A young girl stood upon the platform. She could hardly be older than 14 years old by most people if they saw her. Almost all would be enraptured by her beauty even at her youthful age. With snow like skin that was flawlessly smooth like a freshly fell cherry blossom pedal contrasted by long midnight colored hair tied up into a long ponytail. Her body was petite and athletic, but slightly shorter than the average woman for some it would be point against her, but the height seemed to accent her features well. Besides the fact that her body was petite for her age that was not where her true beauty lay, but it was in her face. With round crescent shaped eyes that were contrasted, by delicate, soft, pink lips that made any man desire her despite her youth. However, this was not the most shocking thing within her crescent shaped eyes were ice blue irises something that was rarely seen by the people of this continent for almost everyone was born with dark colored eyes. This made people uneasy looking at her, for surely this was a sign that she was cursed a child which would explain her haunting, unnatural, blue eyes.

Despite all this the girl was hoisted up onto a box and it wasn't until then that people snapped back into reality of why they were all there that day.

"People of Sato we have gathered you together to show you what happens when you insult the Eternal emperor or his family's law" the man who stood beside the young girl dramatically gestured to the girl who was now having the noose tied around her small neck. "This girl as lowly and wretched as she may be tried to harm his royal majesty the crown prince Ryoma."

"Well that was only half true, the truth was she tried stealing the crown prince’s coin purse and after getting caught tried kicking him and then as a last resort biting at him of course how could she know that she would be biting the crown prince" thought Rize who was not standing there with a noose around her neck her face expressionlessly. No fear entered her mind in that moment only relief from this awful world. Rize had grown up in extreme poverty and to survive she had to pickpocket for a living, the orphanage she lived in was in a sad state and she was often the outcast even among the outcasts, because of her strange eyes which she had no control over. Some would think it was rather morbid for a child barely of 14 years old to think like that, but this world was unrelenting and brutal.

"This girl will be set as an example for all people in the future that to insult the royal family is to court death!" the man gave one last bellow before taking out his sword and cutting the rope that held the platforms trap door in place.

*SWWACK!* the sickening sound of the rope going taunt causing all the onlookers to flinch at the sound of the breaking of the young girls neck. The twitching of the young girl’s life ended which spelt the end for Rize in this life. The crowd watched in horror even though she was a cursed child, despite their revulsion many were relieved that such a presence gone from their midst. As the crowd dispersed into the streets casting away their thoughts of disgust as fast as they came.

...

"Well that hurt" thought Rize as her soul detached from her body she looked down at her limp body swaying in the wind and realized she was no longer living "so this is what death is like?" she thought uncharacteristically calm for a girl her age due to perhaps so much hardship in her life.

As she floated above the scene before her she had no thoughts of anger towards the people who did nothing in the face of her execution no matter how unjust. She only was angry at the God’s for giving her such a rotten life. At that moment an unseen force forcibly grabbed her spirit and pulled her soul at high speeds into the clouds. The world morphed and twisted before her very eyes reality became different as she found herself in a large citadel that sat on the top of an enormous mountain with the brightness of her surroundings caused her to unable to see properly. As her eyes tried to readjust to the sudden change of environment she looked around blinking several times as she tried to comprehend what had just happened.

"Um... Hello? Er...who did that?" she spoke dumbfounded. ‘What the hell was this?!’

"Ehem!" the sound of a voice clearing their throat came from behind her.

Turning around quickly Rize looked up to see a man who was dressed in traditional robes of Sato with a jade belt around his waist that had a large curved sword clinging to it the man had an kindly elderly appearance to him

The man smiled warmly and walked up to Rize "Welcome, Rize, to the afterlife."

"What is going on? I know I just died, but I never figured I would be going to stay in the heavenly places!" Rize was shocked for even an uneducated girl like her had known that in order to earn a place in the heavenly places alongside the gods one had to perform great deeds and honor the gods in order to join them. The only other way was to gain enough power in your life time to earn your way into the heavens and to be named a god by gaining worshipers, but that had not happened in a long time as far as she could remember from her little knowledge she had on religion.

