Chapter one

There she was , sitting motionless in the darkened confines of her cell, her form blending into the shadows that clung to the stone walls like a second skin. The air was damp, the silence deafening save for the occasional drip of water echoing in the distance. She had stopped counting the passage of time long ago; minutes bled into hours, hours into years—or perhaps centuries. It didn’t matter. The weight of her failures pressed on her like an endless tide, drowning her in memories she could never escape.

Burned cities. Desolate plains. The faces of the dead, some accusing, others indifferent, all carved into the fog of her mind. Every choice she had made, every power she had wielded, had been in vain. Her home, her people, her plains—gone. She had traded everything, over and over again, chasing salvation for them, only to find herself here: powerless, broken, and alone.

The iron-bolted door groaned open, its shrill creak slicing through the oppressive silence. Two figures entered, their silhouettes stark against the faint light spilling into the cell. Halstead and Reynolds. Their very presence shifted the air, commanding attention like a storm on the horizon.

Halstead was tall and imposing, his every movement deliberate, his expression unreadable. His eyes seemed to pierce through her, as if dissecting her very soul. Beside him, Reynolds was the contrast—leaning casually against the wall, a smirk tugging at his lips as if this were nothing more than a casual rendezvous.

“Catherine,” Reynolds drawled, his tone laced with mockery. “The infamous scourge of the plains. You know, I had to see this for myself. A legend reduced to… this.” He gestured around the cell as if its decay was a reflection of her.

She didn’t move, her gaze sharp and unwavering. “If you came here to gloat, you’re wasting your time.”

“Oh, she still has bite,” Reynolds mused, glancing at Halstead. “I like her already.”

Halstead stepped forward, his deep voice filling the room like distant thunder. “Tell me, Catherine. As you sit here, replaying all those failures, have you ever stopped to consider what they meant for the balance?”

Her lips curled into a bitter smile. “Balance. A convenient excuse for those who want to control others. I don’t have time for your riddles.”

Reynolds chuckled, pushing off the wall and pacing leisurely. “She’s fiery. I’ll give her that. But here’s the thing, Catherine. You’re not just any sinner. No, you’ve earned a spot in the top five across all major plains. Do you know how many higher plains have a vested interest in keeping tabs on you? It’s like a spectator sport.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Halstead added with a faint smirk. “We’ve seen the wreckage you’ve left behind. Entire units obliterated, countless plains destabilized. You’re not a person, Catherine. You’re a walking apocalypse.”

Reynolds leaned closer, his grin sharpening. “Take the Thunder Plains, for example. A whole region, wiped out. All it took was you and a few cursed beasts. Three units of curse power to counter you—and they still couldn’t keep up.”

Catherine’s expression flickered, a flash of confusion breaking through her stoic facade. “Why are you telling me this? What do you want?”

“To give you a choice,” Halstead replied, his tone calm but carrying an edge of finality. “We’re here to offer you something you’ve never had: a chance to balance the scales. The Redemption System.”

Her eyes narrowed. “And if I refuse?”

“You can refuse,” Reynolds said, his voice almost cheerful. “And stay here, locked in the dark, forever haunted by your past. Or, you can step into the unknown, take the system, and see if you’re as strong as you think you are.”

Catherine studied them, her mind racing. The offer reeked of manipulation, yet the thought of remaining in this cell, trapped with nothing but memories, was unbearable. Slowly, she rose, her chains clinking softly. “Fine. I’ll take your system. But don’t mistake this for submission. I’ll play your game—for now.”

Reynolds grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

A shimmering screen materialized before her, its surface alive with flickering light. The interface was incomplete, a single button dominating the display: **ACCEPT.** Her gut twisted with unease, but she extended her hand and pressed it.

The world exploded in light. Catherine’s body felt as if it were unraveling, every atom pulled apart and reassembled in an instant. When the brilliance subsided, she found herself standing in an unfamiliar landscape.

Towering trees with iridescent leaves stretched skyward, their roots twisting into a labyrinthine forest floor. The air shimmered with unearthly hues, vibrant and otherworldly. Catherine glanced down at her hands. They were youthful, unscarred. She touched her face, noting the smoothness of her skin. Her body felt lighter, stronger, yet foreign.

This was no prison. This was something else entirely.

She took a deep breath, the cool air filling her lungs as she surveyed her surroundings. She was alone. The Redemption System was nowhere to be seen, its promises as elusive as the plains she had once destroyed.

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Back in the cell, Reynolds watched as the light dissipated, leaving only empty chains behind. He turned to Halstead, a sly grin on his face. “You lied to her, didn’t you? About monitoring her.”

Halstead’s lips twitched in amusement. “Would you want that job? Even the higher plains won’t touch her. No, Catherine is her own problem now.”

Reynolds laughed, the sound echoing in the dim corridor. “Fair enough. Let’s see if she’s really up for redemption—or if she’ll just burn another plain to the ground.”

As they exited, the cell door swung shut behind them with a resounding clang. Somewhere far away, in an uncharted plain, Catherine’s journey had just begun. The Redemption System awaited, its tests poised to unravel her—or remake her entirely.

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