One

"Meeting"

"Brother! Can you help me carrying my luggage, please?" The shrill voice of my little sister came reaching my ears. I was sure enough that she was having difficulty with her heavy things.

But, I couldn't lend a hand right now. The case was, I was also struggling to carry my own things.

"Just a… mo-moment!" I even struggled to say that.

Well, damn these heavy things, making everything felt hard to be done.

In addition for this struggling section, there was this stinging heat from the sun that tried to burn my pale skin. Not to mention that today's afternoon was sunny and hot. Actually, it was too sunny 'till you could feel the sunshine blinded your own eyes.

And this was it. Heavy things, stinging heat and blinding sunshine were more than enough to make me dropped the heavy things I was carrrying.

Brugh! Was the sound produced by the dropped things.

"I bet my palms were all red now." I murmured to myself.

I checked it for the exact result. The result? Yes, they were red. And a bit hurted if I might add.

A sigh escaped my thin lips as the respond. I closed both my eyes and wiped away the sweat that was flowing swiftly on my forehead.

Today was totally the hottest…

I opened my eyes slowly. My grey orbs then caught a sight of an old house that towered in front of me. A very old house if I might add. There were even plants, moss and all of the other plants that you could find in a biology book decorated the wall of the house.

And surprisingly shocked, this old house that could be found in the middle era was my 10th house now.

But, the surprise didn't end there. In addition, this old house was located in the middle of a hinterland. The big trees that stood proudly around the house and the area was enough as a proof.

I ruffled my white-spiky hair and found out that it was already wet by sweat. A sigh, for the second time, escaped my lips, proofing that I was tired.

I was a 16 years old guy. And being a teen, I should actually enjoy my times with friends, going to fun places and all, right? But, here I was, moving from one place to another place, just for the sake of my parents' job.

Yes, my parents were archaeologists, people who did many researches on historical things. And now, interest got the best of them. They agreed to move to a small town called Carona where there was these ruins of a kingdom.

From what I had heard from my father, this Carona town was pretty famous with its unsolved tale of a kingdom. East Heaven Kingdom was the name of the kingdom.

They said that the kingdom was ruined and the souls of the people now haunted the ruins.

Ridiculous was one word that best described my thought about the ghost tale. I meant, no one actually believed that tale, even my parents didn't.

But, anyway, the rumor actually spread fast. It came reaching my parents, telling them that there was an empty house which was located near the ruins.

And it was how my family ended up in a hinterland like this.

God… I could understand my parents' job. But, living in a house like this? Please…

But, well, what choices did I have?

I shook my head in attempt to drive all of the thoguhts away. "You've no other choice, Rue. Just live with it." I tried to assure myself as I continued carrying my things into the house.

Actually, no, I wasn't a brat who liked complaining a lot. But, I was tired. I meant, who wouldn't be? Not to mention that I had one little sister and one little brother that should be taken care of.

Yes, I was the one in duty here to take care of everything when my parents were busy with their jobs. Well, considering that I was the oldest of the three.

And, just at a time like this, when my parents were not here, I would always be the one in managing everything.

Wonder where my parents were now? Well, they already left for the town to gather more informations, leaving their kids alone to manage everything.

I knew it sounded like a family with abandoned kids and all. But, believe me, my family was actually a harmonic family. And that was the reason why I didn't like complaining, being a brat and so on.

"Sis! I wanna go back to our old house!" I heard my little brother, Prima shouted.

It had started. I bet my little brother was awake now. Yes, during our trip to Carona, Prima was asleep in the car and no one bothered to wake him up. Problem was, we knew that a long trip like this was tiring. Not to mention that Prima would be a nuisance if he was awake. No, I wasn't being mean. I was saying the truth.

Anyway, something like this often happened in my family. And it was time for me to take an act as a big brother.

I dropped my things in front of the door's house and made my way to where my little brother was. I assumed he must be near our car, near where my little sister, Elena was waiting.

Yes, he was near Elena. I could see Elena was trying to calm Prima down.

"What's wrong?" I approached Elena with a tap on her shoulder.

I didn't know why, but, I saw Elena jumped a bit. Maybe she was a bit surprised with the way I called her.

"Uh… Prima… He's saying that he's afraid of the ghost tale and wants to go back to our old house." She explained while shifting a bit.

I looked at Prima. He was pulling on Elena's blue dress and was putting on a face of pleading baby. Man… Prima was 10. It wasn't appropiate for him to whine like a baby who lost his candies.

I just sighed as the respond of this. I then moved my gazes to Elena. Her face looked tired, I could tell. Not to mention the sweat that was sticking all over her pink hair, making her needed an extra bath. I guessed the sun was really burning this afternoon.

And feeling the heat had got into my my brain, I wiped away the sweat on my forehead for the second time.

"Uh…" I moaned. Why did it feel hotter?

When I was still busy with the heat, a strange feeling suddenly shrouded my mind. Was it the heat or was it just me?

I just shook my head to drive all of the bugging feelings away as a solution.

"Brother? You alright?" Elena's voice brought me back to earth.

I turned my head to face her. My grey orbs reflected Elena's figure that looked absolutely confused. She was holding a sobbing Prima in her arms.

"Brother…?" I heard her calling my name in a low voice.