"b-bahahaha No child you did not get granted to heaven and before you think I am going to bestow you a ridiculous gift in your next life think again!" His kind demeanor changed “I am merely in charge of ensuring that the cycle continues that the One put in place…”

Rize's hopes were completely crushed 'how did he know I was thinking about that?' she thought crestfallen twirling her tiny thumbs nervously.

The God's laughter died down after a short time "Child my name is Kozuma god of rebirth! And I have had a bit of pity towards you as your life was quite unfair. So I am going to reincarnate you fifty years later! Of course you will look as you do now once you grow up, but do try and change your fortunes won't you?"

"Wait!" Rize put up her slim hands "you are going to reincarnate me, but what difference does it make if my eyes are still this way I will still be an outcast!" she pointed at her ice blue eyes.

"Young lady!" he said cheerfully "you may curse your unique eyes now, but someday you will be thankful for what the One gave you! You will discover a world that you never knew of in your past life, live well young Rize..." he paused thinking for a bit "I like that name you will keep it hahaha" he laughed a hearty laugh before flicking my forehead sending me flying away. At that moment everything went black and single thought entered her mind. Peacefulness.

...

The darkness went on and on time was quite meaningless as Rize slowly lost her former life in a tangled web or memories. Time was meaningless and a wave of fluidity.

*ba-dum*

*ba-dum*

*ba-dum*

The sound of a rapid heartbeat filled Rize's head...'was that her name?' the next moment she felt a warm voice fill her head the vibration was light and gave a fuzzy feeling, soon after several other non-distinct voices filled the area she felt herself floating in. Not long after a strong firm voice came from the outside of where she found herself it gave another strangely warm feeling as the earlier voice, but in a different way than before. These two voices must be her parents...wait...what are parents?

...

After several months of floating peacefully in her mother's womb Rize felt an intense need to leave the safety around her. Why? She didn't know only that she was being compelled by something to want to leave. Before long she found herself in a warmly lite room and her body being wrapped in a soft fabric just then a familiar voice filled her head.

"Rize... my little Rize welcome to the world my little princess" for some reason though the feeling had been felt for only a little over nine months she still felt like this was a new experience that she had never previously experienced... love...'wait! What is love?' She could vaguely see the outline of her parents as both faces came into view she could see a smile… something she had a sense that was special.

...

It wasn't long before Rize had learned to walk. In fact she was quite impressed with herself it only took her eleven whole months to accomplish this monumental task with a few hiccups along the way with her mother and father's help she had successfully accomplished what she envied all the adults for so long!

Her hair was dark and she had piercing blue eyes a sign to many of the common people of her cursed existence, but luckily for her she was not abandoned like in her previous life, most parents would have abandoned their child if they thought they were cursed like many of the elders warned her parents to do, but her parents unbeknownst to Rize refused and treated her like they would any other child. Rize was too young to know what a cruel world she would grow up into.

Regardless the next task little Rize set for herself was to learn to speak like her parents... she was sick of them misunderstanding her and feeding her when she just wanted a blanket cause it was too cold at night or because she wanted to practice walking more…

Six Years Later

The small town of Naebashi with a population of no more than 3000 was far north of the Sato Empire. It was known for providing pelts of the various wildlife and beasts that stalked the northern forests which acted as the northern edge of the Sato Empire. The trees of the great northern forest were so large small towns could fit in their branches they were immense and strong like iron giving the forest another name the forest of Iron trees. Deep in the forest were two figures cloaked and awaiting in the bushes on the forest floor where smaller more human sized trees lay and brush. The larger man was in his late twenties his back was large from drawing extremely strong bows for years making his shoulders broad and powerful he wore gloves that covered his wrists with small holes cut into them for his fingers to bend at the tips. Crouched besides him was a young girl no older than seven years old her small frame looked even smaller next to her bulky father. Her hair was pulled back into a tail tied by a red ribbon that was given to her by her mother. Her most striking feature was her piercing ice blue eyes that glared ferociously at the clearing where the duos prey stood grazing in the nearby grass that grew in the patches of light that reached the forest floor.