I blinked twice. Uh… Something wasn't right with me. Maybe it was the heat. Yes, it must be the heat. No, it should be…

"Let-let me take care of Prima." I tried to focus my mind by offering a help.

Elena just tilted her head to the side in respond. I could see that she was still confused. I could also sense that she was worried. They were obviously painted in her black orbs.

"No. I will take care of Prima and the rest. You can just carry my luggage into the house then get some rest." Elena ordered.

Had I mentioned that Elena was the one in the family who was being a help for me? I was sure I had not. Well, yes, she usually helped me. You could consider her as my assistant in doing all of the house chores.

But, I still couldn't let her do all of the things alone. I wasn't a big brother who liked neglecting my own duties.

And here came my protest. "But-"

"No but! You looked terribily tired." She immediately cut me off when I was about to protest.

"…" Silence was my temporary respond for this.

My mind was debating for a while wether to take this usefull offer or not. Yes, I was tired and absolutely felt burnt. But…

"Believe in your little sis, okay?" Elena's voice snapped me back from my thoughts. I saw her smiling an assured smile with Prima was still in her arms.

A sigh escaped my lips for the third time today. I ruffled my hair. A thought suddenly came telling me that Elena was right; I needed to rest my tired mind. "Okay, okay. But, if you need help, don't hesitate to ask me for it."

She just nodded and smiled in respond.

- LPLPLP -

"Phew." I threw my weary body onto the couch, feeling like a heavy burden that was tagging along had been lifted, magically.

Yes, I had finished carrying Elena's luggage into the house. And now, I decided to get myself a nap, on a couch.

Why on a couch you asked? Well, the answer was mostly simple and mostly logical; the house was old. It explained that the bedroom wasn't ready to be used.

And let me tell another surprise; this old house was actually filled with many antiques. I thought that the previous owner of this old house might have taken these antiques along with them. But, when I unlocked the enterance of this old house, my grey orbs caught the sight of these antiques that were still standing in their positions.

Just like this couch I found on the second floor for an example. It was a bit dusty, but, not too dusty like the other antiques. I didn't exactly understand why, but, it was maybe because of the room was open.

And it made me think of making this couch for a place to rest, temporary.

Oh, well, I didn't have to worry about such things. Elena had promised me to take care of the rest. Although I felt a bit guilty for letting her did all the chores… Nah, I would just thank her later.

A sigh, I didn't know how many it had been today, escaped my lips. I placed both my arms under my head, making a pillow. My grey orbs were scanning the ceiling that was laying flatly above me.

Huh? What was that?

My eyes caught a sight of something painted on the ceiling. I squinted my eyes to get a better look at the ceiling. My eyes were registering the image that was decorating the ceiling to my brain. Yes, it needed process because the image here wasn't really clear.

After a while of progressing, I finally realised the image was an image of a girl. Yes, a girl with long-fiery hair. She was painted with a really loose gown folded her body.

Man… This old house was absolutely filled with many antique stuffs. Even the ceiling was painted like that. Was the first thought that came into my mind.

Oh, well, why did I think of an unimportant thing like that? It wasn't my bussiness.

I just closed my eyes in the end, ready to drift off into a peacefull sleep. I was about to start entering the dream land, but, a strange thought suddenly came shrouding my mind.

I snapped open both my eyes, feeling a bit surprised. I got up immediately and shook my head in attempt to drive the strange thoughts away.

Ugh… What was happening to me? It had been the third time today for me to have some strange feelings like this. Yes, three times. The first one was in the car, when I and my family were driving to Carona town. The second one happened a few minutes ago and the third one was happening now.

I shook my head again. Maybe I was just tired. Maybe… No…

Ngiiing…

Ugh… Suddenly, I felt this stinging sound reached my ears… What sound was this? It hurted… My head…

Ngiiing…

No… Stop… It hurted…

Ngiiing…

I thought I would lost my conciousness… soon…

- LPLPLP -

Ngiiing…

I snapped open both my eyes immediately. I got up and sat on the ground while holding my throbbing head. First thing that came into my mind was that stinging sound that made my head hurted so much.

Damn that sound. What sound was that?

Uh, wait…

…

…

…It had… Stopped?

"Finally. You've woken up!"

Surprised for realising that someone's voice was actually near, I turned my head to the right. I widen both my eyes in shock, seeing a familiar figure that was towering in front of me.

Long-fiery hair, the red orbs that were glimmering with fire, the loose gown which was this familiar figure's clothing. She… Was the girl on that old house's ceiling!

I rooted to my spot. Shock was one word that best described my feeling now. What was the meaning of this? The weird thoughts I had been having and all…

And, most importantly, my grey orbs caught a sight of my surrounding. Surprisingly shocking, the reflection on my eyes wasn't the reflection I knew. It showed that I was in some kinda… Ruins…

What the…?

Was I in the old house before? But, how could I end up in ruins like these? What was happening? Who was this girl? Where was I?

Day One - To Be Continued

Just some notes : I hope this one is better =) It actually took me much time to repair stuffs in my head and I hope you don't really mind -_- Anyway, I decided to delete the first Threads of Fate fanfic. I thought it was a really weird fic. Oh, well… I still hope for some critics etc.