The creature was known in this area of the Sato as a common Dern a deer like creature that had antlers and a long lizard like tongue to grab berries and other foods into their mouth on its rear was a long whip like tail it used for basic defense when threatened. They were typically herding animals, but during mating season the males would leave to try and start their own families forming another herd.

"Rize" the man's gruff voice said in a surprisingly gentle way, despite his overall demeanor he was quite a gentle soul who was always kind and slow to anger. Rize looked at her father as he knocked one of his arrows to his large bow that was taller than Rize herself. "Rize, remember what I said about not hesitating when you have a chance to catch your prey?"

Rize nodded with a small grin coming across her face "yes papa" she said lovingly taking in all her father's wisdom to heart. In her mind her father was the wisest man she had ever met and protected his family without fail.

"Good, because just like hunting, life doesn't hesitate if you don't take a chance when it shows itself you will miss it" and just as he finished speaking those words he swiftly pulled back the bow and let loose the arrow. It sailed thru the air landing exactly where it was meant to hit impaling the Dern. Before the Dern could even react it collapsed exactly where it stood dying instantly from the impact of the arrow. A smile was on her father's face as he stood up and emerged with Rize towards the downed Dern.

Kneeling down besides the Dern he spoke a quick ritual giving honor to Femir the god of the hunt before strapping the Dern to his back. The Dern was quite large, but her father was a large man and slung it over his shoulders caring it easily for himself.

Rize looked at where her father had expertly struck the Dern it was right where the lungs and heart lined up perfectly on the animal. Whenever he father took her on his hunting trips she would beg her father to train her on how to use a bow, but her father said that he would take her, but that she was too young to learn and furthermore it wasn't lady-like. Her father was overprotective of his girl, but in a frontier village like Naebashi one couldn’t keep their children innocent long.

Rize however had no desire to be lady-like and dreamed of being a great hunter just like her father at least in the wilderness animals and beasts did not discriminate like the other children of Naebashi would tease Rize for her eyes. Though it was tame compared to other parts of the Empire the village was still not open to people who were considered cursed.

This unwillingness to settle down and learn womanly things concerned her mother, but that couldn't be helped it was who she is. Rize was a fierce girl with a quiet and domineering personality. Something that many of the village woman considered not like a housewife at all which a woman was normally the highest would achieve in such a place as Naebashi.

Walking down the forest path after about two hours of traveling they made it to the edge of Naebashi the town was bustling this time of year as the fur merchants were beginning to arrive as the spring hunting season had just begun. Rize loved hearing about the outside world from these merchants who would come to town. Stories of wars and adventurers would fill all the children's ears as they heard about the vastness of the Sato Empire. It gave many of the children what their parents called delusions of grandeur.

If all the merchants were in town that meant only one thing that her favorite person that came from out of town would be here. His name was Mr. Itakura a merchant who came from unknown parts of the empire to collect Naebashi's high quality furs. He had been purchasing almost exclusively from her father as long as she could remember. Telling her tales of adventure and life in the grand cities of Sato.

"Papa! Can I see of old man Itakura? He should be in town by now!" Rize said excitedly. Her large blue eyes made her father’s heart melt every time.

‘Whoever says blue eyes are signs of a curse never had such innocent beautiful exotic eyes look up at them.’ He thought to himself.

Her father laughed heartedly "Alright! You may go, but don't be late for dinner and be sure to call him Mr. Itakura not old man is that understood Rize?" he said patting her on the head brushing her hair out of her face.

With a smile Rize jumped up with excitement "thanks papa!" running towards where old man Itakura always set up his cart Rize waved bye to her dad.

Her father watched as her little head ran at top speed down the street.